On occasion, the editors of Sight Unseen spot a story about creativity told from a viewpoint that’s not unlike our own. This one, regarding a new exhibition at Art Center’s Williamson Gallery, comes from Core77, which reveals: “Before there were patent drawings, there were patent objects. ‘Up until 1880, if you had a brilliant idea, something that you thought would change the world, and you wanted to get patent protection for it, you had to submit a working scale model to the government,’ said Stephen Nowlin, vice president of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Nowlin is hosting an exhibit called ‘The Curious World of Patent Models,’ a traveling show organized by the Rothschild Patent Model Museum, which will reveal more than 50 artifacts submitted for patents way back in the day.” In honor of America’s Independence Day holiday, we’ve chosen six of our favorite scale models — each no larger than 12 inches square — from the collection.
Above: Oatmeal Machine, patented August 20, 1878, by George Ayliffe and Joseph Hugill of Akron, Ohio, meant to “rapidly cut the hulled kernels of oats into uniform particles of any desired size.”
Artificial Leg, patented on January 6, 1863 by T.F. Engelbrecht of New York and R. Boeklen and W. Staehlen of Brooklyn. “This invention consists in certain provisions for the adjustment of the parts of an artificial limb in such manner as may be desirable to adapt it to the length of the natural limb and conformation of the foot of the intending wearer, by which means the necessity of making a limb to suit each particular case is to a great extent obviated, and in consequence the cost of manufacture is considerably reduced.”
Folding Chair & Life Preserver, patented on July 18, 1871 by J. Max Rudiger of Brooklyn. “My invention consists in so constructing a folding chair that, when it is folded or closed, it will readily form a life-preserver … No operation is required to convert the chairs into such because they are so converted by the operation of folding. Chairs on shipboard which are in use or within reach are, in cases of accidents, such as falling overboard or shipwreck, seized as available objects for safety, but their tendency to roll renders them uncertain and unreliable. The dimensions of the chairs and their ‘projecting legs are also serious inconveniences, and serve to incommode and confuse passengers who crowd together in the excitement and commotion of the occasion. My invention is designed to remedy these evils as well as provide a serviceable life-preserver … A life-raft can easily be constructed from a number of chairs.”
Improved Washing Machine, patented on August 9, 1870 by Charles H. De Knight of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “The operation of the machine is as follows: The lid B and disk E are turned back, and a suitable quantity of water poured into the tub. The desired quantity and kind of clothes are selected, “soaped,” and placed in the water in the tub … The lid B is then secured down by a hook, button, or other device. The operator then takes hold of the lever and imparts to it a reciprocating motion, which imparts, through the medium of the wheel and pinion, a rotating reciprocating motion to the rubbing-disk E, which will, by its even downward pressure, and action on the clothes, wash them with ease and facility, without undue wear of the fabric. The clothes are then removed from the machine, manipulated in the ordinary manner, for boiling, rinsing or wringing.”
Pressure Gage, patented on March 12, 1877 by William T. Snyder of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. “My invention relates to gages for indicating pressure in hydraulic cylinders; and it consists of a solid piston of small area, whose outward motion is opposed by a strong adjustable spiral spring, and whose outer extremity is connected with an index that moves in front of a graduated arc … The advantages claimed for my improved gage are, that it is strong in all its parts, simple in its arrangement, and is therefore reliable and not liable to become inoperative, as are gages of ordinary construction.”
Wrestling Toy, patented on February 26, 1867, by James T. Walker of Palmyra, New York. “This invention relates to a new and improved toy, which I denominate the ‘Lilliputian Wrestlers’ … The arms are constructed in one piece carved in imitation of two arms, and pivoted at their ends to the shoulders of the figures, and hung on the rod at their centres. The arms present the appearance of being locke’d together, keeping the shoulders at the same distance from each other, irrespective of the position of the figures. When the lever is depressed and-then allowed to rise, it will, in the latter case, throw the figures down upon the platform, and in the former raise them therefrom, and by this means cause them to perform various evolutions, as well as to go through many movements greatly resembling the wrestling of two persons with each other, whereby much amusement can be afforded to children and others.”
Click here to read the original story at Core77.