Inventions

Winfield Courier, January 27, 1876.
MR. BULL, who purchased the Parmelee place, has been experi­menting some time on a baking powder of his invention and produc­es an article superior to any found in the market. He intends engaging in its manufacture.
Winfield Courier, April 6, 1876.
Mr. F. M. Linscott, one of our thinking farmers of Winfield Township, has invented a very ingenious railroad bed. It is to consist entirely of iron—wooden ties will be dispensed, and car wheels, by being largely flanged, will be kept on the track. He will probably apply for a patent. His model should be seen to be appreciated.
Winfield Courier, December 21, 1876.
MR. HUTCHINGS, of Oxford, one of the patentees of “Hutchings Rein Holder,” a novel little contrivance for holding reins, has been in town for a day or two introducing his patent. He is offering to sell the right of the county for a term of fifteen and a half years. The holder can be attached to a wagon, buggy, plow, reaper, or any kind of farm machinery, thereby preventing horses from running or getting mixed up in the lines. The person that buys the right to this county will make money, as a great many persons are waiting to order one or more of them.
LATER. Jim Hill's the lucky man. He bought the right of Cowley.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 23, 1876.
MR. B. MELLINGER, from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, pur­chased two tracts of land near Nenescah, last week of Mr. Free­man, and expects to locate soon. Mr. Mellinger is the patentee and manufacturer of the Mellinger Horse Hay Rake, and has some intentions of manufacturing the implements at Arkansas City.
Winfield Courier, January 11, 1877.
MR. BULL, of this place, is offered $4,000 for his interest in the novel egg basket recently patented by himself and associate.
 [AMOUNT HARD TO READ...COULD BE $1,000!]
Winfield Courier, January 18, 1877.
Rev. Rigby has invented and constructed a coal oil lamp that will make him a fortune.  The patent is about to be issued.  A lamp of his manufacture can be seen at Bliss & Earnest's store that is an imperfect model of the one to be patented.  But to a novice that one seems perfect.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 24, 1877.
REV. RIGBY, of Winfield, has invented a patent safety lamp burner.
Winfield Courier, May 3, 1877.

A successful grasshopper trap has been made by Mr. T. B. Myers of this city. It consists of an endless piece of canvass five feet wide and five feet long running on wooden rollers two and six inches in diameter respectively, the rollers being in a frame made of pine 2 x 4 studding. The frame rests on an axletree, which is carried by two wheels taken from a sulky plow. The smallest roller runs in front next to but just clear of the ground. A wooden wheel which is fastened to the right hand plow wheel carries a round strap to a small wheel, which is fastened to the end of the rear roller outside of the frame. This strap carries the endless canvass in the manner of a straw elevator on a threshing machine. By pushing the machine along with its front end close to the ground, the hoppers light upon the canvass by the thousands and are carried back over the large roller and a small brush sweeps them into a sheet iron furnace filled with any burning material which extends below the frame at the rear. Canvass about 15 inches wide is attached to stakes that stand along the sides and over the rear of the frame. It costs about ten dollars and works like a charm.
Winfield Courier, July 26, 1877.  
The M. E. church has ordered the chandelier made of the new Rigby lamp, a Winfield man's invention.
Winfield Courier, October 18, 1877.
Rev. N. L. Rigby is in the city again visiting his better half. He says his lamp manufacturing business is going on well.
Winfield Courier, October 25, 1877.
Rev. N. L. Rigby exhibited to us his patent for his invention in lamps, issued to him by the government of Great Britain. To those who have never seen such a document, it is worth a visit to Mr. Rigby to see it. The document itself would do for a table-cloth, and is neater, whiter, and more substantial than most table-spreads. The seal weighs about four pounds, and the whole is enclosed in and fills up a neat case about twelve by sixteen inches, five inches deep.
Winfield Courier, December 13, 1877.
The new M. E. church is lighted by the latest style Rigby & Pryor lamps. A brass pipe,  about an inch and a half in diameter, suspended from the ceiling by four rods, passes through the center of the building, upon which, about four feet apart, are a number of lamps, which illuminate the building as well as gas.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 24, 1878. 
STRUCK OIL. JOHN L. ALEXANDER, son of Dr. Alexander of this place, went to Edinburg, Pennsylvania, two years ago, to engage in boring for oil. In company with another young man, they drilled a hole three hundred feet deep and lost their drill in the hole, owing to the way it was coupled. They began another hole 25 feet distant and drilled 1,200 feet when they struck a vein of oil, flowing 37 barrels per day, worth $1.30 per barrel. After losing his drill John invented a new coupling which he has had patented, and stands a chance of making something out of that as well as the oil.
[CORRESPONDENCE FROM "ARCANUM" - BEAVER.]
Arkansas City Traveler, August 28, 1878.
Mr. Isaac Beach has the neatest and most convenient peach drier apparatus in this vicinity. A production of his own inventive genius. J. B. has perhaps the largest peach orchard in the county.
Winfield Courier, April 4, 1878.
                                                 NINNESCAH TOWNSHIP.
Jas. T. Dale, our patent pump man, has had a model of his invention made and you ought to see him step around and pump water for his neighbors.
Winfield Courier, September 19, 1878.

                                                      FROM NINNESCAH.
James T. Dale has returned from St. Joseph, Mo., where he has been getting one of his patent pumps manufactured under his own supervision. He says it is a success, and we suppose he will give us all a chance to see how it works.
Winfield Courier, September 19, 1878.
Mr. Todd has a home-made fruit dryer which is superior to any of the patents in the market. If you don't believe this, go and see his dryer do the work.
Winfield Courier, December 5, 1878.
                                                               E. E. Bacon.
This gentleman is one of the most skillful mechanics and neatest workmen in the state. We have particularly noticed his work in the jewelry line and our judgment coincides with the general verdict that it cannot be beat. Since he has moved into the post office building, he is crowded with work but he gets time to put in neat inventions of his own which add much to the value of his work. He keeps a good stock of time keepers and jewelry.
Winfield Courier, January 30, 1879.
Mr. W. C. Briant, of Floral, exhibited to us the other day a patent churn which seems to us to be just the thing.  It is simple in construction, and we should judge would be always in order, requires little power, works with a swing, and has all the convenient attachments to assist in handling the cream.  It is arranged for warming or cooling with warm or cold water, and the temperature is adjusted and indicated by a thermometer for its introduction in this county, and believe he will meet with flattering success.
Winfield Courier, October 16, 1879.
Timme, the tailor, has invented an ingenious contrivance for hanging a mirror so that his customers can see how their clothes fit behind as well as before.
Arkansas City Traveler, March 24, 1880.
Messrs. Alexander and Baird are introducing a new and ingenious attachment for doors. It is claimed by the use of this invention rain, snow, dust, etc., is entirely excluded from the room.
Winfield Courier, February 24, 1881.
Snyder & Spotswood have had photographs taken of their patent folding coops, from which they will have cuts made. The coop is intended for shipping, and can be folded up and returned to the owner, thereby saving to shippers the price of the coop. It is an excellent thing.
[REPORT FROM "NOVUS HOMO." - NORTH WEST CRESWELL.]
Winfield Courier, April 21, 1881.
Will Furry has invented a new windmill, but has no patent on it yet.
                                                          NOVUS HOMO.
[FACTS AND FIGURES: CARRIAGE WORKS.]
Winfield Courier, November 10, 1881.

Last Friday afternoon we visited the Carriage Works and were shown through the institution by the Superintendent, Mr. W. F. Dorley. Since their removal from Ninth Avenue to the commodious buildings on Main street, the business has increased to propor­tions hardly realized by our citizens. The works now occupy all of Alexander's brick block, three rooms 25 x 76 on the first floor, and have 1,800 square feet of storage room in the base­ments. They work fifteen hands and turn out five buggies and spring wagons each week.
Their orders come in much faster than the work can be completed. Since the commencement they have manufactured and sold 150 buggies and spring wagons. Ninety-nine of these have been furnished with the Eliptic side-bar spring: the invention  and property of Mr. Dorley. They now have on hand $1,500 worth of work ready for delivery. Their buggies range in price from $60 to $250, and are built and sold cheaper than a buggy can be laid down here from Chicago. The reason of this is that they can ship the material for ten buggies in at less than the rates for one finished.
The quality of work being turned out is equal to any eastern manufacture. Mr. Dorley has built buggies all his life and has been foreman of several of the largest carriage factories in the United States. He is an enthusiast in his line, and knows more about a wagon than any one.
The shops are run on the most business-like principles. Everything moves like clock-work. One man does nothing but make buggy boxes, another works exclusively on another part, and every hand does nothing but that with which he is most familiar; thus all the parts work harmoniously. They have turned out buggies and wagons for Wichita, Wellington, Arkansas City, and many other neighboring towns. The finishing touches are just being put on a buggy which goes to Iowa. One of the greatest troubles they have had to contend with has been to secure skilled workmen, and especially carriage painters. Last week they overcame this difficulty by securing the services of one of the finest carriage painters in the country, who came on from New York and took charge of their paint shops.
Such manufacturing interests as this is what, above all else, Winfield wants to encourage. This one has added nearly fifty souls to our population, as their skilled mechanics were all brought from the east. Their payroll foots up about $200 per week, all of which goes into the hands of our merchants and helps to build up business and make a market for produce. It brings in money from other localities and helps to swell the name and fame of our city. This is good: let's have some more. It is pros­pering, and so can others.
We want a paper mill, a sugar factory, and more grist mills: and we want them bad. We must have a woolen mill to furnish wearing apparel for the carriage builders and a sugar factory and more grist mills to feed the woolen mill men, while we want a paper mill to furnish the COURIER with white paper on which to blow about it.
Le us all take hold of this business with a will and give a long pull and a strong pull toward bringing about the desired end. Let the Board of Trade take immediate steps toward getting mill men interested and bring to their knowledge the many advan­tages of location and raw material to be worked up. Now is the accepted time and if Winfield wakes up, she can be the future great city of the southwest. She cannot afford to sit idly by and let these "golden moments fleeting pass."
Arkansas City Traveler, November 2, 1881.
Mr. J. G. Titus, whom many of our citizens will remember as one of the pioneers of Grouse Creek, but now in Colorado, has developed into an inventor. Read from the Scientific American.

"Mr. Jacob G. Titus, of Silver Cliff, Colorado, has patented an improvement to that class of journal bearings in which fric­tion is relieved by use of balls or rollers interposed between the journal and its box or casing. The improvement consists in the construction of an axle journal box which adapts it to receive anti-friction balls, and also in the provision of elastic and anti-friction end bearings for receiving the end movement or thrust of the axle journal."
Winfield Courier, December 8, 1881.
The proprietors of the carriage factory have invented and patented a new and valuable improvement in buggy and carriage springs, and are putting up a number of buggies with them. They now have ready to turn out, an elegant phaeton of the latest pattern and most elegant design.
Winfield Courier, December 22, 1881.
Mr. J. D. Pryor has patented a new style of Journal for bookkeepers which does away with a large share of the labor necessary to run a complete set of double-entry books and greatly simplifies the work. It is the most complete thing of the kind we have ever seen. The COURIER has purchased one.
The Winfield Courier, January 19, 1882.
Mr. E. P. Sowers, of Dexter Township, has invented a very successful plan of keeping wolves from his sheep. For some time wolves have been carrying them off, and he had tried several schemes without success until finally he conceived the idea of fixing a dummy in the corral, with a lighted lantern in its hand. Since he put this up he has not been bothered. He finds tracks of wolves on the bluffs around, but none come near the sheep.
It costs him five cents each night to keep the light going. Before he conceived the dummy idea, wolves killed eight of his sheep in one night. He has six hundred sheep. Mr. Sowers came to Cowley from Ohio about eight months ago and bought the Wilson farm. He has since built several miles of stone fence, and is making one of the best stock farms in the county.
Cowley County Courant, April 27, 1882.
John O'Brien, Esq., the class slugologist of the world, has just completed a job for THE COURANT office, of about two hundred pounds of slugs, and about half that amount for the Courier. He now uses a slug-planer designed partially by himself, and com­pleted by Mr. Geo. Wheeler, of the blacksmith firm of Wheeler & Cantrell. John can now, with his outfit, make up all the old metal about a printing office into slugs equal to any made by the foundries. Every printing office in the State, or out of it, should give John a job.
Winfield Courier, July 6, 1882.
W. A. Lee has invented and patented an attachment to sulky plows which is likely to make the gentleman some money and save horse flesh.
Winfield Courier, August 10, 1882.
W. A. Lee received his patent on plows Aug. 7th dated Aug. 1st, 1882.
Winfield Courier, October 5, 1882.
W. A. Lee is getting up a good deal of enthusiasm among the farmers on his new anti-friction roller. It is certainly an excellent invention and will lighten the draft of plows materially.
Cowley County Courant, March 30, 1882.

Jake Nixon, our popular register of deeds, is arranging to soon become a millionaire. He has lately been granted a patent on a corn husker, which promises great results from a financial standpoint. He also has a patent on a wagon jack, which he expects to pan out in good shape. He is now expecting a patent on some other inventions, which he declines to give away until he gets the papers. At this rate he will become the inventor of the age.         Burden Enterprise.
Cowley County Courant, April 13, 1882.
Jake Nixon, our Register of Deeds, has just received offi­cial notice from the Commissioner of Patents that his patent of an improvement on sulky plows has been examined and allowed. The application was filed at Washington March 2nd. This is good news for Jake, and he looks forward to the time when he will be a bloated bond holder.
Winfield Courier, April 13, 1882.
Register Nixon has been granted a patent on his improvement for Sulky plows. This makes three patents Jake has engineered through successfully, all of them good ones.
Winfield Courier, January 18, 1883.
Cowley County has an inventor of more than ordinary genius. Jacob Nixon, our register of deeds, has invented and received a patent on a traction engine which bids fair to eclipse anything of the kind now in use. He had a miniature pattern made, and since its exhibition, he has received several orders from the largest companies in the United States. Its success is assured. We will give a full description of the engine next week.
Winfield Courier, January 25, 1883.
                                                   Nixon’s Traction Engine.
ARTICLE ON FRONT PAGE.
A sketch of traction engine given.
Our worthy Register of Deeds, Jacob Nixon, has patented a steam power for farm use which will undoubtedly prove a success. His ingenuity will, we hope, meet with a substantial reward.
The following is a description of the machine in full. It consists of four parallel I steel sills with cross beams at ends, and diagonal braces throughout except at base of boiler, giving stiffness to frame, and supporting at ends the coal tender and water tank, thereby giving equal distribution of weight and balance on tracks. The pairs of parallel sills are twenty-four inches apart from centers, to which are attached on the undersides of sills by adjustable boxes, three axles on each side of boiler and engines. On these axles are firmly keyed driving wheels of 2 and 3 inch faces, with a space of 2½ inches between. On each of front and rear axles are four wheels, the first and fourth, or outer wheels, are 3 inch face with flanges on outside of wheels to prevent track from slipping off in turning. The center axles have three wheels of 3 inch face. The gangs of wheels intermesh or overlap each other; the tires of the center gang work close to the hubs of the front and rear gangs.
Revolving over and making the track of the engine on the ground are two tracks of rubber or other suitable elastic material composed of an outer and an inner layer, between which are transverse metallic plates, secured through layers and plates by rivets or bolts, to retain track in shape transversely.

The gangs of wheels are driven forward or backward, or one track forward and the other backward in turning, by spur gears secured to inside of wheels; front and rear gangs are connected by idle gears on center axles.
The center axles are driven in the same direction by spur gears on axles of the same diameter as those on front and rear axles.
Positive driving motion is given by a long pinion to all six axles from reversing yacht engines, one on each side of upright boiler for each track.
The width of each rubber track is eighteen inches; thickness, four and one half inches; height of wheels, four and one-half feet; length of track in contact with the earth, sixty inches; hence 60 x 18 x 2 = 2,160 inches of earth contact or traction, over which is distributed the weight of engine and that part of track not in contact with the earth.
This engine’s tracks have no loss of power by suction or adherence to the ground if the ground is wet; therefore, no loss of power by carrrying its tracks forward. The tracks cannot be broken by passing over an obstruction, as the rubber will give to wheels until the wheels rotate over, and then instantly return to place. There will be no sticking on an obstructtion for each gang of wheels are drivers, and will propel, if only one is in contact.
The adherence of the tracks to the periphery of the one-half of the front and rear gangs and the bottom and top of the center gang of wheels insures no slipping of wheels on the tracks, when worked to its fullest power on steep inclines.
The rubber tracks supporting the engine will act as cushions to take all jar from the whole machine on uneven, stony ground or street crossings in towns. This should save a machine and wear one-third longer before repairs are needed.
The result of dynamometer tests on the latest improved sulky plows in our light open loam here is about 500 pounds for a farmer of 16 inches wide and 8 inches in depth.
They are hauled by three horses of 1,000 pounds weight on an average. If these horses have a traction of 8 inches to each hoof, then 8 x 9 = 48 [?48 is the figure shown?] inches of contact, (but a horse of that weight has this weight distributed over 24 inches instead of 8 as any single observation will demonstrate), the resistance of furrow is 16 x 8 = 128 square inches of resistance; which is 3 29-32 [3 29-32 is way paper printed it] pounds per inch of resistance of furrow. If the above weight of 500 pounds draft of 16 x 8 furrow is correct, then a furrow 48 inches wide and 8 inches deep would offer a resistance of 384 square inches of resistance or 1,500 pounds, or 3 87-146 pounds per square inch of furrow resistance.
The earth contact of the 9 horses on the plows would be 18 x 8 = 144 inches, or take it in this way, 18 x 18 = 324: this from the 384 square inches of resistance leaves 60 inches of traction to be supplied by the muscular power of the teams.
In a trial of a brass model made for him by the Chicago Model Works, on a carpet floor (equivalent to earth contact), the length of which was 9 inches, width 7 inches, diameter of wheels 3_ inches, width of tracks including flanges on wheels 1¼ inches, the length of each track in contact with the carpet on floor was 4½ inches, hence 4½ x 2 = 9 inches of contact on both tracks—9 x 1¼ = 11¼ inches of traction surface in model, weight of model which is frame, wheels, axles, gears, and track only, 8 pounds; 6 revolutions of crank pinion to one of track wheels.

At trials model dragged on carpet with string 10 pounds weight of a stove grate casting. With 4 pounds weight added to model (for equivalent of boiler), it dragged 15 pounds casting. With 8 pounds added, it dragged 20 pounds. Spring balance scale tests gave the same results.
If we take the above result with the model as to its power and estimate by the rule that a model is one-tenth of full size, it will, when the full size of machine is made, be 10 times larger and become 100 times stronger, and weigh 1,000 times more, and move 10 times faster, would foot up as follows: taking safe premises, the 12 pound weight of model would be 12 x 1000 = 12,000 pounds or 6 tons weight of machine—15 pounds dead weight dragged 15 x 100 = 1,500 will be hauled, equal to the estimate given before of turning a furrow 48 inches wide and 8 inches deep in our loose soil here—or if we accept the generally accepted theory of draft that 125 pounds of force will on a perfectly level road on sand or gravel, move on wagon one ton; it will haul 11½ tons of weight, wagon’s weight included.
Winfield Courier, March 29, 1883.
Register Nixon is receiving piles of letters and propositions regarding his new traction engine from persons who want to buy machines or become interested in the patents.
Winfield Courier, May 10, 1883.
Register Nixon received a letter from Lewis, Count of Cigala, in Austria, last week relative to his traction engine. The count wants to get one to use on his estate.
Winfield Courier, May 10, 1883.
Register Nixon’s traction engine is attracting much attention, not only in this country but in the old world. He is receiving many letters regarding it, and one large manufacturing firm took the trouble to send a man out here to try and buy the patents. Mr. Nixon refused to sell at any price and is bending his energies toward improving his machine. He has applied for one valuable improvement already. We may expect before many months to see the Nixon traction engine traveling about the roads as frequently as horses. Such a result would probably occasion a strike among the heavy draft stock.
Winfield Courier, February 1, 1883.
                                                    Pleasant Valley Pencilings.
Friend George F. Thompson, a Cowley County boy in days of yore, but now identified with the State Agricultural College at Manhattan, in the capacity of Superintendent of the Printing Department, sends your reporter a sample of an ingenious advertising card which he has just patented. It is in the form of portrait author cards, and the idea is a capital one for businessmen. He has already been offered a handsome sum for the exclusive right of the patent. George is a very fortunate young man in more ways than one, and richly deserves success.
Winfield Courier, March 15, 1883.
John Mack, of Cedarvale, dropped into our office Tuesday and exhibited his new patents: a double rotary windmill and a nut-lock of bolts. The last named device is a very simple one and forever stops the slowing of working on nuts or bolts. He has been offered a flattering price for his bold invention.
Winfield Courier, April 12, 1883.
Mr. John Fashing of Winfield has patented a novel and ingenious freight car coupler, which ought to at once take the place of the old man-killing method. It is a self-coupler and is uncoupled from the top of the car on either side.
Winfield Courier, July 5, 1883.

Last week W. A. Lee was offered by an Eastern firm 50 cents royalty on each plow built, for the right to build his attachment to sulky plows, and that they would start by building 1,000 plows. Mr. Lee refused the offer.
The car coupling, invented by Dr. A. J. Chapel, was covered for a number of years, beginning in December 1883...
Arkansas City Traveler, Supplement, December 19, 1883.
There were seven patents issued to citizens of Kansas during the week ending December 4, 1883, and amongst them we notice the name of our townsman, Dr. A. J. Chapel, as a patentee of a new car coupling. We have seen the Doctor’s patent model and in our judgment think it a decided improvement upon the present couplings employed. We sincerely hope that the gentleman may realize a handsome pecuniary return from this invention.
                                                     A NEW INVENTION.
Arkansas City Republican, May 10, 1884.
The U. S. Patent office issued to Dr. A. J. Chapel, of this city, April 29, a patent for his universal automatic car-coupler. It is certainly more complete in its practicability than anything of the kind ever before patented. It is automatic with any link, draw-bar, and will couple freight and passenger cars together and work perfectly winter or summer, and on a curved or straight track. The uncoupling is easily performed from either the top or side of the cars without risk to life or limb. It is entirely practicable with the great variety of draw-bars now in use, and we think is destined to make railroading many times less hazardous than it is with the common couplers now in use. Dr. Chapel is an old railroad man, having been for six years a passenger conductor, and has often felt the need of an improved coupler. This has led him to devote much time in study to the accomplishment of this end. He has made many models, and obtained a patent last year for a coupler, which was pronounced by railroad men to be perfect in action, but impracticable because it could not be used with the couplings in common use. He was offered last week a handsome sum for the patent, but thought he could do better, and so it was refused. If this invention is put into general use; and it now seems it must be, Dr. Chapel will realize a handsome fortune from it, and be the instrument of saving many lives, thus accomplishing more for himself and mankind than he ever could in the practice of his profession.
[Note: they had link, draw-bar. Wonder if this should have been link draw-bar!???]
                                                            INVENTION.
Arkansas City Traveler, May 14, 1884.

Dr. A. J. Chapel, of this city, received last week a patent for his Universal Automatic car coupler, which is pronounced by railroad men who have seen it to be the most complete in its workings of anything ever yet invented. It is a self coupler, and works equally as well with any other link drawbar as with itself. It is entirely practical on curves, will work with any drawbar in use, in any kind of weather, and is said to be the only self coupling drawbar invented that is entirely practicable with both freight and passenger cars, the automatic coupler working to perfection on either kind. The doctor assures us it is a cheaper bar than any of those now in use, and his opinion is certainly worth something, for in his earlier days he was a railroad man for many years, and often realized the great need of improvement in the system of coupling cars. He is an original thinker, and in his leisure moments of late years he has drawn out seventeen automatic couplers.
We have seen the doctor’s model, and listened to his explanations of its workings, and we most certainly think it will be to the interest of railroad officials to examine his claims to excellence in this invention. The ordinary link is used, and the uncoupling is easily operated from either the top or side of the car, thereby running no risk to life or limb. The doctor says that the money now expended for the relief of injured men and their families by railroad corporations would equip any railroad in the United States with his Universal Automatic coupler, and that two men could do more work, and do it easier, than four men will do with the present system of coupling cars.
                                      THE “UNIVERSAL SELF-COUPLER.”
Arkansas City Traveler, August 13, 1884.
                                                  The “Universal Self-Coupler.”
“A model of a new car coupler was being exhibited in the railroad offices yesterday. It is a self-coupler, and has a lever on top and at the ends of a car, thus rendering it unnecessary to go between the cars. Dr. A. J. Chapel, of Arkansas City, is the inventor.”
Kansas City Journal.
By the same mail bringing the paper with the above notice came a letter to Dr. Chapel from W. A. Follette, now connected with the White Line company, saying that all the railroad men who had seen the doctor’s model were most favorably impressed with its workings. Mr. Bullock, general agent of the East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia road, was very enthusiastic and said, “I think Dr. Chapel has hit it exactly this time.” We congratulate the doctor on his good prospects, and trust that he may realize handsomely on his invention.
                                                     A COWLEY PATENT.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, September 3, 1885.
The world has been flooded of recent years with patent car couplers, but Cowley County now steps to the front with one that outranks all others and will make its inventor a fortune, if he gets it introduced. It was invented by Dr. A. J. Chapel, of Arkansas City. It is an automatic drawbar, made of steel. It entirely does away with danger, and is very durable. It fastens clear across the end of the freight car, with automatic lever. Step up to either the side of the car or on top, lift the lever, and the cars are uncoupled. They couple themselves by slide bars. Three links and solid iron bumpers form the coupling, all link pins raising at once at the pull of the lever. A stock company of Winfield and Arkansas City men will likely take hold of this patent with the Doctor, and put it to the front.
                                                                     –0–
Back to date sequence...
                                                                    1884
Winfield Courier, March 20, 1884.
Mr. Seward A. Haseltine, attorney and solicitor of patents, of Springfield, Missouri, sends us the following.
Patents were issued to citizens of Kansas during the past week as follows:
M. B. Fitts, Great Bend, Kansas, “Hay and Straw Stacker.”
J. Fuller, Jr., Seneca, Kansas, “Gauge attachment for boring bits, etc.”
J. A. Hast, H. Scott, and B. F. Fancoast, Iola, Kansas, “Motor.”

A. F. Morey, WINFIELD, Kansas, “Car-coupling.”
T. J. Reed, Leavenworth, Kansas, “Carriage Top.”
G. A. Runyan, Augusta, Kansas, “Cornstalk-rake.”
G. W. Williams, Portis, Kansas, “Steam cooking apparatus.”
Winfield Courier, May 22, 1884.
Mr. Daniel Read, the former merchant of Floral, has recently returned from Chicago, where he made arrangements for the manufacture of his patent Vehicle Tongue Support. It is far ahead of anything yet invented in that line, and promises him a fortune. He has already sold many State and county rights.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, August 20, 1884.
The paper started to print now and then “Patent News.” A member of the list of patents issued by citizens of Kansas for the week ending August 12, 1884, compiled by Steele & Co., patent lawyers and solicitors at Washington, D. C., was the following.
                                   Plowshare tongs: G. U. Sabastian, Arkansas City.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, July 9, 1885.
C. A. Coles, manager of the Rink, has invented a machine for repairing rollers on skates. It is a big thing. Mr. Coles will travel and sell these over the country. Ostrander & Stayman, our live machines, are putting them up.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 8, 1885.
Joseph Hutchins, a brother of the Hutchins boys in Arkansas City, is in the city introducing a patent buggy spring, his own patent. It certainly is a very easy spring. There is only one spring to a buggy, extending from axle to axle. It is a novel invention.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 25, 1885.
                                                         New Machine Gun.
W. W. Eldridge, the gun-maker in the rear of Bonsall’s store, has a contract to manufacture a machine gun, which brings the art of killing to perfection. It is somewhat on the principle of the gatling gun. The model under which the patent was obtained was made in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Scott & Bellis are the patentees. The last named is a citizen of this county, living near Grouse Creek. The weapon is mounted on a tripod stand, and has a metallic frame, to the center of which, in front, is attached a barrel in a water casing; this latter arrangement to prevent the barrel heating. The firing is accomplished by a double wedged cam attached to a crank at the rear. The elevating and depressing of the muzzle are effected by a screw placed underneath the iron frame. The magazine works from left to right, through the metallic frame, and the cartridges are discharged by means of a hammer and firing pin. [NEXT SENTENCE 95% OBSCURED.] The _______ at an ordinary rate of
______ ____ ___ ___, _______ _______ the standard adopted by the government. The whole thing is rotary on the tripod, and will take in the _______ ____ _______ ____ the same as a surveyor’s _____ ______
_____ with this weapon are said to be as effective as 100 men with repeating rifles. Its weight is 100 pounds, and it can be readily carried by two men.
Mr. Eldridge has undertaken the job of making this deadly fire-arm, the price to be paid him is $150, and when completed an exhibition of its action will be given. A liberal price will be paid for volunteers to stand in front and receive the discharge.

Arkansas City Republican, December 26, 1885.
                                          Latest patents granted Kansas inventors.
Railway tie, L. M. Clark, of Harper.
Sugar cane harvester, Charles H. Lee, of Centralia.
Ice machine, Thomas L. Rankin, of Quenemo.
Machine for cleaning clothes, J. M. Chamberlain, of Winfield.
Rotary engine, John Harrington, of Caldwell.
Aggregate cube, Henry Keeler, of Oklahoma.
Arkansas City Republican, March 13, 1886.
A. J. Chapel, our inventive genius, has invented a patent label holder. He has one now in use at the No. 33 drug store. It reminds one somewhat of a case for railroad tickets. The space the case takes is very small. The doctor has applied for a patent, and when he receives it, he will commence the manufacture and sale of his invention.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, August 27, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.
The Farmers Review, published at Bonham, Texas, has this to day of the inventive genius of a brother of Wyard Gooch, of this city.
“Our townsman, A. Gooch, has received letters patent on his new reinholder, and is now making arrangements to have them manufactured. This invention is one of the neatest things out. It is arranged so that it can be fastened to the front end of the wagon bed, and in an instant the team can be securely reined. It must be seen to be appreciated.”
[C. M. SCOTT: INVENTOR.]
Arkansas City Traveler, February 24, 1886.
C. M. Scott looms up as the inventor of an instantaneous stock marker for marking cattle, sheep, or hogs by placing a nickel plated button or washer in the ear stamped with the number and owner’s address. It is conceded by all who have seen it to be the neatest and best marker made. It is now being manufactured by his brother, R. P. Scott, 67 German St., Baltimore, and will soon be placed on the market, at which time we will have more to say of it.
[LAWRENCE BEARD, INVENTOR, LIVING NOW IN TULSA.]
Arkansas City Traveler, Monday, June 13, 1921.
                                                 BECOME AN INVENTOR
                         Lawrence Beard, Who Formerly Lived in Arkansas City.
Lawrence Beard of Tulsa, and old Arkansas City boy, is visiting in the city with his mother, Mrs. Pruner. Mr. Beard is a nephew of Geo. L. Beard and like all the Beards is a natural born mechanic.
For some time Mr. Beard has been employed by the Empire Gas & Oil Company of Tulsa and was assisting them in putting in a still in that city for the separation of gasoline from crude oil. When the work was partly finished, an idea came to Mr. Beard and he pro-ceeded to enlarge upon it.
He immediately went to work and invented a still of his own origination, which is said by those who have examined it to be far superior to any still made at this time for the separa-tion of gasoline and crude oil.

Some of his oil friends of Tulsa got back of him in the proposition and assisted him in getting a model of the still made and also in getting it patented. As soon as it was patented, the still was tried out and has been found to be all that is claimed for it.
It is said that after crude oil had been run through the still by the Empire company, Mr. Beard took the same oil and got considerable more gasoline from it. So good is the invention of Mr. Beard, it is said, the Standard Oil company has taken up the matter of buying this still of him and has been negotiating for it for some time.
The report is prevalent that he has been offered over half a million dollars for his patent. The Arkansas City friends of Mr. Beard will be pleased to hear of his success.