
This compact guide walks a budding inventor through every stage of turning a spark of imagination into a marketable device. Beginning with practical techniques for sketching and specifying a concept, it moves on to the essentials of machine design, financing options, and setting a realistic selling price. The author also outlines office management habits and production strategies that keep a workshop running smoothly. Throughout, clear examples from celebrated scientists and engineers illustrate how sound engineering and disciplined planning make the difference between success and abandonment.
Beyond the technical advice, the book warns of the many traps that can snare an inexperienced creator—from unscrupulous contractors to legal misunderstandings over patent protection. It offers straightforward methods for safeguarding ideas and navigating the often‑confusing patent system, while also describing the broader social value of invention. Illustrated with period drawings, the text balances encouragement with hard‑won lessons, making it a useful companion for anyone ready to bring a new invention to life.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (72K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Chris Curnow, Mary Akers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2014-08-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
b. 1872
Best known for Inventors & Inventions (1911), this early 20th-century writer introduced readers to the stories and practical world behind famous discoveries. Very little biographical information is easy to confirm, which gives the work an old-library mystery of its own.
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