Drawing War, Patent Office Art

JPK Huson 1863

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Location
Central Pennsylvania
war tent pack.jpg

Portable Tent/bed/knapsack. I'm pretty sure this one wasn't produced. All-in-one head-tent and knapsack, it's possible the army passed because only having one's head sheltered left the rest of the body exposed.

Period artwork encompasses a huge range. It had to. Photos weren't commonly found in books, newspapers and periodicals- Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper was exactly that- illustrated by eye witness journalists/artists. Currier and Ives prints were a huge, big deal and you have to love era advertisements illustrated by those wonderful, teeny prints. It's mostly all we had.

floating battery.jpg

1862, a floating battery. I'm not good enough with this stuff to know if this one was bought by the military. it's quite different from the one in Charleston Harbor at the start of it all.

So artwork of the era was everywhere. Some of my hand's down favorite work is out of our Patent Office. LoC and National Archives still have a few online. Years ago there was a LOT more and fortunately I downloaded them ( public access ) while they were still online. Crawling baby toys to cork bathing suits to automated hat-tippers to life-detecting coffins there's delightful stuff.

fan sofa.jpg

Snip from an obviously pre-war patent, included because I never stop getting a kick out this place, meaning this country. We're an awfully inventive bunch. This one makes me laugh so hard I can't see. Man. Nap. Sofa. Wife declines to fan him. What men did before they had a remote.

With a war on, the Patent Office was awfully busy. I've always wondered if any of these crossed Clara Bartons desk before she pitched a desk job in favor of gluing shattered men back together.

pat ambulance.jpg

From funny to serious in a big hurry. This looks like an Army ambulance used during the war but I can't tell if it's the design chosen. Anyone know? Reading accounts by men whose ride in various wagons was torment, you could see where that elaborate suspension at least helped. This was registered in 1862.

pat knapsack 1.jpg

Another knapsack invention-" Knapsack. Litter and Tent Combined.

War cannon.jpg

Entered 1862 also. What's the ID on this breach loading cannon please? I know nothing at all by way of ascertaining which was with.

war gatling resized crop.jpg

B.F. Gatling's patent, thankfully dated May, 1865. Cannot imagine the death toll had it been even a few months earlier.Chilling to see now anyway.

war p arm (2).jpg

Patents followed need. You cannot imagine the numbers of patent for artificial arms, legs, eyes- I can't find it but read of one for a face. Crutches, beds and medical equipment were patented by the gross, too. Doesn't this engineering look fairly advanced?

There's a thread somewhere about the need to work under water hence a need to not hold your breath. Between ship cleaning and salvage, a plethora of diving gear emerged. This one is pre-war, I'm not sure by how long. Does it say 1840? Image of a diving suit used to salvage metal and weapons during the war seems to consist of a suit and two very long tubes.
pat diving suit.jpg


war p rifle.jpg

The Spencer breech loader patent.

sub pat sub 3.jpg

It's not Hunley, I can't find whether or not this submarine's patent was accepted, much less manufactured.

There are several of these, this from 1840- there's one from 1880, too. It's unlikely armies had the time or money to check back in to make sure no one was buried alive so I'm fairly certain the government did not buy one. There's another too gruesomely described to post that does seem generated by the ACW's need. Coffins are advertised in most newspapers through those awful years, most claimed patents.

coffin 1840s.jpg

In doubtful cases of actual death. Guessing most burials were between 1861 and 1865 were permanent.

knapsack 2.jpg
 
I always love these patent drawings. Working models were sometimes need in order to procure the patents. Here are few of those models.
3943367_1.jpg
b douglas-4.jpg
brown cannon mount-1.jpg
france-4.jpg
porter-2.jpg
thompson-3.jpg
 
No way! Thanks very much @ucvrelics ! I've been smitten by old patent drawings since forever- these models are awesome. And duh. That coin should have dropped in my head 20 years ago. One of the old family photos is of JPK's brother- a vet, post war he went out to Colorado. This image of him drove me crazy- what in blazes was that? I'm still looking for the patent drawing- transpires it's the model of his ' aerial tramway '. His wasn't the only one, mining out there needed a way to get ore up mountains. " Riding The Highwire ", by Robert Trennert explores the aerial tram's history. Ski lift, in 2019.

huson charles.jpg
 
I see I cheated and included patent drawings not related to war- thought I'd bump some of these for sheer entertainment value. patent drawings are awesome. LoC has quite a few although some are now only available for viewing if you get in the car and drive there.

Few favorites, probably posted before but we're mostly still on lockdown. May as well scroll.

These are both post war, I can't find where they ever sold, more's the pity.

best flying machine.jpg


Swear to goodness, this is an automatic hat-raiser, I guess as in the old custom where you pass someone on the street and had to go all the trouble of raising your hat? Not anymore!
pat  hat raiser.jpg


A patented still!! I think it says ' 1808 '.
still.JPG


This one had necessity behind it. Runaway accidents appeared in nearly every issue of a newspaper- Mary Lincoln's very serious accident went almost unreported because it occurred around the same time as Gettysburg.

pat horse detatcher.jpg
 
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