A few gentle hints in this direction is the need of a three color printing press, machines for engraving steel plates, see Fig. 117, and presses for printing from them, power copper plate presses, printing without ink by means of electricity and bookbinding, electrotyping and typefoundry processes and machinery; all these, and many more need looking into.
Moving Pictures.—Three great improvements must be made in the moving picture industry before it will take on anything like perfection, and these are (1) a film that is not easily broken, is as transparent as glass and is fire proof; (2) pictures that are photographed on the film and projected on the screen in their natural colors, and (3) moving pictures that are made and projected on the principle of the stereoscope so that the picture will stand out true to life in color, time and space. The last word in moving picture machines at this writing is shown in Fig. 118.
Fig. 118. AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE MOVIES
This machine uses glass slides instead of films
All of the above improvements have been made but they are each of them very crude and they must be re-improved to a very great extent before they can be successfully shown in theaters. I do not believe any attempt has yet been made to combine the three features in a single machine.
Other Fields of Endeavor.—There are many other fields that are just as full of promise for the inventor as those I have cited and among them may be named railways and steamships, boilers and engines, bridge building, munitions of war, textile and boot and shoe machinery, medical and dental apparatus and instruments, devices for the postal service, musical instruments, vending machines and the utilization of by-products. Verily there is everything under the heavens for you to improve if you will but find out a new means, devise a scheme, discover by art, contrive by ingenuity or, in a nutshell, originate an idea, work it out, patent it and beat the other fellow to it.
Fig. 119. THE WIRELESS TRANSMISSION OF POWER
Tesla’s tower at Wardencliffe, Long Island
What Not to Invent.—If you have but little time, small means and are without tools it were better not to get too big an idea for your first invention. Try out your genius on some simple thing, that is if you can.
Of course should some great improvement strike you it would be folly to drop it simply because you happened to be handicapped in two or three several little ways. When in such a predicament you must rise above the level of mediocrity and circumstance and invent a plan to raise the necessary funds to go ahead with your experimental work.