It will be noted that there are really two sets of molds, an inside and an outside set, leaving a space between them throughout. Although not shown in the sketch, there is in practice a number of bolts passing through these two sets of molds at various places to hold them together in their relative positions. In the open space between the molds there are placed steel rods for the purpose of reinforcement; while all through the entire structure provision is made for water and steam pipes, gas-pipes and electric-light wires being placed in appropriate positions as the molds are assembled.
At the centre of the roof there will be noted a funnel-shaped opening. Into this there is delivered by the endless chain of buckets shown on the left a continuous stream of a special free-flowing concrete mixture. This mixture descends by gravity, and gradually fills the entire space between the two sets of molds. The delivery of the material—or "pouring," as it is called—is continued until every part of the space is filled and the mixture is even with the tip of the roof, thus completing the pouring, or casting, of the house. In a few days afterward the concrete will have hardened sufficiently to allow the molds to be taken away leaving an entire house, from cellar floor to the peak of the roof, complete in all its parts, even to mantels and picture molding, and requiring only windows and doors, plumbing, heating, and lighting fixtures to make it ready for habitation.
In the above sketch the concrete mixers, A, B, are driven by the electric motor, C. As the material is mixed it descends into the tank, D, and flows through a trough into a lower tank, E, in which it is constantly stirred, and from which it is taken by the endless chain of buckets and dumped into the funnel-shaped opening at the top of the molds, as above described.
The molds are made of cast-iron in sections of such size and weight as will be most convenient for handling, mostly in pieces not exceeding two by four feet in rectangular dimensions. The subjoined sketch shows an exterior view of several of these molds as they appear when bolted together, the intersecting central portions representing ribs, which are included as part of the casting for purposes of strength and rigidity.
The molds represented above are those for straight work, such as walls and floors. Those intended for stairways, eaves, cornices, windows, doorways, etc., are much more complicated in design, although the same general principles are employed in their construction.
While the philosophy of pouring or casting a complete house in its entirety is apparently quite simple, the development of the engineering and mechanical questions involves the solution of a vast number of most intricate and complicated problems covering not only the building as a whole, but its numerous parts, down to the minutest detail. Safety, convenience, duration, and the practical impossibility of altering a one-piece solid dwelling are questions that must be met before its construction, and therefore Edison has proceeded calmly on his way toward the goal he has ever had clearly in mind, with utter indifference to the criticisms and jeers of those who, as "experts," have professed positive knowledge of the impossibility of his carrying out this daring scheme.
LIST OF UNITED STATES PATENTS
List of United States patents granted to Thomas A. Edison, arranged
according to dates of execution of applications for such patents. This
list shows the inventions as Mr. Edison has worked upon them from year
to year
1868
NO. TITLE OF PATENT DATE EXECUTED DATE EXECUTED
90,646, Electrographic Vote Recorder . . . . .Oct. 13, 1868
1869
91,527 Printing Telegraph (reissued October
25, 1870, numbered 4166, and August
5, 1873, numbered 5519). . . . . . . .Jan. 25, 1869
96,567 Apparatus for Printing Telegraph (reissued
February 1, 1870, numbered
3820). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aug. 17, 1869
96,681 Electrical Switch for Telegraph Apparatus Aug. 27, 1869
102,320 Printing Telegraph—Pope and Edison
(reissued April 17, 1877, numbered
7621, and December 9, 1884, numbered
10,542). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 16, 1869
103,924 Printing Telegraphs—Pope and Edison
(reissued August 5, 1873)
1870
103,035 Electromotor Escapement. . . . . . . . Feb. 5, 1870
128,608 Printing Telegraph Instruments . . . . .May 4, 1870
114,656 Telegraph Transmitting Instruments . .June 22, 1870
114,658 Electro Magnets for Telegraph
Instruments. . . . . . . . . . . . . .June 22, 1870
114,657 Relay Magnets for Telegraph
Instruments. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept. 6, 1870
111,112 Electric Motor Governors . . . . . . .June 29, 1870
113,033 Printing Telegraph Apparatus . . . . .Nov. 17, 1870
1871
113,034 Printing Telegraph Apparatus . . . . .Jan. 10, 1871
123,005 Telegraph Apparatus. . . . . . . . . .July 26, 1871
123,006 Printing Telegraph . . . . . . . . . .July 26, 1871
123,984 Telegraph Apparatus. . . . . . . . . .July 26, 1871
124,800 Telegraphic Recording Instruments. . .Aug. 12, 1871
121,601 Machinery for Perforating Paper for
Telegraph Purposes . . . . . . . . . .Aug. 16, 1871
126,535 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Nov. 13, 1871
133,841 Typewriting Machine. . . . . . . . . .Nov. 13, 1871
1872
126,532 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . . .Jan. 3 1872
126,531 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Jan. 17, 1872
126,534 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Jan. 17, 1872
126,528 Type Wheels for Printing Telegraphs. .Jan. 23, 1872
126,529 Type Wheels for Printing Telegraphs. .Jan. 23, 1872
126,530 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Feb. 14, 1872
126,533 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Feb. 14, 1872
132,456 Apparatus for Perforating Paper for
Telegraphic Use. . . . . . . . . . . March 15, 1872
132,455 Improvement in Paper for Chemical
Telegraphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 10, 1872
133,019 Electrical Printing Machine. . . . . April 18, 1872
128,131 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . April 26, 1872
128,604 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . April 26, 1872
128,605 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . April 26, 1872
128,606 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . April 26, 1872
128,607 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . April 26, 1872
131,334 Rheotomes or Circuit Directors . . . . .May 6, 1872
134,867 Automatic Telegraph Instruments. . . . .May 8, 1872
134,868 Electro Magnetic Adjusters . . . . . . .May 8, 1872
130,795 Electro Magnets. . . . . . . . . . . . .May 9, 1872
131,342 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . . .May 9, 1872
131,341 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . . May 28, 1872
131,337 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .June 10, 1872
131,340 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .June 10, 1872
131,343 Transmitters and Circuits for Printing
Telegraph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .June 10, 1872
131,335 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .June 15, 1872
131,336 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .June 15, 1872
131,338 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .June 29, 1872
131,339 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .June 29, 1872
131,344 Unison Stops for Printing Telegraphs .June 29, 1872
134,866 Printing and Telegraph Instruments . .Oct. 16, 1872
138,869 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Oct. 16, 1872
142,999 Galvanic Batteries . . . . . . . . . .Oct. 31, 1872
141,772 Automatic or Chemical Telegraphs . . . Nov. 5, 1872
135,531 Circuits for Chemical Telegraphs . . . Nov. 9, 1872
146,812 Telegraph Signal Boxes . . . . . . . .Nov. 26, 1872
141,773 Circuits for Automatic Telegraphs. . .Dec. 12, 1872
141,776 Circuits for Automatic Telegraphs. . .Dec. 12, 1872
150,848 Chemical or Automatic Telegraphs . . .Dec. 12, 1872
1873
139,128 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Jan. 21, 1873
139,129 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Feb. 13, 1873
140,487 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Feb. 13, 1873
140,489 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .Feb. 13, 1873
138,870 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .March 7, 1873
141,774 Chemical Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . .March 7, 1873
141,775 Perforator for Automatic Telegraphs. .March 7, 1873
141,777 Relay Magnets. . . . . . . . . . . . .March 7, 1873
142,688 Electric Regulators for Transmitting
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . .March 7, 1873
156,843 Duplex Chemical Telegraphs . . . . . .March 7, 1873
147,312 Perforators for Automatic Telegraphy March 24, 1873
147,314 Circuits for Chemical Telegraphs . . March 24, 1873
150,847 Receiving Instruments for Chemical
Telegraphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 24, 1873
140,488 Printing Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . April 23, 1873
147,311 Electric Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . April 23, 1873
147,313 Chemical Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . April 23, 1873
147,917 Duplex Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . . April 23, 1873
150,846 Telegraph Relays . . . . . . . . . . April 23, 1873
160,405 Adjustable Electro Magnets for
Relays, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . April 23, 1873
162,633 Duplex Telegraphs. . . . . . . . . . April 22, 1873
151,209 Automatic Telegraphy and Perforators
Therefor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aug. 25, 1873
160,402 Solutions for Chemical Telegraph PaperSept. 29, 1873
160,404 Solutions for Chemical Telegraph PaperSept. 29, 1873
160,580 Solutions for Chemical Telegraph PaperOct. 14, 1873
160,403 Solutions for Chemical Telegraph PaperOct. 29, 1873
1874