Patents of Pine Village, Rainsville, and Independence, Indiana 6 (Last Installment in This Series)

Within a span of only five years, John D. Stingle of Pine Village, Indiana, and Arthur J. Eberly, who lived near Independence, Indiana, received patents. Stingle was born on the 1st of October in 1846 and died on the 28th of March in 1936. He was buried in Oak Grove Mausoleum in nearby Benton County. Eberly was born on the 2nd of February in 1877 and died on the 15th of January in 1937. He was buried in Pine Village Cemetery. Stingle received his patent on the 10th of February in 1914 (even though he had applied as early as 1911), and Eberly received his patent on the 6th of May in 1919.

Patent for Staple-Holding Tool

By John D. Stingle of Pine Village, Indiana (1914)

Describing his innovation, Stingle said, “This invention relates to staple holders, its principal object being to provide a simple and compact tool of this type in which a staple can be easily placed, said staple, while in position, being held against spreading, while being driven into hard wood or the like. A further object is to provide means for so holding a staple as to prevent it from becoming displaced while engaging a wire being pushed, by means of the tool, into position on a post or the like. A further object is to provide a holder which can be easily released from the staple after said staple has been driven a predetermined distance into a post or the like.”

When I helped my father build wire fence, I struggled to hold the wire taut against the post while attempting to push the large staple’s points into the wood enough to hold it in place. Quite often, the staple fell into the weeds the moment I took my hand away. Whenever I did manage to coax the staple to cling to the wood, I had to keep holding the wire against the post while reaching for my hammer. The first blow usually sent the staple ricocheting into oblivion. Then I would repeat the stunt of begging a staple to grab the wood long enough for me to hammer it down. The next blow might cause the staple’s feet to spread apart, rendering it useless. Another staple would be delicately balanced over the wire. The third blow of the hammer usually was directed with deadly accuracy against my thumb. Given such painful memories, I say “Bravo!” to John D. Stingle, who thought of a tool that eliminated the problems associated with staples used in fencing. How I wish I had possessed one when I was growing up on the farm!

Patent for Binder Knife Attachment

By Arthur J. Eberly of Pine Village, Indiana (1919)

Describing his innovation, Eberly said, “This invention relates to a knife attachment for the kicker arm of a binder, one of its objects being to provide an arm with a knife blade which will cut the loose straw and vines, thereby to prevent them from wrapping around the shaft of the arm and interfering with the operation of the machine. … When the kicker arm is in operation the toothed edge of the blade will move against and sever any straw or vines in the path thereof and there will thus be no danger of the material wrapping around the shaft … .”

While my farm upbringing came too late for me to have firsthand experience with binders, I have had what I believe anyone would classify as ample experience with mowers that choke on vines wrapping around the blades. I wish that Eberly had lived later and that he had invented a knife of some kind to prevent what has happened all too often when, while mowing the lawn, I have inadvertently slipped among the raspberry vines along my creek.

The patents that I have covered in these blogs attest to a time of inventiveness that I find inspirational.