YE OLDE PROTOTYPES

From its earliest days, America has been blessed with an unflagging spirit of invention. In fact, one of the first acts of the new Congress was passage of the 1790 Patent Act that offered protection and encouragement to fertile minds in their quest for new technological marvels and gadgets.

Like their modern counterparts, most early inventors were inspired by a mix of profit potential, public service and occasionally an adventureous spirit. But whatever their motivation, the inescapable fact remains -- then and now -- that inspiration rarely yields commercial success, often for quite simple reasons such as violations of physical laws, lethal test runs or just flawed business plans.

But hats off to these intrepid pioneers, even if their patents never did get beyond drawing boards or prototypes. In that same spirit, here's a fascinating selection of the often clever (and sometimes delightfully strange!) 19th century inventions preserved in the patent records held at the National Archives.