Fire Detection and Alarm 5
Fire Detection and Alarm 5 : Benjamin Electric Manufacturing Company: The most interesting sidelight on the man is the novel way he approached a new invention. It is exactly the opposite of Edison's method, according to reports of the working practices of that foremost genius. When Edison gets interested in a new idea it is said that, first, he researches to find out what has already been done to solve the problem. This preliminary preparation takes weeks, sometimes months; the theory being, of course, to avoid duplication of effort. This tedious period of preparation may have something to do with Edison's alleged remark that "genius is five per cent inspiration and ninety-five percent perspiration". Yet there seems to be another type of genius in which inspiration plays a much larger part, and Reuben Benjamin was an example". When I visualize some desirable result," he explained, "I prefer to head for it directly. This means, first of all, clearing my mind as much as possible of everything that may have been done about it previously. My memory isn't particularly good and, strange as it may seem, I believe that this is a help rather than a drawback because then my brain isn't cluttered up with old information. I try to proceed straight toward the objective just as though no one else had ever worked on the problem. I depend much on flashes of insight and you'd be surprised how often you can cut 'cross lots toward your goal when you start with an unprejudiced mind". After getting as far as possible on one of those direct line hunches, then and not until then, would he begins the necessary check-up for possible patent infringements and other practical considerations. It was true that before he was ready to submit a design to the Patent Office he had usually changed the original idea many times". But for all that," he contends, "heading directly for your goal brings you up against far less patent interference than you'd think". In his efforts to promote safety he has co-operated with the National Board of Fire Underwriters, the Underwriters' Laboratories, the National Safety Council and other bodies
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