Suiter Swantz IP takes a look back at past inventions and inventors with our Patent of the Day.  

On this day in 1907, Peter Morice was granted U.S. Patent No. 890,994 for a APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE FORCE OF THE WAVES OF THE SEA.

This invention is adapted to be applied in any location where the undulating movements of the waves of the sea may be felt, therefore the apparatus may be installed either on a sea-grit rock, on the sea shore, or on board ship.

In giving effect to the invention, a platform is constructed in any suitable position, and from the platform is raised an overhead frame to support and give rigidity to the working parts. Below the platform are suspended a number of bottomless cylinders which contain easy fitting pistons or disks. The cylinders are adapted to rise and fall automatically as the tide rises and falls, but the pistons only rise and fall when acted upon by a wave. It is important that there should be a cushion of air between the underneath of the piston or disk and the water below. As the pistons or disks are raised or lowered by the wave force they will cause compression pumps to be operate to compress air which may be stored in any appropriate manner.

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