Battle Creek Inventor

John W. Kovalek gets patent for machine

Is to adjust wagon Axles

Hubs and Axles of Wagons and Buggies can be Rigidly tightened by the new device of the Madison county Blacksmith Has Another

Battle Creek has an inventor.  John W. Kovalek is that same.  He has just received notice from Washington from his attorneys, C. A. Snow & Co., that his patent on a device for adjusting hubs and axles on buggies and wagons, was granted a week ago today, January 10, 1905.  Mr. Kovalek was in Norfolk yesterday. The machine which has been reeled out of the brain of the Madison county man at Battle Creek is so arranged that, by tightening up screws that adjust the axles, any loosed hubs are immediately pulled rigidly together, saving rattling and unnecessary wear and tear.

Mr. Kovalek invented the machine last year and applied for his patent on August 20, 1904. Since that time is has been going through the course of events in officedom at Washington. The machine will either be sold by Mr. Kovalek or it will be manufactured by himself and sold. He is pleased with the success of the device and his friends in the county are glad for him. He has another patent pending, which will likely be ready before long. Mr. Kovalek is a blacksmith at Battle Creek and has lived there for years. On the patent sheet the names of T. M. Morris and Herman Hogrefe appear as witnesses.

Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Tuesday January 17, 1905 on page 3.