AlthoughMr。Maudslaywasanunceasinginventor，hetroubledhimselfverylittleaboutpatentinghisinventions。Heconsideredthatthesuperiorityofhistoolsandtheexcellenceofhisworkwerehissurestprotection。Yethehadsometimestheannoyanceofbeingthreatenedwithactionsbypersonswhohadpatentedtheinventionswhichhehimselfhadmade。*
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Hisprincipalpatent’swere——two，takenoutin1805and1808，whileinMargaretStreet，forprintingcalicoesNos。2872and3117；onetakenoutin1806，inconjunctionwithMr。Donkin，forliftingheavyweights2948；onetakenoutin1807，whilestillinMargaretStreet，forimprovementsinthesteam-engine，reducingitspartsandrenderingitmorecompactandportable3050；another，takenoutinconjunctionwithRobertDickinsonin1812，forsweeteningwaterandotherliquids3538；and，lastly，apatenttakenoutinconjunction”withJoshuaFieldin1824forpreventingconcentrationofbrineinboilers5021。
Hewasmuchbesetbyinventors，sometimessadlyoutatelbows，butalwayswithaboundlessfortuneloomingbeforethem。Tosuchasappliedtohimforadviceinafrankandcandidspirit，hedidnothesitatetospeakfreely，andcommunicatetheresultsofhisgreatexperienceinthemostliberalmanner；andtopooranddeservingmenofthisclasshewasoftenfoundasreadytohelpthemwithhispurseaswithhisstillmorevaluableadvice。Hehadasingularwayofestimatingtheabilitiesofthosewhothuscalleduponhimabouttheirprojects。Thehighestorderofmanwasmarkedinhisownmindatl00degrees；andbythisidealstandardhemeasuredothers，settingthemdownat90degrees，80degrees，andsoon。Averyfirst-ratemanhewouldsetdownat95degrees，butmenofthisrankwereexceedinglyrare。Afteraninterviewwithoneoftheapplicantstohimforadvice，hewouldsaytohispupilNasmyth，”Jem，Ithinkthatmanmaybesetdownat45degrees，buthemightbeWORKEDUPTO
60degrees——acommonenoughwayofspeakingoftheworkingofasteam-engine，butasomewhatnovelthoughbynomeansaninexpressivemethodofestimatingthepowersofanindividual。