Tom Haywood’s Self-Kicking Machine

Look at the sorry state of this fine invention nowadays.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Mar 11, 2016 - Comments (8)
Category: Eccentrics, Humor, Inventions, Regionalism, 1950s

One Man Marble Band

Put a 5 horse Briggs & Stratton on it and it would be self playing!

Posted By: Alex - Sat Mar 05, 2016 - Comments (6)
Category: Inventions, Music

Clive Way’s Motorcycle Dragster

A VW engine on a two-wheeled frame? I would not ride this for one million dollars.

Original article here.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 03, 2016 - Comments (17)
Category: Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Inventions, 1960s, Motorcycles

Wife choked by snoremeter

January 1936: In Rome, Italy, Goffredo Galluzzi, a "self-styled electrical engineer," created a "snoremeter" in an attempt to stop his wife from snoring. The device, which fit over her mouth like a muzzle, included a thin brass blade that would be lifted by the heavy breathing of snoring, causing an alarm to go off, thereby waking his wife and stopping the snoring. However, the blade came loose, went down her throat, and almost choked her to death.

When I did a keyword search on this story to see how many papers it had run in, I came across something odd. The story was reported as news both in January 1936 and April 1946, but with one difference. In 1936 Galluzzi was reported as living in Rome. In 1946, he had become a resident of Syracuse, Sicily.

So a case of recycled news. It's also quite possible the story was complete baloney, both in 1936 and 1946.

The Evening Times (Sayre, Pennsylvania) - Jan 29, 1936

Posted By: Alex - Sat Feb 27, 2016 - Comments (2)
Category: Inventions, Sleep and Dreams, 1930s

Audiopill — Music From the Inside

Conceptual artist Jan Strmiska recently sought to raise money to fund the production of his invention, the Audiopill. It's a pill-like device that you swallow that will play sound within your body (but not audible to anyone else). His description definitely makes me want to try this thing. (uhh.. or, maybe not).

Posted By: Alex - Tue Feb 23, 2016 - Comments (9)
Category: Inventions

The Electric Shopper Car

Full story here.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 21, 2016 - Comments (12)
Category: Inventions, Technology, 1960s, Cars, Yesterday’s Tomorrows

The Safety Pea Knife

Invented in the 1920s. For those who prefer to eat their peas with a knife rather than a spoon.

The Iola Register - Mar 20, 1929

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 17, 2016 - Comments (10)
Category: Food, Inventions, 1920s

More Weirdness From Japan

Found a great Top 10 Weirdest Japanese Inventions list. The Daddy Nurser isn't number 1 but it should be!

Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 27, 2015 - Comments (2)
Category: Inventions

Morris Cleveland’s Homemade Steam Vehicle

Original article here.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 14, 2015 - Comments (9)
Category: Eccentrics, Inventions, Regionalism, Technology, 1960s

Tornado-Proof House With Tail

The idea, from an 1890 patent, was to make the house aerodynamic (long and narrow) and then attach it to a turntable, so that it could turn to face the wind.

I'm sure there must be some basic flaw in the concept. I imagine the entire house being spun like a top by the wind.





Source: Popular Mechanics - Apr 1910

Posted By: Alex - Wed Nov 04, 2015 - Comments (19)
Category: Inventions, Patents, Nineteenth Century