Inventions
What does this measure?
This is obviously a measuring device of some kind. But what exactly does it measure? The answer is below in extended.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jun 14, 2023 -
Comments (3)
Category: Inventions, Patents, Instruments and Measuring Devices
Body Exerciser
This looks like an excellent way to wreck your vertebrae.Full patent here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri May 12, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Exercise and Fitness, Inventions, Patents, 1920s
The Mole Torpedo
Weapon tunnels through the earth to the enemy. Why is this not in constant use today? Too easy nowadays to sense seismic activity?Full patent here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Apr 10, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Death, Inventions, Patents, War
Wailing-Activated Rocking Cradle
Mister Muzzey had a good idea way back in 1962 and was actually ahead of his time--his patent also references a baby monitor to transmit the cries to the parents' room--but I wonder if his device ever went into production? As you can see below, there are modern versions today.
Amazon link.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Apr 03, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Babies, Domestic, Inventions, Patents, Parents, 1960s, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults
Dr. Walker’s Paste-Pump Toothbrush
How the hell could this be any less work than just squeezing a stripe of toothpaste from the tube onto your brush?Source of article.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 20, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Hygiene, Inventions, Chindogu, 1940s
The Rigsby Electric Machinegun
Ahead of its time.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 14, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Inventions, 1930s, Weapons
Combined Suspenders and Garters
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jan 30, 2023 -
Comments (3)
Category: Fashion, Inventions, Nineteenth Century
The Taylor Aerocar
Wikipedia article here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 27, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Inventions, Air Travel and Airlines, Twentieth Century, Cars
Shoes with Hinged Soles
There must be a good reason why, for millennia now, all shoes have come with unibody-construction soles. But Robert M. Lyden thought differently.Full patent here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 17, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: Body, Inventions, Patents, Shoes, 1990s
Trapdoor for bank tellers
I'm aware of quite a few inventions designed to trap or incapacitate bank robbers. But the idea of allowing a bank teller to abruptly vanish is more novel.Of course, this approach could only work if there was a single teller working, and hopefully no other customers in the bank.
I was curious whether this bank with the cashier trapdoor might still exist, but I had no luck finding its address. I did find that it was acquired by another bank in 1948. So it was probably demolished long ago.
Hagerstown Morning Herald - Aug 9, 1932
Posted By: Alex - Mon Nov 28, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Crime, Inventions, Money, 1930s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |