Louvered Sunglasses

Wouldn't you look chic wearing these? And no more viewing the world through "rose-colored glasses."

Original patent here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 25, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Inventions, Patents, 1950s, Eyes and Vision

Pop-Up Postcards

We know that Pop-Up books are a well-liked category. So why not apply the notion to postcards?

Full patent here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 11, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Inventions, Patents, 1900s, Postal Services

Clement Uhlich’s Dung Collector

An apparatus that could be attached to vehicles for the purpose of scooping up horse dung.

The driver would turn a lever that would lower tongs to scoop up the dung. Once collected, the dung could be deposited into a receptacle.

More info: Patent No. 1,059,506

Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 07, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Patents, 1910s

Circular Runways

Navy pilot James R. Conley is credited with first promoting (and patenting) the idea of a circular runway.

A circular runway would offer advantages such as being able to approach it from any direction, so a plane could always land into the wind. Also, you'd never run out of runway.

But a circular runway has never been built, largely because pilots aren't trained to land on them. Nor are flight systems designed for them.

But a small group of enthusiasts still holds out hope that, someday, circular runways might see their day.

More info: wikipedia, Wired (May 5, 2017)

Long Beach Independent - Dec 5, 1965

Posted By: Alex - Sun Oct 06, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Patents, Air Travel and Airlines

Seated Sleeping Aid

Full patent here.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Oct 03, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Inventions, Patents, Medicine, Sleep and Dreams, 1910s

John F. Dreyer, Three-Dee Glasses Tycoon

Posted By: Paul - Fri Sep 27, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Inventions, Patents, Movies, 1950s

Neck-Exercising Device

Patent No. 4,832,333

Posted By: Alex - Mon Sep 23, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Exercise and Fitness, Patents, 1980s

Purse Converts to Jacket—Or Vice Versa!

Full patent here.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 19, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Inventions, Patents, Purses, Wallets, Billfolds, Poke Sacks and Other Carryable Containers, Clothing, 1980s

A method for irradiating radioactive radiation

Patent No. 6,415,009 (granted in 2002) is titled, "Method for producing a coiled body for irradiating radioactive radiation."

What could it mean to irradiate radioactive radiation? When I came across the phrase I had to stop and think about it.

The text of the patent unfortunately didn't provide any clarification, although it did reveal that all this irradiating is being done in the context of brachytherapy (from wikipedia: "a form of radiation therapy where a sealed radiation source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment").

The phrase "radioactive radiation" actually does make sense to me. Radiation is a catch-all term for the emission of any kind of electromagnetic energy. So 'radioactive radiation' would be high-energy or ionizing radiation, as opposed to, say, low-energy heat radiation.

But I'm still confused what they mean by irradiating radioactive radiation? Does it mean to make radioactive radiation even more radioactive?

Or are they misusing the word 'irradiate'? My dictionary indicates that 'irradiate' means either to be exposed to radiation or to be illuminated by radiation. The sun radiates or emits light, and the earth is irradiated by its light.

So did the patentees mean 'emitting' rather than 'irradiating'? I'm just not sure. If anyone can figure out what the phrase means, let me know.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 26, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Science, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, Patents

Underwear-concealed survival saw

If you find yourself held hostage, there's a newly patented invention (No. 12,059,045) that may help you escape to freedom. It's an underwear-concealed survival saw.

The flexible saw can be concealed in almost any undergarment ("undershirt; boxers/briefs, camisole or brassiere"). It's possible to retrieve the saw even while wearing handcuffs. Then you can use it to cut through zip ties, ropes, wood, or even light metals.





The underwear-concealed saw bears some resemblance to an oddball invention we've previously posted about: the collar saw of Carl Kusch.

Posted By: Alex - Sat Aug 24, 2024 - Comments (4)
Category: Fashion, Patents