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
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
Comments
At least you'd know where to find the furniture after the tornado passed. Glued up against the walls.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/04/15 at 09:48 AM
Water, sewage, electric, cable/internet/phone, gas, etc. hookups sound like a challenge, unless you're going to build a generator and storage tanks into the turntable and lock it up to refill them every so often.
Also, the roof is still gonna get lifted off.
Also, the roof is still gonna get lifted off.
Posted by *daha* on 11/04/15 at 10:39 AM
But, daha, this is from 1910. Water and sewage are outside, where they belong, and what are all those other things?
Posted by TheCannyScot in Atlanta, GA on 11/04/15 at 11:53 AM
It probably would have worked, just who wants to live in a glorified stock tank?
Posted by Miles on 11/04/15 at 12:19 PM
@Miles: Look at this.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/04/15 at 12:26 PM
I can't imagine how strong the wind would have to be to turn that thing. Even when it has good bearings, a large weather vane takes a stiff breeze to point it.
@daha -- Rotary connectors for electricity and water are fairly standard. Internet would probably be best handled by wi-fi from the base. Sewage uses nested U-channels to provide a water seal. Or just put all the utilities in the center hub and let the rest of the house swing around it.
@daha -- Rotary connectors for electricity and water are fairly standard. Internet would probably be best handled by wi-fi from the base. Sewage uses nested U-channels to provide a water seal. Or just put all the utilities in the center hub and let the rest of the house swing around it.
Posted by Phideaux on 11/04/15 at 12:37 PM
And for a Hallowee'en prank the kids could spin the house until all inside threw up.
Posted by KDP on 11/04/15 at 12:45 PM
@KDP -- let's hope they're no more creative than pushing it around by hand. You used to be able to buy military surplus jato rockets fairly cheap . . .
Posted by Phideaux on 11/04/15 at 12:51 PM
@ Expat: I'll take the grain silo over the stock tank any day!
Posted by Miles Noell on 11/04/15 at 02:42 PM
@Phideaux: Not in 1910! My grandfather was still using a buckboard as the main means of transportation!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/05/15 at 01:04 AM
@Miles: Yea, I, finally, got my head on straight and remembered what a stock tank was. D'ho! (It's only been 45 years)
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/05/15 at 01:05 AM
It looks like a trailer with a tail to help the tornado pick it up better.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/05/15 at 08:21 PM
It is possible to build a tornado-proof house; see http://www.tornadoproofhouses.com for one approach. Apparently people would rather live dangerously.
Posted by John Ayer on 11/06/15 at 12:04 PM
How would living in a cement box effect our exposure to radon gas?
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/06/15 at 03:01 PM
Been doing it for over 40 year and WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEE OOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOWWWWW. :gulp:
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/07/15 at 12:08 AM
At least I know what you've been sniffing honey.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/07/15 at 12:19 AM
I love the smell of radon in the morning!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/07/15 at 12:29 AM
When a blizzard is raging, I sometimes work on the design of my hurricane proof Caribbean house. I don't buy lotto tickets so there is no chance.
Posted by BMN on 11/07/15 at 04:57 AM
They put a glorified treehouse on an old backhoe frame on TV and it turned fairly easily by hand so I imagine a strong steady wind could move this thing around.
This time of year we get wind directions changing frequently so I can see us waking up each morning facing a different direction.
This time of year we get wind directions changing frequently so I can see us waking up each morning facing a different direction.
Posted by GFinKS on 11/09/15 at 02:18 PM
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Category: Inventions | Patents | Nineteenth Century