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World's Wackiest Inventions
Is the world ready for a tie pin that can be eaten in case of sudden hunger? Or a railroad train that avoids collisions by climbing on top of the opposing train? Or a man's hat that will automatically tip itself in greeting when the wearer nods slightly?
All these (and more) are actual patented inventions, unearthed for your amusement, enlightenment, and possible bewilderment. Who, for instance, would opt for a Hydraulic Alarm Clock, which drips icy water down the sleeper's neck? Or the Humane Rodent Exterminator, a well-intentioned device that attaches a bell to the rat's neck, "thereby frightening the other rats and causing them to flee"?
Each of the nearly 60 inventions appears with the inventor's explanation and the actual drawings submitted to the Patent Office. Some are of dubious efficacy−for instance, the battery-and-copper plate designed to extract poisons from the human body. Others are simply hilarious, such as the rocking chair fitted with a bellows in order to blow air onto the rocker. All offer fascinating glimpses of the modern obsession with utility, accenting the zany turns on a shortcut to convenience.
All these (and more) are actual patented inventions, unearthed for your amusement, enlightenment, and possible bewilderment. Who, for instance, would opt for a Hydraulic Alarm Clock, which drips icy water down the sleeper's neck? Or the Humane Rodent Exterminator, a well-intentioned device that attaches a bell to the rat's neck, "thereby frightening the other rats and causing them to flee"?
Each of the nearly 60 inventions appears with the inventor's explanation and the actual drawings submitted to the Patent Office. Some are of dubious efficacy−for instance, the battery-and-copper plate designed to extract poisons from the human body. Others are simply hilarious, such as the rocking chair fitted with a bellows in order to blow air onto the rocker. All offer fascinating glimpses of the modern obsession with utility, accenting the zany turns on a shortcut to convenience.
- GenresNonfiction
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1932
About the author
A.E. Brown
6 bookshttps://www.archaeopress.com/Archaeop...
From this website: A. E. Brown
TONY BROWN was a member of the academic staff of the University of Leicester for over thirty years, moving there in 1964 as an Assistant Staff Tutor (Organising Tutor for Leicestershire). In 1966 he became Organising Tutor for Northamptonshire and in 1968 Staff Tutor in Archaeology. From 1990 he held a joint appointment with the School of Archaeological Studies, retiring in 2001 as an Emeritus Reader. During the earlier part of this period he engaged in rescue excavations for the Department of the Environment (Roman pottery kilns at Harrold in Bedfordshire and the Roman small town of Towcester in Northamptonshire), thereafter concentrating rather more on fieldwork and documentary studies of the medieval and post-medieval landscapes of the English Midlands. He has latterly interested himself in the relationship between European and native styles of artillery fortifications in South-east Asia. He has written or collaborated in the production of some sixty papers and either singly or with others written or edited books on the topography of Leicester, medieval moated sites, garden archaeology, Roman small towns, archaeological fieldwork, and antiquarian writing in the 18th century. He edited the journal 'Northamptonshire Archaeology' and its predecessors from 1966 to 1984.
From this website: A. E. Brown
TONY BROWN was a member of the academic staff of the University of Leicester for over thirty years, moving there in 1964 as an Assistant Staff Tutor (Organising Tutor for Leicestershire). In 1966 he became Organising Tutor for Northamptonshire and in 1968 Staff Tutor in Archaeology. From 1990 he held a joint appointment with the School of Archaeological Studies, retiring in 2001 as an Emeritus Reader. During the earlier part of this period he engaged in rescue excavations for the Department of the Environment (Roman pottery kilns at Harrold in Bedfordshire and the Roman small town of Towcester in Northamptonshire), thereafter concentrating rather more on fieldwork and documentary studies of the medieval and post-medieval landscapes of the English Midlands. He has latterly interested himself in the relationship between European and native styles of artillery fortifications in South-east Asia. He has written or collaborated in the production of some sixty papers and either singly or with others written or edited books on the topography of Leicester, medieval moated sites, garden archaeology, Roman small towns, archaeological fieldwork, and antiquarian writing in the 18th century. He edited the journal 'Northamptonshire Archaeology' and its predecessors from 1966 to 1984.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 28, 2020
I am not used to such humorous Dover titles. When this showed up in my Little Free Library, it caught my eye. I don't recall the last time a book made me laugh out loud so often! An automatic whip, spectacles for chickens, combination cheese gator mousetrap.... The self-tipping hat I had seen before, but all else were new to me.
January 22, 2019
Goofy old "inventions," can't help but laugh at most of them.
January 23, 2025
Very amusing compilation of patents. Each entry contains the original patent information and a drawing. Garnered a lot of insight into what was considered important in earlier years.
January 8, 2015
It's like a less-interesting 1930s version of 101 UN-Useless Japanese Inventions. By 1930s I mean it came out in the 1930s; the inventions are much, much earlier.
May 1, 2015
weird book about inventions
May 1, 2015
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12952279
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12952279
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews