We can all thank Robert Adler for the ability to be complete couch potatoes while watching TV.  Born December 4, 1913, Robert Adler held 180 patents for electronic devices but he is best known for having invented the first useable wireless television remote control.

The first remote control known as “Lazy Bones” was developed in the 1950’s by Zenith.  This remote used a cable that ran from the TV to the user. An idea for a wireless remote control was devised by fellow Zenith engineer Eugene Polley. This remote control used light beams to control the television. The problem was that when the television was in direct sunlight it would often turn on by itself. Continue reading “Nothing Between You and the TV But Space!” →

Believe it or not, there are numerous patents for the most popular device supposedly used to communicate with those in the spirit world. The device wasn’t really invented by any of the patent holders, instead it was refined. A Ouija board is used by putting your fingertips on the planchette or indicator and allowing the spirits to guide the planchette around the board. This idea was not new to the Ouija board. “Automatic writing” which was practiced by the ancient Chinese was a process of producing writing utilizing a planchette. Supposedly, the hands of the writer were guided by forces beyond themselves.

In the mid-nineteenth century, spiritualist were everywhere. Spiritualists began holding seances and looking for ways to communicate with the dead. The talking board was among the ways people were attempting to talk with spirits. The first patent for one these talking boards was granted to Adolphus Theodore Wagner, on January 23, 1854 in London, England. Continue reading “Answer to Your Questions? – Ouija Board Patent” →

What was the greatest thing since before sliced bread? Why burnt toast, of course!

Seriously. Without burnt toast, we might never have the modern toaster. And, without the pop-up toaster’s boost by the subsequent invention of sliced bread, we’d probably never have thought of pop-tarts and frozen waffles, either.

Burnt Toast Smell Fills Factory Cafeteria; Sparks Creative Genius

Burnt toast in the company cafeteria at a Stillwater, Minnesota plant lead to the invention of the modern pop-up toaster. Charles Strite, a master mechanic, wanted to take the need for continual human attention out of the process of making toast. Strite added springs and a variable timer to the toaster. The new toaster had a clockwork mechanism that, after a certain adjustable amount of time had elapsed, would turn off the heating elements and trigger the ascension of a spring-loaded basket containing the toasted bread. Continue reading “The Greatest Thing Since Before Sliced Bread? – The Invention of the Toaster” →

Although plywood is considered a modern building material, its origin can be traced to ancient times. Remnants of plywood have been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs. There was a shortage of fine wood in Egypt. In order to save the higher quality wood for the exterior of furniture and other decorative products, the Egyptians glued thin sheets of the high quality wood to the lower quality more available wood. Ancient Chinese were known to use a similar technique for furniture. In the 1600 and 1700’s, the British and French experimented with different types of plywood.

The first patent for plywood was issued to John K. Mayo on December 26, 1865. He also received patent number RE3092 which was a reissue of the patent on August 18, 1868. The reissue describes his plywood as: “The invention consists in cementing or otherwise fastening together a number of these scales of sheets, with the grain of the successive pieces, or some of them, running crosswise or diversely from that of the others…” Although Mayo invented a new kind of wood, it seem that he did not attempt to capitalize on his idea. There is no record for him starting a business or otherwise utilizing his patent. Continue reading “Invention of Plywood” →

It has only been for the last forty years that traveling did not have to mean a sore back from carrying your luggage. Before 1970, luggage had to be carried. Suitcases did not have wheels. This month, wheeled luggage celebrates its 40th anniversary. Bernard Sadow is the man who made traveling with ten pairs of shoes and enough clothes for a month much easier.

Sadow was at the time the president and owner of U.S. Luggage. While coming home from a vacation in Aruba with his family, he struggled with two packed 27-inch suitcases. During his struggles, he noticed another man pushing his luggage on a skid. Right then, Sadow had the brilliant idea to add wheels to luggage.

Sadow went to work immediately on the first prototype. The first wheeled luggage rolled out of the Massachusetts factory had four caster wheels made from plastic and metal and a rope to pull it. Bernard Sadow applied for a patent on February 16, 1970. He was granted Patent #3,653,474 on April 4, 1972 for rolling luggage. Continue reading “Minimizing Travel Struggles – Invention of Rolling Luggage” →

John Gorrie is considered the father of refrigeration and air conditioning. Gorrie’s medical research involved the study of yellow fever. At the time of his research, it was widely believed that bad air was the cause of many diseases. Gorrie also noticed that outbreaks of yellow fever were less frequent in the winter. He was convinced that cold was a healer. This led Gorrie to cool the sickrooms of his patients to reduce fever and make them more comfortable.

Gorrie cooled the rooms with a basin of ice suspended from the ceiling. The cool air would flow across the patient and through an opening in the floor. This was a successful method in to cool the room. Ice was hard to come by though. The ice had to be cut from the northern lakes, stored in underground icehouses and shipped packed in sawdust via boat to Florida. Continue reading “Need a Cold Drink? The Invention of the Ice Machine” →