Ingenious Inventions Vol.II

DRINKING STRAW

What it does: Provides a means of ingesting beverages or medications through an elongated tube by the use of a sucking motion, rather than engaging directly with the container holding the liquid.

Inventor: Marvin C. Stone

Place:  Washington, District of Columbia 

Patent Date: January 3, 1888

CELLOPHANE

What it does: Offers a method of producing a thin, strong, flexible, continuous sheet of transparent cellulose film that may  e applied to a variety of practical uses.

Inventor: Edwin Brandenberger

Place:  Vosges, France

Patent Date: January 10, 1911 and May 2, 1911

BOTTLE CAP

What it does: Provides and effective seal for bottle carbonated beverages. 

Inventor: William Painter

Place:  Baltimore, Maryland

Patent Date: February 2, 1892

COLT REVOLVER

What it does: This easily loaded weapon contains multiple shots which can be discharged in rapid succession.

Inventor: Samuel Colt

Place:  Hartford, Connecticut

Patent Date: February 25, 1836

ASPIRIN

What it does: Relieves associated with headache, inflammation and fever.

Inventor: Felix Hoffman

Place:  Elberfeld, Germany

Patent Date: February 27, 1900

ZIPPO LIGHTER

What it does: This portable, pocket-sized, reusable device provides flame, particularly for igniting smoking materials such as cigarettes or cigars.

Inventor: George Gimera and George G. Blaisdell

Place: Bradford, Pennsylvania

Patent Date: March 3, 1936

TRANSISTOR

What it does: Controls and manipulates electrical signals to maximize energy efficiency and conserve space.

Inventor: William Shockley, assignor to Bell Telephone

Place: Madison, New Jersey

Patent Date: April 4, 1950

AEROSOL CAN

What it does: Dispenses or distributes liquid or semiliquid material in "atomized" spray form.

Inventor: Erik Rotheim

Place:  Oslo, Norway

Patent Date: April 7, 1931

OPTICAL FIBER

What it does: By means of successive internal reflections, this fiber transmits information through light beams.

Inventor: Donald B. Keck, Peter C. Schulz and Robert D. Maurer assigned by Corning Glass work.

Place:  Corning, New York

Patent Date: May 2, 1973

LEVI STRAUSS BLUE JEANS

What it does: Durable, comfortable pants, ideal for physical labor, include extremely sturdy seams. including those around their pockets, which are enforced with rivets.

Inventor: Jacob W. Davis and Levi Strauss & Company

Place:  Reno, Nevada and San Francisco, California

Patent Date: May 20, 1873

CALCULATOR

What it does: A high-speed device for solving simple arithmetic problems.

Inventor: William Seward Burroughs

Place:  St. Louis, Missouri

Patent Date: August 21, 1888.

ZIPPER

What it does: A strip made of metal or synthetic material features "teeth" that interlock when drawn together, providing a simple and useful fastener for articles of clothing, handbags, or other fabric items.

Inventor: Whitcomb L. Judson

Place: Chicago, Illinois

Patent Date: August 29, 1893

VELCRO

What it does: This self-fastening material is made of tiny books on one side and loops on the other, which can be separated and reattached many times.

Inventor: George de Mestral.

Place: Vaud, Switzerland.

Patent Date: September 13, 1995

BAR CODE

What it does: Scans merchandise for classification and pricing purposes.

Inventor: Norman J. Woodland and Bernard Silver

Place:  Ventnor, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Patent Date: October 7, 1952

BATTERY

What it does: Provides a portable, wireless energy source for electronically powered devices.

Inventor: Carl Gassner, Jr.

Place: Mentz, Germany

Patent Date: November 15, 1887

BARBED WIRE

What it does: This wire features sharp protrusions or "barbs". Fences made from it are an effective deterrent to whatever (or whoever) is being kept in or out.

Inventor: Joseph F. Glidden

Place:  De Kalb, Illinois

Patent Date: November 24, 1874

PEZ DISPENSER

What it does: Offers a novel  means to dispense small, square candies from a spring-loaded plastic container, appealing especially to young children for its toylike quality, and to collectors for the variety of character depicted.

Inventor: Oskar Uxa, (assignor to Eduard Haas)

Place:  Vienna, Austria and Muhlbach-Attersee, Austria

Patent Date: December 2, 1949

CHEWING GUM

What it does: Dispenses a sugar-based "snack" while providing an active chewing experience as its mass remains in the mouth undigested.

Inventor: William F. Semple

Place:  Mount Vernon, Ohio.

Patent Date: December 28, 1869