Classic Inventions that never took off

[El Presidente]

Given that Smithy and I are now Inventors with the www.ShooAway.com product (and going well to boot!) I had a smile when I came across this old 1992 clipping.

The German news agency Deutsche Presse Agentur reported in November (1992) on Japanese inventor Kenji Kawakami's "New Idea Academy," which features his own innovations and counts among his most successful products a portable washing machine that straps onto the user's leg (swirling the clothes with each step); a travel necktie with room for writing utensils and a calculator; padded booties for cats so they can dust the floor while walking around; and a "solar flashlight" that provides a strong beam of light as long as the sun is shining. [st. Petersburg Times-DPA, 11-23-92]

I love the solar flashlight

Let me know if you have any more "classic" inventions to add !

[bc8436]

http://www.life.com/gallery/25371/image/3270485#index/0

Some interesting ideas here.

[Fuzz]

TNT or trinitrotoluene was originally intended as a cheap dye by its inventor Julius Wilbrand. Of course, if he had tried detonating instead of trying to colour flags, he would have made a fortune.

This was to become the base for a one man tank. The encompassing sphere would have machine guns mounted to it.

Other crappy inventions are the motorised surfboard, the laryngalphone, the rainy day cigarette holder (had a little umbrella over the lit end), illuminated tyres (made by Goodyear), sea shoes, and the dual cigarette holder (one cigarette, two people!).

[Ryan]

I saw this on QI and I love it. The Toilet Snorkel.

Supposed to give you some more air if trapped in a high rise fire.

In reality you spend possibly the last few minutes of your life in a toilet, breathing sewage.

[CBL]

Love QI! The Toilet Snorkel was indeed a ridiculous invention

Fuzz' picture looks like Mr Garrisons' "It"

[Blackham]

I love the solar flashlight

I know the People Liberation Army has a prototype