Invention Trivia

What popular toy was originally used as a caulking and molding medium?
During World War II, Mr. James Wright, an employee at the General Electric laboratories, created a synthetic, bendable rubber that was inexpensive to produce and useful as a caulking and molding medium. Following the war, a large supply existed, but nobody seemed to know what to do with it. Connecticut store owner Peter Hodgson offered a creative solution that proved to be invention trivia in the making. He purchased a large amount of the rubber, packaged it into plastic eggs, and sold it to children under the name "Silly Putty." Today, Silly Putty brand products are offered in over 15 different colors in the classic egg-shaped packaging.

Who invented the seatbelt?
Nils Bohlin, a Swedish Volvo employee, became the answer to an invention trivia question when he invented the three-point safety belt based on his experiences working in the aerospace industry. He noted that the human body endures incredible stresses during a high-speed crash, and that current restraining devices were uncomfortable and difficult to operate. After a year of testing and engineering, Bohlin reached the conclusion that straps across the chest and hips were the most effective way to restrain vehicle occupants. In addition, this invention enabled users to fasten the restraining device using only one hand. Bohlin is the 1995 recipient of a Gold Medal from the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and a member of the Automotive Hall of Fame.

Was "Trivial Pursuit" always the popular game that it is today?
Canadian inventors Chris Haney, Scott Abbott and John Haney created the board game in approximately 45 minutes. Michael Wurstlin, an unemployed artist, designed the board and logo for five shares in the company. The inventors spent four years trying to market their invention before it became successful.

What did Marion Donovan use to create the prototype for the disposable diaper? Marion Donovan, a young mother during the baby boom era, was unhappy with messy cloth diapers that needed to be laundered, so she used a shower curtain to create the "Boater," a plastic covering for cloth diapers. A year later, she added a disposable absorbent material to the Boater design to create the first disposable diaper. Donovan received a negative response from manufacturers, who thought her invention would be too expensive to produce, so she went into business for herself. For related invention trivia about the disposable diaper, visit the Marion Donovan page from "Famous Women Inventors."

Who invented earmuffs?
Chester Greenwood invented earmuffs when he was just 15 years old. As he was ice skating, he wrapped his head in a scarf to protect his ears from the cold, but found this method too bulky and itchy. To solve the problem, Greenwood constructed two ear-shaped loops from wire and asked his grandmother to sew fur on them. He later patented an improved version, "Greenwood's Champion Ear Protectors," which featured a steel band that held the earmuffs in place. Greenwood established Greenwood's Ear Protector Factory and supplied earmuffs for U.S. soldiers during World War I. And here's some more invention trivia about Greenwood: he accumulated over 100 patents in his lifetime, including one for the steel-tooth rake. He has been named one of America's 15 Outstanding Inventors by the Smithsonian Institution, and his hometown of Farmington, Maine celebrates his achievements with a parade every December that features police cruisers decorated as earmuffs.

Is it true that a Patent Office official resigned and recommended that the Patent Office be closed because everything that could be invented had already been invented?
No, this oft-cited piece of invention trivia is pure fabrication. Research has indicated that this myth may have originated in Patent Office Commissioner Henry Ellsworth's 1843 report to Congress. In his report, he states, "The advancement of the arts, from year to year, taxes our credulity and seems to presage the arrival of that period when human improvement must end." It seems as though Ellsworth's comments were taken out of context, and he merely meant to emphasize the growing number of patents. He even suggested specific areas in which he expected to see increased patent activity.

Who invented the ice cream cone?
Italo Marchino, an Italian immigrant, produced the first ice cream cone in 1896 and was granted a patent in December of 1903. Although Marchino is credited with the invention of the ice cream cone, a similar idea was introduced at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. One very hot day, Charles Menches was selling ice cream in dishes, but there was such a demand for ice cream that he ran out of saucers before noon. After some quick thinking, Menches turned to his friend Ernest Hamwi for help. Hamwi was selling a Middle Eastern confection called Zalabia, which consists of a wafer-like pastry sold with syrup. Menches rolled the Zalabia and scooped ice cream on top.

How did one grocery store owner give his business a boost?
Walter H. Deubner noticed that his customers were only purchasing the items they were able to carry, so he began to brainstorm ways that would enable his customers to carry more merchandise. After four years, he developed the grocery bag. Inexpensive, easy to use, and strong enough to hold up to 75 pounds of groceries, the Deubner Shopping Bag was born.

How did a baker inspire the invention of an outdoor toy? William Russel Frisbee, a baker, discovered a clever market
ing tactic in the 1870s. He featured the family name in relief on the bottom of the light tin pans that contained his companys homemade pies. The pies were sold throughout much of Connecticut, and sometime in the 1940s, Yale students began sailing the pie tins through the air and catching them. Ten years later, Walter Frederick Morrison, a flying-saucer enthusiast from California, designed a saucer-like disk for playing catch. The disk was produced by a company called Wham-O, and on a promotional tour of college campuses, the president of the company encountered the innovative Yale students. Shortly after, the disk was renamed the "frisbee."

What chewy treat was originally produced using chicle from Mexican sapodilla trees?
After failed attempts to turn chicle into toys, masks, rain boots and bicycle tires, Thomas Adams popped a piece of it into his mouth and enjoyed the taste. He decided to add flavoring to the chicle, and shortly after, he opened the world's first chewing gum factory. Adam's New York Gum went on sale in drug stores for a penny apiece in February of 1871.

Who was the first woman to receive a U.S. Patent?
The Patent Act of 1790 declared that any individual, male or female, was eligible to obtain a patent for an invention. On May 15, 1809, Mary Dixon Kies, a Connecticut native, received the first U.S. patent issued to a woman. She invented a process for weaving straw with silk or thread and was credited by First Lady Dolly Madison for boosting the nation's hat industry. Unfortunately, the patent file was destroyed in the Patent Office fire of 1836, along with all of the other patents issued up until that date.

What popular invention was sold in order to pay off a debt?
In 1849, Walter Hunt, an auto mechanic from New York, New York, invented the safety pin by twisting a length of wire. Hunt received a patent for his invention on April 10, 1849 and eventually sold the rights to his patent for $400 so he could pay a debt in the amount of $15. Hunt is also credited with inventing an early sewing machine, a new type of fountain pen and a new knife sharpener.