W.T. Grimm and his non-Grimm partner did not obtain a patent for a bum-making machine. The bleariness of the scanned patent document only makes it look that way. The patent is now listed as: “Bum making machine,” US patent # 2354681, granted to W.C. Grimm et al. on August 1, 1944.
Tag: machine
Farewell, bagel-making machine inventor
The New York Times brings sad news: Daniel Thompson, Whose Bagel Machine Altered the American Diet, Dies at 94 Daniel Thompson, who five decades ago automated the arcane art of bagel making, a development — seen variously as saving grace and sacrilege — that has sent billions of mass-produced bagels raining down on the American […]
A machine for a Monday morning
This machine symbolizes Monday mornings. This machine also symbolizes almost anything else. This machine fails to symbolize almost nothing. Claude Shannon, who figured out some things about information, designed the machine, years ago.
A sort of cow, and some sorts of cockroaches
Here’s a year-end tiny collection comprising a cow and lots of cockroaches. The cow is mechanical, caught here on video (Thanks to Rachel Ehrenberg for bringing it to our attention): [vimeo]15577865[/vimeo] The University of California supplies this description: Cow: the digestive system’s complex mysteries: Nova Jiang is an artist and UCLA alumna who makes work […]
The man who separates cookies
Artist David Neevel, labeling himself as a “physicist”, though he seems to mean “engineer”, presents this video of himself with a machine that separates the components of an Oreo cookie: Neevel is also noted for his use, on another project, of paper airplanes: (Thanks to investigator Sally Ramos for bringing this to our attention.)
Ballet for machinery and a chair
Arthur Ganson‘s ballet for machinery and a chair: (Thanks to investigator Vaughn Tan for bringing this to our attention.)
Another British tea innovation
Britain gave the world many things. Among those are deadpan delivery, Heath Robinson, and a fascination for detailed methods of brewing tea. Those three gifts are combined in the “revolutionary approach to the gentle art of making tea” announced recently by a firm called Cambridge Consultants. Behold their demonstrative video: (Thanks to investigator Robinj for […]
How to dismantle a bicycle, theft by theft
The maker of this short video explains: “Last year, Red Peak Branding conducted a unique urban experiment for Hudson Urban Bicycles. On January 1, 2011 we chained a fully loaded bike – bells, basket, lights and more – to a post along a busy Soho street. We took a picture of the bike everyday for […]
A necktie-tying machine
The sewing machine (of which, in truth, there were and are many) had a huge economic impact. Seth Goldstein’s necktie-tying machine, arriving many decades later, may have a smaller effect (thanks to investigator Jennie Regules for bringing this to our attention): BONUS: Bill Nye shows how to tie a bow tie (thanks to investigator Laura […]
Solution to last issue’s puzzler
[from AIR 15:5]: Solution: The next tune it will play is the French folk song Frere Jacques.