INVENTIONS OF THE YEAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 295, 14 December 1936, Page 10

INVENTIONS OF THE YEAR

Gadgets for Car and Home

••What next?" is die apt slogan adopted by the Institute of Patentees tor its twelfth International Exhibition of Inventions, London. Here was to be seen the fruits of a year's labour by inventors all over the world; ami, as with so many inventions, the wonder may well be that no one thought ot them before. Between six and seven hundred inventions by members of the institute were on view, among them some that may make fortunes for their authors. The most distinct trend, says the “Observer,” is among inventions appertaining to motoring, such as new forms of gearing and propulsion, traffic signals, tinti dazzle devices, and so on. But many strike a more homely or personal note. There is the automatic shockproof fusebox, in which a new fuse may be adjusted and the old one ejected merely by pressing a button. Teapot: - , may be stirred without removing the lids, and the forgetful may have i milk saucepan that cannot boil over. Ynothvr ingenious device is a delivery bin which, when once a milk bottle, for

instance, has been inserted, vannol released until the door is (q>em-d. There arc locks with flexible libri keys- a scale of indicating Hie weight, (•f loads on vehicles; and two Brighiufl. ladies have found a means of securing stoppers on bottles ami petrol-tank caps with a key. Among games there is .1 dart's target that electrically rcgi>lei.« the score, and the despairing goiter may well find a boon in a chib weighted in such a way that he, mist swirig correctly. These nre only a. Jew of many wonders to be seen to be believed. I lift aim of the exhibition, says the General Secretary of the Institute of Patent» is to stimulate inventions throughout Hie country, and also to interest manu< fm-turer- in them. Every year the hibition loads to a number of inventions being placed, and some of them ha\ 1 created new ind istries. It, is noteworthy that about 49,000 patents are applied for each year, though with many mem* bers of thu Institute inventing thing# is suiiply u hobby. Their view is tha| there is nothing that cannot be inventx