專利仍懸而未決:夭折的最偉大的發明(上)
這裏收集了一些二十世紀初歷史上的專利，展示有想法的發明家怎樣預測人類飛行及猴子們將來有一天可以騎行賽狗。
Above: A 1889 patent by Reuben Spalding to allow a person to fly via the aid of a balloon and bird-like wings. It is not known whether a full scale version was ever made (I wonder why?)
The imaginative designs, from the US Patent and Trademark office, show elaborate blueprints submitted between 1871 and 1933.
來自美國專利和商標局充滿想象的設計展示了精心設計的藍圖，這些設計是1871年到1933年申請的。
Above: One may think this to be an Artist's impression for a Tim Burton-esque Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz but it is in fact the 1880 patent of a metal diving suit designed by Stephen M. Tasker. It was intended to withstand the pressure of diving underwater.
The patents cater for every strain of 20th century society, from a self-tipping hat for the discerning gent to a harness support for a greyhound-riding monkey
這些發明是爲了滿足20世紀社會各方面的需求，從給多禮挑剔的紳士設計自動翻落致敬的帽子到爲騎行賽狗的猴子設計的馬具。
Above: Artwork of a harness and support designed by Renfro Rennie that allows a monkey to ride 'jockey style' on the back of a greyhound. Monkey jockeys were used for a brief period in America and Australia during the 1930s.
The pre-cautious inventors designed many death-cheating structures, including a fire-escape device which had a parachute attached to the head and rubber-soled shoes for smooth landings.
這名謹慎的發明者設計了很多可逃脫死亡的作品，包括一個避火設備，就是在頭部上安裝一個降落傘，而腳上穿的是橡膠鞋底的鞋子，用來平穩着陸。
Above: The 1879 patent of a fire escape device designed by Benjamin Oppenheimer. The parachute is attached by harness to the person's head while thick rubber soled shoes were worn to cushion the landing.
And in case death was mistakenly declared and a person was buried alive, a patent was put forward for a 'life-indicator' coffin, where the buried person could rotate a set of handles to move a dial above ground.
爲了避免意外的將活人當死人，於是就有了這個"生命指示器"的棺材，被埋的人可以通過旋轉把柄從而移動地面上的轉盤。
Above: The life indicator for coffins patented by John Krichbaum in 1882 to save a person accidentally buried alive.
Some of the other peculiar patents, which were obtained by the Science Photo Library, show eyeglasses for chickens to prevent them pecking out each other's eyes...
還有一些奇特的專利，都保存在科技照片收藏館裏，那就是給雞戴上眼鏡，以防止它們啄出對方的眼睛。
Above: The device designed by Andrew Jackson Jr. to protect the eyes of chickens from aggressive pecking by other chickens. This patent was filed in 1903.
上圖：這是小安德魯傑克遜發明的，目的是爲了避免雞之間相互啄傷對方的眼睛。這個專利申請於1903年。
swinging bathtubs for hydrotherapy
用於水療的搖擺浴缸。
Above: A 1900 patent of a rocking bath tub designed by Otto A. Hensel. The bath tub was designed to splash water against the bather. Victorian-era water therapy was a popular treatment for a variety of ailments
上圖：1990年的專利申請，設計者是奧托亨澤爾。這樣的設計可以使得水濺在治療者身上。維多利亞時期，人們經常用水療治療各種疾病。
A hat saluting device by James C. Boyle. The patent was filed in 1896
一頂帽子敬禮小發明，發明者是詹姆斯波義耳。專利申請於1896年。
A baseball catching device by James E. Bennettin which was patented in 1900. A wire cage strapped across the person's chest acts as a receptacle to catch balls
一款抓棒球的設備，發明者是詹姆斯貝納丁，申請於1900年。將這種鐵絲籠綁在胸前，作爲容器捕捉棒球。
An animal trap device designed by J.A. Williams in 1882 to kill vermin. Food bait is placed onto a spring-loaded lever. When the animal presses onto the bait, it fires the loaded pistol.
1882年由 J.A. Williams 設計的用來殺死害蟲的動物誘捕裝置。誘餌放在用彈簧頂住的控制桿上，當動物壓在誘餌上，事先裝好子彈的手槍將會開火。
Artwork of an initiation device by Ulysses DeMoulin. The device allows a person to sit on the back of a model goat and experience unpredictable movements. The goat is attached to a tricycle base and gears provide the eccentricity of movements. 'Riding the goat' was an initiation prank practiced by societies in such as fraternity houses and Freemason groups
一個由Ulysses DeMoulin設計的啓動裝置。這個裝置可以讓人騎在山羊模型的背上，體驗出乎尋常的運動。山羊模型安裝在三輪車底座和系列傳動裝置上，依次提供不規則的運動。"騎山羊"是一些學會的入會慣例惡作劇，比如兄弟會、共濟會。
Artwork of a device designed by Jonas E. Heyser 1910 to prevent mental health patients from, well, I think we can all guess what they were trying to prevent....
