Weird Universe Blog — March 13, 2024

Smoking Facts

Seemed odd to me that the ad would not only mention that they've got "a patent on flavor," but also give the patent number (3828800). So I had to look it up. Turned out to be a fairly boring patent for "an improved cigarette filter material... formed from the porous, granular salt of a weakly basic anion exchange resin."

Sports Illustrated - Nov 14, 1977



Coos Bay World - Nov 4, 1978

Posted By: Alex - Wed Mar 13, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Advertising | Patents | Smoking and Tobacco | 1970s | Billboards

Animated Putty

Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 13, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Stop-motion Animation | 1910s

March 12, 2024

Electric Vibro Chin Massager

House Beautiful - Oct 1966

Posted By: Alex - Tue Mar 12, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues | 1960s

Ghost Evidence

Read the whole story here.





Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 12, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Crime | Death | Supernatural, Occult, Paranormal | 1970s

March 11, 2024

Electricura Shoes

John Wilson Gibbs claimed that his patented "electric shoe" would cure rheumatism.

Kansas City Star - July 23, 1907



How the shoes generated electricity is explained in his 1903 patent (No. 740,548). They contained zinc and copper nails. The two metals, when combined with sweaty feet, would form a galvanic cell, producing a mild electric current.

This invention relates to an electric shoe; and its object is to provide, in connection with the sole of a shoe or other article of footwear, a means permanently attached thereto, such that an electric current will be generated under the influence of the foot of the wearer. . .

The sole of the shoe is shown at A, and in the upper surface thereof there are driven or otherwise inset a series of nails or studs B, with each of which there is associated a similar nail or stud C. The studs of the series B are preferably of zinc and those of the series C preferably of copper, thereby providing pairs of elements of dissimilar metals or opposite in sign such that when contacted with by the foot of the wearer from the influence of the warmth or moisture of the person or for other reasons an electric current will be generated, passing from one element to the other through the body of the wearer. The medical and therapeutic effects of such a current are well known, and I claim herein only the specific construction of the means for obtaining such a current.

What he doesn't mention is that the metals would quickly corrode, at which point the electricity would stop. Not that such a tiny amount of electricity would have had any therapeutic effect anyway.

Of course, this was back in the era when adding the word "electric" to any product was a sure way to give it more consumer appeal. A long time ago I had a brief article published in Smithsonian magazine in which I gave some examples of this phenomenon.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Mar 11, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Patents | Shoes | 1900s

March 10, 2024

Miss Electric Bedding

Advertising Age ran a photo of "Miss Electric Bedding" in its Nov 10, 1952 issue. But it didn't give her name.

Advertising Age - Nov 10, 1952



A month later, reports appeared in a number of newspapers stating that actress Viveca Lindfors had declined to be crowned "Miss Electric Bedding."

Daily Mirror - Dec 16, 1952



I'm not sure if that's Viveca Lindfors in the Advertising Age photo, but it definitely could be. I'm leaning towards thinking it is. And if it is, it's confusing why it was reported that she declined to be Miss Electric Bedding. After all, there she is.

My best guess: the Advertising Age photo shows her modeling as Miss Electric Bedding for the Chicago Electric Association. The later news report says she refused an offer from the New York Electric Assn. So she must have done the electric bedding modeling gig in Chicago, but then declined to do it elsewhere.

Viveca Lindfors - image source: wikipedia

Posted By: Alex - Sun Mar 10, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests | 1950s

Thomas Snell’s Millions

Rich people are weird.

Before dipping into this story, some perspective on the value of the estate.












And as final icing on the cake.





Posted By: Paul - Sun Mar 10, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Death | Money | Lawsuits | 1900s | Women

March 9, 2024

Humanoid Hugging Assembly

Walton Richardson of Murfreesboro, Tennessee was recently granted a patent (No. 11865695) for a "humanoid hugging assembly."

The headless, animatronic torso says phrases such as, "I know you need a hug," "Come get a hug," and "You are special." When someone approaches it spreads its arms invitingly, and then it hugs them.



Posted By: Alex - Sat Mar 09, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Patents

Page 4 of 19 pages ‹ First  < 2 3 4 5 6 >  Last ›
Custom Search
All original content in posts is Copyright © 2016 by the author of the post, which is usually either Alex Boese ("Alex"), Paul Di Filippo ("Paul"), or Chuck Shepherd ("Chuck"). All rights reserved. The banner illustration at the top of this page is Copyright © 2008 by Rick Altergott.

Go to top