Invention Collection (page 2)

The Great Astronomer Schiaparelli at the Brera Observatory (colour litho)
2798364 The Great Astronomer Schiaparelli at the Brera Observatory (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info)

Siebe and Harrisons patent ice-making machine, 1862. This machine was patented by James Harrison in Australia in 1859, and the design was then improved by Augustus Siebe & Co of London in 1861

Bailey Bridge and Rhine victory by G. H. Davis
The Bailey Bridge: the British weapon which hurdled Allied armies across the Rhine barrier during the Second World War. Some constructional details of a great engineering invention

BIFOCALS, 1760s. Benjamin Franklins sketch for bifocal eyeglasses, which he is credited with inventing

Working shaft in the Kilsby Tunnel 8 July 1937 The tunnel is located near the village of Kilsby in Northamptonshire and opened in 1838 as a part of the London and Birmingham Railway

FRANKLIN: FIREPLACE, 1745. Diagram by Benjamin Franklin, of his Pennsylvanian fireplace, 1745

Gutenberg Bible page
Page of the Gutenburg Bible. Color lithograph reproduction of the document

Macmillans Bicycle
Kirkpatrick Macmillan and his early Dandy Horse bicycle

The Enfield Electric Car Road Test by Sunday Mirror reporter Roy Spicer. Roy shows us the electric workings at the back of the electric car. Picture taken 27th June 1975

Louis Braille - inventor of system of raised-point writing
Louis Braille (1809-1852) - French inventor of system of raised-point writing for the blind. Date: circa 1850

LOCOMOTIVE: ROCKET, 1829. George Stephensons Rocket, the winner of the Liverpool and Manchester Railways competiton of 1829. Engraving, American, 1881

McCORMICK HARVESTER. Demonstration of the horse-drawn harvester and binder invented by Cyrus Hall McCormick. Undated photograph

Patent drawing for Thomas Crappers sanitary innovation, the Water Waste Preventer, 1880s
WATER WASTE PREVENTER. Patent drawing for Thomas Crappers sanitary innovation, the Water Waste Preventer, 1880s

James Watt, caricature C015 / 6706
James Watt (1736-1819). Caricature of the Scottish engineer and inventor James Watt. Watt made numerous practical improvements to the steam engine of his day

King Alfred the Great of England
Statue of King Alfred the Great of England (born 849, ruled 871-899). King Alfreds reign is remembered for the formulation of a code of ethics and a rebirth of religious and scholarly activity

Spaceship to the Moon imagined in the 1870s
Projectile train to the moon, a suggested form of space travel, 1870s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Telegraph poles following the transcontinental railroad
Linemen stringing telegraph wire beside the transcontinental railroad on the Great Plains, 1860s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Telegraph key, 1860s
Civil War telegraph sending-key in working order, living history demonstration, Shiloh National Battlefield, Tennessee. Digital photograph

19th-century Gatling gun
Gatling-gun from the late 1800s, an artillery demonstration at Yorktown battlefield, Virginia. Digital photograph

An Attractive Idea for Gents Wear
Do you realise that the equinoctial gales will soon be blowing in upon us? If so, do not forget to buy one of the new patent adjustable, magnetic hat guards, for use with any style and size of hat

Lessons by Post by William Heath Robinson
The new Heath Robinson Swimming Post, which is acquiring such popularity at our most fashionable resorts. Please note: Credit must appear as Courtesy of the Estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger

Cold Comfort by W. Heath Robinson
An elegant device now in use in many seaside boarding houses to obviate the rather indelicate act of blowing on ones food to cool it

The Harley-Scope Mine-Detector by William Heath Robinson
A crackpot invention dreamed up Heath Robinson, allowing a British machine to suspend a stethoscope wearing doctor over the ground, in an attempt to locate the snug dug outs of the German enemy

Johannes Gutenberg, German goldsmith and printer
Johannes Gutenberg (Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg), German goldsmith and printer. He invented mechanical movable type and thereby began a revolution in book printing

Advert, Royles Patent Self-Pouring Teapots
Advertisement for Royles Patent Self-Pouring Teapots, October 1888. 1888

Mr R. J. White, leader of an Isle of Wight ARP rescue party
Mr R.J. White, leader of an Isle of Wight ARP rescue party, has invented three pieces of apparatus to improve the manipulation of stretchers to prevent further injury to the patient

Paternoster lift, usage and drive wheels, wood engravings, published 1888
Schematic representation of use, and the drive wheels of a paternoster lift. Created by Peter Hart (British engineer). Wood engravings, published in 1888

Leonardesque model. Trench-digging machine. Model. Technolog
Leonardesque model. Trench-digging machine. Drawing of a digger for excavating trenches or channels. Manuscript L, sheet 76v, 1497-1502. Model. The science and Technology Museum Leonardo da Vinci

Incandescent giant lamp, model of the Edison type bulb. Expo
Incandescent giant lamp, twelve feet high, mounted on a pedestal crowned by a model of the Edison type bulb, increased 20, 000 times

A very early type of railway signal by W Heath Robinson
A very early type of railway signal now rarely to be seen - an example from Railway Ribaldry, drawn by William Heath Robinson and commissioned by the Great Western Railway to mark their centenary

THOMAS EDISON (1847-1931). American inventor. With his Edison Effect lamps in his West Orange, New Jersey, laboratory. Photograph, 1915, digitally colored by Granger, NYC

STEAM TRICYCLE, 1888. Inventor Lucius D. Copeland demonstrating his steam tricycle, known as the Phaeton Moto-Cycle, outside the north entrance of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C

Cork swimming suit patent, 1882 C024 / 3602
Cork swimming suit patent, 1882. Artwork of a device designed by Paschal Plant. This clothing item consisted of mesh or netted fabric with cork applied to the surface

Replica of mechanical calculator invented by Leonardo Da Vinci

Telegraph printer, 1889 C013 / 8777
Telegraph printer. 19th-century artwork of a telegraph printer developed by Moore and Wright in the 1880s. The electric telegraph had been developed in the 1830s and 1840s

China. Han Dynasty (206 aC-220 BC). Invention

Invention of the compass, Ancient China
Invention of the compass in Ancient China. These early compasses consisted of a magnetised needle floating in a bowl of water

Honeymoon taxi / W H Robinson
The best man need no longer grovel under back axles to attach boots and horseshoes etc. The Honeymoon taxi comes pre-prepared

Futuristic underwater croquet. The players are all wearing diving helmets with oxygen packs on their backs

First published photograph, William Fox-Talbot facsimile of a photogenic drawing showing fern leaves. Date: 1839

The Wright Flyer I makes its first flight of 120 feet in 12 seconds, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 10
KW330002 The Wright Flyer I makes its first flight of 120 feet in 12 seconds, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 10.35am, 17 December 1903 (b/w photo) by Daniels, John T

Roberts Self-Acting Mule, c. 1830 (litho)
KW258408 Roberts Self-Acting Mule, c.1830 (litho) by Lowry, Joseph Wilson (1803-79); Private Collection; (add.info.: machine used in factories, for spinning cotton or wool)

The General Alarm of the Inhabitants of Gonesse Caused by the Descent of a Balloon
CHT179396 The General Alarm of the Inhabitants of Gonesse Caused by the Descent of a Balloon, 27th August, 1783 (coloured engraving) by French School, (18th century); Musee de la Ville de Paris

Portrait Miniature of Louis-Sebastien Lenormand with a Scene of His Parachute Descent
AMO100372 Portrait Miniature of Louis-Sebastien Lenormand with a Scene of His Parachute Descent, 1783 (gouache on vellum) by Blarenberghe

The Electric Car. A new unusually quiet little motor car can be seen going through its paces around London. Produced by Enfield Auto Motive Limited

Illustration from the childrens book The Adventures of Uncle Lubin, 1902. Artist: W Heath Robinson
Illustration from the childrens book The Adventures of Uncle Lubin, 1902. From a private collection

American barrel organ with inside mechanism, wood engravings, published 1888
American barrel organ with punched tape technique - Automatic musical instrument from the 19th century. Right side: The inside mechanism. Wood engravings, published in 1888

Phonograph by Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)
Phonograph. Created in 1877 by Thomas Alva Edison (Milan, Ohio, 1847-West Orange, 1931). Colored engraving

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"Invention: A Journey Through Time and Imagination" Step into the whimsical world of William Heath Robinson, a mastermind artist who brought fantastical contraptions to life through his intricate illustrations. From his famous "Heath Robinson automated Dining Room without servants" to the peculiar "Pea Apparatus, " each creation is a testament to human ingenuity and creativity. Innovation knows no bounds, as showcased in Robinson's masterpiece, "Ultra-Marine. " This mind-boggling invention transports us underwater, revealing an enchanting realm where imagination reigns supreme. It reminds us that they are not limited by reality but can transcend it entirely. Travel back in time with the revolutionary Gutenberg printing press of the 1450s. This groundbreaking invention revolutionized communication forever, paving the way for knowledge dissemination on an unprecedented scale. The power of words became accessible to all—a true turning point in history. As we marvel at these extraordinary creations, let us not forget those that were met with skepticism or rejection. Like "Rejected by the inventions board, " which serves as a reminder that even geniuses face setbacks along their journey towards progress. Sometimes it takes persistence and unwavering belief for brilliance to be recognized. The first Ferris wheel at Chicago World's Fair in 1893 stands tall as a symbol of innovation and entertainment. Its towering structure offered breathtaking views while captivating hearts worldwide—an iconic invention that continues to inspire awe today. Transportation leaps forward with Crewe Station's grand opening on July 4th, 1837—the birthplace of railway travel excellence. This engineering feat connected people like never before, shrinking distances and fostering new opportunities across nations—a testament to mankind's ability to conquer vast landscapes through sheer determination. From ancient times comes the arquebusse—its use marking a pivotal moment in warfare technology during the 16th century.