Invention Collection (#97)

Illustration of inventors experiments and attempts at perpetual motion, spinning wheel, self-propelling cart, water wheel, self-powered pump, loadstone attracting metal ball up a ramp

Illustration of steam train and smaller images of Rocket steam locomotive and mechanism of Thomas Newcomens engine

Diagram of astronomical calculator, Ancient Greece

Illustration of Louis Bleriot in his aircraft Bleriot XI, crossing the English Channel, 1909

Illustration of Breants flying machine, 1854

Illustration of Dr W Ayres pedal flying machine, 1885

Illustration of Thomas Moys tandem-wing monoplane Aerial Steamer, 1875

GOLF CADDY, c1920. Golf caddy Mozart Johnson wearing wire mesh protective device. Photograph, c1920

HERBERT HOOVER (1874-1964). 31st President of the United States. Hoover, as Secretary of Commerce, in a public demonstration of the first inter-city television broadcast, from Washington, D.C

TELEVISION, 1927. Walter S. Gifford, president of AT&T, speaking with President Herbert Hoover during the first public demonstration of inter-city television on 7 April 1927

ROBERT HUTCHINGS GODDARD (1882-1945). American physicist. Photographed with the first liquid-propellant rocket to take flight at Auburn, Massachusetts, 16 March 1926

FILMMAKING: SOUND. Henry Stoller and Harry Pfannenstiehl with the first commercial machine for synchronizing recorded sound with motion picture projection. Photograph, c1923

TELEVISION, 1927. The television pioneer, Swedish-born Ernst Fredrik Werner Alexanderson (1878-1975) at the first home television reception in the world, in his home at Schenectady, New York, 1927

BELLs TELEPHONE, c1920. Demonstration of Alexander Graham Bells telephone through which speech sounds were first transmitted electrically. Photographed in c1920

ROBERT HUTCHINGS GODDARD (1862-1945). American physicist. With the first liquid-propellant rocket to take flight, 16 March 1926, at Auburn, Massachusettes. Oil over a photograph from the same year

RHODE ISLAND: COTTON MILL. Slater Mill, site of the first cotton mill in the United States, Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Photograph from a stereographic view, c1925

ROBERT FULTON (1765-1815). American engineer and inventor. Fultons first experiment with paddle wheels, attached to a small fishing boat on the Conestoga River, Pennsylvania, summer 1779

ROBERT ANDREWS MIILLIKAN (1868-1953). American physicist: oil over a photograph, c1930

SEISMOGRAPH, c1920. American seismograph for detecting earthquakes. Photograph, c1920

THOMAS EDISON (1847-1931). American inventor. Photographed with his phonograph. Oil over a photograph taken by Mathew Brady in Washington, D.C. April 1878

NYLON DEVELOPMENT. Du Pont scientists pour an experimental solution into a machine, while working to develop the synthetic textile, nylon. Photograph, early 20th century

EMILE BERLINER (1851-1929). German-born American inventor. Berliner with an early version of the microphone. Photograph, 1927

MUTOSCOPE, 1901. Anna Held (c1873-1918), American musical comedy actress, looking into a Mutoscope, 1901. Oil over photograph

FIRST MODERN TYPEWRITER. Designed by Christopher L. Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel W. Soule, 1873. Sold to Remington for manufacture

DAVISSON & GERMER, c1927. American physicists Clinton Joseph Davisson (1881-1958) and Lester Halbert Germer (1896-1971) at Bell Telephone Laboratories, c1927

FIRST WATER-CLOSET, 1596. The first water-closet, invented by Sir John Harington (1561-1612). Colored woodcut from Haringtons Metamorphosis of Ajax, 1596, the publication which

SPHYGMOMANOMETER, 1927. The sphygmomanometer and its use. Drawing, 1927

NUCLEAR REACTOR, 1942. An artists sketch of the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reactor, operated in Chicago, December 2, 1942

BENJAMIN THOMPSON (1753-1814). Count Rumford. American physicist and inventor. Count Remford demonstrating the efficiency of his improved fireplace design. Caricature etching, 1800, by James Gillray

WATER PUMP & WHEEL. Operation of a water-powered pump in an old mine. Woodcut from a 1580 edition of Georgius Agricolas De Re Metallica, after a woodcut from the first edition

THOMAS A. EDISON, 1879. Thomas Edison testing the first successful incandescent lamp at Menlo Park, New Jersey. The test was completed on 21 October 1879 after the lamp had burned for forty hours

Page from the original notebook of George Cayley (1773-1857) - prolific English engineer and one of the most important people in the history of aeronautics. Date: 1808

The first flight of the Wright Flyer in 1903
Vintage aviation photo featuring the first flight of the Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville Wright is piloting as brother Wilbur runs along beside

Replica of the Wright Flyer in flight over Czech Republic

Acrylic painting of the Martin Baker ejection seat

Frank Whittles early development of the jet engine. Gouache painting

Cylinder machines for making matchboard at the American Writing Paper Co. 1936
Cylinder machines for making matchboard at the American Writing Paper Co. Mt. Holyoke, Massachusetts, 1936

Thomas Edison with his second phonograph, circa 1878
American inventor and businessman, Thomas Edison with his second phonograph, circa 1878

Source Size = 3747 x 4979
M. Dupuy De Lomes New Navigating Balloon: the Ascent at Fort Vincennes

Source Size = 2747 x 2479
Tellurion Globe for Exhibiting the Diurnal and Annual Motions of the Earth and its Positions with Regard to the Sun. Invented by Mr. J.L. Naish, of Brighton, Uk, 1866

Source Size = 1931 x 1520
Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, and Mr. Stephenson, Upon the Roof of the Britannia Tubular Bridge, 1852

Pixiis magneto-electric machine

Astatic compass

Magnetic propeller or solenoid

Faradays experiment proves that a single metal can provide an electric current

Faradays experiment showing that the contact of two metals do not develop an electric current

Salt water battery of M. Duchemin

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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.