Invention Gallery

Invention is the process of creating something new or improving upon an existing idea

Heath Robinson automated Dining Room without servants 1 of 4
Heath Robinson Does Away with Servants - Patent Applied for by " The Sketch" in the Dining-Room. A family at their dining table, which is a typically Heath Robinson design

Pea Apparatus by William Heath Robinson
An interesting and elegant apparatus designed to overcome once for all the difficulties of conveying green peas to the mouth

Ultra-Marine by William Heath Robinson
One of Margates new " Neversink" pleasure boats for keeping an even keel inthe roughest seas. Please note: Credit must appear as Courtesy of the estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger

A Decided Catch by William Heath Robinson
The Whitebait cycle, an ingenious contraption necessitated by the exorbitant charges for hire of boats at the seaside this season

Bound to Draw by William Heath Robinson
Another well-thought-out experiment in dentistry from Heath Robinson, the Gadget King and mastermind behind endless convoluted contraptions and silly ideas. Date: 1927

Gutenbergs printing press, 1450s
Gutenberg and Fust with the first printing press, Germany, 1450s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

First Ferris wheel, Chicago Worlds Fair, 1893
Ferris wheel -250 feet in diameter, 36 cars - at the Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Rejected by the inventions board

A Swimming Stroke of Genius
A simple device by which a cross channel swim may be rendered both easy and pleasant- not to mention luxurious. Please note

Acme Moustache Guard
The Acme Moustache Guard. Solid comfort while eating. No use for napkins - does not interfere with use of mouth. Made of gold or silver plate. Everyone should have one!

A cunning stroke by William Heath Robinson
A clever but unsportsmanlike contrivance to increase buoyance and prevent fatigue among Channel swimmers. A useful inflatable idea to help long-distance swimmers by the gadget king

DOLLY TUB
A laundry worker using a dolly stock and tub to clean clothes, prior to the invention of the washing machine

Schematic view of George Stephensons locomotive The Rocket of 1829
STEPHENSONs ROCKET, 1829. Schematic view of George Stephensons locomotive " The Rocket" of 1829

The Subzeppmarinellin by Heath Robinson, WW1 cartoon
The subzeppmarinellin for making sure of your enemy. All bases covered with this combined submarine and zeppelin from the imagination of William Heath Robinson during the First World War. Date: c.1916

Bolts of electricity discharging in the lab of Nikola Tesla
Inventor and scientist Nikola Tesla in his lab while his magnifying transmitter high voltage generator produces bolts of electricity. December 1899

Rejected by the inventions board
" Rejected by the inventions board. VII -The Gallipoli Shell-Diverter for returning the Enemys Fire" There were other theatres of war besides he Western Front

Ending in Smoke by Heath Robinson
An ingenious smoke screen spreader for preventing embarrassing situations when the bathroom lock is out of order. Hilarious invention by the inimitable Heath Robinson allowing complete discretion for

Bridgewater Canal Map
Map showing the route of the proposed canal from Worsley to Manchester and thence to the Mersey, to be built by engineer James Brindley for the duke of Bridgewater

Futuristic long distance airship
A futuristic long distance airship held aloft by two long balloons, flying across the sea

Invention of the Cube Car. This box-like car, designed by French-Vietnamese designer and engineer Quasar Kahn, was produced in limited numbers between 1967

Testing a new type of steering gear / W Heath Robinson
Illustration by William Heath Robinson. Please note: Credit must appear as Courtesy of the estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger Ltd/Mary Evans Picture Library

HMS Habbakuk in section
Illustration showing a cross section of the top secret design for HMS Habbakuk a giant aircraft-carrier built of ice and wood pulp, which was proposed as a secret weapon in the Second World War

Bedroom boat-race practice
An enthusiastic " Blue" leaves nothing to chance and recreates rowing conditions with the help of three tin baths, some wheels and a pair of oars in his bedroom

SINGER SEWING MACHINE. Description of Isaac M. Singers sewing machine on the front page of the " Scientific American", 1 November 1851

Spectroscope (c. 1860) by Bunsen and Kirchhoff, published in 1880
Spectroscope by Robert Bunsen (German chemist, 1811 - 1899) and Gustav Robert Kirchhoff (German physicist, 1824 - 1884). A spectroscope is an optical device

Victorian inventions in The Engineer
A page of patented engineering and industrial inventions from The Engineer magazine, 1856. Date: 1856

Automaton at the Schoolboys Own Exhibition, 1929
A physiological robot at the Schoolboys Own Exhibition in London, 1929. Designed to show how organs of the body work, here three young visitors take great interest in its insides. Date: 1929

Robidas rotating house
Maison tournante arienee or aerial rotating house, one of Albert Robidas futuristic visions of life in the 20th century

Sir Francis Ronalds
Portrait of English inventor, Sir Francis Ronalds (1788-1873), inventor of the electric telegraph in 1816. He fitted his garden in Hammersmith with an electric telegraph but was refused when he

Hat Wireless 1930S
A man tunes into his hat radio!

George Stephensons locomotive, the Rocket, which won a prize given by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company

Gutenbergs printing press
Gutenberg inspects the first sheet of his Bible, which has just come off the press

Eyeglasses for chickens patent, 1903 C024 / 3600
Eyeglasses for chickens patent, 1903. Artwork of a device designed by Andrew Jackson Jr. to protect the eyes of chickens from aggressive pecking by other chickens

Double bicycle patent, 1905 C024 / 3615
Double bicycle patent, 1905. Artwork of a double bicycle patent invented by Karl Lange. It was designed to perform a loop the loop stunts at circus performances

Schematic view of the Stourbridge Lion, the first commercial locomotive in North America
THE STOURBRIDGE LION, 1829. Schematic view of the Stourbridge Lion, the first commercial locomotive in North America, imported from England by the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company in 1829 for use in

LIGHTNING ROD UMBRELLA. Line engraving, French, 1873

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

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

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

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

First sewing machine, 1846
Elias Howes sewing machine, 1846. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

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

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

Caricature of future travel
3847140 Caricature of future travel by Heath, William (1795-1840); (add.info.: Caricature of future travel March of intellect, 1829 by William Heath (1795-1840)

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

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

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Invention is the process of creating something new or improving upon an existing idea. It often involves a combination of creative thinking and problem solving to develop a product, process, or service that is useful to society and can range from simple everyday items such as the wheel to complex technologies such as computers. Throughout history, inventions have had a major impact on how people live their lives and how societies progress. Inventors are often credited with making significant contributions to society by providing solutions to problems and improving quality of life for many people. Invention has been an important part of human development since ancient times and continues to be so today.