专利仍悬而未决:夭折的最伟大的发明(上)
这里收集了一些二十世纪初历史上的专利，展示有想法的发明家怎样预测人类飞行及猴子们将来有一天可以骑行赛狗。
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.
来自美国专利和商标局充满想象的设计展示了精心设计的蓝图，这些设计是1871年到1933年申请的。
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
这些发明是为了满足20世纪社会各方面的需求，从给多礼挑剔的绅士设计自动翻落致敬的帽子到为骑行赛狗的猴子设计的马具。
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.
这名谨慎的发明者设计了很多可逃脱死亡的作品，包括一个避火设备，就是在头部上安装一个降落伞，而脚上穿的是橡胶鞋底的鞋子，用来平稳着陆。
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.
为了避免意外的将活人当死人，于是就有了这个"生命指示器"的棺材，被埋的人可以通过旋转把柄从而移动地面上的转盘。
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...
还有一些奇特的专利，都保存在科技照片收藏馆里，那就是给鸡戴上眼镜，以防止它们啄出对方的眼睛。
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.
上图：这是小安德鲁杰克逊发明的，目的是为了避免鸡之间相互啄伤对方的眼睛。这个专利申请于1903年。
swinging bathtubs for hydrotherapy
用于水疗的摇摆浴缸。
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
上图：1990年的专利申请，设计者是奥托亨泽尔。这样的设计可以使得水溅在治疗者身上。维多利亚时期，人们经常用水疗治疗各种疾病。
A hat saluting device by James C. Boyle. The patent was filed in 1896
一顶帽子敬礼小发明，发明者是詹姆斯波义耳。专利申请于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
一款抓棒球的设备，发明者是詹姆斯贝纳丁，申请于1900年。将这种铁丝笼绑在胸前，作为容器捕捉棒球。
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 设计的用来杀死害虫的动物诱捕装置。诱饵放在用弹簧顶住的控制杆上，当动物压在诱饵上，事先装好子弹的手枪将会开火。
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
一个由Ulysses DeMoulin设计的启动装置。这个装置可以让人骑在山羊模型的背上，体验出乎寻常的运动。山羊模型安装在三轮车底座和系列传动装置上，依次提供不规则的运动。"骑山羊"是一些学会的入会惯例恶作剧，比如兄弟会、共济会。
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....
