Bizarre and Unusual Inventions From the Past

 

Inventing has been a human practice from ancient civilizations to the modern era. While many things have become essential parts of everyday life and beyond, some inventions were too bizarre to make it into the mainstream. They serve as fascinating windows into the minds of their creative inventors.

Morrison Shelter

During World War II, a major concern for people was the collapse of their houses during night air raids. To try to keep themselves safe, many people had Morrisons shelter in their homes. It was a covered "bed" that could protect a sleeping person from being crushed. An added bonus was that it could also function as a table!

rail zeppelin

Designed and developed in 1929, the Rail Zeppelin was a unique railcar that set a world speed record on rails. It traveled a whopping 143 miles per hour and completed the 160-mile trip between Hamburg and Spandau, Germany, in just one hour and 36 minutes!

Bicycles have taken many different shapes and sizes, but what makes the Cyclomer unique is that it was intended for use on water bodies. Introduced in 1932, the Cyclomer was designed with floaters and a paddle propeller so that it could float and move on water. It is considered to be the world's first amphibious bicycle.

Hamblin glasses, designed to make reading in bed easier, were first developed in 1936. Through the use of a periscope, these glasses allow people to lie on their back and read without straining their neck. Despite being invented almost a century ago, many avid readers still use this invention today!