Cops’ COLD FEET Heated by electricity (Jun, 1932)
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jun, 1932
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Cops’ COLD FEET Heated by electricity
CLOTHED in a new electrically heated uniform, recently developed by the General Electric Company, a policeman can stand at street intersections directing traffic all day long in the coldest weather and keep as warm as if he were inside.
Several thin rubber strips about 1/2 inch wide and very flexible, with a heating element vulcanized inside, are sewed into the uniform, and thin insoles of the same material are fitted in the shoes. These are connected by small insulated wires to metal plates attached to the heels of the shoes, the positive wire leading to one foot and the negative to the other.
If cold, the officer merely steps on two insulated plates set flush with the pavement. One plate is connected to the positive terminal of a 12-volt storage battery placed in a box below the plates, and the other to the negative terminal. The sole plates form the contacts and within 15 seconds the heating units begin to warm up.
or, extra crispy bacon
Comment by simone — April 9, 2008 @ 7:52 pm
Not as crazy as it sounds. Google “electric socks”.
Comment by Project-D — February 22, 2009 @ 1:05 am
Yeah, there is nothing crazy about this, people are actually researching self-heating clothing for expeditions into very cold places.
But while theoretically possible, the problem is in the low efficiency of the heaters and the limited battery capacity – no matter how many batteries a person would carry, sooner or later it would all just stop working..
Comment by deezee — July 6, 2009 @ 6:17 pm