DIVING HELMETS WORN AS SWIMMERS LEARN STROKES

Diving helmets are worn by pupils taking swimming lessons from a San Francisco, Calif., instructor who employs a radical new method of instruction. Wearing these helmets, the beginners frequently remain under water for long periods during which they study the swimming movements of the instructor and later attempt to imitate them. The helmets are made from thin metal containers and cost little. The bottom is removed and the sides hollowed out to fit over the shoulders. The helmet is held in place by straps that pass under the arms of the wearer. Good vision is insured by a large rectangular window in the front of the helmet and air is supplied by a hose that leads to an air-pump at the surface.

REVOLVING HAT NEW ADVERTISING STUNT
A spinning hat bearing advertising messages is the latest wrinkle for sandwich men in Paris, France. A concealed switch
enables the wearer to start the hat revolving or stop it at will. Lest even this strange apparition fail to arrest the eyes of passers-by, the hat is also equipped with lights that flash on and off at the wearer’s control by means of a concealed switch.

Yuck.

Use of Electric Shaver Sold by Slot Machine
FOR men who want a quick shave away from home, a novel coin-operated machine recently introduced provides an electric shaver and a well-lighted mirror. When a coin is dropped into a slot in the machine, the current for the shaver is turned on. When not in use, the electric razor is placed in a receptacle where it is thoroughly sterilized for the next customer by rays from a built-in ultra-violet lamp. The machine is intended for installation in office buildings, bus and train terminals, and other public places.

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Giant Wind Turbines

Currents in Upper Air Form Unfailing Source of Power for “Windmills” of Future

WIND, at the surface of the earth, is proverbially uncertain; but recent researches show that, a thousand feet or more above the ground, wind is comparatively steady and unfailing. This has given new life to the hope of finding a substantial source of natural power, even more universally available than water power; and the designs illustrated here have been prepared by a German engineer, Honnef, the erector of several huge radio towers. As shown here, the structure carrying the power plant would be higher than any other building man has yet been able to erect.
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This seems like it would just be really awkward and end up giving you a headache.

PRISMS AID BED READER
To make reading in bed easier, a British inventor has devised “lying-down” spectacles. Prisms mounted in eyeglass frames bend the light rays at right angles so that the wearer can lie flat and read a book held upright on his chest.

I can’t imagine why these didn’t take off. That monorail train looks utterly stable to me! Not to mention the plane stabilized by a pendulum.

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Vehicle Oddities

Boynton Bicycle Locomotive built in 1889 was tested in Gravesend, Brooklyn, on one overhead and one ground rail. Arrangement was supposed to reduce weight, friction and save power on curves.

Bicycle Airship designed to fly in any direction was the fantastic brainchild of Herman Rieckert in 1889. Bicycle apparatus in pilothouse flapped side and center wings, providing motive power.
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But is it worth it if you also get seasick?

ROCKING BED EASES HEART STRAIN
Sufferers from heart ailments are said to be aided by a new rocking bed. Operated by an electric motor, the bed alternately raises
the head and feet of the patient, helping the blood circulate to all parts of the body, thus easing the strain upon an over-taxed heart.

If it’s cold enough that you need to pull your nostrils open with a hook, I suggest simply wearing a scarf or face mask. Also, what do you do if you don’t wear glasses?

Nosepiece Aids Breathing in Cold

HERE’S a new slant on curing colds in the head. It’s a little adjustable hook which fastens to the nosepiece of your eyeglasses to lift up the nostrils and facilitate the passage of air through the nasal openings. How this extremely novel gadget is worn is illustrated in the photo at the left.

Cream Replaces Silk Stockings
Liquid cream that dries to resemble silk stockings is a new cosmetic said to be a boon to the outdoor girl. When applied to the legs, as shown below, the inventors claim that it is practically impossible to distinguish it from real silk hose.

Paper Hat Parasol for Men Serves as Shield from Sun or Rain

Protection from sun or rain is provided by a paper parasol that slips over the top of men’s hats and is held by a rubber band or piece of elastic. The flaps that hang over the brim can be folded in nine different ways, thus shielding the wearer at any desired angle while the exposed portions of the shade may be printed with advertisements. Special styles are manufactured also in thin sheet rubber with rigid side strips, while those made from ordinary paper or with cheesecloth backing have been found serviceable even in heavy rains. When not in use, the parasol can be folded up and placed in the pocket.

It seems like this would just get stuck in the mud. Also, where do you store fuel and ammo?

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Why Don’t We Have… Baby Assault Tanks

Tiny but deadly insect-like tri-tracks would spearhead our advancing infantry.

By Frank Tinsley

WE are living in a machine age and our wars have become mechanical, but it’s still the muddy, tired infantryman who must storm the enemy’s stronghold in bloody assault.

In some cases the tactical situation and nature of the terrain make this necessary. In many others, however, the brunt of the attack could just as well be absorbed by light, heavily armed machines. Why, then, can’t we send in a first wave of baby assault tanks and use our irreplaceable GI’s for the less hazardous chore of mopping up?
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Eyeshades Serve as Extra Lashes to Shield against Sand and Sun

Fitting snugly into the eye sockets and just over the lids, light celluloid eyeshades of novel design have been placed on the market. Less cumbersome than the larger kinds, they are said to afford ample protection against bright sunshine on the beach and elsewhere, and also from dust and sand. They are manufactured in a variety of colors and do not interfere with the vision.