JF Ptak Science Book LLC Post 672
Last week I made a post regarding a fish-throwing apparatus installed at a zoo--honestly I didn't anticipate that there would be a follow-up post on another animal-throwing machine, but, well, unfortunately, here it is.
Eduard Wulff, a circus manager and resident of Bruxelles, was granted this patent in 1904 for a device that would “project horses, elephants, monkeys etc into the air” so that they would perform a sommersault.
Elephants? Flying, somersaulting, elephants?
The abstract from the British Intellectual Property Office is reprinted below:
Abstract of
GB
190408713
(A)
8713. Wulff, E. April 15. Acrobatic apparatus.-In a device for
projecting horses, elephants, monkeys, &c. into the air so that
they turn a somersault, the animal is supported by means of a body
belt, on revoluble flat hooks 8 at the upper ends of four or more
vertical posts 7 on a plate 3, so that its feet are just in contact
with the plate. This latter is connected by springs 2 to a rigid
base-plate 1, and, when depressed, against the action of arched springs
6, is secured by catches at the end of lever-arms actuated by a handle
5. Upon releasing the catches, the plate 3 is thrown upwards and
partially rotated, causing the animal to turn a somersault, the hooks 8
readily disengaging themselves from rings in the body belt.
They threw a cow on "Northern Exposure." Or was that a piano?
Posted by: Jeff | July 05, 2009 at 05:35 PM
Can we use this for politicians?
Posted by: arizona car insurance | July 12, 2009 at 02:38 PM