Category Archives: Inventions

Windmill

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Windmill

Round and round it goes.

  • A windmill is a machine that harnesses wind energy via its sails or blades.  The sails are connected to gears and poles which turn using the wind power, to perform a task.
  • The windmill was originally made for milling grain and drawing water, but they have been used for many other purposes including the production of paper, wood sawing and to assist textile production.
  • The windmill is said to have been invented in Persia (Iran) around 8 AD.
  • The first windmills rotated horizontal sails (vanes or blades) on a vertical pole.
  • The blades of a windmill are made from a variety of materials including sail cloth spread over wooden lattice beams, wood and steel.

Windmill,Farm, Southern Cross, Four, shiny, silver, steel, Ten Random Facts

  • In the 1920s, with significant improvements and the use of aeronautical principles, the power output of a windmill could reach 74, 500 watts (100 horsepower).
  • In Europe, during their peak in the 1700-1800s, it is estimated there were around 200,000 windmills.
  • Many windmills found on farms are typically wind pumps to pump water for agricultural purposes.
  • In the mid 1800s, windmills started facing a decline as steam power took over, although there are numerous windmills still in use today.
  • The use of wind energy has seen a renewed popularity, as a new type of windmill, a wind turbine, has been specifically made to create electricity.
Bibliography:
Windmill 24 December 2012, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windmill>

Tinsel

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Tinsel

Pretty! Sparkly!

    • Tinsel is a long, sparkly string that is traditionally used to decorate a Christmas tree.
    • Tinsel comes from the French word ‘estincele, meaning sparkle.
    • Tinsel was first invented in the 1610s, in Germany.
    • Tinsel was originally used to decorate sculptures and statues.
    • Tinsel was first made from shredded silver, but it lost its sparkle quickly.
Blue, Orange, Yellow, Green, Tinsel, Stars, Thin, Fat, Colourful, Ten Random Facts.

 

  • Modern tinsel is made from metallic coated glossy plastic (PVC).
  • Before the use of PVC, aluminium and other shiny metals were used to make tinsel.
  • After the use of silver, lead foil was a popular material used in tinsel but was banned due to the risk of lead posioning.
  • Tinsel is typically used at Christmas time but some celebrations in India require tinsel as well.
  • Tinsel was first designed to bring out the shine of Christmas candles.
Bibliography:
Tinsel 22 December 2012, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinsel>

Christmas Lights

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Christmas Lights

Lights are pretty… at Christmas.

  • Christmas lights are mainly used around Christmas time and usually come in a ‘string’ of 50 or 100, or other quantities.
  • Christmas lights originally were candles on a tree but in the late 1800s, electric Christmas lights were invented.
  • Christmas lights are also known as fairy, twinkle, holiday, mini or Italy lights.
  • In December 1882, Edward H Johnson, vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company at the time, was the first known person to decorate a Christmas tree with electric Christmas lights, which he had custom made for the purpose.
  • Christmas lights replaced most Christmas candles in the 1930s.  Prior to that, they were too expensive.

Christmas Lights, Yellow, Red, Blue, Green, wire, Christmas Tree, Spikey Star, Ten Random Facts

  • Christmas lights were originally dull and boring looking but soon looked exciting and pretty.  Modern technology has seen the invention of amazing sets of lights.
  • Many people put up Christmas lights on their house and in there backyard and many families come to see them. This tradition in America is called  ‘Tacky Light Tour’.
  • Although Christmas lights were made for Christmas, these types of lights have been used for many occasions, most notably Halloween.
  • The region of Shijiao, China recycles over 9 million kilograms (20 million pounds) of discarded Christmas lights every year.  They recycle every part of Christmas lights, to make an assortment of things, including the soles of slippers.
  • The tradition of Christmas lights started in North America.
Bibliography:
Christmas Lights 17 December 2012, Wikipedia,<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_lights>

Advent Calendar

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Advent Calendar

Who doesn’t like advent calendars…

  • Advent calendars are used to count down to Christmas.
  • Advent calendars typically have openings that may hide pictures, poems, stories and/or small gifts and food items.
  • The origins of the advent calendar comes from 19th century Germany, were Lutherans counted down the first 24 days of December.
  • Some advent calendars count down to Christmas by lighting candles and are called advent candles.
  • The first advent calendar was produced in 1851 and was handmade.

Advent Calendar, Christmas, Flowers, Presents, 24 days

  • Although advent calendars normally have 24 openings, some calendars have up to 31 or 32, for New Years Day.
  • Although advent calendars are usually used for Christmas, sometimes advent calendars are used for other celebrations or long awaited activities.
  • Advent calendars have ‘advent’ in their name since they are used at the start of the Advent, the Christmas season.
  • The first printed advent calendar was printed between 1902 – 1908.
  • To conserve paper, the production of advent calendars ceased during World War II.

Make cheap, eggstraordinary advent calendars at Imagine. Make. Believe!

Bibliography:
Advent Calendar 12 December 2012, Wikipedia,  <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_calendar>
Verlag, R n.d., History of the Advent Calendar, Sellmer Verlag,  <http://www.sellmer-verlag.de/history.htm>

Christmas Tree

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“Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree!”

  • Traditionally, the Christmas tree symbolises the Christian belief of eternal life and was also thought to have been used in pre-Christian winter rites.
  • The original Christmas tree can be traced down to 15th-16th century, in early modern Germany and the first decorated trees were used in the years 1441, 1442, 1510, 1514, in the historic region of Livonia.
  • The Christmas tree is traditionally an evergreen tree which is normally pine or fir and were originally decorated with edible food.  The artificial Christmas tree was invented in Germany in the early 18th century and are now made in numerous shapes and sizes, using many different materials.
  • In the 18th century, candles were used to decorate Christmas trees which then led to electric lights being used.
  • In the 19th century, the Christmas tree tradition spread to many countries.  The first Christmas tree introduced in North America was in 1781 when Brunswick soldiers had a Christmas party.

Large, Outdoors, Christmas Tree, Shopping Center, Ten Random Facts

  • By the early 19th century, royalty started to take on the tradition of Christmas trees and since the 19th-20th century, Christmas trees have been used in churches. In the early 20th century, Christmas trees were being displayed in public at parks and streets.
  • In Russia the Christmas tree was banned not long after the October Resolution but the tree was introduced again, as the New Year fir tree, in 1935.
  • The traditional Christmas tree decorations are tinsel, baubles, Christmas lights, angel or star topper and sometimes homemade decorations, and public trees are often decorated with items and foods that wildlife like.
  • Approximately 33-36 million Christmas trees are produced per year in America and England produces 50-60 million per year.  By 1998, there were about 15,000 American growers of evergreen Christmas trees.
  • Between 2001-2007, Christmas tree sales in the United States went from 7.3 million sales up to a huge 17.4 million sales.
Bibliography:
Christmas tree 6 November 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree>

Parking Meter

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Parking Meter

A meter for parking. Well not really…

  • The parking meter was designed to prevent early workers parking on public streets, which stopped shoppers finding parking spaces.
  • The first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City on the 16th of July, 1935.
  • The first parking meter fine was given out on August, 1935.
  • The parking meter was invented by Carlton C. Magee in 1932.
  • Some mordern parking meters use solar power.

Parking Meter, Australia, Gray, 0:00, Ten Random Facts

  • On 19 of September, 1960, 344 parking meter fines were handed out in London.
  • In 1992, the Park-O-Meter inc. invented an entirely electronic parking meter, called the Advanced Parking Meter.
  • Church leader, Reverend North, was the first person to get a parking meter fine.
  • The first parking meter looked like a pole with a box on top of it.
  • Before electrical parking meters were invented, people, called traffic wardens or meter maids would stand by a parking meter for assistance.
Bibliography:
Harrison, I 2004, The Book of Inventions, Cassell Illustrated, Great Britian
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