Category Archives: Inventions

Knitting Needles

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Knitting Needles

Knit one, purl one!

  • Knitting needles are tools that are used in hand-knitting to make garments or other knitted items, with yarn, and are believed to have their origin in Egypt in the 11th century.
  • ‘Knitting needles’ are also known as ‘knitting pins’ and there are three main types of knitting needles: single-pointed, double-pointed and circular.
  • Knitting needles are typically long sticks with a blunt spike at one or two ends, and the size of the knitted stitches depends on the size of the diameter of the needle, as well as the thickness of the yarn.
  • A pair of knitting needles are typically used to create stitches of yarn and hold stitches of yarn together, and using various techniques which include different movements and placement of the needles as well as the yarn, one can create different patterns in the knitted garment.
  • Knitting needles are generally classified by their diameter, generally ranging from 2 to 25 millimetres in the metric system, although larger and smaller gauge needles are available.

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  • Single pointed knitting needles have one pointed end and one end with a knob to stop stitches coming off, and range between 25-40 cm (10-16 inches) in length and are usually purchased as a pair.
  • Double-pointed knitting needles have two pointed ends that are often used for circular knitting or for knitting cables, and are usually purchased in sets of 4 to 6 needles and are generally between 13-20 cm (5-8 inches) long.
  • In 1918, circular knitting needles were patented, and these types of needles have a flexible line joining the two pointed ends, therefore requiring only one piece of equipment, but also allowing knitting ‘in the round’ which is a continuous form of knitting that produces a tube.
  • The largest knitting needles used for knitting in the world, were 6.5 centimetres in diameter and 3.5 metres in length, used by Julia Hopson from the United Kingdom, who stitched 100 stiches with them in 2006.
  • Knitting needles are typically made from wood, steel or aluminium, plastic or glass, while some antiques are made of ivory, shell or tusks as well as wood and metal.
Bibliography:
Knitting Needle, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knitting_needle
Parkes C, Tools of the Trade: Knitting Needles, 2013, Knitter’s Review, http://www.knittersreview.com/article_tool.asp?article=/review/profile/010405_a.asp

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Talcum Powder

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Talcum Powder

Silky smooth talcum powder…

  • Talcum powder, also known as ‘talc’ or ‘talc powder’, is a personal hygiene item often used to prevent rashes, and the powder is typically used in baby powder and other cosmetic powders.
  • Talcum powder is typically ground talc, a mineral that has many uses, including use in some food products, chalks and lubricants, as well as some paper making processes.
  • The talc in talcum powder is found in soapstone and other rocks, and is the softest mineral ever.
  • To make talcum powder, talc is extracted from mines, ground, made pure and processed.
  • Talcum powder is used to absorb moisture on the body, so it is useful in infant care and in hot and humid climates to prevent chafing and rashes.

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  • Talcum powder is generally soft, fine-grained, white, grey or pale green in colour, and has a pleasant smell often due to the perfume that is sometimes added.
  • With excessive exposure, it is said that talcum powder can cause cancer in some people, although this is strongly debated, and through inhalation of the powder, there is a small chance of lung damage.
  • Talcum powder can be substituted with cornstarch, which can be bought in the food section at retailers.
  • Talcum powder has been used to prevent the squeakiness of floorboards.
  • Talcum powder was first made into a baby powder to help with nappy rash in 1893, by Johnson & Johnson, and the powder was available to the public in 1894.
Bibliography:
Talcum Powder, 2013, The Facts About, http://www.thefactsabout.co.uk/content.asp?menuid=23&submenuid=100&pageid=100&menuname=Talcum+powder&menu=sub
What is Talcum Powder?, 2013, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-talcum-powder.htm

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Shovel

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Shovel

Shovel all day long.

  • Shovels are tools that are primarily used to move or dig substances such as dirt or sand.
  • Shovels are basically a long rod, sometimes with a handle, with a somewhat flat scoop on the end.
  • Shovels are commonly used in landscaping, building or farming.
  • Shovels are typically made of steel or tough plastic, with a fibreglass or wooden handle.
  • Throughout history, animal bones, particularly the shoulder blade, have been used like a shovel.

Shovel

  • In the 1900s, advancements in machinery started to replace shovels.
  • In 1967, a wooden shovel from approximately 2000 BC was discovered in Turkey.
  • There are many types of shovels; some are used to pry open items, dig holes, and scoop away snow or coal.
  • Shovels range in size and shape; some are square, while others are small, and some have sharp blades.
  • Some shovels are designed to collapse and be easily stored, and are often used by the military or campers.
Bibliography:
A History of the Shovel, 2009, Landscape and Garden Tools, http://landscapeandgardentools.blogspot.com.au/2009/11/history-of-shovel.html
Shovel, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shovel

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Vegetable Peeler

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Vegetable Peeler

What would you do without a vegetable peeler?

  • ‘Vegetable peelers’ are also known as ‘potato peelers’ and ‘peelers’.
  • Vegetable peelers are a kitchen utensil, typically used to peel the skin off fruit and vegetables.
  • A vegetable peeler is typically a steel blade with a handle, that is usually made from wood, steel or plastic, some of which have ergonomic features.
  • The handles of vegetable peelers generally are straight, ‘C-shaped’,  ‘U-shaped’ or ‘Y-shaped’, with the straight peeler more like a knife, the C-shaped is like the letter C with a handle, the Y-shaped like a safety razor, and the U-shaped similar but shaped like a ‘U’ rather than a ‘Y’.
  • A vegetable peeler blade usually has a slot, that has one side that is sharp to peel the food, and the other side stops the blade digging into the food as you peel it.

Vegetable Peeler, Potato, Y-Shaped, Swivel, Stick, Long, Blade, Blunt, Steel, Plastic, Green, Yellow, Blue, Ten Random Facts

  • Vegetable peelers have been reinvented hundreds of times in history with numerous patents taken out for various styles, and in the 1800s alone, 500 peeler inventions were patented.
  • Some industrial vegetable peelers have rubber bumps that peel the skin off potatoes or other round foods.
  • Most vegetable peelers have a sharp point or other feature to remove the eyes from potatoes or gouge out other unwanted parts of the food.
  • Many vegetable peelers has a swivel blade, which allows more flexibility for following the curves of the food, making it easier to use.
  • Blunt vegetable peeler blades are more dangerous as they slip easier than sharp blades.
Bibliography:
How do I choose the best vegetable peeler?, 2013, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-choose-the-best-vegetable-peeler.htm
Peeler, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peeler

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Stuffed Toy

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Stuffed Toy

Cuddle up with your stuffed toy.

  • Stuffed toys are toys that are made of fabric and are stuffed with a type of stuffing material.
  • ‘Stuffed toys’ are also known as ‘stuffed animals’, ‘plushies’, ‘plush toys’, ‘soft toys’, ‘softies’ and ‘cuddle toys’.
  • Over the years, stuffed toys have been stuffed with fibre, wool, plastic pellets, beans, cotton, batting and straw.
  • Stuffed toys are often made into the shape of an animal or other objects.
  • Stuffed toys are commonly used for comfort, or given on special occasions, sometimes to express one’s feelings of love.

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  • In 1880, Steiff, a German company started by Margarete Steiff, was the first commercial company to produce stuffed toys.
  • The first patented stuffed toy was a rabbit from Beatrix Potter’s stories, Peter Rabbit.
  • Stuffed toys have their origins in stuffed dead animals and home made rag dolls from the 1830s, and once teddy bears were created in 1902, they became increasingly popular.
  • Some antique stuffed toys, notably, late 1800 and early 1900 Steiff toys, have been sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
  • Electronics and mechanics are sometimes placed inside stuffed toys to allow sound and movement.

 

Bibliography:
Learn about the History of Plush Toys and Stuffed Animals, Purr-fect gifts, http://www.purr-fectgifts.com/history/
Stuffed Toy, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuffed_toy

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Flashlight

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Flashlight

The handy-dandy flashlight!

  • Flashlights are portable light devices that are powered by electricity, which is created by mechanical, solar or battery sources.
  • ‘Flashlights’ are also known as ‘torches’, which is a reference to original flamed torches.
  • Modern flashlights generally contain one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) although traditional incandescent lights are still used in some torches.
  • Flashlights have a reflector, light bulb, cover, switch and battery as well as a casing.
  • The term ‘flashlight’ comes from the early style torches, that did not project light consistently but rather were required to be flashed on and off due to the lack of power available from the battery, and the type of switched used.

Flashlight, Torch, keyring, food, green, blue, mini, booklight, Ten Random Facts

  • The first flashlights were invented in the mid to late 1890s, by David Misell, an English inventor who started working for the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company, which later became the American Eveready Company, owned by Conrad Hubert, a Russian living in the US who also patented some of his own flashlight inventions.
  • The very first flashlights included a light, battery and reflector in a paper cylinder and after significant improvements in a twenty year period, the electric torch had become quite popular, due to their safety factor (compared to candles and kerosene lamps) and ease of use.
  • The flashlight principle has been used in headlamps, penlights and keyrings.
  • Flashlights are often made of plastic or aluminium, but materials have included steel, copper, silver, rubber, leather, wood and brass.
  • Beside household use, flashlights are used by campers and miners to see in the dark.
Bibliography:
Flashlight, 2007, The Great Idea Finder, http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/flashlight.htm
Flashlight, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashlight

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