Ideas, Inventions and Insanity

By Peter Cook

When an Inventor decides to invent something he generally doesn’t know what it is he is going to create, unless of course he has already been inspired by an idea or a brain wave. Firstly he will try to think of something which everybody needs but hasn’t yet been thought of, this can be difficult and generally results in either a crazy device which nobody wants or something which quite simply is a brilliant idea but doesn’t work.
Another approach is to think of something that doesn’t exist and think of a way to make it work, a good example of this is an invisibility cloak, it works but nobody knows how; other than the inventor.
The inventor can think big and dream up something which has been deemed impossible and may even contradict all the laws of science, so he decides to do it. This latter approach is by far the best and most exciting option and is no doubt a challenge which starts to pump the adrenalin for any committed inventor. He will make it possible and make it happen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781329319646

Book preview

Ideas, Inventions and Insanity

Ideas, Inventions and Insanity

By

Peter Cook

First Edition

Copyright © 2015 Peter Cook

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-329-31964-6

Glossary

AoAAngle of Attack

ATCAir Traffic Control

BDBoundary Layer

BHPBrake Horse Power

CAACivil Aviation Authority

DMEDistance Measuring Equipment

DGPSDifferential Global Positioning System

FDForced Draught (Fans)

GPSGlobal Positioning System

HVACHigh Volume Air Conditioning

IFRInstrument Flight Rules

IMCInstrument Meteorological Conditions

ILSInstrument Landing System

LAGLinear Airflow Generator

NDBNon Directional Beacon

QFEBarometric Pressure for Airfield Level, gives Altitude above Airfield on the Altimeter

QNHBarometric Pressure for Sea Level, gives Altitude above Sea Level on the Altimeter

nmNautical Mile

TDPTouch Down Point

TORPTake-Off Rotation Point

TORZTake-Off Rotation Zone

UAVUnmanned Arial Vehicle

UHFUltra High Frequency

VFRVisual Flight Rules

VMCVisual Meteorological Conditions

VHFVery High Frequency

VLPVertical Lift Propeller

VORVery High Frequency Omnidirectional Beacon

Chapter 1: Introduction

When an Inventor decides to invent something he generally doesn’t know what it is he is going to create, unless of course he has already been inspired by an idea or a brain wave. Firstly he will try to think of something which everybody needs but hasn’t yet been thought of, this can be difficult and generally results in either a crazy device which nobody wants or something which quite simply is a brilliant idea but doesn’t work.

Another approach is to think of something that doesn’t exist and think of a way to make it work, a good example of this is an invisibility cloak, it works but nobody knows how; other than the inventor.

The inventor can think big and dream up something which has been deemed impossible and may even contradict all the laws of science, so he decides to do it. This latter approach is by far the best and most exciting option and is no doubt a challenge which starts to pump the adrenalin for any committed inventor. He will make it possible and make it happen.

Here we look at some quite clever inventions, some simple, some complex but also some which are positively crazy. Some may be deemed to be so crazy that they positively will not work, but some do and some surprise.

Many inventions are rather dull and boring but have become essential in everyday life, such as Velcro strips, cats eyes (in the road) and many domestic items without which we cannot function without. Alternatively we have the crazy ideas which may work or may not, but they are really interesting, particularly if they do work, if they don’t work they are still fascinating as it stimulates the mind to make then feasible; they are still an invention of the inventor’s mind. A good example of a crazy invention that works is the aeroplane invented in 1904, or the penny farthing bicycle. A boring invention which works could be the good old wheel, or even the essential condom (which hopefully usually works). Just look at how exciting all these crazy or boring inventions have become, and what is more there wasn’t a Patent Office in those days, thank goodness.

Some of the inventions you will read about in this book may never work, but on the other hand may very well work superbly and bring about some significant changes in their field.

The environment and the way it constantly changes in one way or another is open for new inventions to either predict changes or to correct and even stop the effects of the changes. In this way the challenges presented by the environment take the inventor back to the basics of his profession and force a rethink of some already well established ideas, this is what the inventor loves best.

Where an invention improves the environment or is beneficial to all of mankind then the idea has no IP, it belongs to everyone and saves the inventor from ridiculous patent costs which benefit no-one except the government. The ridiculous thing about IP and Patents is that anyone can copy the patented idea and it costs another fortune to fight it in the courts; the inventor invariably loses such court cases.

Copyright is the way forward, the drawings and text in this document are