My Mom was in inventor. Sadly though each time she applied for a patent, someone had all ready beaten her to it. Two that I can remember were the disposable toilet mop and a portable purse organizer. She just missed each time.
I inherited her desire to find an easier way but like her, my timing has always been off. My most ambitious one was a hydraulic toilet seat. I thought I had made my fortune with this one.
By stepping on a lever, a man could raise a toilet seat without touching it. Then when he finished, by just removing his foot from the lever the hydraulics would quietly lower it back down. I thought of all the arguments it would save and would make the perfect wedding gift.
I even talked a friend who is a mechanical engineer into working out the bugs. Fortunately, he did some searching and found it had all ready been invented. Rats. At that time there was a patent for my very idea.
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| The Flipper. Mine would have been more complex and hydraulic but basically the same principal. |
I thought of many things then realized that with my luck, someone has all ready solved the problem. Sure enough, there is a thing called a Tucker.
I've had a plastic pie server for years that I never used. Son of a gun, it works perfectly as a sheet tucker. A metal one might tear the sheet.
I just push the sheet between the mattress and box spring with the server and it makes a really neat, very quick tuck. Easy as can be on the back and nails. You're welcome.
Well I again didn't get to invent anything but at least I found a simple version that works. Hope it is something that will help you also.
Have you ever had a cool idea only to find someone else has beaten you to it?
We were all very excited when my nephew invented light-up tennis shoes. He placed 9 Volt batteries in the heels of his children's shoes and they ran around twinkling with delight. Of course by the time we all raised enough money to apply for the patent, the shoes were on the market. We had planned for him to support all of us in our old age:-)
ReplyDeleteAnnie,
DeleteWhat a bummer. I thought those shoes were so cute. Hope that didn't stop him from thinking out of the box.
Good ideas, thanks for the tuck tip.
ReplyDeletejoeh,
DeleteYou are welcome. Hope it helps either you or Mrs. C.
I am not that clever. I like the toilet thingie and am sorry you didn't become rich over that one. And yes, the pie server works great! :-)
ReplyDeleteDjan,
DeleteOh did you try it? It really works amazingly well.
I still wish the automatic toilet seat would become standard.
I have never had quite an inventive imagination as this. I love your pie-server sheet tucker! That is so cool. Very inventive and GREAT problem solving.
ReplyDeleterobin,
DeleteI often spend a lot of time in stores looking for something designed for something else to solve a current problem. I was just lucky to have the pie server on hand.
Your post reminds me of the time I invented an electric rock, the ultimate energy saving device. You plugged it in and it did nothing. The guy who invented the "Pet Rock" had an advertising background and made millions. I made nothing.
ReplyDeleteHaha. My nine year old grandson was just the other day questioning me about was there really such a thing as a pet rock and why were people so stupid.
DeleteStephen,
DeleteI almost bought into the pet rock and might have taken the plunge on an electric one. If it would light up, you would have had me.
Olga,
DeleteOops, now I am sorry I admitted to having considered the Pet rock:))
I was actually the proud owner of a pet rock until I lost it--or it ran away. Incidentally, the company that sold them was called Rock Bottom. They'd answer the phone with "Hello. You have reached Rock Bottom!!"
DeleteFran,
DeleteNow I feel better that you once had one. I LOVE their phone greeting. What clever minds those folks had and the deserved their millions.
Well that is good to know about the plastic pie server. I recently bought a new mattress. While comfy to sleep on, it is a major pain (literally) to make up on wash day.
ReplyDeleteyears ago we used to go out to dinner with another couple and the discussion always seemed to veer to some business opportunity. Then within a matter of months the business would be someone else's reality. We finally figured out that the wait staff was stealing the ideas and rushing out to act on them while the four of us recovered from the bottle of wine we shared. So we stopped tipping. ;-)
Olga,
DeleteAren't those new mattresses brutes??
So funny about the wait staff. I once came close to going to jail thanks to wait staff. Might be my next post--thanks.
I'm borrowing your pie server idea!
ReplyDeleteGail,
DeleteThink you will like it. It works perfectly and makes a drudge job a snap.
I love easier ways to do things --but have no talent when it comes to doing them myself. I'll just leave those great ideas up to you and other smart people.... One of the best things in our house that I love now is the remote control on our gas-log fireplace... Just click a button and it comes on/off.... AND--you can program what temperature you want it to stay (72 for us) ---and it will automatically cut off and on to keep the temperature where we want it... LOVE it....
ReplyDeleteRead recently that you can program your window blinds to open and close... George's son uses Amazon --and tells "Alexa" to turn the music on/off/up/down.... Amazing.... BUT---does this make us a lazy generation???? ha ha
Hugs,
Betsy
Betsy,
DeleteA remote gas fireplace is really high on my wish list. Best of all worlds.
I love my Alexa also. I'll admit I am lazy now but I've earned it.
I have too many to list. My best one had to do with the toilet also and I went as far as getting an engineer to look into it ... Yep, it was already in the works !
ReplyDeleteGinnie,
DeleteHum, great minds. We were both working on improving the bathroom and were discouraged by our engineer. Ya don't suppose they stole our ideas? If mine did, I still haven't seen it on the market.
I wish I was more creative! I envy you your ability to come up with such ideas! Now if only someone could invent a dryer that automatically dries, folds and puts away your clothing! Maybe you'll come up with an idea for this Patti :-)
ReplyDeleteCarole,
DeleteHa ha, I think what you want and I wouldn't mind having either is an artificial intelligence robot. Hope I live long enough for one to become affordable.
You really must haven taken after your mother in your love of gadgets. Never in a million years would I have thought of a gadget for tucking in sheets.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteThe common saying is that "necessity is the mother of invention", I say that laziness is the momma and I have that in spades:))
I am not the least bit inventive. So when I see someone come up with a great idea (like your pie server/sheet tucker) I'm impressed. I'd never think of it!
ReplyDeleteDo you think most inventions are re-purposing of objects already invented?
Eileen,
DeleteI totally agree and it is what I mostly look to solve a problem.
I was about to type my comment, and glanced up at Eileen's first line. I was going to say the exact same thing. However I do enjoy problem solving which sometimes involves sort of using materials in a new way. I would not have thought of using a spatula as a sheet tucker, but now I will see if I have one that will work.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteAgree with you both. I tried a spatula but it wasn't rigid enough. Maybe yours will be.
I've often said "I wish someone would invent.." but I've never come up with a clever idea. How neat that both you and your Mom have that kind of thinking. My ex's Grandfather invented a drag line bucket especially for Louisiana swamp and made the family fortune. I'll keep my fingers crossed that one of your ideas sells.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
DeleteNow that is how it is supposed to turn out. Congrats to your ex's grandfather. Great way to be helpful and strike it rich at the same time.
I like your idea of the pie server as a sheet tucker. It would be cool to invent something and patent it for ooodles of money.
ReplyDeleteTerra,
DeleteThanks and ooodles sounds about right.
i adore your talent to solve it all by yourself dear
ReplyDeletebaili,
DeleteThank you and it is always sooo satisfying when it works out.
Oh my gosh- you would have gotten rich off the toilet idea! Well, believe it or not, I dreamed up the toothpaste in a squirt can...way before I first saw it on the shelves of Wally World. HA HA My big desire now is to win the lottery and be a gajillionaire...boy the folks I could help with that kind of money!
ReplyDeleteTerri,
DeleteBoth of us tried to invent things to make marriage easier. With yours, there would be no more fighting over where to squeeze the tube. Gajillionaire sounds like FUN.
Keep the light turned on and ideas coming sweet Patti you might just come up with something yet that no one else has thought of. Thanks for the idea for a sheet tucker...for sometime now I have had a real problem getting those sheets tucked. Hugs and give the fur sweeties nose kisses for me.
ReplyDeleteMaggie,
DeleteSure hope it works for you. Isn't it amazing how heavy mattresses have gotten as we aged. Hum, maybe I'll work on developing a lighter mattress----:))
I guess you put that pie server to good use. Better dig around in that kitchen drawer some more and more ideas may pop up. Ha
ReplyDeleteBelva,
DeleteFinding a use for that only makes hanging on to stuff long past its use a good thing:)) Now I will never throw out what needs to go. Sigh.
Oh, I hate this deep mattress -- was hard enough to periodically turn the thinner one we used to have. Wonder what the deal is with so much interest in barhroom. Reminds me, I was intrigued when in several places in Indiana a year or so ago, and the cammodes all had automatic paper toilet seat covers that removed themselves after use, then new clean ones automatically slipped on the seat -- had never seen that before. I've often jokingly suggested all sorts of ideas for "what we need is...." to sell cheap, but to millions that could make a mint, but have never investigated actually taking anything further. Keep trying -- maybe you can come up with something. I still see rocks being sold with various fancy bits of artwork, or just names painted on them.
ReplyDeletejoared,
DeleteWow, those toilet seat covers sounds complex. You are so right about the rocks. Right now they are selling a rock in a leather pouch for $80 and the scary thing is that they sold out. Hum, wonder if there is a market for a pet paperclip?:))
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ReplyDeleteThank you so much for thinking of me only now I wish I had put a little thought into my header:)) I checked out your site and my what an ambitious undertaking. Saw some sites I will want to check out. Thank you for this service.
DeleteThank you so very much for giving permission. You can see your linked header under All, Daily Life and the United States. If you could say something (preferably good) about SiteHoundSniffs.com here and there, I would greatly appreciate it.
DeleteP.S.: I think I have told you this before, but if not, I was born in Newport, which is around 60 miles northwest of Memphis (TN). Come to think about it, my mom's daughter's name is Pat, and she would be around your age now. I do not know where she was born, but the last I knew of her, her and her husband lived around Newport.
Unfortunately, I've never had an original idea, Patti. However, my son is always thinking up new things. He actually has a patent on something pertaining to bikes. That toilet idea is a winner. It took me years to train Bob! Patti, I hope the last of 2016 makes you smile and that 2017 is your best year yet!
ReplyDeleteActually, I'm grateful for the person who invented the Toto toilet (bidet washlet). I could use that sheet tucker inner though.
ReplyDelete