GB

On November 12, 1914, Mary Audrey Harper Mitchell of Weston Grange, near York, patented a novel device for keeping a blouse and skirt aligned at the back. It used a waist belt with a flexible, rib-reinforced back shield fitted with small fasteners, allowing the blouse to be held neatly down while the skirt was securely hooked in place above it.

On October 24, 1896, Mary Emma Esther Smith, a gentlewoman from St Andrews, Scotland, patented an innovative bicycle saddle designed specifically for women. The saddle was wider than standard models and featured a cross-section that could adapt to the rider’s needs and shape.

On June 22, 1895, Maud Alice Champion, a journalist from London, obtained a patent for a novel tennis shoe design. Her invention featured an inner sole — then absent from flat tennis shoes — intended to add comfort and improve grip on the turf.

On November 18, 1936, three British inventors - Muriel Kathleen Martin, Florence Caley, and Ethel Winifred Brown - were granted a patent for an improved wine pourer. Their device, featuring a stopper and a non-return flange, was designed to prevent drips down the side of the bottle.

On August 14, 1919, Olympia de Mendonca Cortez and Eliza de Menezes, two spinsters of Lisbon, patented a faster, more economical way to make raised-relief maps. Their method printed the whole map first, then embossed it all at once over a layered die, using grouped contour pieces and durable electrotypes to speed production.

On March 17, 1904, Princess Marie of Ysenburg, residing at Castle Gettenbach in Prussia, obtained a patent for a novel fastener designed for puff sleeves. Her invention featured a series of braids connected by a foldable band and equipped with spring buttons, allowing it to be easily secured to the wearer’s arm.

On April 18, 1912, Rosa Chamberlin of London, UK, was granted a patent for inventing a novel air-cooling machine. Intended for use in industrial settings, the invention featured multiple pistons and cylinders to compress air and lower the external temperature.

On February 9th, 1895, Rosa Roberts, a spinster of Ipswich, London, patented a wooden device to improve the teaching of perspective in drawing. Her invention featured a frame enclosing an open space, crossed by wires or strings to form a grid of one-inch squares, aiding students in accurately sketching objects.

On August 31, 1895, Rosa, Countess of Königsdorff, of Cassel, Prussia, patented a novel card holder. Her design featured an ornamental front plate with a spring clamp at the back to secure the card, and a pin for fastening the holder to the wearer’s clothing.

On November 2, 1895, Rosa, Countess of Königsdorff, of Cassel, Prussia, patented an improved type of brush. Her invention replaced conventional bristles with strips of leather attached to the brushboard, creating a more durable tool ideal for cleaning and polishing metal and glass surfaces.