Mechanical Engineering

On January 10, 1907, Jára Václav of Nepomuk, Czech Republic, patented an improved drive belt chain. Her design linked chain eyes to flexible belts with riveted tabs, providing smoother and more reliable power transmission in engines and machinery.

On June 21, 1927, Katherine Lorella Heinz of Champaign, Illinois, was awarded a patent for a grain aerator that used the weight of falling grain to drive a system of vibrating screens.

On March 28, 1950, Lela M. Sherman of Dewey, Illinois, was granted a patent for a novel gauge. Designed to measure angles and bevels accurately, it featured a ruler, a pivoting protractor, and built-in levels for precise alignment.

On November 19, 1901, Lillian C. Karr patented an innovative railway signaling device designed to activate an electric signal only when a train passed over it in a specific direction. Her mechanism used a depressible bar and a suction-controlled piston system to time the signal, while preventing activation when approached from the opposite direction.

On March 27, 1923, Mabel Frederick, of Pueblo, Colorado, was awarded a patent for developing a projector that could permit an image to be projected in a stable position for a considerable amount of time and automatically move to the next animation without the aid of an operator.

On April 12, 1910, Margit Urbántsek of Budapest first patented a novel method for ornating piled fabrics. Her invention featured a socket-shaped iron that could be easily interchanged without tools or delay, allowing users to apply different patterns with speed, precision, and safety—unlike previous methods that required unscrewing hot components.

On June 24, 1911, Madame Marguerite Farcot, née d’Albaret, a French national, was granted a patent for a high-power multi-cylinder engine designed for aviation. Her invention featured a stationary support shaft around which the cylinders rotated, interlocking at their base to form a central casing.

On June 30, 1892, Marguerite-Hortense Lançon of Bienne was granted a patent for a novel aluminum watch case. Her design featured an integrated structure, allowing all the main components to be assembled in a single motion, eliminating the need for separate assembly of individual parts.

On May 31, 1948, Maria Adriana Rotteveel-Landman of The Hague, Netherlands, patented a portable photocopying device — a compact, flat machine with a moving light source that allowed users to easily copy documents and book pages anywhere.

On January 17, 1911, Canadian inventor Mary Amber Phillips patented an improved, long-lasting tyre designed to reduce skidding and allow for cheap manufacturing. Date of Application: 9 September 1910 Date of Issuance: 17 January 1911