It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention, but that’s not always the case. In fact, some great inventions were the results of a happy accident. Looking at how useful some everyday products are, it’s hard to imagine that they weren’t designed on purpose. There are, however, some inventions that made it off the drawing board, but probably shouldn’t have. Of course, there are still others that we can be grateful never came to fruition. Here are just a few of those failed inventions that we can be happy never saw the light of day.
Hanging Baby Cages: We couldn’t be more relieved that hanging baby cages phased out quickly. Though popular in the 1930s, people came to their senses about hanging their precious infants from a cage hooked to a window. The idea was to give the baby access to fresh air. Fortunately, the stroller does that today.
Detachable Dog Sacks: So the idea here was that a sack would be attached to the window of a car and your dog placed inside with its head sticking out to breathe. Again, the concept is basic and seems to overlook every element of health and safety. A leash does the same thing, though maybe not at the same speed.
Wooden Bathing Suits: When you think of a material that wouldn’t be suitable for bathing, wood is likely to be toward the top of the list. However, in the early 20th century, wooden swimming suits were all the rage, despite the fact that they were difficult to move in. The idea was that women would be covered up — nevermind that they could barely walk in them. Thankfully, the idea didn’t catch on and bathing suits were soon made of cotton.
The Fire Alarm Arm Trap: This contraption was a firebox alarm that rang when you pulled the bell. The idea was to lock prank alarm-pullers in place. There was just one problem: If there really was a fire, you were horribly trapped alive in the flames. Needless to say, you won’t find any of those in use today.
The Anti-Eating Mask: This has to be one of the worst inventions in history. It was a contraption that the user would place onto their head and over their mouth. It would lock so they couldn’t eat. Only another person could release it to allow the person wearing the mask to eat. It was hugely unsafe and massively problematic.
