Contraption Collection (page 2)

The Evolution of the Cycle -- Dandy-Horse
The Evolution of the Cycle -- Duke of Marlboroughs Dandy-Horse, Johnsons Dandy-Horse, Cruikshank drawing At Full Speed ( all early 1800s). (2 of 8) Date: 1892

The Evolution of the Cycle -- Ovenden and Bolton
The Evolution of the Cycle -- Ovendens Machine (1761) and Boltons Machine (1804). (1 of 8) Date: 1892

W Heath Robinson - The New Revolving Dining Table to Dispense with Waiting

W Heath Robinson - Precautions to Muffle Footsteps when going late to bed

Skating in the Parks - Another Man in! 1857
Skating on a frozen pond in public park, with men fallen into the thin ice and been rescued with the means of a funny looking contraption. Date: 1857

Early Motoring - The First Motor Bicycle in the world, constructed by Daimler and Maybach in 1885. 1885

LCC-MFB firemen with vehicle. Date: circa 1900s

SHAVING OLD & NEW C1830 SHAVING OLD & NEW C1830
The old way and the new way of shaving: take your pick! Date: circa 1830

KIDS PULLING ORANGE BOX
A boy and his sister wheel their younger siblings about the streets in a wheelbarrow-like contraption they have made from an orange box and some pram wheels. Date: late 19th century

The Drilling Frame by Heath Robinson
Another ingenious invention from Heath Robinson. With recruitment growing, and training a long, arduous process, this contraption is an excellent solution

A (Y)appy Idea! by William Heath Robinson, WWI rationing
The Ventrimetric System: Rational weights and measures for use in hotels, restaurants, and clubs for the limitation of appetites

Science Jottings by Dr W. Heath Robinson II
II Testing gold with the uncle magnet at the mint. Typically ridiculous invention by Heath Robinson showing men at the Royal Mint testing gold by holding a pawn brokers sign nearby. Date: 1909

Rejected by the Inventions Board - Heath Robinson WW1
Rejected by the Inventions Board - III - A Device for Screw Stoppering the Enemys Rifles. Another elaborate and convoluted method of beating the dastardly Hun devised by William Heath Robinson in The

Testing teeth, illustration by William Heath Robinson
Testing artificial teeth in a modern tooth works, illustration by William Heath Robinson. Credit must appear as: Courtesy of Mrs J. C. Robinson/Pollinger Ltd/Mary Evans Picture Library Date: 1947

Card shuffler, illustration by William Heath Robinson
The new card shuffler and mechanical dealer for bridge parties, illustration by William Heath Robinson. Credit must appear as: Courtesy of Mrs J. C

Early type of mechanical shovel by Heath Robinson
The inventor of the mechanical shovel trying out an early type. Two medieval engineers with a rickety but effective mechanical shovel or digger

The Screw Em Out golf hole cleaner by Heath Robinson
A typically convoluted contraption from William Heath Robinson, the first in a series entitled, Very Patent Aides to Sport, showing the Screw-Em-Out golf hole cleaner in action on a golf course

The Gentle Art of Excavating - a specially designed skimmer
The beginning of a garden suburb. Excavating a new road with a specially designed skimmer, a typically rickety contraption from the inventive mind of gadget king, William Heath Robinson. Date: c.1938

The Gentle Art of Excavating - Removing top soil
A new type of shovel removing the top soil from a bluff in the Cotswold Hills. A typically elaborate contraption by the gadget king

A Turkey Glide by William Heath Robinson
The latest Christmas family gliders fitted with listening in equipment for hearing Dutch concerts during dinner. One particularly large family flies through the air while using hot water bottles or

Water-powered furnace bellows
A water wheel operates two sets of bellows to keep two furnaces burning hotly. Date: 1588

Heath Robinson and his pea-splitting machine
Photograph of William Heath Robinson (1872 - 1944), pictured with his own model of a pea-splitting machine. A well-loved artist, illustrator and cartoonist

Head Work! by W. Heath Robinson
A new machine (adopted by some of our first class restaurants) for putting the head on a glass of stout. Please note: Credit must appear as Courtesy of the Estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger

A Marker of Mark on The Market
A new labour saving lawn marker which is the sensation of the lawn tennis world. Requiring only two people to operate it, there is no doubt that it will soon be found in every up to date

The New Combination Drum and Multi Movement mixer
A suggestion by William Heath Robinson for the next Irish sweepstake. 1933

Christmas Preparations - In Heath Robinsonland
No. 2 - Training a young wait. Blasting a trumpet player with wind and rain so he is prepared for all weathers once he goes Christmas carolling. Date: 1909

Reading W / Book Machine
A man uses a circular contraption to read books, enabling him to move between volumes with ease. Date: 1588

Flat feet remedy, illustration by William Heath Robinson
A new method of curing flat feet and restoring the natural arch to the pedal extremities, illustration by William Heath Robinson. Credit must appear as: Courtesy of Mrs J. C

War-Time Economies Saving Breath, WW1 Heath Robinson
War-Time Economies from Heath Robinson - to Save Your Breath. The Penny-in-the-Slot machine for blowing out candles. Wartime savings taken to ridiculous lengths by William Heath Robinson who suggests

Encyclopaedia of Sport - Luring Wild Lap-Dogs
IV - Luring wild lap-dogs by the Mull of Cantire. Another wacky sport from the imagination of William Heath Robinson. Date: 1914

Boy scout in camp, Denmark, with a contraption called a jellyfish

Bring the Batman (patented by Germany), Heath Robinson
Bring-The-Batman (Patented in Germany) by William Heath Robinson. Simplicity itself: A device adopted by hun officers for awakening their servants. Date: 1917

A Trouser Stretch of the Imagination by Heath Robinson
Are you taking care of your summer flannels? A suggestion for preserving the shape of your nether garments in view of the summer holidays

The Holiday Monighan Dragline by Heath Robinson
A dragline machine usually used in excavation, converted into a pleasant holiday home with room for a swing, a washing line and a diving board

The Corner Grab Crane by Heath Robinson
The Corner Grab Crane for working round corners - a valuable suggestion by Mr W. Heath Robinson now under consideration by Ruston-Bucyrus Ltd

The Multiplex Dragline by Heath Robinson
The multiplex dragline for dragging winding streams - another suggestion by Mr W. Heath Robinson. A complicated excavation machine enabling the operator to drag in curving lines. Date: c.1938

The Ice Hole Clam Spearer by Heath Robinson
An ingenious, though perhaps rather complicated device to catch clams through ice in the frozen north, part of a series of drawings in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News entitled

The Leap to Tin Salmon Blower by Heath Robinson
Another convoluted contraption from the gadget king William Heath Robinson, showing how salmon are tinned in Scotland, part of a series in the Illustrated Sporting

The Chipmunk Bagger by Heath Robinson
Ingenious contraption for use in the wilds of Brazil, a chipmunk bagger, part of a series by William Heath Robinson in the Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News called Very Patent Aides to Sport

French Magician / Robert Houdin Performing
French conjuror Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin (1805-1871) performing a magic trick using a Impression instantanee (instant printing) machine in the mid 19th century. Date: circa 1840

The Gentle Art of Excavating - Early Walking Draglilne`
An early form of the walking dragline stripping rocky overburden preparatory to erecting a new tea shop in the Allegheny Mountains

The Gentle Art of Excavating - Latest Type of Grab Crane
The latest type of grab crane clearing out a small pond on Hampstead Heath. A typically rickety and convoluted crane goes through the ridiculous process of clearing out a tiny pond on Hampstead

The Gentle Art of Excavating - A New Multi-Movement Drag Sho
A new multi-movement drag shovel excavating for the foundations of a new cinema. A typically convoluted digger, made from recycled bits of houses

The Gentle Art of Excavating - Clearing bottom of the Thames
An improved dragline clearing out the bottom of the upper reaches of the River Thames. A typically rickety and overly complicated piece of machinery by the gadget king, William Heath Robinson

Car with contraption on the back
A car with luggage on the roof rack and a large contraption (possibly holding extra fuel) fixed to the back

Some Labour-Saving Devices by William Heath Robinson
The Top Watch Winder. 1919

Hot Dog by William Heath Robinson
An ingenious central heating device for bathing on chilly morning of the early part of the season. A smug and rather rotund gentleman tests out a typically convoluted Heath Robinson invention

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