My friend's late father was a self-educated mechanical genius, held several patents. You've used some of his stuff, but I must protect my friend's anonymity.
Upon her father's death, a friend of the family and an employee of his company took over the firm. At the beginning of the current economic downturn, the assets of the firm were sold at auction. The auctioneer got ahold of the family because my friend's father's office had been maintained untouched as a sort of shrine to his memory by the new owner.
She and I went there to collect memorabilia - photos, personal objects, prototypes of inventions - and a box of patent apps and supporting docs. That evening we perused them. One invention intrigued me and its parts became evident over several documents. Then the purpose became obvious.
The main part was a flat-bottomed, round disk that was a powerful electromagnet. It was plugged into the wall with a power supply. A control allowed the operator to alter the polarity of the magnet.
The other part was a woven steel sheath, similar to a Japanese finger trap. This part was also magnetized, but its polarity was fixed.
Documents indicated that no similar device had ever been patented. I feel it would have been uncomfortable in use, but in any event, it's been superseded in function by Viagra.
No, I'm not making this up.
Evidently, in his old age, the guy had trouble getting it up and still wanted to please his wife, so, being the inventor he was, he came up with a mechanical "solution."
Advanced Wordsmith
Paddling works three ways:
* Me on top
* You on top
* On the water
* Me on top
* You on top
* On the water
