Ingenious Gadgets that never took off!

Here is a celebration of 'ingenious gadgets that attempted to solve human difficulty', but failed to do so because of practical difficulties.
1) The route-finder:
It was the invention of the future - a tiny machine complete with its own map that would tell motorists which way to go.

But this was no satnav - after all, the communications satellites that help modern cars locate themselves were still decades away.

Instead, the route-finder for the well-equipped 1920s driver was a wristwatch-style device equipped with minuscule maps.

Miniature scrolls bearing the directions were loaded onto the watch and revolved as the wearer continued his journey.

The 1920s TomTom never took off - perhaps because there were too few motorists to buy them.

2) Burglar Alarm

The clockwork mechanism on this 1870s burglar alarm was wound up and the upright lever set, before the device was placed at the foot of a door and a spike pushed into the floor. If an intruder tried to enter, the lever would be pushed down and set off the surprisingly loud and effective bell.

3) Pistol Purse

Highwaymen were a real danger in the late 19th century and this cunning design might just have saved everything for you including your honor, property and even life. A small was concealed in a secret compartment of this seemingly ordianry ladies' purse. The problem was that the barrel could hold only one bullet - so there was no room for missing the shot.

4)ELECTRO MASSAGER

During the 1930s, body massage was not seen as a luxury or part of being pampered but was, correctly, regarded as important for maintaining healthy skin and good circulation. However this functional-looking dynamo massager appears neither pleasurable nor safety conscious, as it ended up giving tiny electric shocks to the user.

5)Toe Socks

These pre-shrunk 'To Sox' were designed to act as toe protectors. Produced during World War II, it was claimed that they could reduce hosiery costs by up to 80 per cent. They were designed to be worn over the big toes, to protect socks from wear.

6) Envelope Sealer

This invention, by Reynolds of Chicago, was a byword for gravitas and efficiency. When the lever is cranked, a roller forces an open envelope to undergo a dampening process, before a second roller presses it closed.

7) Light Specs

Invented in the U.S. in the 1930s, these specs were adorned with two small, battery-powered lights, with a long wire trailing beneath. The experience was marred only by the likelihood of electrocution when it rained.

8) Eye massager

Apparently it was not enough to have

a gadget for massaging the body.
By the 1920s, it was also deemed necessary to devise a mechanism
to massage the eyeballs.
This convoluted gadget was
pressed to the face.
The user would then operate the small lever to compress the rubber bellows which would in turn emit cool puffs of air directly onto the eyeballs.