In 1886, Waterloo's Jacob Ball submitted a patent for an attachment to a privy (outhouse) seat which would close the hole of the seat until the user was seated there. It would thereby keep smell and gas from escaping when it was not in use.
Related Stories
1930s – Tough Times Lead to Innovation
Economic downturns are often thought to prevent innovation and risk taking. However, economic hard times can be a catalyst for innovation.
Marvel Grain Thower
The Ferguson “The Marvel Grain Thrower” represents the shift in the early twentieth century to all-metal construction