Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 91.djvu/683

 Popular Science Monthly

��667

��undoubtedly would be more effective, the inventor seems to have been overcome by a feeling of pity at the last moment, for he directs that the projections are to be tipped with balls or knobs "to prevent them from injuring anything they come into contact with." He frankly admits that the attachment is a "prodding device," and declares it will prevent snoring "by prodding the wearer in the event of ly- ing on the back."

The combined brace and prodder could be used by day, as well as by night. "The prodding device could be worn with are accorded to the wearer by his victims, the brace at all times," the inventor ex- Despite this, the inventor, with the in-

plains, "and would serve to remind the consistency common to genius, contends wearer to straighten up in case of a ten- that "the object of the invention is to im dency to lean forward, thus pre- pj a p V a| V ei prove, simplify and cheapen the con

���Here is a real masterpiece. The device, turned one way, will completely silence the snorer. Reversed, it allows him a little musical leeway

��venting too great dependence upon the brace itself for sup- port." On this point there seems to be no room for argument.

In addition to these many advantages, this appliance might have another use, on which a tip is offered to the inventor free of charge. In the privacy of his home, if the metal pro- jections were a little longer than indicated in the patent application, the wearer might use the prodding device as a hat rack and clothes hanger when he is not in bed.

A California man has invented what may be called the anti-snoring shield de luxe. It is illustrated at the top of this page. Ade- quately to set forth its many special features, ex- tra attachments and added attractions would be no mean job for a circus press agent. It seems doubtful, however, whether anybody except an engineer ever could learn to wear the thing successfully, because of the complicated valve system by which it filters the snores out of slumber — or graduates them to suit the ear in the event that limited special privileges

���Through this one-way valve the snorer exhales through the mouth if he wishes, but there mouth- breathing option ends

��The man who devised this apparatus has probably suf- fered many things in Pullman sleepers or elsewhere. He has not the least compas- sion on anybody who snores

��struction of the device by providing the flexible mouth- piece with a plurality of valves for controlling the vol- ume of air expelled from the lungs through the mouth and for controlling the admission of air through the opening in said mouthpiece when the latter is reversed." A technical description of the device is beyond the power of the writer. It seems, though, that the inventor has tried to put a new interest into life for the snorer by adding to the valve scheme a means of regulat- ing the size of the opening through which air is inhaled or ex- pelled, according to whether the shield is being used as a snore sentry or as a safety valve. The regulating is done by means of a little metal clip which is slipped over the edge of the valve seat and raised or lowered like the floodgate of a dam. We assume that instruc- tions as to how to operate the mechanism will be given with each device sold.

��� �