Invention Convention Workshop

Deciding what road to travel down

Decisions!• Today, the term Rube

Goldberg is used to signify anything done in an overly complicated or round-about manner.

• Resembles the “Mousetrap” game

• Approximately 10 steps

• Original Invention: original idea!

• An invention that makes life easier.

1. Recreation

2. Household

3. Environmental

Rube Goldberg

Rube Goldberg's cartoons are incredible displays of ingenuity, detailed logic, physics and satire. He poked fun at the many complicated inventions that were available at the beginning of the century, and at the round-about methods people divised for solving their problems.

How to Keep Shop Windows Clean

    Passing man (A) slips on banana peel (B) causing him to fall on rake (C).   As handle of rake rises it throws horseshoe (D) onto rope (E) which sags, thereby tilting sprinkling can (F).  Water (G) saturates mop (H).  Pickle terrier (I) thinks it is raining, gets up to run into house and upsets sign (J) throwing it against non-tipping cigar ash receiver (K) which causes it to swing back and forth and swish the mop against window pane, wiping it clean.    If man breaks his neck by fall move away before cop arrives.

13 Steps to Turn a Page in a Book1. Turn the handle on a toy cash register

to open the drawer.

2. The drawer pushes a golf ball off a platform, into a small blue funnel, and down a ramp.

3. The falling golf ball pulls a string that releases the magic school bus (carrying a picture of Rube Goldberg) down a large blue ramp.

4. Rube's bus hits a rubber ball on a platform, dropping the ball into a large red funnel.

5. The ball lands on a mousetrap (on the orange box) and sets it off.

6. The mousetrap pulls a nail from the yellow stick.

7. The nail allows a weight to drop.8. The weight pulls a cardboard "cork" from an orange tube.9. This drops a ball into a cup. 10. The cup tilts a metal scale and raises a wire.11. The wire releases a ball down a red ramp.12. The ball falls into a pink paper basket.13. The basket pulls a string to turn the page of the book!

18 Steps to Put Coins in a Bank This machine was called "Hickory Dickory Dock"

1. Release Chitty Chitty car with mouse driving it and it bumps a rubber ball.

2. The ball knocks down the dominoes.

3. The dominoes trigger the first mousetrap.

4. The mousetrap pulls a string to turn on a toy record player. The music is "Hickory Dickory Dock"!

5. The record player spins the colorful gears.

6. The gears wind slowly wind a string that pull up a paperclip.

7. The paperclip is no longer in contact with another paperclip, which breaks the circuit on an electromagnet.8. The electromagnet releases a mouse in a car down the ramp.9. The moving mouse runs into a string, making it vibrate.10. The string triggers mousetrap number 2.11. This mousetrap pulls a string which pulls a hook (paperclip).12. The hook releases a red parachute man and he flies down the incline.13. The man pulls another string from a tube. This string has a pencil on the end.14. The pulled pencil/string lets a heavy ball drop down the tube.15. The dropping ball pulls an attached string up, making another mouse "go up the clock".16. As the mouse moves, two small ball bearings are released down a marble track. (His tail was holding them in place).17. The ball bearings land on mousetrap number three.18. The mousetrap pulls a wire to trigger the mechanical bank, and with a tiny picture Rube Goldberg watching closely, a dog puts the coins into the bank!

“Original Invention”

Different Categories:

1. Recreation

2. Environmental

3. Household

Step 1: Finding an Idea Think about something people need in order to make life better. Talk to people about something they would like to see changed. Then tell about it on a special sheet of paper called "My New Idea." (Journal)

                  

          Step 2: Research and Planning Use your plan to make an invention. Or write about how your invention would help to solve a problem. Use the internet to make sure that your idea has never been invented.

                   

         Step 3: Developing and Testing Test your invention or your plan. Make sure it works and is safe to use. Tell about your invention. Draw a picture of it in your journal.

                 

          

“Vest Pack”

“The Automatic Milk Dispenser“ The Automatic

Dog Washer"

“Yummy Stamps”

“Grandma’s Coat Helper”

“Enflavelope” She came up with

an idea to make envelopes  taste better so whenever you would lick them you wouldn't have that nasty taste to them. 

What’s the Difference?Rube Goldberg: JournalDisplay BoardOfficial Application*Most of the time will be

spent “tinkering” with the project and working out the “kinks”! (Lots of trial and error

Original InventionJournalDisplay BoardOfficial Application*Most of the time will be

spent on researching and making sure the “idea” has not been invented and field testing your idea!