DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Greatest Invention Ever. Seriously

Franklin, Bell, Edison. These guys got nothing on my new favorite inventor. The beer tossing fridge. Beer Tossing Fridge!

RALEIGH, N.C. — When John Cornwell graduated from Duke University last year, he landed a job as software engineer in Atlanta but soon found himself longing for his college lifestyle.

So the engineering graduate built himself a reminder of life on campus: a refrigerator that can toss a can of beer to his couch with the click of a remote control.

"I conceived it right after I got out," said Cornwell, a May 2006 graduate from Huntington, N.Y. "I missed the college scene. It embodies the college spirit that I didn't want to let go of."

It took the 22-year-old Cornwell about 150 hours and $400 in parts to modify a mini-fridge common to many college dorm rooms into the beer-tossing contraption, which can launch 10 cans of beer from its magazine before needing a reload.

With a click of the remote, fashioned from a car's keyless entry device, a small elevator inside the refrigerator lifts a beer can through a hole and loads it into the fridge's catapult arm.

A second click fires the device, tossing the beer up to 20 feet — "far enough to get to the couch," he said.

Is there a foam explosion when the can is opened? Not if the recipient uses "soft hands" to cradle the can when caught, Cornwell said.

In developing his beer catapult, Cornwell said he dented a few walls and came close to accidentally throwing a can through his television.

He's since fine-tuned the machine to land a beer where he usually sits at home, on what he called "a right-angle couch system."

For now, the machine throws only cans, although Cornwell has thought about making a version that can throw a bottle. The most beer he has run through the machine was at a party, when he launched a couple of 24-can cases.

"I did launch a lot watching the Super Bowl," he said. "My friends are the reason I built it. I told them about the idea and hyped it so much and I had to go through with it."

A video featuring the device is a hit on the Internet, where more than 600,000 people have watched it at metacafe.com, earning Cornwell more than $3,000 from the Web site.

Cornwell said he has talked to a brewing company about the machine, but right now only one exists. Asked if he might start building some for sale, he said: "I'm keeping that option open, depending on interest."

When Cornwell was a student at Duke — an elite, private university in Durham — he participated in the engineering school's robotic basketball contests, said mechanical engineering Professor Bob Kielb. He said students tried to build a robot that could retrieve a pingpong ball and toss it into a small hoop.

"He always did well in it," Kielb said. "He came up with completely unique ideas."
Beer Fridge in Action


This guy is a real man of genius

Thats cool, but the greatest invention ever is thermal underwear.

You're both wrong...the best invention ever is sliced bread. I mean, isn't everyone always saying "it's the best thing since sliced bread"???

I've never really understood that. I mean you can have sandwiches but other than that I wouldn't mind just picking up a loaf and biting into it With the beer fridge, you don't even have to move, it does all the work for you. Of course the controller could run out of batteries meaning you'll have to go to the fridge yourself A solid invention none the less.

Best invention ever is a pen that lights up when you write. IMHO

DC won't like it.
I mean after all,the kid IS from Duke!

That was impressive. $400 and 3 workweeks to make it, he's already made $3250 just from people watching the video, and people will continue to watch the video and get him more $$$ at no cost to him. Pretty good ROI for something you did for fun and you use at home.

Honestly, I think the greatest invention of all time was toilet paper!

Beer tossing fridge would be #2 though. And beer fridge/pee tube built into a lazy chain would be #3!

Now you're thinking. See that's what you gotta do. You gotta come up with some great idea. Like that guy who invented the pet rock.
You think the pet rock was a great idea?
Well sure it was. The guy made a million dollars.

Now look what you've done. You've got me making movie quotes

After about six beers I'd need a catchers mask. Knocked out or passed out? I guess it doesn't really matter.

Exactly, after 10 beers, the reload and getting halfway through the next grouping I'd find myself on the floor with a black eye in the morning.

Why can't you just put a mini-fridge near your couch? Same thing and less dangerous.

Best invention ever is

The Hot Water Bottle,,,


You put something in cold,, it stays cold,,,

You put something in hot,,, It stays hot,,,

How do it know?

I was thinking along the same lines as you Lee... but I went with the toliet.... you get to clean out your system plus men do their best thinking on that there throne.

Thats where I do most of my reading hehe.

Where do you think I am typing this from?

I may get a laptop for that purpose only.

did you see the Turbo Hayabusa motorcycle!?!?!?!? holy crap it has 18lbs of boost!!!! here is the video

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/354345/turbo_hayabusa/

Yeah my boss at work already showed me that

Quote:

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Did you miss the part were after 10 beers you have to reload it? That's what? every 90 mins?

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Guess we should change your name to Light Weight.

here is another that teaches you how to tear a phone book in 1/2

http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/345661/how_to_rip_a_phonebook_in_half.swf

lol, no [censored]. A old principal of mine used to do that to try and show he could kick our ass if we were bad