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We all know that Edison invented the light bulb, but do you know any Norwegian inventions? What contribution do the descendants of the Vikings have in improving our everyday life? Quite a lot – see for yourself!
Ostehøvel
When the slices of cheese are too thick… inventions are made! In fact, one, recognized as the most important Norwegian patent. I am talking about a cheese chopper, or en ostehøvel . This surprisingly simple and brilliant invention is the work of Thor Bjørklund, who at the beginning of the 20th century kept his eyes awake by too thick slices of cheese. After many attempts, he patented his device in 1925, and since then more than 50 million copies of this invention have been sold! The Norwegians are so proud of ostehøvel that they erected a monument to the largest cheese blade in the world on its 90th anniversary. It is 7.3 meters high and is entered in the Guinness Book of Records.
Binders
We owe the organization of the documents to the idea of a Norwegian inventor, Johan Vaaler. As early as the 19th century, he had the idea that a piece of bent wire could hold a few sheets of paper. He called his invention en binders , and in 1901 he obtained a German and an American patent for it. However, the commonly known shape of the paperclip is not a Vaaler patent, but the idea of the English concern The Gem Manufacturing Company (interestingly, it was never patented).
Spray
Indirectly, thanks to a Norwegian, Erik Rotheim, order was also in the hair. It was he who invented the spray in the 1920s. He sold his patent to Frode Mortensen, and after the bankruptcy of this corporation, the patent was bought by researchers from the United States. They then used a spray for products such as hairspray or deodorant.
Tripp-Trapp-stolen
The famous Tripp Trapp children’s highchair was designed in 1972 by Peter Opsvik. The construction of this clever chair is based on two wooden boards. They can be placed at different heights so that the child is seated at an appropriate level in relation to the table, keeping the legs on the lower plate. Thanks to the fact that both plates are adjustable, Tripp Trapp “grows” with the child.
Panteordning
Panteordning, a system for returning aluminum bottles and cans, was invented in Norway as early as 1902! It means that customers pay a deposit for bottles or cans of beer, soda etc., and then get the money back when they return the empty bottles to the store. Special machines called pantemaskins are used for this, which can be found in practically every store. In Norway, 2 crowns are obtained for a bottle with a capacity of up to 0.5 l, and 3 crowns for more than 0.5 l. This system is so effective that the percentage of processed bottles in 2018 was as high as 95.1%, and in aluminum cans as much as 98.9%!
Anna Konda
Contemporary Norwegian inventions arise, among others. in Trondheim, where the largest Scandinavian research organization SINTEF has created … an anaconda. More precisely, Anna Konda, which is a humorous name for an automatic fire hose. It imitates a live snake and moves freely on uneven surfaces, making it suitable for difficult conditions. Scientists are working on using Anna for other dangerous activities, including operating gas and underwater installations and looking for the wounded in collapsed buildings.
Sakte-TV
Another example of the Norwegian invention is the so-called sakte-TV , that is, a tribute to the passing time, in spite of the contemporary rush of society. We have already written about the sakte-TV phenomenon here.
There are many more Norwegian inventions! If you are interested, read more about: bicycle lift (Trampe), harpoons, hand grenades or artificial fertilizer …
Do you know any other Norwegian inventions?
GLOSSARY:
en oppfinnelse – invention
en oppfinner – inventor
en ostehøvel – cheese spatula
en panteordning – bottle and can return system
et monument – monument
e n spray – spray
en hårlakk – hair spray
en deodorant – deodorant
e n binders – paper clip
en brannslange – fire hose
en stol – chair
Author: Nikola Bartosz
