Bored of pulling the same old pranks over and over again? Just
going through the motions with whoopee cushions and handshake
buzzers? Then pay attention – here are some prank-related
items so good people tried to patent them.
First up is a "joke beer". Granted in 1938, US2140327 relates to a container that
looks a like a beer. In fact, it is "so accurate in its
imitation that it cannot easily be picked out among a number of
real containers of beer", the idea being that when the
joke beer is included in a group of real beers, "one of
the guests will obviously pick up the 'joke beer' and
attempt to drink it; whereupon he will be
embarrassed".
Everyone loves a cup of tea, so you should be able to find a
victim for this next one - GB2447895 ("Novelty or Joke Tea
Bag"). This withdrawn application relates to a tea bag filled
with some gelling agent. When your unfortunate victim pours water
over it, expecting a brew, the gelling agent swells up and forms a
gel, "thus
