Today in history – a new way of locking the loo
Public toilets - an awkward place to be. Thanks to Mr Herne's patent, we don't have to knock on every door to figure out if someone's in there.
Today, 132 years ago, restroom history was made when the vacant/engaged bolt for public toilets was patented.
Legend has it that a certain Mr Ashwell was on a train between Herne Hill and London in the United Kongdom when inspiration struck.
Herne realised that the world needed a sign that indicated whether restrooms are vacant or occupied. Herne patented a bolt that signals that a room is vacant when tha door is unlocked. When the door is bolted, the sign announces that the lock is engaged.
In 2015, we take the signs on restroom door locks for granted. This smart move by Mr Ashwell has prevented many awkward situations on aeroplanes and public buildings such as recreation halls and shopping malls. Rather than asking: “ahem, is somebody in there?” and having to wait for an awkward answer, one simply has to read the sign.
