#21: A Sleep Hanger
This old photograph features a novel invention dubbed a “sleep hanger.” This invention looks more like a torture device, but it was actually meant to help people sleep during long train rides. The idea behind the invention was that people could rest their heads and arms on this strange metal contraption that emerged from the train car roof.
Falling asleep while sitting upright in public is one of the most mortifying things ever. So, we totally get the sentiment behind this invention. If we say so ourselves, the woman in this photo looks pretty comfortable. The man sitting next to her wasn’t as lucky. Apparently, she won the privilege of using the sleep hanger. He had to endure a bumpy ride with little-to-no comfort.