5 Lost Inventions That Could Have Changed The World

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
5 Lost Inventions That Could Have Changed The World





http://fuel-efficient-vehicles.org/energy-news/?page_id=787

Tom OGLE

Vapor Fuel System



The bright future that Ogle foresaw quickly began evaporating. Perhaps no one will ever truly know what happened that led to the further troubles that the inventor experienced after this point, but some facts are known. Ogle and a partner named James Peck, who had assisted Ogle with financing the development of his device, ran into some minor difficulties in working out a contractual agreement as to the distribution of royalties. The two had a falling-out, but Ogle continued marketing the device. In the meantime, Frank Read, another inventor who had come up with a similar device that didn't get near the gas mileage that Ogle had gotten and whose device did not completely bypass the carburetor, went public with the news that he had been hit with several lawsuits, including one from the Texas Attorney General's office for consumer fraud.

Around this same time, the official from the NERDA who had previously viewed the device with Congressman White began indicating that he did not think development of the device would be feasible. The official had previously indicated some enthusiasm for the device, and the turn-around in his attitude was fairly mysterious. Ogle became involved in several lawsuits that drained his time and energy. The young inventor's newly opened business began failing.

More trouble from the government began descending on Ogle. The Securities and Exchange Commission served a firm with which Ogle had contracted for marketing rights with an injunction alleging anti-trust and registration violations. In addition, the Internal Revenue Service served Ogle with a federal tax lien for over $20,000 after an audit. Ogle was virtually paralyzed in the further development and marketing of his device.

Rumors circulated that the young inventor was turning to alcohol and drugs after his legal problems. Ogle became increasingly more paranoid, and was arrested after being chased by the police. Then, in mid-1981, Ogle was shot and wounded outside a bar. Ogle was placed under police protection after the shooting, believing that he was being targeted for attack. Ogle indicated to the police that he had been shot by a Hispanic individual in a red car, but no suspects or leads were ever found in the incident.
 
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