my dad invented various versions of the hydraulic retarder used to control wagons whilst working for Dowty engineering in the UK. I dont think he would consider the products of his work to be ‘gimmicks’! They made Dowty tens of millions of pounds (and himself nothing - but that’s the lot of a British engineer!)
And here is the link to the appropriate Straight Dope article:
willbick, that’s pretty interesting. My dad is an engineer too, petrochem, and has a few gadgets and procedures to his credit. How long ago was yours working and inventing?
BTW, welcome to the boards.