Far from the glamour of Silicon Valley and nearly 200 miles from the birthplace of Thomas Edison, ordinary people of modest means have turned out inventions.

"Anybody who has looked at something and tried to make it better in their own way is an inventor," said Ray Saeler, a man from Oakland Township who has invented a protective cover for garage door motion sensors.

But Saeler is not the only Butler County resident who invents. Many have invented technical items for industrial purposes, and others have been downright wacky.

Butler County inventions listed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office include golfing dart board games, adjustable gun lifts, innovations on the hot dog roasting stick and automatic toilet seat lifters.

While these inventions may satisfy creative curiosity, the goal to make money often plays a role. After all, it costs at least $1,500 in government fees alone to get a patent — not to mention the legal fees involved.

Sometimes the investment pays off. About 10 years ago, William Warheit of Center Township, now deceased, invented a set of self-adjusting pliers called the RoboGrip. The national Sears chain became the primary retailer of the product.

The following inventors are just a few who hope for similar success. Each is at a different stage in the road to financial glory.