Yes I remember them too. And summer was canning season. Grandma also strung beans on a string and hung them from the porch roof to dry. Don't know how they kept from rotting but later on in the winter she would give us a paper bad of them and mom would cook them. Had a good taste. We had indoor plumbing but neither of my grandmothers did. One had a well and the other carried water from a spring.
The other day I was waiting while my husband was putting gas in our 17 year old vehicle. It was getting very hot inside the car when I noticed something on the door. It was a handle with a knob on it. And amazingly as I turned that handle the car window went down and let in fresh air. I thought "Wow!" they should put these amazing gadgets on new cars. ;-)