Black History, Inventions, Science
During his tenure at the Cities Service Oil Co. in the late ’60s, Ernest J. Jamieson patented four inventions on the improvement of current gasoline compositions. One invention improved hydrocarbon fuel compositions for use in internal combustion engines by adding a detergent that prevents icing and corrosion.
Another invention improved a hydrocarbon fuel composition by adding a X hydrocarbylacid phosphate salt that reduced icing in the carburetor and improved water tolerance, thus reducing rust and hydrocarbon content in the exhaust.
Black History, Inventions
Improved Fountain Pen - patent #419,065 1/7/1890
William Purvis of Philadelphia invented and patented improvements to the fountain pen in 1890. William Purvis made several improvements to the fountain pen in order to make a “more durable, inexpensive, and better pen to carry in the pocket.”
Purvis used an elastic tube between the pen nib and the ink reservoir that used a suction action to return any excess ink to the ink reservoir, reducing ink spills and increasing the longevity of the ink. Fountain pens were first patented as early as 1809.
Bag fastener - patent #256,856 4/25/1882
William Purvis also invented several other inventions including two machines for making paper bags (which Purvis sold to the Union Paper Bag Company of New York), a bag fastener, a self-inking hand stamp, and several devices for electric railroads. His first paper bag machine (patent #293,353) created satchel bottom type bags in an improved volume and greater automation than previous machines. (more…)
Inventions
1922-1986. People who have breathing problems may, in the future, give credit to Rufus Stokes for helping to ease their problem. In 1968, Mr. Stokes was granted a patent on an air purification device which reduced the gases and ashes in smoke to a non-dangerous and invisible level.
This not only helps people, but also improves the health of plants and animals as well as improving the appearance and durability of buildings, cars and other things exposed to the air. After building and successfully testing several models of his machine, Mr. Stokes, in 1973, constructed a small domestic model and a large mobile model to show that his invention could be used in many ways.
Read more about Rufus Stokes on Wikipedia.
Inventions
In the 1850’s Montgomery developed a better propeller for river steamboats.
Montgomery was born in London County, Virginia in 1819. From an early age, he demostrated that he was clever. However, he was born a slave, and didn’t learn to read and write until much later in life. But his literacy gave him the opportunity to learn land surveying and architectural drafting, and this led to him later becoming a successful engineer and inventor.
A matter of discrimination
Although there were Blacks at the time who managed to patent their inventions like Thomas L. Jennings of New York in 1821, the system wasn’t always fair or equal. In some instances to avoid discrimination, Black inventors would use white people as third parties to do it for them.
In the case of Montgomery, however, the circumstances were a lot different and more difficult. Joseph Holt, head of the Patent Office at the time, felt that a free Black man who escaped to the North simply did not have the right to patent an invention.
Read more of this article on Blackhistory.com.
Inventions
Kenneth J. Dunkley discovered the existence of two points located on the periphery of a person’s vision that, if obstructed, will cause an ordinary picture to appear three-dimensional. This discovery led to the invention of the Three-Dimensional Viewing Glasses (3-DVG). The invention achieves 3-D effects without lenses, mirrors or optical elements of any kind.
Read more about Kenneth J. Dunkley on Wikipedia.
Inventions
Benjamin Bradley was born around 1830 as a slave in Maryland. He was able to read and write, although at the time it was illegal for a slave to do so (he likely learned from the Master’s children). He was put to work in a printing office and at the age of 16 began working with scrap he found, modeling it into a small ship. Eventually, with an intuitiveness that seemed far beyond him, he improved on his creation until he had built a working steam engine, made from a piece of a gun-barrel, pewter, pieces of round steel and some nearby junk. Those around him were so astounded by his high level of intelligence that he was placed in a new job, this time at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
In his new position he served as a classroom assistant in the science department. He helped to set up and conduct experiments, working with chemical gases. He was very good at his work, impressing the professors with his understanding of the subject matter and also with his preparedness in readying the experiments. In addition to the praise he received, he also received a salary, most of which went to his Master, but some of which (about $5.00 per month) he was able to keep.
Despite enjoying his job with the Naval Academy, Bradley had not forgotten his steam engine creation. He used the money he had been able to save from his job as well as the proceeds of the sale of his original engine (to a Naval Academy student) to build a larger model. Eventually he was able to finish an engine large enough to drive the first steam-powered warship at 16 knots. At the time, because he was a slave, he was unable to secure a patent for his engine. His master did, however, allow him to sell the engine and he used that money to purchase his freedom.
