Beulah Louise Henry: Mother

EdisonMargaret Knight: Paper Bag QueenMadame C.J. Walker:

First female African-American millionaire. Mary Walton:

Reduced Train Pollution

Mary Pennington: The

Refrigerated Train

Mary Anderson: The Windshield WiperHedy Lamarr:

Frequency Hopping Ruth Handler:

Barbie

2020thth CENTURY: CENTURY:Women Inventors of Tools and Women Inventors of Tools and

MachinesMachinesBy: Aisy Naidu

Spring 2006

EWS425H

18th Century 19th Century 20th Century

In the 20th Century, machines and mechanical inventions patented by women grew at an exponential rate.

The Changing Role of Women• During World War I the rapidly expanding war industries dipped

heavily into the labor force of women.

• In 1918 nearly three million new women workers were employed in food, textile and war industries. Many taboos and restrictions thrown up to keep women out of large-scale productions industry were broken down.

• Women worked as streetcar conductors, radio operators, and in steel mills and logging camps during the war.

• Reference: http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2002/3/02.03.09.x.html

Chemists Versus Mechanics

The most prolific women patentees tended to be chemists, and therefore they

received more recognition.

Dr. Ruth Benerito- works for the Department of Agriculture and has over 55 patents that deal mainly with wash and wear fabrics

Dr. Giuliana Tesoro- a textile chemist who worked with a private industry and had over 125 patents

Obstacles Faced By Women Mechanics

Professional: Women were hired for consultancy on household machines but were not given the opportunity to be innovators within corporations

Marketing/ Social Stigma: Women with good inventions were often overlooked or not taken seriously by corporations because of their gender

Submerged in Teams: Provided valuable input in inventions but the credit often went to the team leader, typically males

Machines That Made an Impact

SEWING MACHINE DISHWASHER

WASHING MACHINE TYPEWRITER

Sewing MachineThe Number of Women’s Sewing-Machine Patents by 1894

Beulah Louise Henry (1887 - )

– Born in Memphis Tennessee– Invented the first bobbin less

sewing machine (1940)– Such a prolific inventor that

she was coined “Lady Edison”

– Created about 110 inventions and held 49 patents

Sewing Machine Continued…

Dorothy Young Kirby (1909 - )– Authored the Dot Young Sewing Guide– Enabled sewer to give clothes perfectly straight

seams and professional looking top-stitching – Six mail-order catalogues which sold over 250,000

copies

Rosa Csudor-de Valerio (1894 - )– Entertainer and Skating Champion from Romania– Invented Ro Ri Ro(1975) at age 81– A new embroidery technique and sewing attachment

The Dishwasher

Josephine Cochrane – Invented the first automatic

dishwasher in 1887– She unveiled her invention

at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, and won its highest award.

– She began manufacturing her invention, and it was used heavily in all major hotels.

– Her company has evolved today into the well known Kitchen-Aid.

The Dishwasher Cont…

Anna Dunder– Patented an early dishwasher in 1903

Frances GABe– Invented the Self-Cleaning house which

included dishwashing cupboards (aesthetically pleasing)

Alma T. McHargue– Patented a dishwasher that included a drainer

in 1911

The Washing MachineJessie Whitney

Cartwright (1897-1977)

– Director of Norge’s Home Institute– Had at least four important inventions

concerning washing machines, among them…

– Ripplette (1954): a small agitator which would replace a large agitator of a washing machine for protecting delicate items

– Stop Cycle in dryers– Delicate cycle – Metal backed panels for washing

machines which made them quieter and reduced shock

The Washing Machine Cont…

Ethel R. Blake, Bertha Moe (along with husband)– Patented washing machines in 1925

Agatha K. Bremer– Patented a washing machine in 1940

Belle Tucker– Invented lint trap for washing machine in 1970

Frances GABe– Created a combination closet and clothes-washer as

part of her self-cleaning house

The Typewriter

No one person can be said to have invented the typewriter, but it may have been created

as early as 1700’s.

The Typewriter Cont…Lily Pavey

– Invented the Musikriter in 1961– Musical typewriter for which this British inventor won many

accolades– Eventually manufactured and sold widely

Lillian Malt– Owner of Lillian Malt Training Services– Invented the Maltron Keyboard in 1978– Was designed to fit different finger lengths and had vowels

spaced further apart as to reduce errors

Evelyn Berezin– Word Processing Pioneer– Helped invent the Data Secretary which had far more

capabilities than IBM.– She made huge financial profit for selling her Redactron, the

company that produced the Data Secretary

The Typewriter Cont…

Sarah M. Hawley– Patented a paper-feeding mechanism for typewriting machines

(1907)

Emma D. Mills– Devised her own typewriter with several innovative mechanisms

Martha F. Cooke– Typewriter key-locking attachment (1940)

Beulah Henry (at least 14 related patents)– Supplemental Ribbon Attachment– Duplicating Attachment– Silent Typewriter– Key operated machines

Women & Agriculture

Of all agricultural patents granted to women between 1905-1921, about 45% of them were machines or mechanical devices.

Most of these inventions were made by farm women, and not urban inventors or corporate workers.

As Agriculture became more professionalized, the “Takeover Theory” comes into play, and women granted patents for farm machinery drastically reduced.

Some Patentees in this Field:

Marie Huschka

•Patented the fowl-dressing appliance

Dora E. Warfel

•Patented a poultry feeding appliance

Women & ArchitectureAs the population grew and houses became smaller, the need for space efficient furniture increased; it is about this time that women began patenting house furniture; building and construction, and mechanical devices.

Some Patentees in this Field

Alice Parker

•Invented the heating furnace

Lillian Gilbreth

•Designed appliances and whole kitchens for the handicapped veterans of World War I

Frances GABe

•Self-Cleaning House

Alice Austin

•Built in furniture and roll-away beds

Women & ArtWomen have played a significant role in mechanical devices used in the Arts; not limited to the areas of photography, artist devices, and sculpting devices.

Some Devices Patented by Women

•Adjustable artist’s desk and easel

•Drawing Table

•Etching Apparatus

•Reproducing Outlines of a Form

•Camera

•Automatic controller for camera shutters

Women & Commercial and Retail Trade

Some Patentees in this FieldEdith L Boyer

•Patented the Labeling Machine in 1907

Alice M. Argles

•Inventor from England who patented a coin-freed mechanism for good-delivery machine in 1901

Florence Anderson

•Patented the Coinbox which was heavily used in parking meters n 1952

Barbara Brown

•Printing mechanism for cash registers in 1979

Women & Education

Society enforced the caretaker role upon women and teaching children was one of the few jobs that was considered acceptable for them in the 20th Century.

Some Devices Patented by Women

•Means of teaching the Alphabet

•Appliance for teaching reading

•Means of aiding the teaching of spelling

•Inflatable globe for geography teaching

Women & ElectricsWomen have held an extensive role in the advancement of technology in the field of Electrics. The following is a less than exhaustive list of some of the key players.

Some Patentees in this Field

Delma E. LeePatented the electric switch in 1910Angelica E. PostInvented the Dry Cell battery in 1906Hertha AyrtonFirst woman member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers Invented the Pulsemeter and Carbon Arc Light for Movie ProjectionMaude Adams

Improved capability for showing full color film in daylightEdith Clarke

Patented a calculator (1925), electric power transmission (1927), and electric circuit (1944)

Jessie PopeInvented the thermostatically controlled curling iron (1946)

CONTINUED…

Chien-Shiung WuWell known physicist who improved instruments to detect radiationHedy LamarrFrequency hopping, a secret communication system used in cell phone industry todayHarriet SternInvented the portable hair dryer in 1962Mary SpaethTunable dye laser used in check-out technology todayMabel MacFerran RockwellOnly woman involved in design for Hoover DamDr. Beatrice HicksCo-Founder and first president of Society of Women EngineersDr. Alla MasevichInvented the first satellite tracking technology

Women & Health/Medical

Some Patentees in this Field

Dr. Jessie Wright

•Rocking bed for patients needing help with breathing

Dr. Anne Chamney

•Oxygen tent

Doreen Kennedy-Way

•Battery Operated Go Cart for Spina Bifida children

Julia Butcher

•Invalid Exercising bed

Women & the Labor Saving and Domestic Field

Some Patentees in this Field

Ethel A. Cooper

Folding ironing board

Corinne Dufour

May have invented a portable vacuum cleaner around 1910

Dorothy Rodgers

At least 7 household inventions among them the Jonny Mop in 1946 for cleaning toilet bowls

Leonara Hafen

Invented a cleaning brush for small crevices and a rug shampooer with less spattering

Buelah Louise Henry

Can Opener in 1956

Women in Manufacturing/IndustrialSome Patentees in this Field

Catherine Evans

Pioneered the tufting technique which led to the manufacturing of chenille, a fabric used in bedspreads (around 1905)

Alida Marcoux

Patented eight looms or loom mechanisms between 1902-1908

Lydia B. Koch

Held over 19 patents related to the manufacturing of paper bottles

Hazel Hook Wolz

Invented the bobby pin used by millions today for pinning hair

Wei Feng-ying

Had over 400 technical innovations to her credit

Women & The Office

Some Patentees in this Field

Marie Heilbron

Patented a letter opener machine that was useful for stores with heavy mail volume. It opened 400 letters per minute as opposed to 30 by hand.

Verena Holmes

Patented a safety paper cutter in Britain

Emily Duncan

Patented two banking related calculators

Women & TheatreActing in theatre and stage production was an acceptable career choice for women, and they readily began going about ways to enhance their work environment through developing technologies.

Patentee in this Field

Raye Coplan

Invented the Marionette, which simplified the operation of puppets

Devices Patented by Women

•Device for producing stage rain

•Fire illusion device

Women & ToysThis is an extensive field, and the list could go on and on; but the following are just a few of the women who made mechanical toys for children.

Some Patentees in this Field

Beulah Henry

Eating toy animal in 1953

Movable lip for toy figures in 1951

A toy cow that gives “milk” in 1951

Helen L. Borza

Windmill Toy

Ruth Handler

Barbie (doll with movable arms and legs)

Women & TransportationWomen have invented significant and advanced technologies in the areas of transportation, and improved upon models already in place.

Some Patentees in this Field

Jean Aimes

Invented the first commercial child seat in1962

Lillian Todd

Uncovered a glider-type aircraft in 1906

Vera C. Hodges

Introduced the starter for engines in 1935

The End

Questions/Comments???