Inventions of the Gilded Age

[Shelley Dziedzic]

While waxing all nostalgic over my crayons, over on the children's activities thread, I checked out Crayola- invented in 1885- really fascinating- Here's to YOU TWO- Mr. Binney and Mr. Smith- my heroes.
http://www.crayola.com/factory/preview/factory_floor/bs_history/bs_timeline.htm

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

In case you missed the above link to Crayola(and DO go check it out- it is a riot)- Crayola came out with the 8 colors to a box in 1903. Mrs. Binney- who was a schoolteacher, combined the French word for chalk "craie" with oleaginous paraffin wax to get Cray-ola. Don't you just LOVE it. Dustless chalk and slate pencils came out the same year. The children were ecstatic. So am I!

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Got to thinking about windshield wipers Thursday in a downpour. Thank Mary Anderson for inventing them and getting the patent back in 1905. She observed drivers having to hang their heads out the windows during torrents and snowstorms and developed a sturdy model with a lever handle INSIDE the car- it was a smash. Wonder if that Renault down in Titanic's hold had Mary's invention?

 

[Tracy Smith]

Pretty cool, Shelley. Keep 'em coming!

 

[Kris Muhvic]

Well, I'm not much of an invention afficionado, but here's an input-
The electric stove made it's appearance in 1913, putting an end to all the sooty coal dust that must have permeated the kitchen...
Speaking of electricity, it seems to be in more common usage after 1900- both the electric iron and vacuum cleaner made their introduction in 1908 (it sounds as if I'm quite late with my spring-cleaning!).
And on a last note regarding "cleaning up", Gillette came out with the safety razor in 1895, saving a new generation from accidental suicide!

Yours,
Kris

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Hurray for Willis Haviland Carrier- Father of Air Conditioning. One year out of Cornell, he went to work for a Brooklyn printing plant which suffered with colored ink misalignment in the hot weather. Carrier had a flash of genius one foggy night whilst waiting for a train when he figured out dewpoint, humidity and temperature relationships and VOILA- "An Apparatus for Treating Air" was patented in 1906. The term Air Conditioning goes to Mr. Cramer though- who added water to make a vapor for keeping yarns moist in his factory. Boy- do I LOVE old Willis in August-my #1 Edwardian man!

 

[Dave Gittins]

Many of the mechanical devices used in cars were invented very early on. One was the turbo charger from Renault in 1902. Motoring fans could name dozens more.

The disc recording replaced cylinders a bit before Titanic's time.

In 1909 the first synthetic plastic was produced (Bakelite).

Don't forget the little matter of the aeroplane in 1903. Many fundamental devices for aircraft were devised by 1912, such as ailerons. Then there were the many things needed to make radio into something useful.

In fact, the period between 1900 and 1912 was one of rapid change and innovation. The common idea of a settled and peaceful age is way off the track.

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Men of the World! Let's hear it for the humble zipper! Think what we would do without it! Elias Howe, the sewing machine man- actually thought the concept up in 1851,(The Continuous Closure), Mr. Judson improved on it a bit and launched the next zipper generation in 1893 (Clasp locker C-Curity clasp))but not till Swede Gideon Sundback was inspired by his dainty wife Elvira in 1911 -did he go to work on the modern version- 11 teeth to the inch instead of 4. Elvira was Universal Fastener Company head's daughter- Gideon knew TWO good things when he saw them! She died in 1911 and he slaved over the drawing board perfecting his memorial tribute. The patent was granted in 1913. Zippers were used mostly for boots and tobacco pouches! Fashion scorned them with a vengeance. In 1930, when open on both end versions came along, they were hot for child wear-especially jackets. Zipper the Word ?- thank Goodyear- yep, the blimp people who had been around making rubber sheets for Civil War soldiers to lie on in the wet battlefield. Zip was the SOUND they made sliding up and down the metal tracks. They put 'em on their rubber boots and the word and thing are HISTORY. Zippers on Titanic? You bet- but probably on the tobacco pouches. Class dismissed.

 

[Dave Hudson]

How could we forget the turbine!

David

 

[Marykate Viola]

Also I think that the refridgerator was invented at this time, along with the toaster oven. And I think that foods, such as Kellogs cereal, Crisco oil, and Oreo cookies were introduced. Sorry I can't give you the year

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Yes indeed- we had fun with those items above under another topic thread- Brand Names of the Gilded Age which is under the Topic option.

 

[Lee Gilliland]

Not to be indelicate here, but one of the best inventions of the Gilded Age I can think of was the disposable sanitary napkin - first available in Germany in the 1880's, although the Comstalk Laws made them illegal in the US until after WWI. Before that it was cloth only and you washed them between uses - one chore I really don't mind not doing.