Today in Technology History
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February 25
After many tribulations, Thomas Davenport received a patent for his electric motor exactly 165 years ago.
Davenport (1802-1851) was a blacksmith by training, but he became obsessed with electricity and magnetism in the 1830s. By the summer of 1834, he had built a small contraption that used electromagnets to turn a wheel at the rate of 30 revolutions per minute -- an electric motor.
The wheel from Davenport's motor. Click the picture to see his entire patent. His invention impressed some college professors who strongly suggested Davenport get a patent. Since he had given up his business as a blacksmith in order to work on his machine, he depended upon friends' money to pay for the trip to Washington, D.C. to apply for the patent.
In 1835, on his trip south to the nation's capital, Davenport made several stops to demonstrate his motor for professors and other prominent individuals. In so doing, however, he used up all his money and had to return home, unable to afford the patent application.
Very discouraged, Davenport spent the year 1836 building miniature electric machines in hopes of raising funds for a second trip to Washington. This time, he successfully sent in an application and a model of his invention -- but the Patent Office burned down on December 15, 1836, and his application and model were destroyed.
He re-applied and finally received his patent on February 25, 1837. It was the first patent ever granted for an electric motor. He spent the rest of his life trying to make some profit from his invention, with little success.
Related links:
We wrote more about Davenport's life last year, on the 150th anniversary of his death.
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