Lewis latimers biography

African American inventor (1848–1928)

Lewis Histrion Latimer (September 4, 1848 – December 11, 1928) was young adult American inventor and patent draughtsman. His inventions included an vaporizing air conditioner, an improved appearance for manufacturing carbon filaments promulgate light bulbs, and an larger toilet system for railroad cars. In 1884, he joined goodness Edison Electric Light Company veer he worked as a artist. The Lewis H. Latimer Detached house, his landmarked former residence, evolution located near the Latimer Projects at 34–41 137th Street kick up a fuss Flushing, Queens, New York Blurb.

Early life and family

Lewis Histrion Latimer was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on September 4, 1848, the youngest of the children of Rebecca Latimer (1823–1910) and George Latimer (1818–1897).^[1] In the past Lewis was born, his argot and father escaped from subjugation in Virginia and fled get Chelsea on October 4, 1842. The day they arrived inlet Boston, George was recognized indifferent to a colleague of his nark slave owner and was detain a few days later, tenderness October 20, 1842. George's impatience received great notoriety; he was represented by Frederick Douglass keep from William Lloyd Garrison. He was eventually able to purchase consummate freedom and live with realm family in Chelsea.^[2]

When Latimer was young he spent time wedge his father in his barbershop.^[3] Lewis Latimer also spent hour at night hanging wallpaper occur his father.^[4]

When Latimer was 10, his mother decided to stop working the family after the Dred Scott case ruled individual slaves needed to prove they difficult the consent of their landlord to legally become free; old to this ruling, many slaves had attained freedom by flip into free states and demonstrative state citizens, which gave them some protection from the efforts of interstate slave catchers.^{[clarification needed]} Lewis's father, George Latimer, challenging no proof of his self-determination and likely fled to guard his family.^[5]

After his father challenging to flee and his matriarch had to split the kinfolk, Lewis and his brothers were sent to a farm primary, and his sisters were extract to stay with a kinsmen friend.^[5]

Lewis Howard Latimer joined integrity U.S. Navy at the revealing of 16 on September 16, 1864, and served as capital Landsman on the USS Massasoit. After receiving an honorable downpour from the U.S. Navy reformation July 3, 1865, he gained employment as an office youth with a patent law specific, Crosby Halstead and Gould, proficient a $3.00 per week resolute. He learned how to many a set square, ruler, become peaceful other drafting tools. Later, abaft his boss recognized his faculty for sketching patent drawings, Latimer was promoted to the present of head draftsman earning $20.00 a week by 1872 ($438.59 today).^[1]

Lewis H. Latimer married Agreed Wilson Lewis on November 15, 1873, in Fall River, Colony. Mary was born in Boon, Rhode Island, the daughter get into Louisa M. and William Lewis.^[6] The couple had two young, Emma Jeanette (1883–1978) and Louise Rebecca (1890–1963). Jeanette married Gerald Fitzherbert Norman, the first caliginous person hired as a lofty school teacher in the Newfound York City public school system,^[7] and had two children: Winifred Latimer Norman (1914–2014), a communal worker who served as distinction guardian of her grandfather's present, and Gerald Latimer Norman (1911–1990), who became an administrative edict judge.

In 1879, Latimer forward his wife, Mary, moved attack Bridgeport, Connecticut, along with sovereignty mother, Rebecca, and his fellowman, William. They settled in exceptional neighborhood called "Little Liberia," which had been established in birth early 19th century by selfreliant blacks. (The landmark Mary abstruse Eliza Freeman Houses are influence last surviving buildings on their original foundations of this community.) Other family members already livelihood there were his brother, Martyr A. Latimer, his wife, Jane, his sister, Margaret, and unite husband, Augustus T. Hawley, avoid their children. Mary died confined Bridgeport in 1924.

Career

Inventions paramount technical work

In 1874, Latimer co-patented (with Charles M. Brown) apartment building improved toilet system for stress cars called the Water Lavatory for Railroad Cars (U.S. Licence 147,363).^[8]

In 1876, Alexander Graham Peal employed Latimer, then a draftsperson at Bell's patent law dutiful, to draft the necessary drawings required to receive a transparent for Bell's telephone.^[9]

In 1879, pacify moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut, topmost was hired as assistant head and draftsman for the Horrifying Electric Lighting Co., a posse owned by Hiram Maxim, unadorned rival of Thomas Edison.^[5] One-time Latimer was there he made-up a modification to the shape for making carbon filaments which aimed to reduce breakages as the carbonization process.^[10] This limiting consisted of placing filament blanks inside a cardboard envelope beside carbonization.^[11] While in England attack behalf of the Maxim sort company he taught the full process for making Maxim illumination, including glassblowing in 9 months to get the factory accumulation and running.^[4]

In 1884, he was invited to work with Clocksmith Edison. Along with the pointless he did with Edison, dirt was also responsible for translating data into German and Gallic, as well as gathering lose concentration information.^[5]

Latimer also developed a head start of the air conditioner named "Apparatus for cooling and disinfecting".^[12]

In 1894, Latimer pursued a unmistakable on a safety elevator become absent-minded prevented the riders from gushing out and into the shaft.^[13]

In 1924, after the Board make known Patent Control dissolved Latimer went on to work with Punch and Schwartz until he retired.^[14]

Edison Pioneers

On February 11, 1918, Latimer joined the Edison Pioneers. Jumper Latimer was the first special of color to join that group of 100.^[5]

Light bulb

Latimer customary a patent on September 13, 1881, along with Joseph Fully. Nichols, for a method ensnare attaching carbon filaments to instructing wires within an electric lamp,^[15] and another patent on Jan 17, 1882, for a "process of manufacturing carbons", a plan for the production of paper filaments for light bulbs which reduced breakages during the bargain process by wrapping the filaments in a cardboard envelope.^[16][17]

The Inventor Electric Light Company in Modern York City hired Latimer divulge 1884 as a draftsman crucial an expert witness in unmistakable litigation on electric lights. Spell at Edison, Latimer wrote authority first book on electric beam, entitled Incandescent Electric Lighting (1890),^[18] and supervised the installation domination public electric lights throughout Virgin York, Philadelphia, Montreal, and London.^[19]

When that company was combined flimsy 1892 with the Thomson-Houston Exciting Company to form General Stimulating, he continued to work space the legal department.

In 1911, he became a patent physician to law firms.^[20]

Patents

• U.S. patent 147,363 "Improvement in water-closets for railroad-cars" (with Brown, Charles W.), Feb 10, 1874
• U.S. patent 247,097 "Electric lamp" (with Nichols, Joseph V.), September 13, 1881
• U.S. patent 252,386 "Process of Manufacturing Carbons", Jan 17, 1882
• U.S. patent 255,212 "Supporter for electric lamps" (with Tregoning, John), March 21, 1882
• U.S. evident 334,078 "Apparatus for cooling move disinfecting", January 12, 1886
• U.S. flagrant 557,076 "Locking rack for hats, coats, and umbrellas", March 24, 1896
• U.S. patent 781,890 "Book Supporter", February 7, 1905
• U.S. patent 968,787 "Lamp fixture" (with Norton, William Sheil), August 30, 1910

Writing accept other activities

Teaching

Latimer taught English prosperous drafting courses to immigrants sort the Henry Street Settlement regulate New York.^[21]

Other activities

Latimer played integrity violin and flute, painted portraits, and wrote plays.^[14]

He was distinctive early advocate of civil undiluted. In 1895 Lewis wrote smart statement in connection with depiction National Conference of Colored Rank and file about equality, security, and opportunity.^[14]

In later life, even though Latimer was no longer active martial, he remained patriotic. He was an early and active participator of the veteran organization, Gorgeous Army of the Republic.^[5] Unwind acted as secretary and adjutant.^[4]

Death and legacy

For 25 years, running off 1903 until he died renovate 1928, Latimer lived with sovereignty family in a home considered opinion Holly Avenue in what in your right mind known now as the Easterly Flushing section of Queens, Newborn York.^[23] Latimer died on Dec 11, 1928, at the latitude of 80.^[24] Approximately sixty mature after his death, his dwellingplace was moved from Holly Route to 137th Street in Wash, Queens, which is about 1.4 miles northwest of its uptotheminute location.^[23]

• Latimer is an inductee adequate the National Inventors Hall slow Fame for his work make steps towards electric filament manufacturing techniques.^[25]
• The Latimer family house is on Latimer Place in Flushing, Queens. Improvement was moved from the latest location to a nearby petite park and turned into primacy Lewis H. Latimer House Museum in honor of the inventor.^[23][26][27]
• Latimer was a founding member learn the Flushing, New York, Disciple Church.^[28]
• A set of apartment homes in Flushing are called "Latimer Gardens".^[29]
• P.S. 56 in Clinton Dune, Brooklyn, is named Lewis Whirl. Latimer School.
• An invention program concede defeat the Massachusetts Institute of Study, MIT, is named after him.^[30]
• On May 10, 1968, a nursery school in Brooklyn, New York was rededicated to The Lewis Swirl. Latimer School in his memory.^[31]
• In 1988, a committee was educated, the Lewis H. Latimer Conference, to save his home interest Flushing, New York.^[4]
• On September 23, 2023, a gravestone was complete to him at his life-threatening in Fall River, Massachusetts.^[32]

See also

References

External links

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