I learned about four inventions this week and they were the electric clock, blueprints, the stapler, and the grain elevator. First I learned about the electrical clock. The inventor of the electric clock, Alexander Bain, born in Scotland in 1811, was an apprentice to a clockmaker and learned about electromagnetism. An electric clock is powered by electricity which keeps the pendulum moving instead of weight. Mechanical clocks were replaced with electric clocks.

Second, I learned about blueprints. Architecture plans began advancing in style and content during the 1500s. The inventor of the blueprints, John Herschel, born in England in 1792, published work on scientific methodology and drawings of planets. Blue prints are drawings that show how a building is designed and what materials to use. Blueprints make it easier to build complex buildings. 

Third, I learned about the stapler. The inventor of the stapler, Samuel Slocum, born in Rhode island in 1792, learned about carpentry and invented a machine that manufactured pins. Staplers bind multiple sheets of paper together and the u-shaped staples are driven through and ends are bent. Staplers are standard tools in office environments and surgical staplers reduce risk of deadly infections.

Finally, I learned about the grain elevator. The inventor of the grain elevator, Joseph Dart, born in Connecticut in 1799, sold furs to Indian travelers and moved into grain trading in buffalo. Grain elevators lift grain up and into a silo. Quickly unloaded stored and dispensed grain. They transformed Buffalo and spurred global trade and a combination of inventions working together.

I learned about four inventions this week and they were the steel plow, the steam shovel, the postage stamp, and vulcanized rubber. First, I learned about the steel plow. The scratch plow was the first basic plow. The inventor of the steel plow, John Deere, born in Vermont in 1804, became a blacksmith in 1825. The steel plow breaks up tough soil, bury crops, and help control weeds. His plow made western settlement possible.

Second, I learned about the steam shovel. The inventor of the steam shovel, William Smith Otis, born in Pelham in 1813, became fascinated in mechanical inventions and invented the steam shovel at the age of 22. The steam shovel is a steam powered dirt-moving bucket and controlled by operators. They dug the foundation of the empire state building.

Third, I learned about postage stamps. The UK postal system had problems such as the postage paid by recipients. The inventor of the postage stamp, Rowland Hill, born in England in 1795, went to work for the government and promoted priestly educational reform. Piece of paper with an adhesive backing that shows that postage has been paid. It helped motivate westward expansion. 

Finally, I learned about vulcanized rubber. The inventor of vulcanized rubber, Charles Goodyear, born in Connecticut in 1800, improved a company’s rubber life preservers and he was determined to solve the sticky problem. Vulcanization eliminates the stickiness and the refined rubber is weatherproof. Everything would be different without rubber and was very good for the industrial process. 

I learned about four inventions this week and they were the electromechanical relay, the revolver, Morse code, and the circuit breaker. First, I learned about the electromechanical relay. The inventor of the electromechanical relay, Joseph Henry, born in 1797 in New York, was interested in science and became a state engineer after college. Relays allow remote operation of circuits and are powered by strong electromagnets. They can be used as signal amplifiers and it made the telegraph possible.

Second, I learned about the revolver. The inventor of the revolver was Samuel Colt, born in 1814. He grew fascinated by science and built his own battery. Its name comes from the rotating cylinder and its revolver is a gun called a pistol. Colt’s factoring spread interchangeable parts expertise to other industries.

Third, I learned about Morse code. The inventor of Morse code, Samuel Morse born in 1791 became a well-connected painter of presidential portraits. Morse code takes advantage of telegraph’s features and Morse encoded the alphabet into dots and dashes. It transmits about 30 words per minute. Morse code replaces religious oaths with personal experience.

Finally, I learned about the circuit breaker. The inventor of the circuit breaker, Charles Grafton, born in 1812, went to mechanical school and was interested in electricity. Through experiments, he gained a deep insight of electromagnetism. The circuit breaker protects cables from short circuit damage and short circuit goes from 0.5 amp to 500. They are basic components in modern power before electricity, gas, and oil lamps.

I learned about four inventions this week and they were the combine harvester, the solar compass, the propeller, and the mechanical computer. First, I learned about the combine harvester. Presbyterians couldn’t supply pastors fast enough. The inventor of the combine harvester, Hiram Moore was born in 1801 in New Hampshire, and his neighbor Hascall had a farm but had no workers. Moore’s harvester was pulled by 18 horses and grain was shot at the top. Moore’s factory, The Mobile Grain Factory, grew into the caterpillar factor company in 1925 and crop prices have fallen since the 1800s.

Second, I learned about the solar compass. The inventor of the solar compass, William Austin Burt, born in 1792, was interested in nautical and created many inventions such as the typewriter, the photographer, and many more. The solar compass allows surveyors to find north by reference to the sun. It is a very complex invention with moveable parts to determine position. The solar compass led to growth of U.S. industry and steel production.  

Third, I learned about the propeller. The most basic form of boat propulsion is rowing. The inventor of the propeller, Francis Pettit Smith, born in 1808 in England, was a farming apprentice and grew interested in how boats were powered. A propeller is a device consisting of a hub with blades that turn fast by an engine. It helped ships be more steady, lighter, and efficient. The propeller had a major impact on the rise of immigration to America in 1850. Steamships carried immigrants across the sea to America. 

Finally, I learned about the mechanical computer. Egyptians and Greeks used the abacus to do math but the Romans developed a more complex abacus. The inventor of the mechanical computer, Charles Babbage, born in London in 1791, became self taught in math. He built it to eliminate human error. It helped man step forward into the future. A different engine was constructed in 2002.

I learned about four inventions this week and they were the platform scale, railroad T–rail, multi-coil magnet, and the mechanical reaper. First, I learned about the platform scale. Scales have been used since ancient times and they increased in importance in the monetary economy of the middle ages. The inventor of the platform scale, Thaddeus Fairbank, was born in 1796 in Massachusetts, built an iron foundry in 1823 and solved the problem of too large counterweight. Platform scales measure large and heavy objects. Demand for the scale was strong and he began selling the scales overseas.

Second, I learned about the railroad T–rail. The inventor of the T– rail was Robert Stevens, born in New Jersey in 1787. He worked with his father to build steamships and improved their designs. The T-rail is an upside down “T” and the heavier it is, the more load it can carry. Steven’s rail became the American standard. The T-rail was sturdy and easy to install.

Third, I learned about the multi-coil magnet. The inventor of the multi coil magnet wasm Joseph Henry, born in 1797 in New York. Henry became an engineer after college. Non-insulated wire shorted out when touching each other and Henry could squeeze coils close to each other. He built the world’s strongest electromagnet and it made the telegraph possible.

Finally, I learned about the mechanical reaper. Reaping is the first step in harvesting and then comes threshing. The inventor of the mechanical reaper, Cyrus Mccormick, was born in Virginia in 1809, and his father spent years trying to make a mechanical reaper. Mccormick’s reaper was pulled by horses and had a carriage that had a moving knife to cut wheat. His reaper changed farming and his company eventually became an international harvester. 

I learned about four inventions this week and they were the microphone, the typewriter, the Braille reading system, and the sewing machine. First, I learned about the microphone. Theater plays went back all the way to ancient Greece, but there was one problem, it was hard to hear their voices from a distance. The inventor of the microphone was Charles Wheatstone who was born in England in 1802.  He built his own battery for experimentation and learned that sound is caused by vibrating pressure waves. A microphone is a device that converts sound into electricity. It has a diaphragm attached to the coil and sound waves cause the diaphragm to move the coil. A diaphragm is a dome shaped part separating the thorax from the abdomen. Wheatstone’s efforts led to the modern microphone. 

Second, I learned about the typewriter. The inventor of the typewriter was William Austin Burt. He was born in Massachusetts in 1792 and became fascinated with sailing. He developed studies in science to help people and invented astronomical instruments. Typewriters impact neat writing into paper and people can type faster than they can write. Burt’s typewriter wasn’t successful in his lifetime but in 1850 it became very successful.

Third, I learned about the braille reading system. As a child, Louis Braille, born in France in 1809, damaged his eye when playing in his fathers leather shop, causing an infection to spread to the other eye. Braille’s reading system allows blind people to read at standard speeds and improved reading speed. The Braille reading system was inspired by Charles Barbier’s secret military communication system. The Braille reading system contains 6 raised dots in different patterns. Braille published books on his new reading system. Braille helps blind people escape poverty and let blind people read 200 words per minute.

Finally, I learned about the sewing machine. The inventor of the sewing machine was Barthelemy Thimonnier who was born in France in 1793. He opened a factory to produce military uniforms for the military and his factory survived almost 200 years. Sewing machines stitch fabric together mechanically and form a very strong connection. Sewing machines spread throughout France. By 1844, John Fisher improved the model. Clothing manufacturers bought them and clothing making moved from home to factories.  

I learned about four inventions this week. The inventions were Portland cement, electromagnets, the passenger rail, and matches. First, I learned about Portland cement. Cement is an ingredient in concrete and the Romans used a large amount. After Rome concrete fell out of use. The inventor of Portland cement, Joseph Aspdin, was born in England in 1778 and experimented with cement formulas. Portland cement is cement made of limestone, chalk, shells, or clay, which makes it the best cement. It became the most popular cement in London and others began figuring out Joseph’s formula. 

Second, I learned about Electromagnets. The inventor of electromagnets was Hans Christian Oersted. He was born in 1777 and became a professor in 1806. In 1820, he noticed something peculiar in a lecture. He determined magnetic field production by electric current. Magnetic field production is whenever an electrical charge is in motion. Electromagnets are magnets made by winding a wire around an iron core. If we didn’t have electromagnets we wouldn’t have speakers.

Third, I learned about passenger rails. Trains evolved from mining transport systems and mining was boosted by steam engines. The inventor of the passenger rail was George Stephenson who was born in Britain in 1781 and became an expert in steam engines. He built passenger cars that are pulled by locomotives. One purpose of passenger rails is to take passengers where they need to go quickly. Stephenson continued developing the industry and the railway became a successful investment. By 1830, Stephenson built a major railway and he added the new fire tube boiler.

Finally, I learned about matches. The Chinese alchemists came up with the early match. The inventor of the modern match was John Walker. He was born in 1781 and became a pharmacist and understood the weakness of chemical matches. Match head contains chemical igniters which will ignite if combined with phosphorus on a striking pad. Others have improved the match after Walker. The match made making fire quickly and easier for campfires and grilling.