SMALL EVERYDAY INVENTIONS

THE ZIPPER

Whitcomb L. Judson was an American inventor from Chicago

who was the first to invent, conceive of the idea, and to

construct a workable zipper. The method, still in use today, is based

on interlocking teeth. Initially it was called the “hookless fastener”

and was later redesigned to become more reliable.

SAFETY MATCHES

 The safety match was invented in 1844 in Sweden, by 

Gustaf Eric Pasch, improved on by Johan Edvard Lundström, and

prevented unintentional combustion by separating the reactive

ingredients between the match head and the striking surface.

BAND-AID

The Band-Aid was invented in 1920 by Earle Dickson, an

employee of Johnson & Johnson, for his wife Josephine Dickson,

who frequently cut and burned herself while cooking. The prototype

product allowed his wife to dress her wounds without assistance.

GAUZE

VELCRO

Velcro is a fabric hook and loop fastener, invented in

1948 by the Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral.

VASELINE

The first known reference to the name Vaseline was by the inventor

of petroleum jelly, Robert Chesebrough in his U.S. patent for the process

of making petroleum jelly in 1872

COTTON BUDS

The cotton swab or bud was invented in the 1920s by Leo Gerstenzang

 after he attached wads of cotton to toothpicks. His product,

which he named "Baby Gays", went on to become the most widely

sold brand name, "Q-tips", with the Q standing for "quality".

 Doctors have said for years that usage of the

cotton swab or bud for ear cleaning or scratching is not safe.

THE SAFETY PIN

The safety pin was invented while Walter Hunt was twisting a

piece of wire, trying to think of something that would help him pay

off a fifteen dollar debt. He later sold his patent rights to the safety pin for

four hundred dollars to the man that he owed the money to.

BALL BEARINGS

The first modern recorded patent on ball bearings was awarded to 

Philip Vaughan, a British inventor and ironmaster who created the first

design for a ball bearing in Carmarthen in 1794. His was the first modern

ball-bearing design, with the ball running along a groove in the axle assembly.