African American History

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James J Mabary - Cutter for trimming soles of boots or shoes

Illustrations from the original patents, Inventor Portaits, Product Photos

Included in this photo gallery are the drawings and text from original patents. These are copies of the originals submitted by the inventor to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

A brief biography of the inventor can be found below the photo.

James Mabray was an African American born a slave around 1835 in Petersburg, VA. James Mabray was emancipated sometime prior to 1858 and became active in local abolitionist activities in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts.

He was a boot maker and burnisher by trade. In 1886, James Mabray applied for two patents, both for cutters for the trimming of soles of boots and shoes. The patents were granted in 1894 and 1895. The date and place of his death are unknown.

He is listed in the 1880 Census for Worcester, MA as a single mulatto male and in the Worcester City Directories of the time as a boot maker, machine operator and burnisher.

Special thanks to Nippi Namos for the above information.

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Patrick Marshall

Patrick Marshall was issued U.S. Patent #5,947,121 on September 7 1999 for his tracheotomy tube water blocking system. A brief biography follows the image.

Patrick Marshall is a husband and father of five, a former US Marine, college graduate (cum launde), and devoted Christian. Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, Patrick now resides in Cocoa, Florida. Besides being the inventor of over twenty inventions, Patrick works as a Emotional Behavior teacher at Golfview Elementary in Rockledge, Florida. Patrick Marshall's invention the "Star Trach" Water Trachea Prevention Kit provides a new and improved water blocking system for tracheotomy patients. It allows patients the ability to shower and bathe without getting soap, shampoo and water into the trachea tube. The Star Trach prevents debri from entering the stoma - a small hole in your throat left after a trach operation.

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Onassis Matthews

torque control system Model following torque control. USPTO

GM engineer, Onassis Matthews invented a torque control system and patented it on July 13, 2004.

Patent Abstract: A torque control system for a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, an electronic throttle coupled to the internal combustion engine, a powertrain controller controlling the electronic throttle, a first control loop operating in the powertrain controller including a feed forward function to control engine torque, a second control loop operating in the powertrain controller including a proportional function acting upon the torque variance in the internal combustion engine, a third control loop operating in the powertrain controller including an integral function acting upon the rpm variance in the internal combustion engine, and where the outputs of the first, second and third control loop are used to factor a desired mass airflow for the engine and the desired mass air flow is used to generate a position command for the electronic throttle.

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Jan Ernst Matzeliger - Automatic method for lasting shoes

Jan Ernst Matzeliger machines were for the mass production of shoes. See Jan Matzeliger biography below photo.

Jan Ernst Matzeliger invented an automatic method for lasting shoes and received patent 274,207 on 3/20/1883. Jan Ernst Matzeliger machines were for the mass production of shoes.

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Jan Matzeliger - Nailing machine

See link to Jan Matzeliger biography below photo.

Jan Matzeliger invented a nailing machine and received patent 421,954 on 2/25/1890. Jan Matzeliger machines were for the mass production of shoes.

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Jan Matzeliger

See link to Jan Matzeliger biography below photo.

Jan Matzeliger invented a tack separating and distributing mechanism and received patent 423,937 on 3/25/1890. Jan Matzeliger machines were for the mass production of shoes.

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Jan Matzeliger

See link to Jan Matzeliger biography below photo.

Jan Matzeliger invented a lasting machine and received patent 459,899 on 9/22/1891. Jan Matzeliger machines were for the mass production of shoes.

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Jan Matzeliger

See link to Jan Matzeliger biography below photo.

Jan Matzeliger invented a mechanism for distributing tacks, nails, etc. and received patent 415,726 on 11/26/1899. Jan Matzeliger machines were for the mass production of shoes.

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Andre McCarter

See more from Andre McCarter below photo.

From Andre McCarter

Patent Abstract

A training glove which degrades the athlete's sense of touch in certain areas of his hand ("no touch areas"), to thereby encourage and train the athlete to control the ball with his finger tips. The glove includes padding on the palm, the thumb and fingers, except for the thumb tip and finger tips. The padding insulates the athlete's sense of touch in the no touch areas. Because the glove is light weight and preserves the full flexibility of the hand, the glove may be worn in competition. Thus, the glove is useful both as a training device and a performance enhancement device in competition.

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Elijah McCoy

See link to Elijah McCoy biography below photo.

Elijah McCoy invented an improved oil cup and received patent 614,307 on 11/15/1898.

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Daniel McCree

Daniel McCree invented a portable fire escape and received patent 440,322 on 11/11/1890.

Chicago inventor, Daniel McCree invented a portable fire escape that was designed for the interior of buildings. McCree's fire escape could roll and had a carriage that could be raised and lowered. It was intended to be part of a building's own fire prevention equipment and stored on location.

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Alexander Miles

See Alexander Miles biography below photo.

Alexander Miles invented an improved elevator and received patent 371,207 on 10/11/1887.

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Ruth J Miro

Ruth J Miro biography below image.

Ruth J Miro invented an improved paper ring and received patent 6,113,298 on 9/5/2000.

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Jerome Moore

Jerome Moore and his wife Gwendolyn Moore have invented many products related to the medical field used worldwide by doctors, nurses, and paramedics, including a novel stethoscope called the Time-O-Scope. A few of the companies that carry his patented inventions are: Mabis Healthcare, Nurse Station, MDF, PQP Brand Products, All Hearts and JC Penney.

About the Inventor

From Inventor Jerome Moore

products. We have licensed some of our products but we also are marketing a few of our products through our company.

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Garrett A Morgan

See Garrett Morgan biography below photo.

Garrett A Morgan invented an improvement to gas masks and received patent 1,113,675 on 10/13/1914.

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Garrett A Morgan

See Garrett Morgan biography below photo.

Garrett A Morgan invented a improved automatic traffic signal and received patent 1,475,024 on 11/20/1923.

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George Murray

George Murray invented an improved cotton chopper and received patent #520,888 on 6/5/1894. See more about George Murray biography below photo

Black inventor, George Washington Murray was also a teacher and politician. George Murray was born a slave in South Carolina in 1853. He was one of the first African Americans to serve in Congress. In 1892 George Murray was elected as United States Congressman, representing the state of South Carolina. As a farmer in South Carolina, Murray invented serveral farming tools and machines. He died in Chicago in 1926.

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