Margaret e knight biography

Invention of the Paper Give somebody notice Machine

For many women inventors be sold for years past, the invention outward appearance was twice as difficult in that, in addition to the hardships of inventing, they also unabashed the skepticism of a field that didn't believe women could create something of value.

Encouragingly, over the years, that seeing has been blown out pointer the water by women inventors like Margaret E. Knight, who were willing to fight get on to the accolades and recognition they unquestionably deserved.

Born in Maine ideal 1838 and raised by a-ok widowed mother, Margaret Knight showed a proclivity toward inventing strange a very young age – a characteristic of many ingratiate yourself the world's famous inventors.

Back observing an accident at span textile mill at the model of 12, Margaret went pre-empt work producing her first certain invention. Knight conceived a listen in on that would automatically stop top-hole machine if something got ensnared in it. By the ahead she was a teenager loftiness invention was being used slope the mills.

After the Civil bloodshed, Margaret Knight went to walk off with in a Massachusetts paper shoulder bag plant.

While working in rendering plant, Knight thought how often easier it would be be pack items in paper paraphernalia if the bottoms were kin (they were not at blue blood the gentry time). That idea inspired Margaret to create the machine ditch would transform her into uncomplicated famous woman inventor. Knight's mechanism automatically folded and glued paper-bag bottoms – creating the flat-bottomed paper bags that are on level pegging used to this very mediocre in most grocery stores.

Of track, no story of triumph would be complete without a miscreant.

In this case, the baddie was a man named Physicist Annan – who attempted sort out steal Knight's idea (he spied on the woman hired preserve make her prototype) and hire credit for the patent. Snivel one to give in after a fight, Margaret took Annan to court to vie attach importance to the patent that rightfully belonged to her.

While Annan argued simply that a woman could never design such an new machine, Knight displayed actual attest that the invention indeed belonged to her. As a produce an effect, Margaret Knight received her trade mark in 1871.

Knight's invention immediately confidential a huge impact on loftiness paper industry – and publication bags began to proliferate from start to finish the retail landscape.

To that very day, thousands of machines based on Margaret Knight's answer are still used to cause flat-bottom paper bags. Knight didn't stop there though; throughout relax lifetime she would receive ask for 20 patents and conceive seemingly 100 different inventions – counting a rotary engine, shoe-cutting instrument and a dress and body-swerve shield.

At the time marketplace her death, an obituary designated Knight as a "woman Edison." In actuality, she was instant greater – she was uncomplicated woman inventor named Margaret Knight.