Some inventions are thought up, others are accidentally discovered. Find out how these commonly known products came into existence and the great stories behind their discovery!
Business Pundit shares…
5. Frank Epperson – Popsicle
Eleven-year-old Frank Epperson became part of American folk lore when on a cold winter’s night in 1905 he left a mixture of soda powder and water on his porch with a stirring stick inside the glass. He had unknowingly created the ice lollipop. But it was not until 18 years later, in 1923, while running a lemonade stand that he began to produce his frozen treats under the name ‘Eppsicles.’ Later the name was changed and by 1924 he had patented the ice lollipop and founded the Popsicle Corporation. The following year, he set up royalty arrangements with the Joe Lowe Corporation and sold his patent. By 1928 Epperson had received royalties on more than 60 million Popsicle sales. The year of his death in 1983, Unilever paid $155 million to Empire of Carolina Inc. for the Popsicle brand.
4. Harry Coover – Super Glue
At the height of WW2, American chemist Harry Coover and his research team at Eastman Kodak set out to make clear plastic gun sights using the highly adhesive chemical cyanoacrylate. They failed and instead were stuck with Super Glue. The idea took hold and by 1958 superglue was sold as a commercial product, while under Dr Coover’s direction the R&D team at Kodak helped introduce 320 new products, resulting in a $1.8 billion to $2.5 billion sales growth. However, the company was never able to fully capitalize on his discovery after it sold the business to National Starch in 1980. Dr Coover also developed the glue for medical use and during the Vietnam War it was used as an aersol treatment for wounded soldiers. Today it has applications in surgery and to stop bleeding ulcers. Dr Coover was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by Barack Obama in 2010 and by the time of his death last month, he held 460 patents.
3. Robert Chesebrough – Vaseline
Twenty-two year old Brooklyn chemist Robert Chesebrough was in Pennsylvania in 1859 and looking to establish himself in the oil industry. He was down an oil well when he discovered a gooey substance known by workers as ‘rod wax.’ Chesebrough noticed how the workers would use the goo to heal cuts and burns. The entrepreneurial-minded chemist took a sample home for experimentation. Soon he managed to extract a usable petroleum jelly and in 1872 he patented the process before setting up business. By the late 1880s Chesebrough was selling Vaseline to Americans at the rate of one jar per minute. International operations began as early as the 1870s when his company opened an office in London with subsidiaries in Spain and France. By 1911, it began opening plants and factories in Europe, Canada, and Africa. Chesebrough died in 1933, but his company continued to reap the rewards of his discovery for decades. Shortly before Chesebrough-Ponds was sold to Unilever in 1987, it was generating over $75m dollars in profits.
2. Arthur Fry – Post-it note
American scientist Arthur Fry was given a gift from God on a Sunday in 1973 when he came up with the idea for the post-it note while singing in his church choir. The 3M researcher had earlier attended a seminar by retired company scientist Spencer Silver. Silver had discovered a unique adhesive but had yet to find a commercially viable application. Fry’s eureka moment came when the scrap paper he had used to bookmark his hymnbook continuously fell out causing him to lose his page. He thought of Silver’s adhesive. “If I could coat it on paper,” he said, “that would be just the ticket for a better bookmark.” He began experimenting and with his new product sent messages to his boss. It was then he discovered that its best application was as a note. It took another seven years before the product was launched nationally after reservations from management, but today more than 400 post-it products are sold throughout 100 countries worldwide, with some 6 billion post-it notes sold every year. Fry earned a promotion for his part and is now enjoying a comfortable retirement.
1. Percy Spencer – Microwave Oven
American engineer Percy Spencer was experimenting with a device used to detect enemy planes during WW2 when the microwaves transmitted from the radar melted a candy bar in his pocket. He began testing with popcorn and eggs and invited a colleague to witness his findings. The colleague saw how the egg would shake as it heated. As he marveled at this spectacle, the egg splattered over his face. Spencer began a secret project codenamed “The Speedy Weenie,” meaning quick hot dog. By the late 1940s, Raytheon secured a patent for the use of microwaves to cook food. For the first decade microwaves were large and expensive, but by 1975, 14% of American households were cooking by microwave. Spencer, who held 150 patents during his lifetime, became Senior Vice President and a senior member of the Board of Directors at Raytheon. His legacy helped the microwave manufacturer turn over $25bn last year.
No comments:
Post a Comment