Thomas Alva Edison
Who was Thomas Alva Edison?
Inventor, scientist and businessman, Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Ohio, USA, in a medium class family. His father, Samuel Edison, a Canadian with Dutch origin, was joiner, carpenter and realtor. His mother, Nancy Eliot Edison, was a teacher. He was the youngest of seven brothers.
Edison in 1851
During all his live, Thomas Edison registered 2332 patents of a number of creations and improvements. The Wizard of Menlo Park, as he was known, was one of the first inventors to apply the massive production principles (great quantities of products) to the invention process. Furthermore, he developed many important devices of great industrial interest.
Inventions
His first registered invention was a voting machine, for which there was no interest whatsoever, when he was 21 year old. In 1869, Thomas moved to New York (USA), to be an independent inventor. Two years later, he invented an automatic indicator of Stock Exchange. He sold it for 40 000 dollars and also signed a contract with Western Union. With this he had financial independence to live on his own in Newark, a district of New York.
With this he had financial independence to live on his own in Newark, a district of New York. With the invention of the indicator, Thomas invested to create and improve other inventions with no commercial application. He then created a device that simplified the Morse code transmissions; an electric device that simplified the duplication in mimeographs and the carbon microphone, which enabled the telephonic transmissions.
After becoming rich, he moves to Menlo Park, New Jersey and begins to diversity his researches approaching the most different technologies. In this phase of his live, Thomas Edison devotes to investigate the telephony study, this improving the phonograph. During that same time, Thomas creates the first incandescent bulb with a carbon filament (thus improving the studies of other researchers). Working with a great team of professionals, he builds the first high power dynamo (a device that generates continuous current). In his life, he patented other inventions, such as the high vacuum generator for the production of bulbs, the electricity counter and the current regulator for electric welding machines.
The importance of his inventions
Known as the ‘father” of the incandescent bulb, Thomas Edison was the creator and improver of other essential inventions for the human life.
The phonograph was one of his main inventions. Another one was the kinetograph, which was the first movie camera in the world. The equipment showed the films that he created. Edison also improved the telephone, invented by Antonio Meucci, and transformed it into a device that was much better and more efficient. He also improved the typewriter. Besides the above mentioned great contributions, Edison also worked in a number of projects, such as vacuum packaged food, an x ray device and a cheaper constructions system by using concrete. For his contributions, Edison is considered as one of the precursors of the 20th century technology revolution. In 1969 he was included in the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Edison Electric Light Company
In 1888, Thomas founded Edison Electric Light Company. In October 1889, the company became an economic power and dominated the electricity in USA.
The company was one of the largest industrial conglomerates in the planet. It manufactured all types of electric devices, such as generators, engines and huge solenoid valves. With this, the company became one of the largest multinational manufacturers.
During the World War I, General Electric enters the naval metallurgy industry, producing machines and new pieces of equipment for the ships that were built in several American shipyards. He also enters the chemical industry, improving the methods of new products and substances.
All the inventions made by the employees of Edison General Electric were registered in his name. Most of those are not completely original inventions, but the patents bought by Edison were improved and developed by his numerous employees. He was very criticized because he did not share the credit with them.
Main inventions
Thomas Edison played an important role in the movie industry and in the life of mankind. These are the devices that he invented and introduced in the market:
-Kinetograph: a filming machine
-Kinetoscope: a box with filmed images that were seen in its interior;
-Kinetophone: a kinetoscope version with a synchronous sound that was generated by a phonograph;
-Vitascope: a device that projected film images on a screen.
-Votes automatic counter: electro-mechanic equipment that telegraphically transmitted the quotations of the Stock Exchange;
Incandescent bulb: an electric device that transforms the electric energy into luminous energy and thermal energy;
The scientist who revolutionized the life of mankind used to say: “I have never done anything that was worth to do just by chance. None of my inventions arose by accident. They are the results of my work”. Thus, Edison worked hard so that his ideas could improve and contribute to the peoples’ lives. For his efforts, he was acknowledged and will be remembered by all future generations.
