Emily Davenport
Emily Goss Davenport | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Emily Goss April 29, 1810 |
| Died | October 5, 1862 (aged 52) Brandon, Vermont |
| Citizenship | American |
| Known for | inventing the electric motor |
| Spouse | Thomas Davenport |
Emily Goss Davenport (April 29, 1810[1] in Brandon, Vermont – October 5, 1862 in Brandon, Vermont[2]) was an American inventor from Vermont, United States. Emily, with her husband Thomas Davenport, invented an electric motor[3] and electric locomotive circa 1834.
Throughout the process of invention, Emily kept detailed notes and actively contributed to the process.[3] Needing to insulate the motor's iron core, Davenport cut her wedding dress into strips of silk to insulate the wire windings.[4] She is also credited with the idea of using mercury as a conductor, enabling the motor to function for the first time.[4]
References
- ^ "Vermont Births and Christenings, 1765-1908". FamilySearch. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954". FamilySearch. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ a b Lin, Patricia. "Women Inventors: Davenport". Archived from the original on April 27, 2009.
- ^ a b Vare, Ethlie Ann; Ptacek, Greg (2002). Patently Female: From AZT to TV Dinners, Stories of Women Inventors and Their Breakthrough Ideas. New York: John Wiley & Sons, inc. p. 28. ISBN 0-471-02334-5.
Further reading
- Wicks, Frank (July 1999). "The Blacksmith's Motor". Mechanical Engineering. American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Archived from the original on 2007-02-05.
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