...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7066920 | Urine absorbent pouch for male incontinence A urine absorbent pouch for male incontinence which completely surrounds the patient's penis, thereby minimizing the patient's exposure to wetness, is provided. The pouch is constructed from a piece of material which has a hole portion and a continuous portion, the ... | 06/27/2006 |
| 6747431 | Calibration technique for electric motor A method for calibrating electric motors using current-sensing only is disclosed. The method involves applying a voltage in pulse-width modulated fashion for a short time to insure motion of the motor. Following startup, varying voltages are pulsed to the motor, swi... | 06/08/2004 |