...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 |
| 7325265 | Advanced articulation system and mattress support for a bed A bed including an articulation system is provided. The bed includes a frame and an actuator coupled to the frame. The bed further includes an arcuate member and a plurality of deck sections. The arcuate member is coupled to the actuator and one of the plurality of ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 5015031 | Reclining chair A reclining chair comprises a seat having a front end, a backrest turnably connected with the seat, a foot part connected with the front end of the seat turnable between a non-use position in which it is located under the seat and a use position in which ... | 05/14/1991 |