brief history of the light bulb
Many people believe Thomas Edison invented the light bulb this is not true. A man by the name of Humphry Davy built the first light bulb in 1809. Humphry Davy was an English scientist who was fascinated with electricity. In 1815 he built the first electric lamp which revolutionized the way miners worked in those times. Thesed revolutionary lamps saved many lives, other lampsneeded gas and a spark of some sort to light which sometimes caused explosions and loss of lives.
Thomas edison
Edison is the fourth most prolific inventor in history, holding 1,093 US patents in his name, as well as many patents
in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He is credited with numerous
inventions that contributed to mass communication and, in particular,
telecommunications. These included a stock
ticker, a mechanical vote recorder, a battery for an electric
car, electrical power, recorded music and motion pictures.
Without Edison the lightbulb may never be the way it is today he was the first to commercialize the light bulb, make it seen and used by the public.
I guess you could say he REVOLUTIONIZED the light bulb.
in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He is credited with numerous
inventions that contributed to mass communication and, in particular,
telecommunications. These included a stock
ticker, a mechanical vote recorder, a battery for an electric
car, electrical power, recorded music and motion pictures.
Without Edison the lightbulb may never be the way it is today he was the first to commercialize the light bulb, make it seen and used by the public.
I guess you could say he REVOLUTIONIZED the light bulb.
What edison did for the light bulb
Building on the contributions of other developers over the previous three
quarters of a century, Edison made improvements to the idea of incandescent light, and entered the public
consciousness as "the inventor" of the lightbulb, and a prime mover in developing the
necessary infrastructure for electric power.
After many experiments with platinum and other metal filaments, Edison
returned to a carbon filament. The first successful test was on
October 22, 1879; it
lasted 13.5 hours.
Edison continued to improve this design and by November 4, 1879, filed for U.S.
patent 223,898 (granted on January 27, 1880) for an electric lamp using "a
carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to platina contact wires".
Although the patent described several ways of creating the carbon filament
including "cotton and linen thread, wood splints, papers coiled in various
ways", it
was not until several months after the patent was granted that Edison and his
team discovered a carbonized bamboo filament that could last over 1,200 hours.
The idea of using this particular raw material originated from Edison's
recalling his examination of a few threads from a bamboo fishing pole while
relaxing on the shore of Battle Lake in the present-day state of Wyoming, where he and other members of a
scientific team had traveled so that they could clearly observe a total eclipse
of the sun on July 29, 1878, from the Continental Divide.
quarters of a century, Edison made improvements to the idea of incandescent light, and entered the public
consciousness as "the inventor" of the lightbulb, and a prime mover in developing the
necessary infrastructure for electric power.
After many experiments with platinum and other metal filaments, Edison
returned to a carbon filament. The first successful test was on
October 22, 1879; it
lasted 13.5 hours.
Edison continued to improve this design and by November 4, 1879, filed for U.S.
patent 223,898 (granted on January 27, 1880) for an electric lamp using "a
carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to platina contact wires".
Although the patent described several ways of creating the carbon filament
including "cotton and linen thread, wood splints, papers coiled in various
ways", it
was not until several months after the patent was granted that Edison and his
team discovered a carbonized bamboo filament that could last over 1,200 hours.
The idea of using this particular raw material originated from Edison's
recalling his examination of a few threads from a bamboo fishing pole while
relaxing on the shore of Battle Lake in the present-day state of Wyoming, where he and other members of a
scientific team had traveled so that they could clearly observe a total eclipse
of the sun on July 29, 1878, from the Continental Divide.
Edison electric
In 1878, Edison formed the Edison Electric Light Company in New York City
with several financiers, including J. P. Morgan and the members of the Vanderbilt family. Edison made the first public
demonstration of his incandescent light bulb on December 31, 1879, in Menlo
Park. It was during this time that he said: "We will make electricity so cheap
that only the rich will burn candles."
Lewis Latimer joined the Edison Electric Light
Company in 1884. Latimer had received a patent in January 1881 for the "Process
of Manufacturing Carbons", an improved method for the production of carbon
filaments for lightbulbs. Latimer worked as an engineer, a draftsman and an
expert witness in patent litigation on electric lights.
with several financiers, including J. P. Morgan and the members of the Vanderbilt family. Edison made the first public
demonstration of his incandescent light bulb on December 31, 1879, in Menlo
Park. It was during this time that he said: "We will make electricity so cheap
that only the rich will burn candles."
Lewis Latimer joined the Edison Electric Light
Company in 1884. Latimer had received a patent in January 1881 for the "Process
of Manufacturing Carbons", an improved method for the production of carbon
filaments for lightbulbs. Latimer worked as an engineer, a draftsman and an
expert witness in patent litigation on electric lights.
How the light bulb impacted humanity
Approximately 90% of the power consumed by an incandescent light bulb is
emitted as heat, rather than as visible light.
The invention of
the incandescent light bulb is often seen as a major historical milestone. This
landmark product, first appearing in the 1800's,
helped revolution human society and spur further advancements. The societal
impact of the light bulb is multi-tiered, but it can most succinctly be
expressed in terms of work, leisure, and
safety.
work hours possible. While a longer work week often meant abuse of the working
class, increased nighttime productivity
helped spur industrial advancements.
WORKPLACE SAFETY
Increased luminescence in the workplace helped make it easier for laborers to
see potential workplace hazards. While safety standards were admittedly poor in
the late 1800s, the light bulb did help make moderate
improvements.
HOME SAFETY
Candles and oil-based lamps
were dangerous fire hazards, leading to many yearly deaths. The light bulb made
for a safer nighttime home environment
DRIVING SAFETY
Lights also make it safer and possible to drive in the dar and during harsh weather conditions which has saved many lives over the hundreds of years.
emitted as heat, rather than as visible light.
The invention of
the incandescent light bulb is often seen as a major historical milestone. This
landmark product, first appearing in the 1800's,
helped revolution human society and spur further advancements. The societal
impact of the light bulb is multi-tiered, but it can most succinctly be
expressed in terms of work, leisure, and
safety.
WORKING HOURS
work hours possible. While a longer work week often meant abuse of the working
class, increased nighttime productivity
helped spur industrial advancements.
WORKPLACE SAFETY
Increased luminescence in the workplace helped make it easier for laborers to
see potential workplace hazards. While safety standards were admittedly poor in
the late 1800s, the light bulb did help make moderate
improvements.
HOME SAFETY
Candles and oil-based lamps
were dangerous fire hazards, leading to many yearly deaths. The light bulb made
for a safer nighttime home environment
DRIVING SAFETY
Lights also make it safer and possible to drive in the dar and during harsh weather conditions which has saved many lives over the hundreds of years.