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»Issue 2, Volume 07 www.scarbrough-intl.com » February 2007 |
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COVER STORY The Real McCoy February is a month for many of us to reflect upon the contributions of ground breaking humanitarians such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Dubois and Sojourner Truth. But in the shade of these great oaks of Black History are the stories of some who made their mark on our daily operations in the realm of transportation. While writers like Washington and Dubois debated on leveling the social, political and economic playing fields, unknowns like inventor Elijah McCoy were traveling the broken road of their dreams with little commotion. One of the most prolific inventors in American history, McCoy patented more than 60 inventions, including his most famous lubricating cup that automatically fed oil to machine bearings. This eventually became standard equipment on most locomotives and heavy machinery. McCoy’s parents were former slaves who escaped Kentucky slavery on the Underground Railroad to Ontario, Canada where he was born in 1843. His father enlisted in the British Forces and was awarded 160 acres of land for his good service. When Elijah was three they returned to the US with his eleven brothers and sisters and settled in Detroit, Michigan.
When Elijah showed an interest at a young age in the workings of mechanical devices, his parents sent him to Scotland to study and strengthen his special talent. By the age of fifteen he had the title “Master Mechanic and Engineer” so he decided to move back to Michigan to pursue a career. However, because of the social climate of the 1860’s, professional jobs were not available for African Americans and he had to settle for a job as a fireman/oilman for the Michigan Central Railroad. His job was to fuel the steam system and walk the length of the train, oiling its axles, bearings and other moving parts regularly. McCoy quickly realized that his job would be done more efficiently and because of his training, he was able to identify and solve the problems of engine lubrication and overheating. At that time, trains needed to periodically stop and be lubricated, to prevent overheating. He got his first patent for a lubricator for steam engines that did not require the train to stop. His lubricator used steam pressure to pump oil wherever it was needed. Imagine the impact during that time. This allowed the trains to run faster and more profitable. Debate surrounds this issue putting elements of doubt to parts of the story as it is told. Differing resources can justify and deflate stories such as those of McCoy. In-fact, there are several references to inventors of a Lubricating system that McCoy is credited for. History shows that an automatic oil lubricator for steam engines was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1860 by John Ramsbottom. However, without doubt, credit for many advances upon the lubricator can be undeniably claimed by McCoy McCoy continued to improve upon his design and invented several more improvements. There were so many imitations of his invention to where knowledgeable engineers began asking for it by name because his design was the best on the market. Booker T. Washington in his 1909 book, Story of the Negro, recognized him as having produced more patents than any other black inventor up to that time. His prolific output of nearly 60 inventions, including the folding ironing board and lawn sprinkler, ultimately propelled McCoy to a heroic status in the African American community which has persisted to this day. Railroad and shipping lines began using McCoy’s new lubricators and the Michigan Central Railroad promoted him to an instructor in the use of his new inventions. Later, Elijah McCoy became a consultant to the railroad industry on patent matters. In some biographical sketches he is credited with revolutionizing the railroad and machine industries with his superior devices. Frequently, if people want to make sure to get “the real thing”, a quality product or service, they ask for “the real McCoy”. It’s not certain where the phrase originated, but many believe it started with Elijah McCoy, one of the greatest unknowns in Black History. -- Shane Gross, Senior Import Customer Service Representative Documented Patents
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