William Henry Cling (October 1866 – February 25, 1937) was an American inventor during the late 1800s and early 1900s. He is responsible for the invention and improvement of several apparel-related items as well as the creation of mechanical devices.
William Henry Cling | |
---|---|
Born | October 1866[1] |
Died | February 25, 1937 Charleston, South Carolina | (aged 70)
Nationality | American |
Occupation(s) | Inventor and barber |
Cling was born in Charleston, South Carolina, shortly after the U.S. Civil War to freed slaves Edward Moulton Cling and Elizabeth Ann Richardson. He was a barber by trade, but none of his inventions were related to his craft. In several census, his race was listed as "mulatto."[1]
In 1885, he married Sarah Elizabeth "Lulu" Lee. They had six children—Julia, Ethel, Lela, Edward, Laura and Matilda—before Lulu died of stomach cancer in 1902.[1][2][3]
He never retired but kept working until he died of a stroke in 1937, age 72.[4]
Inventions
edit- Passenger register (1896) – a mechanical device for keeping track of the number of people in attendance at a theater or fair.[5]
- Railway safety device (1905) – a device was invented to prevent head-on, or rear-end collisions of two trains moving on the same track, by providing the setting of the emergency brake.[6]
- Improvement in coat-stays (1906) [7]
- Improvement to the shoelace (1906) – Cling designed a shoelace containing wires which could be tied together with a twist.[8]
- Beds (1907/1906) – beds which fold into an upright position for people who are confined to a bed due to illness or a physical injury.[9][10]
References
edit- ^ a b c 1880 United States Census; 1900 United States Census; 1920 United States Census
- ^ South Carolina, Death Records, 1821-1965 for Sarah Cling
- ^ South Carolina, Delayed Birth Records, 1766-1900 and City of Charleston, South Carolina, Birth Records, 1877-1901
- ^ South Carolina, Death Records, 1821-1965 for William H Cling
- ^ US 569543, Cling, William, "Passenger-Register", issued 1896-10-13
- ^ GB 190510951, Cling, William, "Improvements in Train-operated Mechanism for Preventing Collisions on Railways", issued 1905-11-30
- ^ US 831931, Cling, William, "Coat Lapel and Collar Regulator", issued 1906-09-25
- ^ US 813949, Cling, William, "Shoe lace", issued 1906-02-27
- ^ US 861092, Cling, William, "Bed", issued 1907-07-23
- ^ US 926854, Cling, William, "Bed", issued 1909-07-06