Lately, we do not stop hearing the term sexism on all sides. In television programs, claiming feminism. Also on the news or at work, day in and day out, we face this great setback. A problem that, far from being solved, even if it tries to camouflage it, continues present in our culture. Well, we just had one of the biggest feminist demonstrations, the one on March 8, 2018.; an event that will surely appear in the annals of history in the future. But do we really know what feminism means? History is full of examples of the inequality that women have suffered. Something that becomes visible with the great inventors of History. We always talk about them but, where are the inventors? In you will find some of them some of them, like Margaret Knight (1).
Although it has always been said that the sciences are more for men, we also find ourselves women with science. And even geeks! There are the best known, such as Marie Curie or Hypatia of Alexandria. But there are not many popular women in the History of Science. This has always been the same, thanks to the big machos… (because women, historically, have not had the same opportunities as men: they did not have access to higher education, for example, until two days ago…) and the idea theft. Here he who does not run flies!
I want to break a spear for those first women who fought for their rights and equality of the sexes. As she was this great inventor, with a great and fascinating story, which we talked about today.
A girl eager to learn
Margaret, from her earliest childhood, was already pointing ways. Because, although she may seem incredible, He made his own toys like kites or sleds. Just like the kids these days, who are gawking for hours and hours in front of the PS4!
This inventive girl, since she did not have enough with the creation of her toys, at the age of ten he went to work in the same textile factory as his family (2). And also, a little bit, because food is necessary to survive and, poor thing, she didn’t have a father.
The “Edison” woman and her great ingenuity: the paper bag of Margaret Knight
His first love affair with science came years later. The work accident of a colleague, with one of the factory machines, took her to make her first invention. This little woman (you have to remember that she was only 12 years old), she invented a safety mechanism to stop the loom automatically, in case something gets caught.
Later, he began working at a company where Margaret Knight did paper bags (3). Let’s see, let’s not imagine the typical paper bags (4) that we see in all American movies. Above all, that of the typical bum who hides a bottle, so that he does not get fined. Nothing to see. These wrappers were narrow tubes, not very different from envelopes, and with a V-shaped bottom (with endless stability, of course).
This type of packaging it was not profitable for business. It broke, and you couldn’t put anything inside. Hooray for the inventor! Also, could not be produced quicklybecause they had to be glued one by one, by hand.
Margaret, with her thinking little head, considered mechanize the entire process of making bags: cut, fold and glue. Thus they could acquire greater amplitude, and they could be given a greater use. In addition, a quadrangular shape at the bottom would make it stand upright, being able to hold more load without breaking.
In a short time he made a prototype that could make about a thousand bags, just by turning a crank. In this way, the apparatus performed the work of many people. Woman and on top of that taking jobs… He had to make many enemies!
Arms women take up
Margaret Knight, buoyed by her achievements, bundled up her head and went off to apply for the patent of your machine. And what was his pleasant surprise? The administration sticking it up! They demanded that the prototype be made of iron!
She, neither short nor lazy, went to Boston, to a company, to have that prototype made for her. When she already had it and was going to patent it, alert again!, she found that a machine just like his had already been patented days before by one of the Boston mechanics (5). Margaret Knight and the paper bags hit a bump…
But this great inventor, with many ovaries, went to the patent office. There, she interposed a litigation to the turn list. Of course, it came out a little expensiveeither, because he had to pay the high costs of the lawsuit. One hundred dollars a day, which is no small feat.
Margaret Knight contributed strong evidenceas well as witnesseswhat if… their own knowledge. However, the idea thief claimed that he only helped him with some “improvements” of nothing. Worst of all was when he argued that it was impossible for a woman to make sophisticated technical designs. And, oddly enough, at this time, this was effective. If he happens to be at the demonstration on March 8, that crook won’t get out alive.
In the end, Magaret won the judgment and, after all the hustle and bustle, he was able to get his long-awaited patent (6).
revolutionary inventions
Since he wanted to exploit his invention, he managed to an investor. From him, he received a good little money for the rights to his patent. Smart girl! The new paper bags had a immediate success and were purchased by New York department store.
Margaret Knight, with her invention, got a great Commercial Revolution, that transcended the North American borders (7).
This is all friends… Well no! Margaret’s inventive activity did not only include the manufacture of sachets. Also developed in other technological sectors. Printing, textile sector, kitchen, footwear, machine tools, housing or motors. Why waste time if you can invent something!
In the last years of his life he managed, to take a little more to the contrary, work in highly technologically sophisticated sectors, such as in internal combustion engines and in the automobile industry. Very masculine sectors, on the other hand.
In all, he got more of twenty patents and some ninety inventions. Almost nothing! And today we complain that we don’t have time…
However, throughout history, there have been cases in which women have not been taken into consideration. After so much effort, her discoveries were attributed to her male colleagues. And even her husbands!
There have been many warriors who fought so that, at present, we can enjoy “some” rights that in the not too distant past, were denied to us. So for that and much more from magazine we want to thank you.