Latimer made the lightbulb more practical and contributed to the invention of the first telephone. Background: Latimer was born in Chelsea, Mass. His parents were slaves who had escaped from Virginia.
His father, George Latimer, was tried for being a runaway in an extremely famous case, but was ultimately allowed to remain in Massachusetts as a free man. Lewis Latimer enlisted in the Navy at age fifteen. When the Civil War ended, he returned to Boston and taught himself mechanical drawing while working at a patent law firm.
Invention: Latimer worked with the famous inventor Hiram Maxim at the U. Electric Lighting Company. While working there in , Latimer patented a carbon filament for the incandescent lightbulb. The invention helped make electric lighting practical and affordable for the average household. Over the course of his career as a draftsman, Latimer worked closely with Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell , in addition to designing his own inventions.
Latimer was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on September 4, Latimer was the youngest of four children born to George and Rebecca Latimer, who had escaped from slavery in Virginia six years before his birth.
He was eventually able to purchase his freedom, with the help of a local minister, and began raising a family with Rebecca in nearby Chelsea. George disappeared shortly after the Dred Scott decision in , possibly fearing a return to slavery and the South. After his father's departure, Latimer worked to help support his mother and family. In , at the age of 16, Latimer lied about his age in order to enlist in the United States Navy during the Civil War.
Returning to Boston after an honorable discharge, he accepted a menial position at the Crosby and Gould patent law office. He taught himself mechanical drawing and drafting by observing the work of draftsmen at the firm. Recognizing Latimer's talent and promise, the firm partners promoted him from office boy to draftsman.
In addition to assisting others, Latimer designed a number of his own inventions, including an improved railroad car bathroom and an early air conditioning unit. Latimer's talents were well-matched to the post-Civil War period, which saw a large number of scientific and engineering breakthroughs. Latimer was directly involved with one of these inventions: the telephone. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance.
Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Mary Bellis. Inventions Expert. Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell.
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