Zip It: Why did early inventors obsess over our buttons? In 1851, Elias Howe, famed for the sewing machine, patented the "Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure." However, he didn't market it, focusing instead on his sewing machine.
Wikipedia
Later, in 1893, Whitcomb L. Judson introduced the "clasp locker," a hook-and-eye shoe fastener showcased at the Chicago World's Fair. Despite its ingenuity, it failed to catch on.blog.library.si.edu
The breakthrough came in 1913 when Gideon Sundback, a Swedish-American engineer, developed the "Hookless No. 2," the modern zipper's prototype. Initially used in boots and tobacco pouches, the term "zipper" was coined in 1923 by the B.F. Goodrich Company for their rubber galoshes.Department of Mechanical Engineering
From overlooked patents to everyday essential, the zipper's journey is a testament to innovation and persistence.
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