Invention of the safety pin Safety pin

hunt s 1849 patent on safety pin, u.s. patent #6,281



silver safety pins

american mechanic walter hunt regarded inventor of safety pin bears resemblance used today. safety pin included clasp covered point , kept opening, , circular twist @ bend act spring , hold in place. charles rowley (birmingham, england) independently patented similar safety pin in october 1849, although company no longer makes these.

hunt made invention in order pay off $15 debt friend. used piece of brass wire 8 inches long , made coil in center of wire open when released. clasp @ 1 end devised in order shield sharp edge user.

after being issued u.s. patent #6,281 on april 10, 1849, hunt sold patent w. r. grace , company $400 (roughly $10,000 in 2008 dollars). using money, hunt paid $15 owed friend , kept remaining amount of $385 himself. hunt failed realize in years follow, w.r. grace , company make millions of dollars in profits invention.