[IP encyclopedia] Zipper the best invention made by a fat American man

Zipper [Photo provided : imagetoday]

Patent Application : Clasp locker (US504038A)

Year : 1984

Country : U.S.A

Region : Chicago Illinois

Name : Whitcomb L. Judson





There is something that is on clothing shoes bags and everywhere. Its called Zipper. Perhaps the zipper is regarded as one of the most influential inventions in modern life. Such a outstanding invention is usually made surprisingly by ordinary people but we will introduce the patent story of the intellectual property Zipper invented by Fat Man in todays IP Encyclopedia.

In the latter half of the 19th century the U.S. was generally called the American Frontier. There are various fashion items that symbolize men of this period of course leather boots are definitely the most representative. As can be seen in the American western movies there were many men wearing leather boots in the wilderness area filled with dust. In Korean they are known as military boots and sometimes they are called Workers by mistake.

At that time men wore leather boots in Chicago Illinois but Whitcomd L. Judson a Chicago artisan had suffered a headache every morning because of leather boots. The reason was that he had to hold his breath and tighten his leather boots in a blink of an eye because his belly was bigger than others. Those who joined the army with gaining weight conditions will understand this situation.

Having struggled to wear just a shoes every day he had to solve this problem as he was often late. He was looking for a more convenient way to wear shoes rather than loosing weight and got an idea from a birds feather that fell on the floor while having a hard time on his way to work.

Instead of shoelaces they decided to attach a long hook binding device. He made two long rows of devices with hooks and ring holes in a row like a feather in a row of birds feather poles. After combining the ring and the hook from one side the whole ring and the hook were connected by raising a handle. Judson called it Claps Locker.

Judson quit the company to concentrate on his research and exhibited the Claps Locker on the Chicago Exposition in 1893. The first zipper that was enthusiastically prepared fell flat. Zippers in their early days were dangerous since it looked like nails iron couplers rusted as soon as they touched water and was difficult to stick to clothes like buttons.

Nevertheless Judson forcedly built a company and forced salesmen to sell zippers. Because of the inconvenience and difficulty of using the product itself salesmen had to explain to customers how to lock and unlock them one by one. Then sales plummeted and Judson faced a major crisis.

Meanwhile a technician called Gideon Sunback who immigrated from Sweden joined the company as an employee and proposed a new style of zipper. Instead of iron they changed the material to copper alloys and replacing it to metal connecting wheels without rings.

Since 1905 as rust-resistant zippers have been produced the Judson company escaped from the crisis. Gideon-Sundback who became sun-in-low in the future has continued to develop and release new zippers. In 1917 a modern copper alloy zipper was born. This zipper was used for purse and wallets.

Going through World War I Judson began delivering zippers to U.S. military supplies. It was a major revolution among soldiers and became trigger of the Judson zipper to be known all over the country and as of 1923 the rubber boots released by Goodrich company famous for selling rubber boots became sensational by adding Judsons zipper.

Until that time the zippers real name was Claps Locker however was transformed and given the name Zipper by noticing the Z-IP! sound that happens when opening and closing the zipper. Judsons stock price also rose as a result of mass production of various products with zippers on it besides Goodrich companys rubber boots and rubber gloves.

In particular in mens clothing originated a significant revolution which was that zippers were attached in the mens pants urinating spot and relieved worries of many male. here used to be a button on this spot but it could not be taken off quickly in urgent situations causing an unexpected accident in the pants.

Nowadays from suitcases to pouches to accessories made up with zippers and to the English word Zip used in situation of putting in something and lock it there are not many areas where zippers cannot be influenced. Zipper invented by an fat American man is a great invention that can be started near us. I hope that zippers will continuously to be a knot that provides practicality and convenience to mankind.

Leather boots [Photo provided : Wikipedia]

Judsons patent ‘Claps Locker’ [Photo provided : Google patents]

Early Judsons Zipper [Photo provided : Wikipedia]

Zipper on pants of men [Photo provided: imagetoday]

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