Moment in time: July 23, 1872- Elijah McCoy obtains first patent
Born in 1844 in what is now Ontario to parents who escaped slavery on the Underground Railroad, who later resettled in Michigan, Elijah McCoy showed an early aptitude for science and mathematics.
Facing limited opportunities because he was black, he was sent to Scotland at the age of 15 where he apprenticed as a mechanical engineer. In 1872, while working for the Michigan Central Railroad, McCoy hit upon an idea for a self-lubricating engine that involved a drip cup and a piston to hold and gradually release oil while the engine was running.
The device revolutionized the industry and led to the first of 57 patents for McCoy, whose later inventions included a folding ironing board and the lawn sprinkler. It is possible that the phrase "the real McCoy" originated in reference to the superior performance of McCoy's lubricators. - Ivan Semeniuk
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