Elijah mccoy why was he famous

In , McCoy settled in Detroit, Michigan, where he worked as a mechanical consultant to many engineering firms, establishing his own company, the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company, in Although he is most well-known as the inventor of the lubricating oil cup, which he continued to improve upon over the years with more patents, he also invented a portable ironing board, a lawn sprinkler, and enhanced rubber heels for shoes. Throughout his life, Elijah McCoy filed 57 U.

He was recognized by several of his African American contemporaries, including Booker T. Washington, who in Story of the Negro cited him as having produced more patents than any other African American inventor of his time. McCoy passed away on October 10, in the Eloise infirmary at the age of I forgot my password. Why sign up? Create Account. Suggest an Edit. Enter your suggested edit s to this article in the form field below.

Accessed 14 November In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published January 27, ; Last Edited March 01, The Canadian Encyclopedia , s.

McCoy's invention allowed engines to be lubricated while they ran, saving precious time and money. McCoy's parents were slaves who escaped from Kentucky to Canada. McCoy was born in Canada, later moving with his family to Ypsilanti, Michigan. When he was fifteen, his parents sent him to school in Scotland. There, he studied mechanical engineering, a field that had interested him from the time he was young. As a teen, McCoy traveled to Scotland to study mechanical engineering.

He had trouble finding skilled work when he returned to America. Instead, he became a fireman with the Michigan Central Railroad. One of his duties was oiling steam engine parts. The oiling had to be done frequently and required the train to stop. Invention: In , McCoy developed an automatic lubricator that spread oil evenly over a train's engine while it was still moving. The invention allowed trains to run for long periods of time without stopping, which saved both time and money.