It's hard to believe but a little thing we generally take for granted didn't actually go mainstream until the late 1930s and onward. This little thing originally known as the 'Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure' in its 1851 patent, morphed into the 'Clasp Locker' in 1893 and was again improved upon and patented in 1917 as the "Separable Fastener". Within a couple of years, a now very famous tire manufacturer gave it the familiar name we all have come to know and love as the 'Zipper'! Read on to find out which tire company this is.
(Lunch bag zipper)
Elias Howe (1819-1967) made a name for himself as the inventor of the sewing machine. In 1851, He patented the Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure. However, likely due to his highly successful sewing machine business, his patent literally sat on a shelf collecting dust for the next 44 years. As a result, although he is credited for his contribution to the development of the zipper, he is not regarded as the father of the zipper.
This title would not be bestowed on anyone until 1893 when Whitcomb Judson (1846–1909) came along and patented his 'Clasp Locker', a hook and eye fastener. His device is similar to Howe's invention but Whitcomb went a step further by going to market and thus inherited the title, 'Father of The Zipper'.
(Jacket zipper)
The Clasp Locker actually debuted at the 1893 World's Fair which was held in Chicago that year but in spite of this fanfare and promotion, didn't really catch on. That didn't stop a determined Whitcomb, who along with a partner launched the Universal Fastener Company and went to work producing his new product and designed 'improved' clasps and would reach commercial success. Clasp locks are still in use to this day.
The company eventually hired a Swedish born electrical engineer named Gideon Sundback (1880–1954) as head designer. His skills led him to improve the company's 'Judson C-curity Fastener', By the end of 1913, after about 2 years, Sundback improved upon and perfected what would become known as the zipper for which he received his patent in 1917. Even then, it still wasn't called the 'zipper' just yet. His patent was for the 'Separable Fastener'.
Sundback wasn't done yet. He is also credited with designing the machine that would produce a continuous zipper chain, called the 'S-L', also known as the scrapless machine. This invention was so successful that within the first year, was producing hundreds of feet of zipper fastener per day.
It was the BF Goodrich company, after using the separable fastener on their new type of rubber boots, that finally gave it the name that is now ingrained in our minds just like we know the sky is blue. Released in 1923 and originally named the 'Zipper Boot', these highly popular rubber booties would become widely known as 'galoshes'.
(Leather boot zipper)
For the next 20 years, the primary use of the zipper were on boots and tobacco pouches. People rolled their own cigarettes back then. There had been a push to use the zipper in garments / clothing from the beginning but it was slow moving. Things started looking up for the zipper in the 1930s when it was included in children's clothing in a marketing ploy to 'make it easier to dress' without parental help.
Up until about this time, the button-fly (still in use today) was the zipper's biggest competitor. Then, in 1937 French fashion designers applied them to men's trousers and they were featured in prominent magazines, including Esquire. From then on, the zipper would quickly work its way into our lives and used in everything from jackets and sweaters to gym bags and luggage to purses, wallets, coin pouches and countless other things.
(Men's trousers zipper)
During the Pacific War, The US military incorporated the zipper into officer uniforms and other items which helped to make the zipper go mainstream. With the introduction of plastics, the zipper would find itself used in a myriad of ways all over again. Today, we don't think twice about the zipper and its importance in our lives. It's made things a lot easier for us, thanks to multiple inventors and fashion designers. It took a little while to be dreamed up, enhanced upon, manufactured and marketed before we finally got our zipper (sometimes referred to as a FLY!). Thank goodness for the zipper.
I use it every day!
There's a bit more to this fascinating story. I've placed a couple links in the references section.
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