Walter Hunt Mechanic and independent inventor Walter Hunt secured a place in American history when he invented the useful, everyday device known as the safety pin in 1849. Born on July 29, 1796, Hunt lived and worked in New York, where he invented a variety of tools and household items and made improvements to existing machinery.

Among his most notable innovations were a fountain pen, a new type of rifle, a knife sharpener, artificial stone, a flax spinner, and an ice plough. In 1834, he built one of the world’s first eye-pointed-needle sewing machines. However, it is said that his daughter talked him out of commercializing the device by warning him that it would lead to massive unemployment among seamstresses.

More than a decade later, Hunt faced a situation in which he owed a man a $15 debt. He began working feverishly to think of a new creation that would earn him enough money to repay the sum. He began twisting a piece of metal wire until he had created a device he called the “dress pin,” with a spring at one end that forced the other end into place and a clasp that kept the pin’s point inside a protective case.

1. Hunt’s invention was not entirely novel; it was actually an improvement on a concept that the ancient Romans had used in jewelry, namely, fibulae, or brooches.
2. His was not the first contemporary version of the safety pin either.
3. A version appeared in 1842 that did not include the spring mechanism that Hunt designed.

This feature, of course, exists in virtually all safety pins the world is accustomed to using today. At the time, however, Hunt apparently thought little of his invention. He patented the safety pin on April 10, 1849 (U.S. Patent No.6,281), and he willingly sold rights to it for just $400.

Sales of the invention would later earn a number of opportunistic businessmen substantial fortunes, but Hunt never earned another penny for his creation. The safety pin has hundreds of uses, including fastening diapers and clothing such as trousers, shirts, and jackets, and even as a component of jewelry.

Meanwhile, Hunt engaged in an intellectual property struggle over the sewing machine after Elias Howe patented a similar machine in 1846. In the 1950s, when Isaac Merritt Singer began mass marketing eye-pointed-needle sewing machines, he brought a suit against Howe, who wished to be paid royalties for the machine.

1. Singer attempted to fight Howe’s patent by showing that the technology was decades old, and it was revealed that Hunt had been the original creator of the type of system Howe had laid claim to.
2. Hunt had abandoned the concept, however, without ever patenting it.
3. Thus, in 1954, Howe’s patent was upheld.

Prolific Hunt, meanwhile, achieved moderate success but fell short of becoming a household name. He died on June 8, 1859 at the age of 63. : Walter Hunt

What was used before the safety pin?

In Homer’s Odyssey, Antinous, (one of the unscrupulous suitors of Odysseus’ wife Penelope) presents Penelope with a gift of jeweled pins in an attempt to seduce her: Then Antinous said, “Queen Penelope, daughter of Icarius, take as many presents as you please from any one who will give them to you; it is not well to refuse a present; but we will not go about our business nor stir from where we are, till you have married the best man among us whoever he may be.” The others applauded what Antinous had said, and each one sent his servant to bring his present.

1. Antinous’s man returned with a large and lovely dress most exquisitely embroidered.
2. It had twelve beautifully made pins of pure gold with which to fasten it and gleamed like sunlight Herodotus’s Histories mention the long, dagger-like pins Athenian women used to fasten their tunics, and recount the murder of an Athenian soldier by a group of angry women who stabbed him to death with their cloak pins.

A law was passed forbidding the wearing of the Athenian-style tunic. The Latin Fibula is an ancient precursor to the safety pin, used in the ancient and early medieval world to keep togas, cloaks, hoods, and other kinds of clothing fastened in place, replacing the straight pins used in the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age. Most fibulae are made of bronze or iron, but some were encrusted with jewels, decorated with enamel, glass, coral or bone.

Why is safety pin called safety pin?

History of International Safety Pin Day – Legend has it that, in 1849, Walter Hunt, a mechanic and the person credited with the invention of the safety pin, owed a friend $15 and decided to invent something new in order to earn the money to repay him.

He invented the safety pin, Originally called the “dress pin”, this little springing item with a clasp was meant to be protective where straight pins might cause injuries. As it turned out, Mr. Hunts invention brought him a healthy profit as he eventually ended up selling his patent for the safety pin for a whopping $400, which could compare to more than $20,000 or so in today’s terms.

So, the motivation of making just $15 to pay back a friend turned out to be quite a coup! While Walter Hunt is the first one to have held a patent for the item in the United States, historians have found evidence that the idea goes back much further, perhaps to hundreds of years ago.

In fact, it seems that people in Greece and Rome may have used similar devices that were made from various materials such as bone, ivory or metals. An item similar to the safety pin could also be found in England, simply called the “english pin”. Still, the modern invention of the safety pin is credited to Hunt.

And the anniversary of the date that this handy little item was patented was April 10, which is the reason International Safety Pin Day is celebrated on this day each year. The safety pin became the basis of a variety of other useful items, including pins for diapers, attaching jewelry, or worn as decorative items.

How old are safety pins?

Today we introduce our new series, For the Love of Tools, and begin by sharing the history and types of safety pins used in sewing. Most recently we’ve seen this pin used to fashion DIY face masks, and we take special note of its cultural significance during this moment in history. The pin that bears resemblance to those we use today was patented in 1849 by Walter Hunt who created a number of commercial tools and types of machinery, including the first sewing machine. His pin had a spring action and a clasp, which was intended to keep the fingers safe from the sharp end. This sewing tool—with a rich historical and cultural significance—is commonplace in our studio and used for everything from basic sewing functions to attaching hangtags to our garments. Learn more below about the basic types of safety pins and their uses.

What country invented safety pin?

Walter Hunt Mechanic and independent inventor Walter Hunt secured a place in American history when he invented the useful, everyday device known as the safety pin in 1849. Born on July 29, 1796, Hunt lived and worked in New York, where he invented a variety of tools and household items and made improvements to existing machinery.

Among his most notable innovations were a fountain pen, a new type of rifle, a knife sharpener, artificial stone, a flax spinner, and an ice plough. In 1834, he built one of the world’s first eye-pointed-needle sewing machines. However, it is said that his daughter talked him out of commercializing the device by warning him that it would lead to massive unemployment among seamstresses.

More than a decade later, Hunt faced a situation in which he owed a man a $15 debt. He began working feverishly to think of a new creation that would earn him enough money to repay the sum. He began twisting a piece of metal wire until he had created a device he called the “dress pin,” with a spring at one end that forced the other end into place and a clasp that kept the pin’s point inside a protective case.

Hunt’s invention was not entirely novel; it was actually an improvement on a concept that the ancient Romans had used in jewelry, namely, fibulae, or brooches. His was not the first contemporary version of the safety pin either. A version appeared in 1842 that did not include the spring mechanism that Hunt designed.

This feature, of course, exists in virtually all safety pins the world is accustomed to using today. At the time, however, Hunt apparently thought little of his invention. He patented the safety pin on April 10, 1849 (U.S. Patent No.6,281), and he willingly sold rights to it for just $400.

Sales of the invention would later earn a number of opportunistic businessmen substantial fortunes, but Hunt never earned another penny for his creation. The safety pin has hundreds of uses, including fastening diapers and clothing such as trousers, shirts, and jackets, and even as a component of jewelry.

Meanwhile, Hunt engaged in an intellectual property struggle over the sewing machine after Elias Howe patented a similar machine in 1846. In the 1950s, when Isaac Merritt Singer began mass marketing eye-pointed-needle sewing machines, he brought a suit against Howe, who wished to be paid royalties for the machine.

• Singer attempted to fight Howe’s patent by showing that the technology was decades old, and it was revealed that Hunt had been the original creator of the type of system Howe had laid claim to.
• Hunt had abandoned the concept, however, without ever patenting it.
• Thus, in 1954, Howe’s patent was upheld.

Prolific Hunt, meanwhile, achieved moderate success but fell short of becoming a household name. He died on June 8, 1859 at the age of 63. : Walter Hunt

What did the first safety pin look like?

Invention of the safety pin – Hunt’s 1849 patent on the safety pin, U.S. patent #6,281 Silver safety pins American mechanic Walter Hunt is regarded as the inventor of the modern safety pin. The safety pin included a clasp that covered the point and kept it from opening, and a circular twist at the bend to act as a spring and hold it in place.

• Charles Rowley (Birmingham, England) independently patented a similar safety pin in October 1849, though they are no longer made.
• Hunt made the invention in order to pay off a $15 debt to a friend.
• He used a piece of brass wire that was about 8 inches (200 mm) long and made a coil in the center of the wire so it would open up when released.

The clasp at one end was devised in order to shield the sharp edge from the user. After being issued U.S. patent #6,281 on April 10, 1849, Hunt sold the patent to W.R. Grace and Company for $400 (roughly $14,000 in 2022 dollars). Using that money, Hunt then paid the $15 owed to a friend and kept the remaining amount of $385 for himself.

Can you take a safety pin on a plane?

Can I Bring Safety Pins On A Plane in a Carry-on? – Yes, you are allowed to bring safety pins in your hand luggage, as per the TSA. There are no restrictions on bringing them on board, since these items are under 7 inches. In the case of tweezers, the size should not exceed 7 inches, otherwise, they are not allowed in hand luggage.

What does the safety pin mean in Ukraine?

#3 Wear safety pins – Photo credit Of course, with so many evil spirits around, it is nice to have something to ward them off. In Ukraine, parents attach safety pins to children’s clothes in order to protect them. Some adults wear safety pins on their clothes as well. It is believed that they can absorb negative energy.

What does safety pin tattoo mean?

What does a safety pin tattoo mean? Significance of symbol explained Safety pin tattoos usually represent solidarity. The design has recently become a trend for body art. It mainly comes in smaller sizes, but depending on the person, the size of the tattoo can differ.

• The core meaning of a safety pin tattoo has a political background.
• In the 1940s, back when the Netherlands was oppressed under the Nazi regime, people began wearing the pin discreetly.
• It was a signal to those abused by Hitler’s troops that the ones wearing the pin could be trusted.
• The Dutch used to wear the pin either under their collar or sleeve folds, so it could be easily hidden from the rulers.

Unfortunately, the Nazis soon caught on to the silent rebellion and made it punishable by law to wear the pin. However, the people of the Netherlands continued the practice, leading to the rescue of thousands of Jewish people through this small initiative.

How safe is a safety pin?

Fear of safety-pins is universal among parents of small children. This fear is no less real because the danger lies hidden behind a name that conveys a false assurance of safety. My clinical experience in the practice of pediatrics has led to the realization that the so-called safety-pin constitutes a menace as genuine as the fear encountered.

Jack Gloop