Purvis, William B.
1838-1914 · Contribution: 1883-1897
Inventor
Improved fountain pen with an elastic feed tube that returned excess ink to the reservoir for even ink flow; also paper-bag-making machines, a self-inking hand stamp, a bag fastener, and a close-conduit electric railway system
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1838, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Active since
- 1882
- Category
- Technology & Engineering
- Best known for
- Improved fountain pen and paper-bag machinery
Impact on the world
Purvis improved everyday tools, the pen people wrote with and the machines that made paper bags, turning practical inventions into commercial successes.
Sources
- African American Registry
1 more sources and references are available to members.
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