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Year:1892​

Who: George T. Sampson ​

Where: Dayton, OH​

What: George T. Sampson, an African American inventor, made significant contributions to American innovation during the late 19th century. He is best known for his patent for an automatic clothes dryer, granted on June 7, 1892 (U.S. Patent No. 476,416). Sampson’s invention revolutionized the drying process by eliminating the need for an open fire, a common practice in earlier ventilators. His design used a frame to suspend clothing over a heat source, such as a stove, which allowed for faster and safer drying without the risk of soot, smoke, or fire damage. This dryer model was widely used throughout the 19th century and laid the foundation for future advancements in the development of modern dryers.

Before the advent of Sampson’s design, early ventilators in England and France used metal drums with ventilation holes, hand-cranked over an open fire to dry clothes. While effective, these early dryers often left clothes smelling like smoke and at risk of catching fire. Sampson’s invention addressed these issues by using a more controlled heat source, leading to greater efficiency and safety in clothes drying.

In addition to his clothes dryer, Sampson was also known for his patent on a sled propeller (U.S. Patent No. 312,388), filed in 1885. This invention allowed for snow travel by replacing the wheels of a tricycle with runners and using a pedal-powered propeller to propel the sled forward. Both of Sampson’s inventions reflected his mechanical ingenuity and his ability to improve everyday devices.

Though little is known about Sampson’s early life, including his birthdate and place, his contributions as an inventor in Dayton, Ohio, brought him into the public eye. His sled propeller and clothes dryer patents remain on file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, preserving his legacy as a pioneer in mechanical innovation. Sampson’s groundbreaking work in the clothes drying process paved the way for future developments, with fully electric dryers emerging in the early 20th century, followed by the first fully automatic dryer in 1938.

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2800 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218

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