Medium: Brushed Acrylic on 16x20 Stretched Canvas
African-American inventor, Elijah McCoy, was born 1843 in Colchester, Ontario, Canada. His parents were George and Mildred McCoy, two fugitive slaves who escaped through the Underground Railroad into Canada from a tobacco plantation in Kentucky. In 1846, the McCoys repatriated back into the United States and settled in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where young Elijah was raised.
Though formally educated in Edinburgh, Scotland as a mechanical engineer, because of his race McCoy could only find work as an oiler for the Michigan Central Railroad. As an oiler he had to manually lubricate critical moving parts of the steam engines to prevent catastrophic breakdowns. Trains had to make frequent stops in order to be oiled. These frequent stops were costly to the railroads. Idle engines were not making money. McCoy, with his mechanical engineering background, was determined to resolve this problem.
In 1872, McCoy designed, fabricated and patented a self lubricating cup, the first of its kind, that would mechanically deliver oil to the moving parts of the steam engine while in motion. This eliminated the need to make frequent stops allowing the trains to run continuously.
McCoy's invention was a revolution in the steam locomotive industry, because it allowed trains to remain on line longer, reducing down time, thus generating more revenue for the railroads. It also eliminated the need for manual oiling, saving the railroads money by reducing the need for manpower. The success of the self lubricating cup brought McCoy enough notoriety to become a consultant in the railroad industry. Over the years McCoy improved upon his invention until it was the best available.
The self lubricating cup became a mandatory part on all steam powered engines. Soon, imitators began marketing their versions of the self lubricating device. However, railroad engineers and steam engine mechanics found McCoy's design to be the superior product and swore by it. The catch phrase,"The Real McCoy!", originated from the railroad industries preference for Elijah McCoy's patented design. Today, the phrase indicates something to be the genuine article.
Elijah McCoy patented over 50 inventions in his lifetime. The lawn sprinkler and the collapsible ironing board are two commonly used products also invented by him. At the height of his success McCoy established his own company, aptly named, The Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company.
Elijah McCoy died in 1929, at the age of 86, from complications caused by senile dementia.
Written by Carl G. Brown
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