Today in History - 1849

Walter Hunt patents the safety pin. Hunt's other inventions include a forerunner of the Winchester repeating rifle, a flax spinner, knife sharpener, streetcar bell, hard-coal-burning stove, artificial stone, road sweeping machinery, velocipedes, ice ploughs and mail making machinery. In 1834, Walter Hunt built America's first sewing machine, which was also the first eye pointed needle sewing machine. He later lost interest in patenting his sewing machine, because he believed the invention would cause unemployment.

The safety pin was invented while Hunt was twisting a piece of wire, trying to think of something that would help him pay off a fifteen dollar debt. He thought little of his safety pin as an invention and soon sold the patent for four hundred dollars.