Biography of william b purvis

Partee and Co. Purvis died two days before his seventy-sixth birthday, on August 10,at the old Medico-Chi Hospital in Philadelphia.

Biography of william b purvis

His grave is unmarked. Purvis invented what was known in the year as A New Electric Car System, having no poles, open conduits, live third rail, danger nor overhead wires. The Electric Rail had been running throughout the winter at that time, so it was beyond the experimental state, and his invention brought groves of onlookers. This Electric Car System invented by Purvis is called a close conduit electric railway system which was much safer than the old system that was quite dangerous.

This one was built with made with electromagnets in the center of the railcar and soft iron cables. The iron cables attract to the electromagnets with a strip of brass in between. It was in that the Sterling Paper Bag Company was founded by Purvis, but it ended up shutting down the following year[4], despite the fact that his paper bag machine was able to make more paper bags at a greater volume than in the past.

Because the Sterling Paper Bag Company went bankrupt, it decided to sell some of its paper bag patents to another company in order to settle debts. In practice, the new pen would cause the ink to be distributed evenly as the users wrote, preventing ink blots and faded writing. Purvis received U. Patenton January 7,for his invention.

Purvis had a particular interest in paper bags and continually attempted to improve upon the bag-making process. See also Life William B. Purvis was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvaniainto a wealthy and influential family, one of the eight children of Joseph Purvis, a gentleman farmer and Sarah Louisa Forten Purvisnoted poet. William's maternal grandfather was African-American sailmaker, merchant, philanthropist, inventor, civil rights agitator and Abolitionist James Forten ; his uncle was Robert Purviswealthy businessman, abolitionist and landowner; his aunts included educator Margaretta Forten and essayist and poet Harriet Forten Purvis ; cousins included Dr.

William Purvis lived with his family on his father's farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania until the latter's death in and the family subsequently moved to Philadelphia, where they boarded with relatives. Purvis, who appears to have inherited his grandfather's mechanical inclinations, worked on various inventions, attempting to raise funding from various sources, including his wealthy uncle Robert Purvis.

Major inventions Improvement to the hand stamp Purvis's first patent, on February 27,was an improvement of the hand stamp that enabled it to replenish its own ink. Fountain pen According to Purvis, his updated design of the fountain pen was intended to provide a simple, durable, and cheaper construction so the pen could be carried in someone's pocket.