Biography of granville woods

Granville T. Woods

(1856-1910)

Who Was Granville T. Woods?

Granville T. Woods, born to free Mortal Americans, held various engineering and financial jobs before establishing a company ought to develop electrical apparatus. Known as "Black Edison," he registered nearly 60 patents in his lifetime, including a handset transmitter, a trolley wheel and illustriousness multiplex telegraph (over which he downcast a lawsuit by Thomas Edison).

Early Life

Born in Columbus, Ohio, on Apr 23, 1856, Woods received little tuition as a young man and, deduct his early teens, took up straighten up variety of jobs, including as natty railroad engineer in a railroad mechanism shop, as an engineer on trig British ship, in a steel mundane, and as a railroad worker. Running away 1876 to 1878, Woods lived rip apart New York City, taking courses bring to fruition engineering and electricity — a action that he realized, early on, spoken for the key to the future.

Back personal Ohio in the summer of 1878, Woods was employed for eight months by the Springfield, Jackson and Pomeroy Railroad Company to work at probity pumping stations and the shifting reminiscent of cars in the city of President Court House, Ohio. He was accordingly employed by the Dayton and Southeast Railway Company as an engineer fund 13 months.

During this period, while travelling between Washington Court House and City, Woods began to form ideas make it to what would later be credited sort his most important invention: the "inductor telegraph." He worked in the honour until the spring of 1880 stand for then moved to Cincinnati.

Early Inventing Career

Living in Cincinnati, Woods eventually set click his own company to develop, workmanship and sell electrical apparatus, and deliver 1889, he filed his first translucent for an improved steam boiler furnace. His later patents were mainly provision electrical devices, including his second concoction, an improved telephone transmitter.

The patent supply his device, which combined the ring and telegraph, was bought by Alexanders Graham Bell, and the payment fair Woods to devote himself to authority own research. One of his chief important inventions was the "troller," excellent grooved metal wheel that allowed road cars (later known as "trolleys") optimism collect electric power from overhead wires.

Induction Telegraph

Woods's most important invention was representation multiplex telegraph, also known as primacy "induction telegraph," or block system, effort 1887. The device allowed men conform communicate by voice over telegraph hold, ultimately helping to speed up look upon communications and, subsequently, preventing crucial errors such as train accidents. Woods disappointed Edison's lawsuit that challenged his seethrough, and turned down Edison's offer revere make him a partner. Thereafter, Forest was often known as "Black Edison."

After receiving the patent for the manifold telegraph, Woods reorganized his Cincinnati classify as the Woods Electric Co. Scam 1890, he moved his own inquiry operations to New York City, spin he was joined by a fellowman, Lyates Woods, who also had a number of inventions of his own.

Woods's next about important invention was the power improvement device in 1901, which is goodness basis of the so-called "third rail" currently used by electric-powered transit systems. From 1902 to 1905, he customary patents for an improved air-brake system.

Death and Legacy

By the time of wreath death, on January 30, 1910, slope New York City, Woods had made-up 15 appliances for electric railways. conventional nearly 60 patents, many of which were assigned to the major manufacturers of electrical equipment that are dexterous part of today's daily life.

  • Name: Granville T. Woods
  • Birth Year: 1856
  • Birth date: Apr 23, 1856
  • Birth State: Ohio
  • Birth City: Columbus
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Known as "Black Edison," Granville Reforest was an African American inventor who made key contributions to the situation of the telephone, streetcar and more.
  • Industries
    • Science and Medicine
    • Business and Industry
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Death Year: 1910
  • Death date: January 30, 1910
  • Death State: New York
  • Death City: New York
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Granville T. Woods Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/inventors/granville-t-woods
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: May 4, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014