John Wellington Starr
Encyclopedia
John Wellington Starr was an American
inventor and pioneer in development of the incandescent light bulb
. Starr was born in Cincinnati. In 1844, in association with John Milton Sanders (1821?–1877?), Starr filed a U. S. patent caveat
for an incandescent lamp and generator
.
Starr appears never to have demonstrated his electric lamp while in Cincinnati. In February 1845 he and a business associate, Edward Augustin King (d.1863), set out for England to secure British and French patents for the invention. King described construction and use of a lamp in September 1845, and British patent No. 10,919 was granted to King on November 4, 1845. The patent described two styles of lamp. In one, a platinum
strip (or filament) was operated in a glass enclosure, but was not in a vacuum
. In the second type, a carbon
strip held between two clamps was enclosed in a vacuum in the space above a column of mercury
, in an arrangement similar to a barometer
. The mercury column was required because vacuum pump
s of the time could not provide the high vacuum needed to operate a carbon emitter for a practical duration. The construction of Starr's carbon lamp allowed the strip to be replaced when it failed, making the lamp renewable.
Starr and associates demonstrated the two types of lamp in England, including a multi-branched lamp with a bulb to represent each of the twenty-six states then part of the United States. However, Starr had contracted tuberculosis
(then called pthisis pulmonalis), and died on November 21, 1846. After Starr's death, King and Saunders returned to the United States. It appears neither King nor Saunders could continue developing the lamp without Starr's knowledge. King later was killed while serving in the American Civil War
. Sanders travelled extensively but left for Santo Domingo
in 1877. As a consequence, none of Starr's partners were available for testimony in the lawsuits surrounding Thomas Edison
's lamp patents.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inventor and pioneer in development of the incandescent light bulb
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
. Starr was born in Cincinnati. In 1844, in association with John Milton Sanders (1821?–1877?), Starr filed a U. S. patent caveat
Patent caveat
A patent caveat was a legal document filed with the United States Patent Office. Caveats were instituted by the US Patent Act of 1836, but were discontinued in 1909. A caveat was like a patent application with a description of an invention and drawings, but without claims. It was an official...
for an incandescent lamp and generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
.
Starr appears never to have demonstrated his electric lamp while in Cincinnati. In February 1845 he and a business associate, Edward Augustin King (d.1863), set out for England to secure British and French patents for the invention. King described construction and use of a lamp in September 1845, and British patent No. 10,919 was granted to King on November 4, 1845. The patent described two styles of lamp. In one, a platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
strip (or filament) was operated in a glass enclosure, but was not in a vacuum
Vacuum
In everyday usage, vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure. The word comes from the Latin term for "empty". A perfect vacuum would be one with no particles in it at all, which is impossible to achieve in...
. In the second type, a carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
strip held between two clamps was enclosed in a vacuum in the space above a column of mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
, in an arrangement similar to a barometer
Barometer
A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather...
. The mercury column was required because vacuum pump
Vacuum pump
A vacuum pump is a device that removes gas molecules from a sealed volume in order to leave behind a partial vacuum. The first vacuum pump was invented in 1650 by Otto von Guericke.- Types :Pumps can be broadly categorized according to three techniques:...
s of the time could not provide the high vacuum needed to operate a carbon emitter for a practical duration. The construction of Starr's carbon lamp allowed the strip to be replaced when it failed, making the lamp renewable.
Starr and associates demonstrated the two types of lamp in England, including a multi-branched lamp with a bulb to represent each of the twenty-six states then part of the United States. However, Starr had contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
(then called pthisis pulmonalis), and died on November 21, 1846. After Starr's death, King and Saunders returned to the United States. It appears neither King nor Saunders could continue developing the lamp without Starr's knowledge. King later was killed while serving in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Sanders travelled extensively but left for Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
in 1877. As a consequence, none of Starr's partners were available for testimony in the lawsuits surrounding Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
's lamp patents.