Thomas J. Martin (1842-1872)[1] was awarded a patent for improvement to the fire extinguisher in 1872.[2][3][4][5] The invention involved the use of pipes to carry water upwards and valves in the ceiling acting as sprinklers to extinguish fires in buildings.[6]

Thomas J. Martin
Born29 May 1842 (1842-05-29)
United States
Known forInvention of an improved fire extinguisher.
SpouseEvaline Moore Kidd

Thomas Jefferson Martin was born on 29 May 1842.[7] Martin was wounded at the battle of Shiloh.[8]

In 1868, Martin married Evaline Moore Kidd.[8]

Diagram from Thomas J. Martin's fire extinguisher patent from 1872.

Notes

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In some sources, the name is given as Thomas Marshall including on Henry Baker's 1899 list.[9][10][11]

References

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  1. ^ "Black History Month | Caltrans". dot.ca.gov. California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  2. ^ US 125063, Martin, Thomas J., "Improvement in fire-extinguishers", published 1872-03-26 
  3. ^ ionedchandler (2013-03-26). "Thomas J. Martin Patents Improved Fire Extinguisher On This Day In 1872". NewsOne. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  4. ^ "Alumna Publishes First Coloring Book About African-American Inventors | Alabama State University". www.alasu.edu. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  5. ^ Gibbs, C. R. (1995). Black Inventors, From Africa to America : Two Million Years of Invention and Innovation. Three Dimensional Pub. p. 230. ISBN 9781877835872.
  6. ^ Sims, Ph.D., Doris J. "Black Inventors Help to Change the World" (PDF). Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  7. ^ "Thomas J. Martin, the inventor of the improved fire extinguisher". Africa Kitoko. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Walker, Ezekiel J. "Thomas J. Martin invented ways to extinguish fires of all sizes". The Black Wall Street Times. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  9. ^ "Black History Month leaflet" (PDF). Unite. 2020. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-10-02..
  10. ^ Harley, Sharon (1996). Timetables of African-American History, A Chronology of the Most Important People and Events in African-American History. Touchstone. p. 169. ISBN 9780684815787.
  11. ^ "1899 list - 'List of coloured inventors in the United States as furnished for the Paris Exposition, 1900'" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2023-10-19.