Lewis temple biography inventions 2018
Temple invented an improved harpooning instrument....
Lewis Temple invented a harpoon that revolutionized American whaling, the toggle iron.
Lewis Temple
American abolitionist, blacksmith, inventor
Further information: Abolitionism in New Bedford, Massachusetts
Lewis Temple (1800 – 18 May 1854) was an American maker of items used in whaling,[1] blacksmith, abolitionist, and inventor.
He was born in slavery in Richmond, Virginia, and moved to the whaling village of New Bedford, Massachusetts during the 1820s, where he worked as a blacksmith. He married Mary Clark in 1829 and they had three children. He is best remembered for the invention of "Temple's Toggle" or "Temple's Iron" which was a harpoon toggle tip based upon Inuit and Native American harpoon tips brought back to New England by Whalers in 1835.[1] After some trials, whalers took to the improved harpoon as it prevented the whale from pulling free.
Fun Facts · Life · Bio · Invention.Temple never patented his invention which resulted in others copying his work and selling it as their own. Temple did live well enough to build a larger shop. Unfortunately, due to the negli