Thomas Davenport was born in July 9, 1802 to a humble family in crowded Williamstown, Vermont USA. He became an apprentice to a blacksmith at the young age of 14. In 1833, at the of 29, he visited the Penfield Iron works at Ironville, New York, where he observed the first electromagnets in use . The electromagnets were based on the model of Joseph Henry, and could lift 750 pounds of iron. Being curious, Davenport bought a electromagnet to study its construction. He improved electromagnets by wiring it with silk and forming a better iron core.
Thomas Davenport is credited with being the first man to present the DC electric motor in 1834. It was a battery powered motor, that was used to operate a small model car on a short section of track.
He used an apparatus that consisted of 4 electromagnets, two of them were mounted on pivot, while the other two were attached on a fixed pole. He then used a battery with a commutator (switching device) to run his electric motor.
Mr. Thomas Davenport became the first man in 1837 to receive the American patent on an electronic machine, though he faced many problems during this because in the beginning he was refused to patent his device as the patent officials had never patented an electronic device before.
In 1840 Thomas Davenport built a more powerful motor for the printing press. He used those motors in his own printing press to publish a short lived journal of electromagnetism and mechanics.
Now as we look at the world around us, it seems we forgot the man whose contributions made life easier for us. Mr. Thomas Davenport passed away on 6th July, 1851, and should definitely be counted among the key scientists because of whose enormous efforts we are able to live our life in a more comfortable way.
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