Sofia Martinez
John Wesley Hyatt was an American inventor and industrialist, born in 1837, who played a significant role in the development of the plastics industry. Hyatt is best known for his invention of celluloid, the first practical artificial plastic, which revolutionised the billiard ball manufacturing industry by providing an alternative to ivory. Hyatt's discovery, along with his entrepreneurial ventures, helped lay the foundation for the plastics industry, which would go on to transform society in the 20th century.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | John Wesley Hyatt |
| Birth Date | November 28, 1837 |
| Birth Place | Starkey, New York, U.S. |
| Death Date | May 10, 1920 |
| Death Place | Short Hills, New Jersey |
| Occupation | Inventor, Industrialist |
| Known For | Inventing celluloid, the first practical artificial plastic |
| Awards | Perkin Medal |
| Inventions | Roller bearings, sugarcane mills, sewing machines, water filtration devices |
| Number of Patents | Over 200 |
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What You'll Learn
John Wesley Hyatt's development of celluloid
John Wesley Hyatt (November 28, 1837 – May 10, 1920) was an American inventor and industrialist. He is credited with simplifying and discovering the process of making celluloid—the first practical artificial plastic. Hyatt had nearly 238 patents to his name, including improvements to sugar cane mills, water filtration devices, and the first injection moulding machine.
Hyatt's journey with celluloid began in 1863 when a New York billiards company offered a reward of $10,000 to anyone who could invent a satisfactory alternative to ivory billiard balls. Attracted by the reward, Hyatt began experimenting with various compositions. During this time, he also worked with his brothers to produce embossed checkers and dominoes from a composite of wood pulp and shellac.
Hyatt's experiments with different materials eventually led him to discover a practical and attractive plastic material. This was achieved by mixing nitrocellulose (a flammable nitrate of common wood or cotton cellulose), camphor (a waxy resin obtained from Asian camphor trees), and alcohol. He combined these materials and heated the mixture under pressure to make it pliable for moulding.
In 1869, Hyatt patented this process in the United States under the name "Celluloid" (US patent 50359). He formed the Albany Dental Plate Company in 1870 to produce items such as billiard balls, false teeth, and piano keys using his new plastic material. In 1872, Hyatt established the Celluloid Manufacturing Company in Albany, New York, and later moved it to Newark, New Jersey, in 1873. The company became the premier celluloid company in the world, focusing on forming celluloid into sheets, rods, and other unfinished shapes.
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Hyatt's other inventions
John Wesley Hyatt is best known for inventing and simplifying the production of celluloid, the first practical artificial plastic. However, Hyatt was a prolific inventor with nearly 238 patents to his name. Here is an overview of some of Hyatt's other inventions:
Hyatt Filter
Hyatt invented an effective water purification system, known as the Hyatt filter, which could purify water while in motion. In the late 1880s, he set up a company that used a patented process for purifying water through the use of coagulants and filters.
Roller Bearings
Hyatt developed a widely-used type of roller bearing, an industrial device that helped improve manufacturing processes.
Sugarcane Mills
Hyatt invented and improved upon sugarcane mills, creating a superior machine to any that had been used previously.
Sewing Machine
Hyatt invented a sewing machine for a specific purpose: making machine belting. This invention would have likely been used in conjunction with his other industrial inventions.
Albany Dental Plate Company
Although Hyatt is known for inventing celluloid, he also founded the Albany Dental Plate Company in 1870, which produced false teeth, billiard balls, and piano keys, all made from his patented celluloid material.
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Hyatt's entrepreneurial ventures
John Wesley Hyatt was an inventor and industrialist who is best known for developing celluloid, the first artificial plastic. Along with his brothers, Isaiah and Charles, Hyatt was an entrepreneur who established companies to manufacture and market his inventions.
The Hyatt brothers first attempted to market celluloid as a substitute for hard rubber in denture plates. They patented the material in 1870 and gave it the name 'Celluloid' in 1872. That same year, they moved their company, the Celluloid Manufacturing Company, from Albany to Newark, New Jersey. Here, they focused on forming the plastic into sheets, rods, and other unfinished shapes, which could then be fabricated into practical objects by licensed companies.
In addition to the Celluloid Manufacturing Company, the Hyatt brothers also ran the Albany Dental Plate Company and the Embossing Company. They used celluloid, the raw material of John Hyatt's discovery, to make products such as billiard balls, replacing the need for ivory, and denture plates.
In the 1880s, the Hyatts set up another company that employed a patented process for purifying water through the use of coagulants and filters. John Hyatt went on to invent a range of industrial devices, including the Hyatt roller bearing, for which he founded the Hyatt Roller Bearing Company with his brothers in 1891 or 1892. He also invented a multiple-stitch sewing machine and a mill for converting by-products from cane sugar refining into fuel.
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The impact of Hyatt's inventions
John Wesley Hyatt was an American inventor and industrialist with nearly 238 patents to his name. He is best known for simplifying the production of celluloid, the first practical artificial plastic. Hyatt's discovery had a significant economic impact, and as a result, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the Plastics Hall of Fame.
One of the most well-known applications of Hyatt's celluloid was as a substitute for ivory in the production of billiard balls. In 1863, Hyatt was drawn to a $10,000 reward offered by a New York billiards company for anyone who could invent a satisfactory alternative to ivory billiard balls due to the cost and shortage of ivory. With his brother Isaiah, Hyatt experimented with Parkesine, a hardened form of nitrocellulose invented by Englishman Alexander Parkes in 1862. While Parkesine was considered the first true plastic, it was not commercially successful. Hyatt's experiments led him to develop a commercially viable method for producing solid, stable nitrocellulose, which he patented in the United States in 1869 as "Celluloid."
In 1870, Hyatt and his brother founded the Celluloid Manufacturing Company in Albany, New York, and later moved it to Newark, New Jersey, in 1873. They focused on forming celluloid into sheets, rods, and other unfinished shapes, licensing companies to fabricate these into practical objects. Hyatt's celluloid was used to create various items, including denture plates, false teeth, piano keys, knife handles, ballpoint pen bodies, collars and cuffs, and toys.
Hyatt's other notable inventions include the first injection moulding machine, improvements to sugarcane milling, juice extraction, roller bearings, and a multiple-stitch sewing machine. He founded the Hyatt Roller Bearing Company in 1892 in New Jersey, which counted General Motors and the Ford Motor Company among its customers. Hyatt also made significant contributions to water filtration technology, establishing a company in the late 1880s that employed a patented process for water purification using coagulants and filters.
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Hyatt's awards and recognition
John Wesley Hyatt, an American inventor and industrialist, is known for his significant contributions to the field of plastics and has received several awards and honours throughout his career.
One of Hyatt's most notable achievements was the discovery of the process for making celluloid, the first practical artificial plastic. With his brother Isaiah, Hyatt experimented with different compositions and mixtures, eventually developing celluloid, which they patented in 1870. This invention not only revolutionised the plastics industry but also led to the establishment of the successful Celluloid Manufacturing Company, which became the premier celluloid company in the world.
Hyatt's groundbreaking work in plastics has been recognised with several prestigious awards. He was the recipient of the Perkin Medal, one of the highest honours in the field of chemistry, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, recognising his exceptional contributions to innovation and invention. Hyatt's impact on the plastics industry was further acknowledged in 1974 when he was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame.
In addition to his work with plastics, Hyatt was also a prolific inventor with nearly 238 patents to his credit. He invented and improved various industrial devices, including roller bearings, sugarcane mills, water filtration systems, and sewing machines. Hyatt founded the Hyatt Roller Bearing Company in 1892, which counted notable companies such as General Motors and the Ford Motor Company among its clients.
Hyatt's success and recognition extended beyond his inventions. In 1895, he hired Alfred P. Sloan, who later became president of the company in 1905. This appointment demonstrated Hyatt's business acumen and his ability to identify and nurture talented individuals. Overall, Hyatt's awards and recognition reflect his significant contributions to the fields of invention and industry, particularly his pioneering work in plastics and the development of celluloid.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, John Wesley Hyatt invented the process for making celluloid, the first artificial plastic.
John Wesley Hyatt used his invention to replace ivory as the raw material in the billiard-ball manufacturing industry. He also used it to make denture plates.
Celluloid is made by mixing nitrocellulose, camphor, and alcohol and heating the mixture under pressure to make it pliable for moulding.
