El Dorado Jones

El Dorado Jones (1860-1932) ("Iron Woman") was an American woman inventor who is credited with inventing a light-weight electric iron, travel size iron board, an "anti-damp salt shaker",[1] and airplane mufflers in 1919.[2][3][4][5][6] Jones had a factory in Illinois that employed only women past 40 that produced the products of her invention.[2] She had a strong bias against men which hurt her in business.[5] Because of this bias she was not able to capitalize on the report in the New York Times of a successful test of her airplane muffler.[5]

Early life

El Dorado Jones was born in 1860 in Palmyra, Missouri. Her family's poverty is what first ignited her determination to acquire substantial wealth. Upon her family moving to St. Louis she was able to get an education. She took whatever classes she could, viewing each lesson as another opportunity to help her earn money. Her diligent studies led to her being offered a teaching position in Lafayette, Indiana. Although the pay was decent, Jones detested her teaching job and eventually moved to Chicago to work with an insurance company as a stenographer.[1]

In 1913 Jones opened her factory dedicated to manufacturing her inventions.[1]

Airplane Muffler

El Dorado Jones' muffler utilized the spinning of small propeller blades pushed by the gases from the exhaust to reduce noise without reducing power like many other plane mufflers did.[7] The muffler was tested at Roosevelt Field in New York and her patent was granted in 1923[8]

Quotes

References

  1. 1 2 3 Robison, Hester (Jan 17, 1926). "Troubles of a Woman Inventor". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 New York Times:WOMAN INVENTOR DIES IN POVERTY; El Dorado Jones Spent Recent Years Seeking Backing for Airplane Muffler. HAD FACTORY IN ILLINOIS Employed Only Women Over 40 -- Past 70 When She Came Here -- Got Charity From City. November 27, 1932
  3. ↑ Time Magazine;AERONAUTICS: Fighting Noise;Monday, Oct. 27, 1930
  4. ↑ Patent number: 1473235;Filing date: Jul 31, 1919;Issue date: Nov 6, 1923
  5. 1 2 3 4 Feminine ingenuity: women and invention in America; By Anne L. Macdonald
  6. ↑ University of Central Florida;Women's Research Center;Great Inventions! By Women!El Dorado Jones;exhaust attachment for gas engines
  7. ↑ "Muffler Quiets Plane; Doesn't Cut Power". Popular Science. Bonnier Corporation. 118: 52. 1931. ISSN 0161-7370.
  8. ↑ Aquila, Teresa (May 13, 2014). "Woman Inventor Eldorado Jones of the Airplane Muffler". Teresa's Garage.
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