Name Cornelius Swartwout | ||
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Similar Ruth Graves Wakefield, Bette Nesmith Graham, Marion Donovan Died December 17, 1910 (aged 71) Kings County, New York Born July 25, 1839, Westerlo, New York Known for patented an improved waffle iron | ||
Today in History: The first waffle iron patent
Cornelius Swartwout (1838 – December 17, 1910, in Kings County New York) was an American inventor who filed an early US patent related to waffle irons.
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Life
Swartwout was born in Troy, New York, the grandson of the American Revolutionary War military veteran Cornelius Swartwout. The Swartwout family lineage goes back to Groningen in the Dutch Republic.
Waffle iron and US patent
The earliest waffle irons were not the work of Mr. Swartwout; instead, they originated in the Netherlands circa 14th century. They were typically made of two hinged iron plates connected to two long wooden handles, the plates often imprinted elaborate patterns on the waffles, coat of arms, landscapes, religious symbols, and the like. These irons were held over a hearth fire for baking.
On August 24th, 1869, Swartwout was awarded a US patent for an "Improvement in Waffle-Irons", consisting of a novel handle for opening, closing and turning a stovetop waffle iron. His invention looked nothing like modern electric models. Fashioned to sit on wood or gas stoves, the cast-iron plates were joined by a hinge that swiveled in a cast-iron collar.
Legacy
In memory of Swartwout's patent, National Waffle Day in the United States is celebrated on August 24th each year.