Inventive Minds: Inventing Green features the stories of historic and contemporary inventors whose work on socially-responsible technologies creates profound change for the common good.
19TH CENTURY INNOVATIONS IN WATER PURIFICATION
“How to get rid of the sewage and sickening and nauseous filth which is pouring its deadly stream of corruption, loaded down with disease germs, into our drinking water, is the grave subject which is absorbing the attention of the health boards and commissions of the world.”
Ralston New Process Water-Still brochure (1900) by A. R. Bailey Manufacturing Co.Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
These words, from the Loomis-Manning Filter Co., reflected how population growth and industrialization, especially in and around cities, became increasingly connected to concerns about water quality. The Loomis equipment cleaned water for entire buildings by passing it through a series of filters and screens. The Ralston and Sanitary “stills” were stovetop devices for the home that distilled water by boiling to eliminate contaminants.
- Ralston New Process Water-Still brochure, A. R. Bailey Manufacturing Co., New York, about 1900. Warshaw Collection of Business Americana
Sanitary Still brochure, Cuprigraph Co., Chicago, about 1900. (1900) by Cuprigraph Co.Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
- Sanitary Still brochure, Cuprigraph Co., Chicago, about 1900. Warshaw Collection of Business Americana
WADSWORTH MOUNT
At different points in his life, Wadsworth Mount (1907–1985) worked on Wall Street, ran the family woodworking business, had a job with a printer, and designed an antiaircraft weapon during World War II. He then settled into a career as an independent inventor—and his inventions were as varied as his resume, ranging from children’s toys to hardware for sailboats. He patented the solar-powered water distiller illustrated here in the 1960s.
Wadsworth Mount with water purification test units by Wadsworth W. MountLemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Mount built his prototype at home with commercially available ice chests.
- Wadsworth Mount with test units. Wadsworth W. Mount Papers
Sketch of water distiller unit (1969)Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Heat from sunlight shining through a piece of glass covering the cooler evaporated the water inside. The purified water vapor would then be collected as it condensed on the glass cover.
- Sketch of water distiller unit, 1969.
Letter sourcing materials for water filtration units (1969) by Wadsworth W. MountLemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
- Letter sourcing materials for units, 1969.
Promotional brochure for Mount solar water purification apparatusLemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
- Promotional brochure for Mount solar water purification apparatus. Wadsworth W. Mount Papers.
Inventive Minds: Theresa Dankovich (2016) by Lemelson CenterLemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Theresa Dankovich invented germ-killing water filters as a graduate student and co-founded her company Folia Water in 2016 to scale up production.
“Tasita” filter holder, with filter paper installed (2016) by Folia WaterLemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Folia Filters (patent pending) are made of thick paper embedded with silver nanoparticles, which are lethal to microbes.
- “Tasita” filter holder, with filter paper installed, gift of Folia Water.
“Safe Water Book” of filter papers (2016) by Folia Water and “Safe Water Book” of filter papers, gift of Folia WaterLemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
The filters are distributed in Safe Water Books—each book provides a year of safe drinking water for a family.
- “Safe Water Book” of filter papers, gift of Folia Water.
A woman in South Africa using Folia Water filter (2016) by Folia Water and 2016Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Dankovich’s team has field tested her inexpensive filters with users in South Africa, Ghana, Honduras, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Haiti.
- A woman in South Africa using Folia Water filter, 2016. Photo courtesy Folia Water.
Theresa holding a "Tasita" water filtration device (2016) by Folia WaterLemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
“I saw an opportunity to simply listen to the people . . . and to deliver designs that fit with the culture,” she notes.
- A woman purifies water with a "Tasita" filter, for a young child.
Water
Story by Joyce Bedi and Alison Oswald
of the
Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
at the
National Museum of American History
Presentation by
Marc Bretzfelder
<a href="https://www.si.edu>Smithsonian Institution</a><br>Office of the Chief Information Officer</p>
