What inspired Margaret E. Knight's early design for a safety device for looms?
Answer
Witnessing a fatal accident involving a loom
The impetus for Margaret E. Knight's initial recognized inventive effort stemmed from a direct, personal experience concerning machine safety. She reportedly conceptualized and designed a safety mechanism specifically for looms immediately following the observation of a fatal accident that occurred involving that type of machinery. This underscores that her early work was driven by a practical need to solve immediate life-threatening problems within industrial settings, rather than purely commercial aspirations or external demands from industry figures or legal bodies. This foundational event set the stage for a career focused on creating practical improvements to existing mechanisms.
Related Questions
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