inventions – Shanghai Metal Corporation

There is one factor that is common to shipping container houses, Coca-Cola, Play-Doh and corn flakes. Just like a falling apple whose hit made sir Isaac Newton discover his laws of physics, all of these products were also discovered unintentionally. For instance Coca-Cola was meant to be a medical remedy for headaches, but as we all know, the pharmacist John Pemberton‘s chemical experiment in 1886 became another sort of refreshment.

In today’s world’s constant pressure towards innovation, the most valuable discoveries can simply be found by accident, experiment or even emotion. For example potato chips were invented in 1853 by an angry chef George Crum who became so sick of customers complaining about his fried potatoes that he prepared them fried slices instead. Surprisingly the customers did like the new dish and the rest is history.

Play-Doh was discovered in 1955 by Joseph and Noah McVicker who attempted to make an ingredient for cleaning wallpapers. A year later a toy manufacturer Rainbow Crafts started marketing the product and since then, the toy with a secret recipe has sold over 700 million US dollars.

Corn Flakes were invented by accident when the Kellog brothers John and Will accidentally left a pot of boiled wheat grain on the stove for several days. The mixture turned moldy but the product that emerged was dry and thick. Next they tried it with corn so corn flakes were created.

Shipping containers were invented and patented by Malcolm McLean, a trucker who was tired of the slow process of loading cargo in wooden crates. His invention really helped industries to save shipping costs. In 1956, loose cargo cost $5.86 per ton to load, but the use of ISO shipping containers lowered the costs down to 0.16 cents.

In 1987 Philip C. Clark saw shipping containers from another perspective and filed them a US patent for converting them into habitable building. He has once said that “Shipping containers can be so much more; they could be houses, schools, entire cities!”. Later on, many companies have implemented this idea.

Shanghai Metal Corporation is a mature builder of prefabricated and container buildings. We do business worldwide and are highly motivated in serving our international clients. If you are looking for container building solution, please visit our website or just send us an inquiry and our English speaking staff will guide you further. Meanwhile please visit our social media sites.

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

#BuildingValueAcrossTheGlobe

Pictures and original articles: It’s Coca Cola in Blogspot, ISBU, Boxman Studios, The Huffington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, Inc.com, Business Insider, How Stuff Works?, Landi’s Labyrint in Blogspot, Pixellogo, Container Home, WordPress, Eagle Coatings

Necessity isn’t the only mother of invention. Though it wasn’t always easy to get patents or the credit they deserved, women are responsible for many items we use today.

We’ll probably never know how many women inventors there were. That’s because in the early years of the United States, a woman could not get a patent in her own name. A patent is considered a kind of property, and until the late 1800s laws forbade women in most states from owning property or entering into legal agreements in their own names. Instead, a woman’s property would be in the name of her father or husband.

For example, many people believe that Sybilla Masters was the first American woman inventor. In 1712 she developed a new corn mill, but was denied a patent because she was a woman. Three years later the patent was filed successfully in her husband’s name.

Some inventions by women:

Chocolate-Chip Cookies , Ruth Wakefield, 1930
Medical Syringe, Letitia Geer, 1899
Kevlar ( A Steel-Like Fiber Used In Radial Tires, Crash Helmets, And Bulletproof Vests), Stephanie Kwolek, 1966
Fire Escape, Anna Connelly, 1887
Monopoly, Elizabeth Magie, 1906
Computers, Grace Hopper (And Howard Aiken) 1944
And finally the humble window wiper by Mary Anderson 1903

Shanghai metal manufactures the carbon steel for window wipers. As an ISO 14001 (International Quality Management System) Company and recipient of the “Star Enterprise Award,” Shanghai Metal Corporation prides itself on exceeding international standards of quality and reliability. We guarantee the best prices, quality support, and fast delivery. To find out more, please visit our Website, WordPress, LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook and Instagram. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code. Moreover, we sell directly from Alibaba , EC21 and Tradekey.