Matt3114
#1We know William V. Adams as the first person to receive a handcuff patent which was adjustable for wrist size. He received this patent (35,576) on June 17, 1862. While many inventors of handcuffs had backgrounds in policing or lock making, Adams did not. He was a lamp manufacturer. He resided in New York City and was not a lone artisan, but a very successful business man. He had contracts with the Us.S. Navy to furnish supplies for the Washington Navy Yard in the 1850's and in 1856 supplied the State of New York with pier and bulkhead lamps to the tune of $3,010.
I have no idea how he came to invent a handcuff, since this has no relation to his occupation, but to our benefit he did. In 2007 in the Handcuff Forum there was an interesting discussion about Adams handcuff patent dates. While some cuffs had the June 17, 1862 date stamped on them, others had an 1864 date. This was a re-issue date. It appears Adams assigned his patent to a George W. Reed. The patent papers are titled "George W. Reed, Of New York, N.Y., Assignee of Wm. V. Adams of Same Place." The patent is dated April 5, 1864.
I have not been able to find any information about George Reed, but I did come across an interesting piece in the 45th. Congress, House of Representatives Report No. 182, published on March 3, 1879. The House considered a bill for the relief of George Reeds widow, Olivia C. Reed. The report reads in part, "On the 17th. of June, 1862, a patent for an improvement in handcuffs was granted to William V. Adams, of New York, who made an assignment of same to George W. Reed, of New York on the 5th. April, 1864"
"Mrs. Olivia C. Reed makes affidavit that her husband died just as he began to realize an income from his patent. For three years thereafter the patent was dormant. During the past four years she has received between $1,200 and $1,500 from this patent, and almost half the amount during the past year.
Now here is an interesting sentence: "We find, that the patent of W.H. Kimball. issued August, 1860, and now expired by limitation, should have covered the claim of George W. Reed" I have no idea how Kimball gets involved.
Matt
I have no idea how he came to invent a handcuff, since this has no relation to his occupation, but to our benefit he did. In 2007 in the Handcuff Forum there was an interesting discussion about Adams handcuff patent dates. While some cuffs had the June 17, 1862 date stamped on them, others had an 1864 date. This was a re-issue date. It appears Adams assigned his patent to a George W. Reed. The patent papers are titled "George W. Reed, Of New York, N.Y., Assignee of Wm. V. Adams of Same Place." The patent is dated April 5, 1864.
I have not been able to find any information about George Reed, but I did come across an interesting piece in the 45th. Congress, House of Representatives Report No. 182, published on March 3, 1879. The House considered a bill for the relief of George Reeds widow, Olivia C. Reed. The report reads in part, "On the 17th. of June, 1862, a patent for an improvement in handcuffs was granted to William V. Adams, of New York, who made an assignment of same to George W. Reed, of New York on the 5th. April, 1864"
"Mrs. Olivia C. Reed makes affidavit that her husband died just as he began to realize an income from his patent. For three years thereafter the patent was dormant. During the past four years she has received between $1,200 and $1,500 from this patent, and almost half the amount during the past year.
Now here is an interesting sentence: "We find, that the patent of W.H. Kimball. issued August, 1860, and now expired by limitation, should have covered the claim of George W. Reed" I have no idea how Kimball gets involved.
Matt