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The Origin of Eveready's Flashlight
The history of the flashlight is linked with batteries and bulbs (the flashlight could not exist without them). Joshua Lionel Cowen, the first owner of the American Eveready Battery Company, created a lighting fixture for flower pots (composed of a dry cell battery, a metal tube, and a light bulb capable of running for 30 days). When a button was pressed up, the flower appeared to light up, and soon, many people were trying to get their hands on it. http://www.t-n.com/magazine-spring04-light.htm -
Eveready's First Flashlight
Cowen left his CEO position in the hands of Conrad Hubert, a Russian immigrant, in order to pursue inventing full-time. Hubert and a fellow employee named David Misell adapted Cowen's idea, and in 1898, the first flashlight was created. It was handmade from crude paper and fiber tubes, also containing a rough brass refractor and a bulb. The flashlight was originally called the electric hand torch, and it could only provide brief flashes of light. http://www.energizer.com/about-flashlights/fl -
The Revolution of Flashlights Begins
After the release of the flashlight, the demands for flashlights skyrocketed. Misell gave a few flashlights he had patented to Hubert, and in 1899, Hubert was given a patent for his clover leaf bicycle light. 25 battery-bulb products were released to the world in the Eveready company catalog. Hubert began to realize the potential of the flashlight, and it started to be heavily promoted. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?3947-History-of-the-First-Tubular-Flashlight -
Becoming an Everyday Item
Many innovations were made to the flaslight in a relatively short amount of time. In 1910, Tungsten filament bulbs were invented, replacing carbon filament bulbs. These bulbs were much brighter and more efficent than their predecessors. By 1916, the flashlight was a necessity, as it did not flicker as much as before, it did not extinguish in the wind, and it could be controlled by finger pressure.
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Creating a More Convenient Flashlight
In 1926, Eveready introduced the first flashlight with a ring hanger attached to the bottom of it, allowing it to be hung. The pre-focused flashlight bulb was then introduced in 1937, which made the flashlight much more efficient than it was before (eliminated as much ambient light possible). 29 years later, Eveready released its first thermoplastic molded flashlights, resulting in increased flexibility.
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Increasing the Duration of Flashlights
Eveready introduced its first rechargeable flashlight in 1967, which decreased consumers' dependency on batteries. This also increased reliability of the flashlight around the house because it could be recharged. Then one year later, Energizer created its first fluorescent lantern, which was more efficient and could last longer than normal bulbs.
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The Modern Flashlight
In 1970, the first waterproof flashlight was created by Energizer, allowing customers to use flashlights in conditions that weren't perfect. An important innovation of 1996 was the LED light, which never needed replacing and could run longer. In 2006, Energizer introduced a series of flashlights just for emergency situations (ex. Bad weather). Overall, flashlights have had a revolutionary effect on society. http://www.energizer.com/about-flashlights/flashlight-history
