Francis C. Osborn, Sr.

Francis Conrad Osborn, Sr. (Dec. 10, 1856–1926) was a teacher, businessman and inventor. He held about 50 patents for cash register designs, springless scales, and other devices.

Son of Ozias and Mary C. (Herbener) Osborn, he was born and raised in Bridgeport, New York. He taught in public schools of Fayetteville, New York in 1880-1882 before enrolling at Syracuse University, where he graduated with honors in 1885. After working for several years for Ginn & Co., he settled in Detroit, Michigan in 1889 to work on a design for a cash register. In 1891 he married Laura A. Freele. They had three children.

He founded and ran the Osborn Cash Register Co., Ltd. in 1896, which he sold out to the National Cash Register Co. in 1900. He also organized the Standard Computing Scale Co., Ltd. in 1889, which produced devices he designed.

Some patents applied for and issued

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