Francis C. Osborn, Sr.

Francis Conrad Osborn, Sr. (Dec. 10, 1856–May 25, 1927) 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

• Cash register and indicator; Patent no.: 455111; Filing date: Dec. 6, 1889; Issue date: Jun. 30, 1891
• Power transmitter; Patent no.: 472222; Filing date: Nov. 14, 1891; Issue date: Apr. 5, 1892
• Power transmitter; Patent no.: 472223; Filing date: Nov. 14, 1891; Issue date: Apr. 5, 1892
• Calculating machine; Patent no.: 484814; Filing date: Jun. 18, 1891; Issue date: Oct. 25, 1892
• Cash register; Patent no.: 491022; Filing date: Jun. 11, 1891; Issue date: Jan. 31, 1893
• Cash register; Patent no.: 615409; Filing date: Aug. 13, 1897; Issue date: Dec. 6, 1898
• Letter-canceling machine; Patent no.: 645711; Filing date: Feb. 5, 1900; Issue date: Mar. 20, 1900
• Double saw for cutting button blanks; Patent no.: 650189; Filing date: Jun. 29, 1895; Issue date: May 22, 1900
• Computing scale; Patent no.: 698048; Filing date: Dec. 17, 1900; Issue date: Apr. 22, 1902
• Platform support for scales; Patent no.: 710003; Filing date: Dec. 17, 1900; Issue date: Sep. 30, 1902
• Tube-making machine; Patent no.: 710507; Filing date: Mar. 10, 1902; Issue date: Oct. 7, 1902
• Tube-making machine; Patent no.: 712954; Filing date: May 24, 1902; Issue date: Nov. 4, 1902
• Cash register ; Patent no.: 715850; Filing date: Jan. 31, 1899; Issue date: Dec. 16, 1902
• Cash register; Patent no.: 723906; Filing date: May 27, 1899; Issue date: Mar. 31, 1903
• Air brake (with W.J Vaughn & E.C. van Husan) Patent no.: 755335; Filing date: Apr. 27, 1903; Issue date: Mar. 22, 1904
• Electric recorder; Patent no.: 767525; Filing date: Aug. 3, 1903; Issue date: Aug. 16, 1904
• Cash register; Patent no.: 773096; Filing date: Nov. 18, 1898; Issue date: Oct. 25, 1904
• Cash register; Patent no.: 786377; Filing date: Aug. 24, 1895; Issue date: Apr. 4, 1905
• Time clock for cash registers; Patent no.: 790654; Filing date: Aug. 20, 1900; Issue date: May 23, 1905
• Computing scale; Patent no.: 793606; Filing date: Jan. 19, 1905; Issue date: Jun. 27, 1905
• Crank-shaft; Patent no.: 805878; Filing date: Aug. 25, 1903; Issue date: Nov. 28, 1905
• Weighing scale; Patent no.: 806908; Filing date: Sep. 29, 1900; Issue date: Dec. 12, 1905
• Cash register; Patent no.: 817725; Filing date: Nov. 23, 1891; Issue date: Apr. 10, 1906
• Cash register; Patent no.: 824881; Filing date: Sep. 11, 1899; Issue date: Jul. 3, 1906
• Check printing cash register; Patent no.: 831626; Filing date: Oct. 22, 1901; Issue date: Sep. 25, 1906
• Check or ticket printing machine; Patent no.: 832271; Filing date: Nov. 8, 1901; Issue date: Oct. 2, 1906
• Cash register; Patent no.: 861312; Filing date: Oct. 23, 1901(?); Issue date: Jul. 30, 1907
• Cut-off mechanism for paper-tube machines; Patent no.: 863208; Filing date: Jul. 31, 1905; Issue date: Aug. 13, 1907
• Change making, indicating, and registering machine; Patent no.: 864185; Filing date: Dec. 10, 1891; Issue date: Aug. 27, 1907
• Cheese cutter; Patent no.: 879407; Filing date: Dec. 15, 1904; Issue date: Feb. 18, 1908
• Automatic weighing scale; Patent no.: 888646; Filing date: Jan. 21, 1907; Issue date: May 26, 1908
• Cash register; Patent no.: 926072; Filing date: Apr. 26, 1896?; Issue date: Jun. 22, 1909
• Paper tube machine; Patent no.: 945862; Filing date: Mar. 26, 1904; Issue date: Jan. 11, 1910
• Cash indicator and register; Patent no.: 982853; Filing date: May 2, 1896; Issue date: Jan. 31, 1911
• Container body forming machine; Patent no.: 996122; Filing date: Jan. 20, 1908; Issue date: Jun. 27, 1911
• Severing mechanisms for tube-making machines; Patent no.: 1006399; Filing date: Jun. 28, 1909; Issue date: Oct. 17, 1911
• Machine for making spirally wound tubes ; Patent no.: 1006976; Filing date: Jun. 28, 1909; Issue date: Oct. 24, 1911
• Glue-applying machine for use in making spirally-wound tubes; Patent no.: 1018335; Filing date: Dec. 24, 1909; Issue date: Feb. 20, 1912
• Computing scale; Patent no.: 1062603; Filing date: Jul. 22, 1908; Issue date: May 27, 1913
• Puzzle; Patent no.: 1092165; Filing date: Jun. 25, 1910; Issue date: Apr. 7, 1914
• Cash register; Patent no.: 1119983; Filing date: Jan 23, 1895; Issue date: Dec 8, 1914
• Soap powder dispenser; Patent no.: 1226803; Filing date: Mar. 1, 1912; Issue date: May 3, 1917
• Scale; Patent no.: 1289885; Filing date: Feb. 17, 1913; Issue date: Dec. 31, 1918
• Container spout; Patent no.: 1375725; Filing date: Jun. 17, 1916; Issue date: Apr. 26, 1921

Sources

• "Bio. of Frank Conrad Osborn," The Book of Detroiters, Albert N. Marquis, ed., Chicago, A.N. Marquis & Co., 1908. Vol. V, page 350
• "Bio. of Frank Conrad Osborn," The Book of Detroiters, Albert N. Marquis, ed., Chicago, A.N. Marquis & Co., 1908. Vol. V, page 350 (alternate source)
• Robert Budd Ross, George Byron Catlin, Clarence Monroe Burton (1898). Landmarks of Detroit;. Evening News Association. 
• Obituaries, The News-Palladium, 26 May 1927