Cornelius Swartwout

Cornelius Swartwout
Born 1838
Troy, New York
Died December 17, 1910
Nationality American
Known for patented an improved waffle iron
Diagrams of Swartwout's waffle iron

Cornelius Swartwout (1838 – December 17, 1910, in Kings County New York) was an American inventor who filed an early US patent related to waffle irons.

Life

Swartwout was born in Troy, New York, the grandson of the American Revolutionary War military veteran Cornelius Swartwout. The Swartwout family lineage goes back to Groningen in the Dutch Republic.[1]

Waffle iron and US patent

Swartwout's letters patent

The earliest waffle irons were not the work of Mr. Swartwout; instead, they originated in the Netherlands circa 14th century. They were typically made of two hinged iron plates connected to two long wooden handles, the plates often imprinted elaborate patterns on the waffles, coat of arms, landscapes, religious symbols, and the like. These irons were held over a hearth fire for baking.

On August 24th, 1869, Swartwout was awarded a US patent for an "Improvement in Waffle-Irons", consisting of a novel handle for opening, closing and turning a stovetop waffle iron. His invention looked nothing like modern electric models. Fashioned to sit on wood or gas stoves, the cast-iron plates were joined by a hinge that swiveled in a cast-iron collar.[2]

Legacy

In memory of Swartwout's patent, National Waffle Day in the United States is celebrated on August 24th each year.

References

  1. Nelson. "What's in a Name?". The Swarthout Family. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  2. US patent 94043, Swartwout, Cornelius, "Waffle-Iron", issued 2014-08-24
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