History tells us how electricity was first discovered and the forms it took, evolving with time. Just as electricity developed to become more useful over time, there was an evolution of electrical gadgets as well.
Not only were new appliances being made, but the individual appliances were also evolving. Consider the example of how the fire was used as a source of illumination in the stone Age. As time passed, the flames were transformed into lanterns and much later into flashlights.
Without the evolution of electricity, the evolution of flashlights was not possible, and to learn about one we have to examine the other as well. Although the concept of a portable way of illumination is very old, it took a more advanced form in the beginning of the nineteenth century.
History of Flashlights
It was the year 1898 that a man named Daniel Mcfarlan Moore who was an electrical engineer came up with the arc tube lamp. Also known as the Moore lamp, this invention worked with fluorescents that used inert gas as a medium for the electrical current.
It was later that year that David Misell, a British inventor, registered and patented the discovery of the fiber tune lantern. This was the first time a dry-cell battery was used in a lamp which ensured that this form of illumination was not only safe but also reliable.
Instead of a liquid electrolyte, a dry paste was used in the making of this lamp and it became so popular that his partner Conrad Hubert began the production of these lamps on a commercial level. They were famous as a company called the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company.
In the year 1902, the first incandescent lights began appearing in the market with a high-quality filament made of metal. The company with the name Ever Ready ensured that this early form of a flashlight was both consistent and long-lasting as compared to the previous version of the same product.
Indeed, the term flashlight was first used for the earlier versions of the flashlights because of their small life expectancy. The torches made earlier were not reliable or long-lasting and because the flame was put out so easily, they got associated with the term flash. Not only was this new version more reliable but most importantly cheaper than the former ones.
It was not till the year 1905 that Conrad Hubert and the Ever Ready company joined hands and reformed their policies. By 1910, Ever Ready came up with the idea of tungsten filament bulbs, making the concept of flashlight even more popular.
By the year 1922, there was a great variety of flashlights available in the market. The shapes and sizes of these flashlights varied and there were cylindrical, square, pocket-size, and standing lanterns for the customers to buy but it was not until 1934 that the first modern fluorescent lamp was invented by George Inman and Richard Thayer.
In the year 1937, a preassembled bulb along with a reflector hit the market promising the consumers better efficiency and low power consumption. It was almost twenty years later in 1961 that the first LED was created accidentally.
Gary Pittman and James R. Biard were simply working on semiconductors when an accident led them to the discovery of LEDs. It was a year later that Texas Instrument sold the LED to IBM to use instead of the tungsten filament bulb.
It was the year 1967 when the same company established the grounds for rechargeable flashlights making a breakthrough in the market. Not only were these flashlights easily available but they were more reliable than the previous versions. The next year Ever Ready, now known as Energizer, came up with fluorescent lanterns, turning the page of history for flashlights.
There were further developments in the flashlight niche in the year 1970 when the technology enabled the company to make water-resistant flashlights. These flashlights had a lifetime warranty on switches and were resistant to wear and tear.
In the year 1974 in California, a company came into existence by the name of Mag Instrument and five years later came up with the idea of Maglite flashlights. It was not until 1980 that the flashlights were made more portable and a variety of different sizes became available for consumers to choose from.
The flashlights kept evolving with the needs of the customers and kept improving in quality. The major company that helped flashlights evolve over time has been Ever Ready. Not only was this company involved in the discovery of innovative flashlights but it was also the major producer of these flashlights.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Did LEDs Replace the Tungsten Filament Bulb in a Flashlight?
The LED replaced the tungsten filament bulb in a flashlight because the filament bulbs produce a lot of heat making the life of the bulb very short. Most of the electric energy would be converted to heat energy leaving very little to be converted to light energy.
What is the Difference Between the Ever Ready Company and the Energizer?
The two companies are the same. Ever Ready changed its name later onwards and continued the production of flashlights.
When Was the First Time a Dry-Cell Battery Was Used in a Flashlight?
It was in 1989 that a dry-cell battery was used in a flashlight for the first time. The use of a dry-cell battery increased the efficiency and the durability of the flashlights thus improving the overall quality of the product.
Just like any other electricity-empowered gadget, flashlights have made their way through the pages of history evolving with time. The evolution of flashlights greatly depended on the needs and the demands of the consumer along with the advancement in the electrical niche.
It also depended upon the reduction of cost while making a flashlight and improving the quality and the efficiency of the gadget. Needless to say, flashlights have come a long way today from what used to be a caveman’s torch.