Alexander Miles
An American Inventor - from the barbershop to the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
The Man
Born May 18th, 1838 in Pickaway County, Ohio, Alexander Miles was an entrepreneurial barber, the first black American member of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, and founded The United Brotherhood, a life insurance company for his local community. Alexander was best known for inventing the automatic opening and closing of elevator doors. He was awarded U.S. Patent 371,207 on October 11th, 1887, and inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.
Before his invention, Alexander worked as a barber in Waukesha, Wisconsin throughout the 1860s. He met his wife, Candace J. Dunlap, while living in Winona, Minnesota eventually moving to Duluth, Minnesota after the birth of their daughter in 1876.
It was in Duluth where Alexander experienced great success as a barber, opening up his barbershop in the four-story St. Louis Hotel. Using his earnings to open up a real estate office, the city began to recognize Alexander for his business achievements. Alexander became the first black American member of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce and in 1884 Miles built a three-story brownstone building in an area that became known as the “Miles Block.”
In the late 1800s elevators had to be closed manually, often by dedicated operators. Alexander designed a flexible belt attachment to the elevator cage and positioned drums to indicate if the elevator has reached a floor. The belt allowed for automatic opening and closing when the elevator reached the drums on the respective floors utilizing levers and rollers.
It is suggested that Alexander got the idea for his elevator door mechanism after his wife almost lost her life by accidentally falling down an elevator shaft. His invention allowed elevator shaft doors to operate at the correct times.
In 1899 Alexander and his family moved to Chicago, Illinois where he founded The United Brotherhood, a life insurance company for black Americans who were denied coverage at that time. Before his death on May 7, 1918, Miles was considered the wealthiest black American in the Pacific Northwest area, largely due to income from his invention. Alexander Miles was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.
Quick Facts
Invented the automatic opening and closing of elevator doors, was awarded U.S. Patent 371,207 on October 11th, 1887, and was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.
Became the first black American member of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce and operated a barbershop out of the St. Louis Hotel.
Founded The United Brotherhood as a life insurance company that would insure black Americans who were often denied coverage at that time.
Sources
1840 Federal Census for Circle Township, Pickaway County, Ohio, p. 76.
US 147853, Meaker, John W., "Improvement in self-closing hatchways", published 1874-02-24
US 371207, Miles, Alexander, "Elevator", published 1887-10-11