Andrew Beard
Andrew Jackson "Andy" Beard (born 1849 in Woodland, Jefferson County - died 1921) was a mechanic and inventor in East Lake, active in the 1890s and 1900s.
Beard was born into slavery before the Civil War. Though he could not read or write, his mechanical abilities and inventiveness became well known through his employment as a carpenter, blacksmith and railroad worker. In the latter job he had been badly injured in a car-coupling accident and lost a leg.
He received his first patent, for a plow, in 1881, and sold the rights for $4,000 in 1884. His improved plow was patented in 1887 and sold for $5,200. He invested his profits into a profitable real-estate business.
In 1892, Beard patented a rotary engine. Several years later he submitted a patent for a Jenny Coupler for railroad cars. The novelty of his design was the cause of some excitement after his design was displayed at a convention of the Master Car Builder's Association in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Based on the quality of the design he was made an honorary member of that association.
His attempts to perfect and market his inventions were supported by several Birmingham investors, and aided by Mayor Mel Drennen. His patents for the coupling, Nos. 594,059 and 624,901, were approved on November 23, 1897 and May 16, 1899, respectively. He sold the rights to the coupler for $50,000 and was able to live comfortably. The design revolutionized railway operations and survives as the basis for modern automatic couplers.
References
- Hornady, John R. (1921) The Book of Birmingham. Dodd, Mead and Co., pp. 224-6
- Bellis, Mary (n. d.) "Andrew Beard (184-1921)". About:Inventors
- Beard, Andrew Jackson (September 20, 1897) "Car-coupling" Patent Application.
- Beard, Andrew Jackson (March 4, 1899) "Car-coupling" Patent Application.