Thomas Edison Inventor or Patent Thief - 1631 Words

Thomas Edison: Inventor or Patent Thief? Most inventions are created from a multitude of ideas and a number of men, and one man simply cannot be credited for the inventions such as the phonograph, the kinetoscope, or the light bulb. Unfortunately, it is usually the corrupt businessman who exploits such creations and claims them as his own who receives the lion’s share. Thomas Alva Edison was an ideal example of such a person. Edison hardly played any role in the actual production of anything revolutionary, but by patenting other people’s products and commercializing them, he was able to gain a great deal of success. Edison did not even have any form of scientific or engineering education, and only received three months of any kind of†¦show more content†¦(Kosanovic 1) At one point, Tesla had worked for Edison, and he was promised $50,000 if he could perfect Edison’s â€Å"DC†, or direct current, electricity system. (Krystek 2) After just a few mon ths, Tesla managed to do the impossible, but when he showed Edison the finished product of the direct current system, Edison claimed that the deal for $50,000 was a â€Å"joke†. Since Edison thought that the task he had given Tesla was inconceivable, he was unable to keep his word when Tesla actually managed to do as he was told. (Krystek 2) Tesla was not paid a cent, while Edison profited off of his work. (Krystek 2) As a result of this, Tesla branched off and began to promote his invention of AC (alternate current) electricity, which was clearly superior to direct current electricity in every way. (Kosanovic 1) The voltage in an AC system could be easily manipulated with a device called the transformer, while the voltage in a DC system was often very weak, and could not be easily altered. (Kosanovic 1) Tesla and Edison eventually became adversaries in the â€Å"War of Currents†, where Tesla and his partner, George Westinghouse, fought against Thomas Edison and his partner, Harold Brown, to make AC electricity the primary form of electrical distribution in the United States. (Krystek 3) After Edison began to lose the war, he decided to unite with the General Electric Company. (Krystek 3) Tesla and Westinghouse also wouldShow MoreRelatedThe Invention Of Thomas Edison1227 Words   |  5 PagesThomas Edison was a great businessman who held over one thousand patents for his amazing, tremendou sly life changing inventions. His entrepreneurship began when he was only twelve years old, when he began to sell his self-published newspaper to the people who passed by him, at the â€Å"Grand Trunk Railroad.† At this same exact railroad, he set up a lab and began experimenting with chemicals. 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