Gideon Sundback

Otto Fredrik Gideon Sundbäck ( born April 24, 1880 in Ödestugu, Sweden, † June 21, 1954 in Meadville, Pennsylvania) was a Swedish inventor who emigrated to the USA in 1905.

Life

Gideon Sundbäck studied mechanical engineering at the Rheinische pilot in Bingen, now the University of Applied Sciences Bingen. There he laid in 1903 from his engineering exams.

Its by far the most famous invention of the modern zipper. But the invention of the zipper is not only due to Sundbäck alone. Even before his time working as inventor Elias Howe, Max Wolff Whitcomb Judson or in this new system. However Sundbäck was the first who invented a zipper, which was also used for clothing and other areas. He let his ideas for the first time in 1909, patented in Germany.

First, the zipper was only used for boots and tobacco pouches, but after some further improvements ( in part by Sundbäck itself) he was from 1930 also in the textile industry became an important part.

Gideon Sundbäck married Elvira Aronson. His last name he changed after immigration to the United States in Sundback.