Walter Hunt owed someone $ 15. He sat at his desk toying with a brass wire, not knowing how he would clear this debt. He coiled the wire round, for almost three hours. When he looked down at what he had done, it occurred to him, that he had actually invented something of utility! He had invented the world's first safety pin! Many had used a pin before, but all pins would prick. Here was one, which could be used on clothes safely. It consisted of a pointed end, a twist in the middle (which created a spring), and a clasp that bent around the point. The bend and the spring, put tension on the two sides, forcing the sharp end to remain within the clasp. This safety clasp ensured that the pin doesn't come out of the fabric and poke the person wearing it. He aptly called this "dress pin", what we all now call the "safety pin".
In 1849, Walter Hunt patented his new invention .He sold off the patent for a measly $400, and paid his friend the $ 15 back. Little did he know at that time, that not only would this tiny invention of his, earn someone millions of dollars, but also its utility would last for centuries to come.
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