Industrial Revolution
Paperbag Machine
Margaret Ethridge Knight
My project
By Jazlyn.A
7th per.
About Margaret Ethridge Knight
Margaret Knight was born on February 14,1838. Margaret Knight attended school until she was twelve years old then she went to work in a cotton mill. After the civil war, Margaret moved to Springfield Massachusetts and began working in a paper bag plant. The bags in the plant were like envelopes and thought that it would be much easier to pack if the bottoms were flat. in 1868 Margaret invented the flat bottom paper bag along with many other things. Margaret Knight was 76 when she died on October 12.1914.
paper bag machine back then
paper bag machine today
About the paper bag machine
In 1868, while Margaret Knight worked in a paper bag machine plant she thought of the idea of making the paper bag bottoms flat to make packing easier. Soon after she invented the machine to make the flat bottom bags. That idea inspired Margaret to create the machine that would transform her into a famous woman inventor. Knight's machine automatically folded and glued paper-bag bottoms, therefore; creating the flat-bottom paper bags that are still used to this very day. A man named Charles Annan tried to steel Margaret's idea of the paper bag so she went to court to prove that it was her idea. Margaret's invention still continues, but keeps improving throughout the years.
Importance of the paper bag machine
The paper bag machine was important because they were used to make paper bags which were used primarily in grocery stores. They were also important because people used them for other needs like packing their lunch, arts, crafts, mailing, and etc. In the past the bags were shaped like a envelope, which made it difficult to put stuff in. Since her brilliant invention that made the bottoms flat and wide, we are able to neatly pack and stack our belongings in, hence; improving our way of life.
How the paper bag machine is used today
The paper bag machine in the past does not look similar to the ones today. Modern day paper bag machine is technically more advanced and faster. it is also much bigger compared to the past machines. The paper machine is used to make paper bags which help pack and store stuff.