What Did Howard Hughes Sr Invent
The Case:
- But how did Hughes Tool Co. Evolve into an icon in industry? The Goose Creek oil field at Baytown had something to do with it. Legend has it that one dark night in 1909 Howard Robard Hughes Sr. Sneaked into the oil field with business partner Walter Sharp and two other guys. The fearless four wore working clothes, disguised as roughnec.
- The 1901 discovery of oil at Spindletop, near Beaumont, Texas, marked the birth of the modern petroleum industry, and drew Hughes’ father, Howard Sr., a Harvard dropout, to East Texas to try his.
- Howard Hughes-the billionaire aviator, motion-picture producer and business tycoon-spent most of his life trying to avoid germs. Toward the end of his life, he lay naked in bed in darkened hotel rooms in what he considered a germ-free zone.
In the early morning hours of June 1st, 1909, Howard Hughes Sr. packed a secret invention into the trunk of his car and drove off into the Texas plains.
At an oil well near Goose Creek, Texas, a crew of workers watched in awe as Hughes showed off his new creation: a twin-cone roller rock bit that would ultimately allow oilmen around the world to tap into previously unreachable oil reserves.
Howard Hughes was one of the brightest figures in Las Vegas’ neon history. But he came to Las Vegas under the cover of darkness during Thanksgiving weekend in 1966. Hughes rode in on a fortune. Howard Robard Hughes, Sr Inventor. The father of Howard Hughes Jr., he invented the 64 tooth drill bit used to cut through hard rock while drilling for oil, it is still used today. The wealth he accumulated went to his son.
But was it in fact Hughes who invented this device? A man in San Jose, California has a letter that he believes will prove his grandfather deserves credit for the invention.
History Detectives travels to McMinnville, Oregon and Houston, Texas to explore the mysteries of the Texas oil industry and the Howard Hughes dynasty.
Season 4, Episode 2
Detective:
Gwen Wright Location:
San Jose, California
Howard Hughes' Patents
What Did Howard Hughes Sr. Invent
Howard Hughes filed his drill bit invention with the U.S. Patent Office in 1908 and went on to build one of the legendary fortunes of the twentieth century. You can view some of the drawings from these patent applications below, or visit the Patent Office online to search for more original patents.
Related Content
Related Links
- PBS: Chasing the Sun - Howard Hughes Jr
Explore
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.blog comments powered by