Andrew J. Beard (1849 – 1921) – Jenny coupler
Andrew Beard was born into slavery but became one of the country’s most brilliant inventors. Even before working for various rail companies, he invented a flour mill, several plows, and a rotary steam engine. However, while working for the railroads, he developed his most famous invention: the Jenny coupler.
The Jenny coupler automatically linked and locked two train cars as they bumped into each other, eliminating the need for workers to manually insert a metal pin and significantly reducing the risk of accidents and deaths. Before Beard’s invention, connecting train cars was dangerous work, and the Jenny coupler revolutionized transportation efficiency and safety.