Catherine Rachel Mott (née Saul, 1836–1880) was an inventor. She received one patent in 1878 for an improved fire escape that would assure the safety of women and children escaping a fire while allowing firefighters to climb the burning structure at the same time.

Biography

Catherine Saul was born on November 7, 1836, but it remains unclear where in

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she was born. She married Francis Roberts Mott who was the son of

Valentine Mott Valentine Mott (August 20, 1785April 26, 1865) was an American surgeon. Life Valentine Mott was born at Glen Cove, New York. He graduated at Columbia College, studied under Sir Astley Cooper in London, and also spent a winter in Edinburgh. ...

a prominent surgeon in

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. Francis worked as a clerk in the

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in New York. They had one daughter, Louisa Mott. Catherine died in 1880 at the age of 44 years. She is buried in

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, New York.

Patent

Mott was awarded a patent in 1878 for an improved fire escape. She was concerned with the safety of women and children trying to descend a single ladder from a burning building. In this position there was the danger of their clothes, particularly women's skirts, getting caught on projecting parts of the building. There was also the added danger of the firemen trying to climb up the ladder at the same time as the residents were descending. Mott's proposal was for a cage-ladder to be permanently attached to the outside wall of the building. Using her invention, residents of the building could descend on the inside of the ladder (remaining inside the cage) while the fire fighters would ascend the outside of the ladder at the same time.

Collections

* ''Patent Model-Improvement in Fire-Escapes'', April 9, 1878, Patent Number 202,115,

Hagley Museum and Library The Hagley Museum and Library is a nonprofit educational institution in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, near Wilmington. Covering more than along the banks of the Brandywine Creek, the museum and grounds include the first du Po ...

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mott, Catherine R. American women inventors 1836 births 1880 deaths