Elijah McCoy
Introduction
The origin of the phrase "The Real McCoy" remains obscure to many. By the end of this essay, any reader will be enlightened, not only to the facts surrounding the formation of this phrase, but also to the greatness which hard work can achieve, regardless of social environment, age, or initial level of employment.
Overview
Born in Canada in May 1843, Elijah McCoy developed a work ethic through assisting his father with the management of 160 acres of farmland in Colchester until the age of 15. At this age, McCoy's father sent him to further his education in Edinburgh, Scotland. There, he studied mechanical engineering for five years, and returned a master mechanic and engineer.
This wealth of experience and education would prove to be discounted heavily when, at 21 years of age, he left Canada for the United States. There, the best job that was made available to him was that of a railroad fireman [1]. Although a bit discouraged, his mind did not become idle. In fact, his intuition cued to him that the current method of lubricating steam engines (by literally pouring oil from cups by hand onto the steam chest of the engine) could be replaced by a more mechanical, automated process.
Elijah McCoy took two years of hard work, experimenting in his machine shop with lubricators for steam engines, to develop this idea into reality. At the age of 27 or so, Elijah McCoy received what was to be the first of many patents. His application for said patent opened as follows:
"To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, Elijah McCoy, of Ypsilanti, in the country of Washtenaw and in the State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Lubricator for Cylinders; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof"
Such bold and forthright application were to grace the patent office more than 40 times more before Elijah celebrated his eightieth (80th) birthday, for his ability to research, develop, and present new inventions was expressed over more than half a century of his life.
The Nigger Oilcup
Even a masterful engineer such as Elijah McCoy faced the dyadic denial of racism, for many locomotive engineers were adamant than nothing good could be invented by a black man. Some of them even taunted him, calling his lubricator a "nigger oilcup".
Eventually, however, McCoy came to directly supervise installations of the oilcup on many locomotives. Over the next 43 years, those who were blind to his brilliance came to be blinded afresh with the omnipresence thereof, for Elijah McCoy's lubricators would come to be found not only on most of the railroad locomotives in the United States, but also in many other countries [3].
In fact, the lubricators which McCoy invented through his lifetime found use in any place where heavy-duty machinery was to be found, for a "McCoy system" permitted continuous operation, as opposed to periodic stoppages solely for the sake of lubrication. Thus an inspection of any new piece of machinery would include the query "Is it the real McCoy?" in reference to the presence of automatic lubrication.
The Graphite Lubricator
In April 1915, at the young age of 72, McCoy patented what he considered to be his best invention: the Graphite Lubricator. One master mechanic hailed this invention as "the best thing in the world". The superintendent of one large railroad wrote:
"We have found the Graphite Lubricators of considerable assistance in the lubrication of locomotives equipped with superheaters [2]… There is a decided advantage in better lubrication and reduction in wear and in valves and piston rings, and as a well lubricated engine is more economical in the use of fuel, there is unquestionably a saving in fuel."
The Graphite Lubricator was in such demand, and McCoy had such pride in his work, that he founded the Elijah Manufacturing Company, in Detroit, Michigan, to supply this demand.
Direct Social Contributions
Whereas most people were well retired by age 77, it was around that time that Elijah McCoy was founding his first company. However, he did not see himself as exceptionally gifted, but was very expressive in his belief that what he had accomplished, thousands of others could do, if only they would apply themselves.
He was often called upon as a consultant by the largest of industrial companies, yet he was active in his local community, and was well known to the "youth" there. He counseled teenage boys with an aim to inspire excellence.
Even at the age of 80, McCoy was erect in stance and remarkably active. To this day, the expression "It's the real McCoy" is used to indicate the presence of perfectly engineered excellence.
Footnotes
[1] Fireman: The person who, on a steam locomotive, whereby steam was created by burning wood under a "boiler" of water, would tend to the fire, stroking it as necessary.
[2] A superheater was a type of locomotive engine, which used large amounts of superheated steam. Because of this, the distribution of lubricant was more difficult to achieve with any regularity.
[3] The inventions of Elijah McCoy would come to be known in many countries besides his resident United States, such as Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria, and Russia. His engineering accomplishments surpassed barriers of race or nationality.
Bibliography
"9 African American Inventors" by Robert C. Hayden, ISBN 0-8050-2133-7. [Source: BCC library].
Author: Keinall Caddle. Circa 13 March, 2002.