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Humphrey O'Sullivan

Rubber Heel Shoes

• O'Sullivan was an Irish immigrant to the United States who received the first patent for a rubber heel for shoes on January 24, 1899.

• He was working in a print shop, standing on the hard floor all day long. His feet were killing him by the time he got home so he started standing on a small rubber mat. It was such a good idea that his coworkers started stealing it!

• Then he had an idea! Attach that rubber to the soles of his shoes and no one would steal them again!

• It was such a success that he got a patent for it and opened his own company! O'Sullivan Corporation is still in existence, manufacturing and distributing plastics for the automotive and manufacturing industries.