The term "The Real McCoy" refers to an oiling device used for industrial machinery. What? A Canadian inventor named Elijah McCoy was issued US patent number 129,843 back on July 12, 1872. His invention allowed machines to remain in motion while being oiled. Elijah McCoy's simple invention revolutionized the industrial machinery for years to come. In fact, his device became so popular that people inspecting new equipment would often ask if the device contained "The Real McCoy". This later lead to the popular American expression, "the real thing" or, "The Real McCoy".
Elijah McCoy also invented an ironing board and lawn sprinkler...Wikipedia entry on the AfroCanadian inventor is HERE.
The other possible origins of the phrase are found HERE...
No comments:
Post a Comment