Towson Inventors Named To National Inventors Hall Of Fame

The founders of a Towson company were named to the National Inventors Hall of Fame for 2019. The duo behind Black & Decker was honored posthumously for the invention of the handheld electronic drill.

S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker were among 19 inductees named on Tuesday, Jan. 15.

They were recognized for their work that "spurred the growth of the modern power tool industry," according to a statement from the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Black and Decker were looking at a Colt .45 in 1914 when they determined it could provide the model for a handheld drill. By 1917, they had opened a plant in Towson. And by 1920, the company had surpassed $1 million in sales.

“The National Inventors Hall of Fame honors the innovation game-changers who have transformed our world,” National Inventors Hall of Fame CEO Michael Oister said in a statement. “Through inventions as diverse as life-saving medicines and web browsers for the visually impaired, these superhero innovators have made significant advances in our daily lives and well-being.”

The National Inventors Hall of Fame will honor its inductees in partnership with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from May 1 to May 2 in DC at an event called the "Greatest Celebration of American Innovation."

See the full list of inductees, including Black and Decker.

RELATED: Black & Decker Adding 400 Jobs And Expanding Beyond Towson

Image via YouTube/Black & Decker.