Lloyd P. Ray
Inventor of the stand-up dustpan (1897)
stand-up dustpan
Lloyd P.
Why This Person Is Included
Lloyd P. Ray patented the stand-up dustpan in 1897, solving the ergonomic problem of sweeping floor debris without kneeling. The dustpan is a tool used in every home and commercial space. Ray's name is not known to anyone who uses one.
Historical Significance
Ray's stand-up dustpan made household cleaning significantly more ergonomically accessible. The design — a pan with an angled opening that sits at floor level — is the basis for every dustpan design that followed.
The Story
Lloyd P. Ray received U.S. Patent No. 587,607 in 1897 for a stand-up dustpan that allowed users to sweep debris directly into the pan at floor level without stooping or kneeling. The ergonomic problem was well known; Ray's solution was the practical innovation that addressed it. His biography beyond the patent is not documented in available historical records.
Sources
- 1.Lloyd P. Ray. U.S. Patent No. 587,607. 1897. USPTO.↗