Community Corner
Simsbury Resident's Invention Revolutionized This Industry
From mining to aerospace, this Simsbury company has provided local jobs for over 170 years.
Among Simsbury's notable historical residents is a man who revolutionized the mining industry with a simple invention.
According to the Simsbury Historical Society, William Bickford was granted Patent No. 6159 for “Safety Fuze for Igniting Gunpowder used in Blasting Rocks, Etc.," in the 1830's. The safety fuse was the first in many technological advances that would be made by Bickford's company.
The modern day Ensign-Bickford Company produces an advanced version of Bickford's fuse called Primacord. The company also entered into government aerospace work in 1965 and began producing linear charges "critical to the early strategic missile and launch vehicle programs," according to the company website.
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