Whitcomb L. Judson (1836-1909) was an American inventor, born in Chicago, Illinois. Whitcomb is most famous for inventing the modern zipper in 1913, which he called the clasp-locker. During his lifetime, he obtained patents for the zipper, motor improvements and railroad brakes improvements. He also made a number of automobile improvements, one of which made his son a millionaire. 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1909 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... An inventor is a person who creates new inventions, typically technical devices such as mechanical, electrical or software devices or methods. ... Jump to: navigation, search Chicago, colloquially known as the Second City and the Windy City, is the third-largest city in population in the United States, following New York City and Los Angeles, and the largest inland city in the country. ... Jump to: navigation, search A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a person for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of a device, method, process or substance (known as an invention) which is new, inventive... Closeup of the zipper on a pair of jeans Zippers are commonly used as a fastener for the front of a pair of pants. ...