Philip Vaughn

English inventor who developed radial ball bearings for use in carriages.

Ball bearings help reduce friction between surfaces by giving a rolling, rather than a sliding, contact surface that is more efficient and prolongs the life of the contact surfaces. Vaughn used ball bearings in the axles of carriages, making carriages easier to pull. Ball bearings are now used in virtually all machines, from roller skates to ship's propellers to printing presses and conveyor belts.