Page "Electric motor" Paragraph 10

The first commutator-type direct current electric motor capable of turning machinery was invented by the British scientist William Sturgeon in 1832.

Following Sturgeon's work, a commutator-type direct-current electric motor made with the intention of commercial use was built by Americans Emily and Thomas Davenport and patented in 1837.

Their motors ran at up to 600 revolutions per minute, and powered machine tools and a printing press.

Due to the high cost of the zinc electrodes required by primary battery power, the motors were commercially unsuccessful and the Davenports went bankrupt.

Several inventors followed Sturgeon in the development of DC motors but all encountered the same cost issues with primary battery power.

No electricity distribution had been developed at the time.

Like Sturgeon's motor, there was no practical commercial market for these motors.