Simon Fairman (1792–1857) of West Stafford, Connecticut, is credited as having invented the scroll-type lathe chuck in 1830; his son-in-law, Austin F. Cushman invented the self-centering Cushman Universal Chuck. He was issued a patent for his design by the US Patent Office on July 18, 1840. See also Austin F. Cushman References 1792 births 1857 deaths 19th-century American inventors People from Stafford, Connecticut