Maria Beasley: The Life Raft
Maria Beasley was a serial inventor who had already made a fortune on a barrel-hooping machine patent and another 15 inventions, many focused on transportation safety. But it was her invention of the life raft that cemented her as one of the most significant inventions of our time.
In 1882 Beasley designed an improved version of the life raft with guard rails that was fireproof and foldable for easy storage in the same year. Her life rafts were used on the Titanic and saved over 700 lives.