Cornelius Swartwout

Cornelius Swartwout (July 25, 1839 – December 17, 1910) was an American inventor who filed an early US patent related to waffle irons.

[1] The earliest waffle irons were not the work of Swartwout; instead, they originated in the Netherlands circa 14th century.

They were typically made of two hinged iron plates connected to two long wooden handles, the plates often imprinted elaborate patterns on the waffles, coat of arms, landscapes, religious symbols, and the like.

On August 24, 1869, Swartwout was awarded a US patent for an "Improvement in Waffle-Irons", consisting of a novel handle for opening, closing and turning a stovetop waffle iron.

[4] In memory of Swartwout's patent, National Waffle Day in the United States is celebrated on August 24 each year.