Michael Joseph Owens (January 1, 1859 – December 27, 1923) was an inventor of machines to automate the production of glass bottles.

[2] He left school at the age of 10 to start a glassware apprenticeship at J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company in Wheeling, West Virginia.

There he simplified the process by inventing a mould-opening device which could be operated by a glassblower by foot and came up with a paste that prevent the bulbs from sticking to the moulds.

His machines could produce glass bottles at a rate of 240 per minute, and reduce labor costs by 80%.

1873) with two children;[7] He died on December 27, 1923, aged 64 at his residence in Toledo, Ohio.