Dentist and confectioner team up

In the late nineteenth century, a dentist named William James Morrison and a confectioner named John C. Wharton formed an unusual partnership that led to the invention of the cotton candy machine. They filed a patent for this device on December 23, 1897, which was granted on January 31, 1899.

Patent details and the machine

The patent, titled "Candy-Machine," described a foot-powered device that used centrifugal force to transform melted sugar into fine filaments measuring 50 microns in diameter. This early version of the machine was later used at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904, where cotton candy was sold in boxes for 25 cents each.

Sales and profits at the exposition

During the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, the cotton candy machine proved to be a hit. Some sources claim that 68,655 boxes were sold, while others suggest the number was slightly lower at 65,655. These sales generated approximately $17,000 in profits, marking a significant success for the product.

Evolution of the machine

The original machine was not electric but instead used a foot-driven mechanism similar to a potter’s wheel, with a heating system powered by a gasoline reservoir. The technical process involved melting sugar, using centrifugal force to push it through tiny holes, and allowing it to solidify into filaments. This basic principle has remained largely unchanged, though modern machines now use electric motors to achieve the same high rotational speeds.

Disputes over inventorship

The invention of the cotton candy machine has been the subject of some debate. Thomas Patton and Josef Delarose Lascaux, a dentist in New Orleans, also claimed to have developed similar machines. Lascaux's improved version, introduced in 1921, was named "cotton candy," a term that eventually replaced "fairy floss." Albert D. Robinson had previously patented an electric version of the machine in 1905, with the rights later assigned to General Electric.

Modern adaptations and legacy

In 1949, Gold Medal Products, based in Cincinnati, added a spring base to stabilize the machine, becoming a leading manufacturer. Beyond fairgrounds, the machine's influence has extended into medical research. At Vanderbilt University, researcher Leon Bellan used a modified cotton candy machine to spin fibers of PNIPAM, a temperature-sensitive polymer, to create artificial capillary networks for regenerative medicine. Studies published in Advanced Healthcare Materials in 2016 showed that these fibers could support living cells for over a week, highlighting the machine’s unexpected impact on science.