Axioms for the Inventor

Born and raised in poverty stricken eastern Kentucky's Appalachia, enrolled in Berea's Lower Division, at age 14, finished high school and completed the freshman year at Berea College. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942, trained in B29 engineering, served on Guam, promoted to captain, and was awarded the Bronze Star. After the war he completed the Bachelor Degree, and Master of Science Degree in Physics at the University of Kentucky. His first patent filed at age 30 involved developing an automated production system for the first electronic integrated circuits. Mr. Rayburn served in many senior engineering and management positions for the next 35 years at Illinois Tool Works, Inc. A total of 914 invention claims were protected in his 78 U.S. Patents. Companies in Europe and Japan licensed his patents.