Purvis, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had successfully patented a number of other innovations in addition to his fountain pen. He patented bag machines, a bag fastener, a hand stamp, an electric railway device, an electric railway switch, and a magnetic vehicle balancing device between 1884 and 1897. His most famous invention, however, is undoubtedly the purvisometer, which was introduced into the United States in 1889 and remained on the market for more than 20 years. It was this instrument that made him rich and famous. In 1883, he formed a company called The American Meter Company with three colleagues: Edward H. Ellis, Henry Johnson, and Joseph Dixon. Its purpose was to manufacture and sell gas meters in areas where there was no local production. This company later became known as the B&W (Black & Welch) Metering Company. In 1890, Purvis bought out his partners and continued to run the business alone until his death in 1914 at the age of 80. By then, it was one of the largest meter manufacturing companies in the country. He is also well known for designing a type of pencil called the "pencil holder" in 1881. Although this invention wasn't really new at the time, it did manage to make sales by being offered for sale at low prices. Also in 1881, he invented the first successful electric shaver.