Biographical entry Maxim, Hiram Stevens (1840 - 1916)

Sir

Born
5 February 1840
Sangerville, Maine, United States of America
Died
24 November 1916
London, United Kingdom
Occupation
Inventor

Summary

Hiram Stevens Maxim was an American-born inventor of military technology.

For the first years of his career he worked closely with his brother Hudson Maxim, also a military inventor. In 1881 he emigrated to England to establish himself as an inventor in his own right.

In 1884 Maxim invented the Maxim gun, the first fully self-powered machine gun. It used the energy of the gun's recoil to power the next reload.

Maxim also invented an aerial torpedo gun.

He took out a total of 271 patents over his career including those for a curling iron, a graphite rod indancescent lightbulb an anti-bronchitis inhaler and the common mousetrap.

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Details

Chronology

1878
Career event - Invented an incandescent lightbulb that used a graphite rod.
1878 - 1881?
Career position - Chief Engineer, U.S. Electrical Lighting Company
1881
Life event - Emigrated to England, with position in the U.S. Electric Lighting Company's London office.
1884
Career event - Invented the Maxim Gun.
1888
Career event - Maxim's manufacturing company merged with Nordenfelt's to make The Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Company
1896
Career event - Maxim's Company merged with Vickers to make Vickers, Son & Maxim
1900
Life event - Naturalised as a British Citizen
1901
Life event - Made a Knight by Queen Victoria

Related entries

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Published resources

Book Sections

  • Brysson Cunningham, 'Maxim, Sir Hiram Stevens (1840-1916)', in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. Also available at http://www.oxforddnb.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/view/article/34954. Details
  • Genzmer, Harvey and Mitman, Carl W., 'Maxim, Hiram Stevens (1840-1916) and Maxim, Hudson (1853-1927)', in Malone, Dumas (ed.), Dictionary of American Biography, vol. 12, Humphrey Milford and Oxford University Press, London, 1933, pp. 436-438. Details

Journal Articles

  • 'Machine guns for repelling torpedo attack', Engineering, vol. 39, 20 March 1885, pp. 281-284. Details
  • 'Launch of a British Submarine', The Engineer, vol. 92, 37168, p. 361. Details

Letters Patents

  • Maxim, H., Automobile torpedo, United States Patent Office, 23. Details
  • Maxim, H., Automobile torpedo, United States Patent Office, 3580. Details
  • Maxim, H., Torpedo-boat, United States Patent Office, 4539. Details
  • Maxim, H., War vessel, United States Patent Office, 4539. Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Brysson Cunningham, 'Maxim, Sir Hiram Stevens (1840-1916)', in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. Also available at http://www.oxforddnb.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/view/article/34954; Genzmer, Harvey and Mitman, Carl W., 'Maxim, Hiram Stevens (1840-1916) and Maxim, Hudson (1853-1927)', in Malone, Dumas (ed.), Dictionary of American Biography, vol. 12, Humphrey Milford and Oxford University Press, London, 1933, pp. 436-438.

Prepared by: Rebecca Rigby