Hiram maxim —died November 24, 1916, London, England) was a prolific inventor best known for the Maxim machine gun. Born in 1840 in Sangersville, Maine, Maxim was apprenticed at 14 to a carriage maker. Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (February 5, 1840 – November 24, 1916) was an American-born inventor who emigrated to the United Kingdom at the age of forty-one, although he remained an American citizen until he became a naturalized British subject in 1900. [1][2] He was the inventor of the Maxim Gun – the first portable, fully automatic machine gun[3] – and held patents on mechanical devices Hiram Maxim was undoubtedly the father of the Automatic Machine Gun, the Machine Gun that we know today. See how the Maxim gun influenced World War I and beyond, and how it was tested and modified in the U. Read the full biography of Hiram Maxim, including facts, birthday, life story, profession, family and more. The perfected version of this weapon entered the mass production after 1888, when Hiram Maxim entered into a partnership with Vickers, a British arms manufacturer. Hiram Maxim claimed that an employee of his had falsely patented the invention under his own name, and that Edison proved the employee's claim to be false, knowing that patent law would mean the invention would become public property, allowing Edison to manufacture the lightbulb without crediting Hiram Maxim as the true inventor. Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory bought up the entire American supply of phosphoric anhydride, which was essential for absorbing vapors before the glass bulbs could be sealed. The University of Houston's College of Engineering presents this series about the machines that make our civilization run, and the people whose ingenuity created them. Nationality British Ethnicity American Gender Male Occupation inventor. Dec 31, 2018 · Learn how American-born inventor Hiram Maxim created the first rifle-caliber heavy machine gun for the U. . [15]The Maxim gun has been called "the weapon most associated with imperial conquest" by historian Martin Gilbert, [16] and was heavily used by colonial powers during the "Scramble for Africa". [1] Maxim held patents on numerous mechanical devices such as hair-curling irons , a mousetrap , and steam pumps . Mar 3, 2025 · The Maxim name is well-known in American and European firearms circles. Prior to Maxim the word machine gun was already in use, such as the Gardiner (1863) and the Gatling gun (1861), however these were not truly automatic as they required cranking by the operator. Maxim held patents on 11. Find out how he developed his weapon, sold it to the British army, and experimented with aeronautics. Army in 1904. In 1884 American inventor Hiram Maxim designed the first fully automatic weapon in the world - Maxim machine gun. He remained an American citizen until he became a naturalised British subject in 1900. Discover his patents, inventions, disputes, and legacy in this article. Today, we look within a great inventor and find a little boy playing at war. Hiram Maxim (born February 5, 1840, Sangerville, Maine, U. Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (5 February 1840 – 24 November 1916) was an American-born British inventor best known as the creator of the first automatic machine gun, the Maxim gun. Hiram Percy Maxim (September 2, 1869 – February 17, 1936) was an American radio pioneer and inventor, and co-founder (with Clarence D. Tuska) of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). Biography of Hiram Stevens Maxim. The Maxim gun is a recoil-operated machine gun invented in 1884 by Hiram Stevens Maxim. In 1884, Hiram Maxim built the first effective machine gun, which revolutionized warfare. Sir Hiram Maxim and his son, Hiram Percy Maxim, are gun industry giants, though neither initially set out to advance firearm technology. It was the first fully automatic machine gun in the world. Sep 25, 2024 · Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (5 February 1840 24 November 1916) was an Americanborn inventor who moved from the United States to the United Kingdom at the age of 41. com Learn about the life and inventions of Sir Hiram Maxim, an American-born British inventor who created the first portable automatic machine gun. See full list on militaryhistorynow. Even so, Maxim felt beleaguered. Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim was an American-born British inventor best known as the creator of the first automatic machine gun, the Maxim gun. A member of a noteworthy family of mechanics and draftsmen, Hiram Maxim, thecreator of the first practical automatic machine gun, also experimented witha steam-powered flying machine in 1894. At the end of the last century the American inventor Hiram Maxim presented himself to the police in Petersburg, Russia. While learning that Learn about the life and achievements of Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim, an American-born British inventor who created the first automatic machine gun and a flying machine. He was there to sell his new May 29, 2018 · Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim >The American-born British inventor Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (1840-1916) is >chiefly known for the automatic rifle, or machine gun [1], that bears his >name. The eldest son of a farmer who was a locally notable mechanic, Maxim was apprenticed at age 14 to a carriage maker. S. pfkzvze qhlk iwvvuj vinsm gfduf ptvc ekgo zhbrb iovoo kgxlyo