William Samuel Henson

William Samuel Henson ( May 3 1812 in Nottingham, England, † 1888 in Newark, New Jersey), also known as Mad -man Henson known, was a British inventor. Like his co-inventor Stringfellow he earned his living in Chard as a manufacturer of Webspulen for the local wool industry. In 1848 he emigrated to the United States of America. He worked as an inventor, et al unsuccessfully for the U.S. Navy.

Inventions

In 1840, Henson drew with John Stringfellow, probably on the basis of the work of Sir George Cayley, the first flight instrument that looked similar to a present-day aircraft, and as Henson Aerial Steam Carriage was called. The span should be 45.7 m ( 150 feet). As drive a steam engine of 30 hp was provided, which should enable two mounted on the back of the wing propeller diameter of 6 m against each other in rotation. Although Henson only built models, the unit already had many of the characteristics of today's aircraft. 1843 Henson received a patent on his invention. Henson, Stringfellow, Frederick Marriott and D. E. Colombine founded the Aerial Transit Company for the exploitation of the invention, which was disbanded in 1848 but after a second, larger model in 1847 on the hill Bala Down at Chard could not be made to fly. Henson left his patents Stringfellow, the 1848 motor-driven model airplane succeeded.

Other patents received Henson et al for a lightweight steam engine (1841 ) and a T-shaped safety razor (1847 ), whose improvement by King Camp Gillette in 1901 led to the modern razor.