Melvin Vaniman
Melvin Vaniman (1866–1912) was an American aero inventor, registering patents in the US, Great Britain, and France, and "resident in France".
Vaniman was a world traveller who moved to Hawaii, then New Zealand, then Europe. While down under he developed techniques for photography from heights using poles and masts. In 1905 he moved to Paris and in 1906 worked on an unsuccessful airplane.[1]
He created a triplane which went on display at the 1908 Paris Aeronautical Salon.[1]
He worked on Walter Wellman's polar exploration vessel, the America. Its first mission was unsuccessful. Vaniman participated in the next mission, in 1909, and piloted the America under difficult conditions. Vaniman and Wellman attempted to cross the Atlantic in America, starting from Atlantic City on 15 October 1910 with six men and a cat. The engine malfunctioned and they didn't make it but they did set a distance record by traveling 1,0008 miles.[1]
With sponsorship from Goodyear Vaniman tried another Atlantic crossing, in a blimp called Akron. After some dangerous happenings on the last trip he wanted a sturdier cloth, and Goodyear investigated rubber and silk combinations, etc., but none were perfected in time for use on the Akron. The airship set off from Atlantic City on 2 July 1912 with Melvin Vaniman, his brother Calvin, and a crew of three others, rising 2000 feet quickly then crashing into the ocean, killing everyone on board.[1]
On his British 1906 patent he described himself as an engineer, filing from 11 Rue des Agnettes, Gennevilliers, département Seine, France.[2]
We have him located in Atlantic City, New Jersey, when filing as the inventor and as the assignor to the International Aeronautical Construction Company.[3]
Airships created by Melvin Vaniman
- America (airship) (Year constructed: 1906, Keywords: Exploration)
Patents whose inventor or applicant is Melvin Vaniman
- Patent FR-1905-360141 (English title: Aeroplane, Filing date: 1905-12-06)
- Patent HU-1905-36444 (English title: Dragon-like airplane, Filing date: 1905-12-13)
- Patent GB-1906-26764 (English title: Improvements in Aeroplanes, Supplementary to patent: Patent FR-1905-360141, Filing date: 1906-11-24)
- Patent US-1906-884432 (English title: Aeroplane, Filing date: 1906-11-27)
- Patent US-1909-1057366 (English title: Shelter for housing dirigible balloons, Filing date: 1909-02-03)
- Patent US-1909-982647 (English title: Propelling mechanism for airships, Filing date: 1909-05-03)
- Patent FR-1909-407782 (English title: Shelter-tent for airplanes, Filing date: 1909-10-11)
- Patent FR-1909-407946 (English title: Semi-rigid envelope with with water proof compartments, for dirigibles, Filing date: 1909-10-16)
- Patent US-1911-1043376 (English title: Equilibrator, Filing date: 1911-10-18)
- Patent US-1912-1081794 (English title: Balloon, Filing date: 1912-01-29)
- Patent US-1912-1084831 (English title: Speed and Direction Indicator for Airships, Filing date: 1912-02-08)
- Patent US-1912-1081792 (English title: Process of making balloons, Supplementary to patent: Patent US-1912-1081794, Filing date: 1912-03-19)
- Patent US-1912-1081793 (English title: Apparatus for Building or Covering Balloons, Supplementary to patent: Patent US-1912-1081794, Filing date: 1912-03-19)
Publications by or about Melvin Vaniman
- Publication 1047, 1908, Aviazione. Wright, H. Farman, Ferber, Blériot, Santos-Dumont, Goupy, Witzig-Liore-Dutilleul, Renato Gasnier, Hugues, militare inglese, Melvin Vaniman, Elicoplano Robyns (Simple title: Aviation. Wright, H. Farman, Ferber, Blériot, Santos-Dumont, Goupy, Witzig-Liore-Dutilleul, Renato Gasnier, Hugues, British military, Melvin Vaniman, Robyns helicopter, Journal: Boll. Soc. Aer. Ital.)
- Publication 290, 1908, L'Aéroplane Melvin Vaniman (Simple title: Melvin Vaniman's airplane, Journal: L'Aérophile)
- Vaniman, 1910, Story of the Wellman ocean air trip (Simple title: Story of the Wellman ocean air trip, Journal: Scient. Amer.)
- Vaniman, 1910, The voyage of the America (Simple title: The voyage of the America, Journal: Aeronautics (US))
- Publication B2p0046e14, 1911, Dirigible Akron has trial trip. Moore discourages ocean flight (Simple title: Dirigible Akron has trial trip. Moore discourages ocean flight, Journal: Fly Magazine • Flight)
- Publication B2p0664e03, 1911, Filling a 400,000 cubic-foot balloon. Hydrogen-generating plant for Vaniman's transatlantic expedition (Simple title: Filling a 400,000 cubic-foot balloon. Hydrogen-generating plant for Vaniman's transatlantic expedition, Journal: Scient. Amer.)
- Vaniman, 1912, Melvil Vaniman's Ozeanproekt (Simple title: Melvil Vaniman's ocean project, Journal: Wien. Luftsch. Zeit.)
- Vaniman, 1912, Revolutionizing air travel (Simple title: Revolutionizing air travel, Journal: Aircraft)
- Vaniman, 1912, The new dirigible--its great possibilities (Simple title: The new dirigible--its great possibilities, Journal: Aero Club of America Bulletin)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Adam Rovner, "Melvin Vaniman: Forgotten Aviation Pioneer", American History, April 2006.
- ↑ Patent GB-1906-26764
- ↑ Patent US-1912-1081792
| Names | Melvin Vaniman |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 1866 |
| Death date | 1912 |
| Countries | US, NZ, ? |
| Locations | Hawaii, USA; Gennevilliers, département Seine, France; Atlantic City, NJ, USA |
| Occupations | Engineer |
| Tech areas | LTA, Airplane, Photography, Frame, Airfoil, Texture, Parachute, Car, Navigation, Rudder, Stability, Takeoff, Automatic stability, Biplane, Triplane |
| Affiliations | Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, International Aeronautical Construction Company |
| Wikidata id | Q6814097 |
