Hiram Stevens Maxim

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Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (February 4, 1840 - November 24, 1916) was the inventor of the Maxim Gun in 1884, the first portable, fully automatic machine gun, and the ubiquitous mousetrap. He also experimented in powered flight, but his large aircraft designs were never successful. However, his "Captive Flying Machine" amusement ride became a staple of British fairgrounds.

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Biography

Maxim was born in Sangerville, Piscataquis County, Maine in the United States of America but emigrated to England. He become a naturalized Briton in 1899. Maxim was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1901 for his inventions, many of which had military applications. Over the years he was involved in several patent disputes with Thomas Edison. A long-time sufferer from bronchitis, he also patented and manufactured the 'Pipe of Peace', a menthol inhaler.

Maxim founded an armaments company to produce his machine gun in Crayford, Kent, which was later bought out by the Vickers corporation in 1896, becoming 'Vickers, Son & Maxim'. Their updated version of the design, referred to as the Vickers gun, was the standard British machine gun for many years. Variants of the Maxim gun were used extensively by all sides during the Great War. His brother Hudson Maxim was also a military inventor, specializing in explosives. Maxim is also credited with inventing the common mousetrap.

Maxim died in London and is buried in West Norwood Cemetery. His son Hiram Percy Maxim followed in his father and uncle's footsteps and became a mechanical engineer and weapons designer as well, but he is perhaps best known for his early Amateur Radio experiments and for founding the American Radio Relay League.

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