Benjamin B.

Hotchkiss

Benjamin B. Hotchkiss
Benjamin Berkeley Hotchkiss
Born Benjamin Berkeley Hotchkiss October 1, 1826 Watertown, Connecticut, USA February 14, 1885 (aged58) Paris, France

Died

Occupation gunsmith, engineer Spouse(s) Maria Bissell Hotchkiss

Benjamin Berkeley Hotchkiss (October 1, 1826 February 14, 1885) was one of the leading American ordnance engineers of his day.

The Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon, 1874

The Hotchkiss rapid fire 37 mm multi-barrel gun "canon-revolver", manufactured from 1879.

Benjamin B. Hotchkiss

American career
Hotchkiss was born in Watertown, Connecticut, and moved to Sharon, Connecticut in childhood; his early experiments were made there in his father's hardware factory. Starting in the 1850s, he was employed as a gunmaker in Hartford, working on Colt revolvers and Winchester rifles.

French career
After the American Civil War, the U.S. government showed little interest in funding new weapons. In 1867, Hotchkiss moved to France and set up a munitions factory, first in Viviez, near Rodez, then in Saint-Denis, near Paris, named Hotchkiss et Cie. At about this time, he developed a revolving barrel machine gun (in French: "canon-revolver") known as the Hotchkiss gun; the gun was made in four sizes from 37mm to 57mm, the largest intended for naval use. After his death, the Hotchkiss company also developed in 1897 and later manufactured in large numbers an air cooled, gas actuated infantry machine gun which was widely used by several countries, particularly France and the United States during World War One. He was married to Maria Bissell Hotchkiss, who founded the Hotchkiss Library in Sharon in her husband's memory, as well as the Hotchkiss School at Lakeville, Connecticut.

External links
Hotchkiss-type rifled 3-pounder cannon, founded in 1855 at Chicopee, Massachusetts. Caliber: 76 mm. Length: 1.16 m. Captured during the 1863 Mexico campaign.

Hotchkiss' patent application for Improvement in Projectiles for Rifled Ordnance [1] Brief biography of Benjamin Hotchkiss [2]

References
[1] http:/ / www. civilwarartillery. com/ patents/ Patents/ PATENT29272. doc [2] http:/ / www. tgca. net/ french_connection_ii. htm

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Benjamin B. Hotchkiss Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=556986997 Contributors: Adrian Robson, Bobblewik, Boris Barowski, Caerwine, Chanlyn, Corcel, ERcheck, HarryHenryGebel, Hmaag, Hmains, Hnc197, Jjanzenphd, Kguirnela, Kumioko (renamed), Loran O, Mel Etitis, Mike Searson, Mwanner, Per Honor et Gloria, Thunderbrand, Zynyste, 13 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:Hotchkiss cannon.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Hotchkiss_cannon.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: BezPRUzyn, Geni, Hnc197, Rcbutcher, Svencb Image:Hotchkiss canon revolver before 1923.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Hotchkiss_canon_revolver_before_1923.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Unknown (collective work) Image:Hotchkiss type 3 pounder cannon 1855.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Hotchkiss_type_3_pounder_cannon_1855.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: PHGCOM

License
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