Famous Inventors Born in August!

Bion Joseph Arnold

Date of Birth: August 14, 1861

Electrical engineer and inventor.

Electrification System for Chicago & Milwaukee Electric Railway (1898): Arnold developed a new method for converting alternating current from power plants to direct current in substations. This system became a standard in the interurban and street railway industries.

Conversion of New York Central Railroad and Hudson River Railroad Lines (1898-1912): Arnold assisted in the electrification and conversion of these lines leading into Grand Central Terminal, significantly modernizing them.

Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) System Improvement (1908): Arnold addressed the overcrowding problem of New York City’s IRT by introducing automatic speed control devices on trains, allowing for increased train frequency and capacity.

Gabriel Lippmann

Date of Birth: August 16, 1845

Invented the first color photographic plate.

• Development of Theory (1886): Gabriel Lippmann formulated the general theory for the photographic reproduction of color.
• Improved Photographs (1893): He presented color photographs taken by Auguste and Louis Lumière, demonstrating perfect ortho-chromatism.

• Photographic Registration Method: Lippmann developed a method to eliminate personal bias in time measurements using photographic registration.

• Invention of the Coelostat: Lippmann invented the coelostat, a device that stabilizes the image of a star and its surrounding stars, enabling precise astronomical photography.

Hazel Bishop

Date of Birth: August 17, 1906

Invented the first indelible or smear-proof lipstick.

• No-Smear Lipstick (1940s): Developed a long-lasting, smudge-proof lipstick. Co-founded Hazel Bishop Inc. in 1948 to manufacture it. Launched successfully in 1950, quickly capturing 25% of the American lipstick market.
• Mentholated Tissues and Pimple Concealer (1930s): Early experiments in cosmetic products.

• Rapid Growth: Sales reached $10 million within four years of the lipstick’s launch.

• Professor at Fashion Institute of Technology (1978-1986): Appointed to the Revlon Chair in Cosmetics Marketing, helped develop a comprehensive curriculum in marketing, merchandising, and product knowledge.

Philo Taylor Farnsworth 

Date of Birth: August 19, 1906

Inventor of electronic TV.

• Image Dissector (1927): Invented the first fully functional all-electronic image pickup device.
• Complete Television System: Developed and produced a complete television system with a receiver and camera through Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation (1938-1951).
• Image Oscillite: Created a cathode ray tube to display images captured by the image dissector.

• Nuclear Fusion Device: Invented a small nuclear fusion device, providing a viable source of neutrons.

Held 300 patents contributing to radar, infrared night vision devices, the electron microscope, baby incubator, gastroscope, and astronomical telescope.