Stuart Perry

Background

He was born on November 2, 1814 in Newport, New York, United States.

Education

He obtained his early education in New York, and then entered Union College, where he was graduated in 1837.

Career

After studies he entered the wholesale butter and cheese commission house established by his older brother and brother-in-law in Newport, with which he was associated for upwards of twenty years. Although he prospered in his business, he was primarily interested in mechanics and devoted most of his spare time to study and invention in this field.

After his retirement, about 1860, he gave the remaining thirty years of his life to this work. His first invention, now recognized as notable historically, was a gas engine, for which he obtained United States Patent No. 3, 597 on May 25, 1844. It was operated by the expansion of the products of combustion within the engine cylinder. Perry's engine utilized the explosive vapors obtained from rosin heated by the exhaust gases in a retort which was part of the engine.

Again, in 1846, Perry patented an improved gas engine, obtaining patent No. 4, 800 on October 7, 1846. This design incorporated a provision for water-cooling the cylinder, an incandescent platinum igniter for the gas, and a receiver for compressed air to be used in starting the engine. In an effort to find a market, Perry exhibited his engine in the New York store of his brother's company in 1847 but without success.

He then turned his attention to bank locks, inspired no doubt by the ingenious work of his friend and fellow citizen Linus Yale the elder. He obtained patents in 1857 for a lock, key, and safe bolt, and in 1858, patent No. 20, 658 for an improved bank lock. This was a tumbler lock having no keyhole and a key made up of component parts which could be separated and reassembled to change the lock combination. It is said to have been marketed as the "Great American, " and was an improvement on the famous Yale "Infallible" and "Magic" bank locks.

Between 1860 and 1865 Perry worked on improvements in horse-powers and secured some ten patents which he assigned to a local manufacturer. About 1870 he turned his attention to the manufacture of agricultural implements, particularly hay tedders of his own invention, and continued in this occupation for the remainder of his life.

He died in 1890.

Achievements

• Stuart Perry was an inventor of a gas engine, it was the first of the class of non-compression gas engines that were so successfully introduced by Lenoir in France about 1860. He also devised the so-called "Great American" bank lock, a milk-cooling apparatus, a stereopticon, sawmill machinery, velocipede, hay tedders.

Connections

He married, in 1837, Amy Jane Carter of Newport, and after her death in 1873 he married Jane W. Maxson, who with a daughter by his first wife survived him.

Spouse:

Amy Jane Carter

Spouse:

Jane W. Maxson