Inventor. He was an American Marine engineer and inventor with over 200 patents for submarines and underwater gear. Although he never graduated with a degree in engineering, he is considered "The Father of the Modern Submarine." In 1912, he founded the Lake Torpedo Boat Company, a profitable business, where he built submarines for the United States as well as other countries. During the American Civil War, several engineers designed submarine prototypes. In 1894, he demonstrated his first submarine, "Argonaut, Jr.," in the waters of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. In 1898, a much-improved version, "The Argonaut," was the first submarine to operate on the open seas during a trip from Norfolk, Virginia to New York City. Among his related inventions are the "omniscope," which was the forerunner of the submarine periscope; conning tower; twin pressure hulls; ballast tanks for producing negative and positive buoyancy for dive control, which was opposed to Holland's use of neutral buoyancy; diving planes and constant motion; the control room; the escape trunk; hydroplanes and other underwater gear. Initially failing to interest the U.S. Navy, he sold his new boat, "The Protector," to the Russian Navy. In 1908, the US Navy procured the "USS Seal." Following World War I, the Lake Torpedo Boat Company was forced to close when the United States War Department took control of submarine construction. A posthumous honor was accorded him in 1964 when the United States Navy commissioned the "USS Simon Lake" (AS-33), a submarine tender. He was also the subject of a postage stamp for the Federated States of Micronesia.
Inventor. He was an American Marine engineer and inventor with over 200 patents for submarines and underwater gear. Although he never graduated with a degree in engineering, he is considered "The Father of the Modern Submarine." In 1912, he founded the Lake Torpedo Boat Company, a profitable business, where he built submarines for the United States as well as other countries. During the American Civil War, several engineers designed submarine prototypes. In 1894, he demonstrated his first submarine, "Argonaut, Jr.," in the waters of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. In 1898, a much-improved version, "The Argonaut," was the first submarine to operate on the open seas during a trip from Norfolk, Virginia to New York City. Among his related inventions are the "omniscope," which was the forerunner of the submarine periscope; conning tower; twin pressure hulls; ballast tanks for producing negative and positive buoyancy for dive control, which was opposed to Holland's use of neutral buoyancy; diving planes and constant motion; the control room; the escape trunk; hydroplanes and other underwater gear. Initially failing to interest the U.S. Navy, he sold his new boat, "The Protector," to the Russian Navy. In 1908, the US Navy procured the "USS Seal." Following World War I, the Lake Torpedo Boat Company was forced to close when the United States War Department took control of submarine construction. A posthumous honor was accorded him in 1964 when the United States Navy commissioned the "USS Simon Lake" (AS-33), a submarine tender. He was also the subject of a postage stamp for the Federated States of Micronesia.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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