Albert Marsh
Encyclopedia
Albert Leroy Marsh, was an American
metallurgist
. In 1905 he co-invented the first metal
lic alloy
from which a high-resistance
wire could be made that could be used as a durable and safe heating element
. While working at Hoskins Manufacturing, the company of chemist, electrical engineer, inventor and entrepreneur William Hoskins (1862–1934) the two experimented for several years until the alloy was perfected. The material was patent
ed that year as chromel
, later and still today marketed as nichrome
. For this invention, Marsh was acclaimed as "father of the electrical heating industry".
, the oldest of three children. The family moved to Pana, Illinois
in 1884. Marsh went to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
. In 1901, Albert received his bachelor of science
degree in Chemical Engineering
. The same year, he married Minnie E Hayward in Massachusetts
.
and doing technical writing, he began experimenting with nickel
and chromium
alloys during his spare time. In 1904, in need of better place to work on his wiring project and more funding, he made a business arrangement with William Hoskins of Chicago; Hoskins was with Mariner & Hoskins, a leading firm of consulting chemists. He hired Marsh at a small salary – while giving him permission to work on the alloy project during his spare time. When later formed as Hoskins Manufacturing Company, the business relocated to Detroit, Michigan
.
and 20% chromium
(though other ratios are used for special purpose nichrome appliations). The US patent was granted February 1906, in Marsh's name, and later sold to Hoskins Manufacturing.
By Hoskins's own account, he was deeply involved in the experimentation process, and not simply a funder.
Toaster
s, dental furnaces and chromel wire for home appliance
manufacturers were the first focus of the Hoskins company. The first two were unprofitable and were later dropped. The company concentrated on manufacturing the chromel wire.
Marsh served as chief engineer and general manager of Hoskins Manufacturing Co. in Detroit. He was named president of the firm in 1915.
In 1941, the American Metals Congress bestowed upon Marsh with The Sauveur Award for outstanding metallurgical achievement.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
metallurgist
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
. In 1905 he co-invented the first metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
lic alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
from which a high-resistance
Electrical resistance
The electrical resistance of an electrical element is the opposition to the passage of an electric current through that element; the inverse quantity is electrical conductance, the ease at which an electric current passes. Electrical resistance shares some conceptual parallels with the mechanical...
wire could be made that could be used as a durable and safe heating element
Heating element
A heating element converts electricity into heat through the process of Joule heating. Electric current through the element encounters resistance, resulting in heating of the element....
. While working at Hoskins Manufacturing, the company of chemist, electrical engineer, inventor and entrepreneur William Hoskins (1862–1934) the two experimented for several years until the alloy was perfected. The material was patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed that year as chromel
Chromel
Chromel is an alloy made of approximately 90 percent nickel and 10 percent chromium that is used to make the positive conductors of ANSI Type E and K thermocouples. It can be used up to 1100 °C in oxidizing atmospheres...
, later and still today marketed as nichrome
Nichrome
Nichrome is a non-magnetic alloy of nickel, chromium, and often iron, usually used as a resistance wire. Patented in 1905, it is the oldest documented form of resistance heating alloy. A common alloy is 80% nickel and 20% chromium, by mass, but there are many others to accommodate various...
. For this invention, Marsh was acclaimed as "father of the electrical heating industry".
Early life
Marsh was born August 16, 1877 in Pontiac, IllinoisPontiac, Illinois
Pontiac is a city in Livingston County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,931 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Livingston County...
, the oldest of three children. The family moved to Pana, Illinois
Pana, Illinois
Pana is a city in Christian County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,847 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Pana is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
in 1884. Marsh went to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. In 1901, Albert received his bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
. The same year, he married Minnie E Hayward in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Career beginnings
While working with an electric storage batteryBattery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
and doing technical writing, he began experimenting with nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
and chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
alloys during his spare time. In 1904, in need of better place to work on his wiring project and more funding, he made a business arrangement with William Hoskins of Chicago; Hoskins was with Mariner & Hoskins, a leading firm of consulting chemists. He hired Marsh at a small salary – while giving him permission to work on the alloy project during his spare time. When later formed as Hoskins Manufacturing Company, the business relocated to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
Success
When perfected, the new alloy was 300 times stronger than other types at that time. Chromel is made of 80% nickelNickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
and 20% chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
(though other ratios are used for special purpose nichrome appliations). The US patent was granted February 1906, in Marsh's name, and later sold to Hoskins Manufacturing.
By Hoskins's own account, he was deeply involved in the experimentation process, and not simply a funder.
Toaster
Toaster
The toaster is typically a small electric kitchen appliance designed to toast multiple types of bread products. A typical modern two-slice toaster draws anywhere between 600 and 1200 W and makes toast in 1 to 3 minutes...
s, dental furnaces and chromel wire for home appliance
Home appliance
Home appliances are electrical/mechanical machines which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into:*Major appliances, or White goods*Small appliances, or Brown goods...
manufacturers were the first focus of the Hoskins company. The first two were unprofitable and were later dropped. The company concentrated on manufacturing the chromel wire.
Marsh served as chief engineer and general manager of Hoskins Manufacturing Co. in Detroit. He was named president of the firm in 1915.
Awards
In 1936, Marsh was awarded the John Price Wetherill Medal of The Franklin Institute for "significant and timely contribution to the science of automotive engineering" and "for outstanding discoveries in the physical sciences".In 1941, the American Metals Congress bestowed upon Marsh with The Sauveur Award for outstanding metallurgical achievement.