William Joseph Hammer
Encyclopedia
William Joseph Hammer was an pioneer electrical engineer and aviator and he was president of the Edison Pioneers
starting in 1908.
on February 26, 1858 to William Hammer (1827–1895) and Martha Augusta Beck (1827–1861). In 1906 he won the Elliott Cresson Medal
.
He became a laboratory assistant to Thomas Edison
in December 1879, and assisted in the development of Edison's incandescent electric light. He became one of the world's earliest experts in electric power distribution. He also built the world's first advertising sign using incandescent electric lights. He was Chief Engineer when the English Edison Electric Light company built a central station in London to power 3,000 incandescent lamps on the Holborn Viaduct
. This was the first large scale demonstration of a central station powering incandescent lighting, preceding the Pearl Street Station
in New York City. Hammer invented the electric advertising sign, by constructing a ten foot long, four foot high sign with 12 bulbs for each letter of the name "Edison," which had a rotating drum switch to light the letters one by one and then all at once. It was exhibited at the The Crystal Palace
in London in February 1882.
He collected examples of the Edison lamp at various stages of development, as well as pioneering incandescent lamps by other inventors. The collection eventually was purchased by General Electric
placed in the Greenfield Village Museum, established by Henry Ford
.
He was a prominent promoter of Radium
, after Marie
and Pierre Curie
gave him samples of Radium in 1902. He gave lectures on its properties and discussed its supposed curative powers, as well as writing a book based on his lectures and demonstrations of Radium and other luminous and phosphorescent substances. He was the first to propose Radium as a treatment for cancer. In 1903, he and Dr. Willy Meyer used Radium to treat an incurable tumor, and it was observed to shrink and become less painful, though the patient was not cured. He invented the luminous
Radium dial
for watches and other instruments, widely used in World War 1 and thereafter.
Hammer was an early promoter of aviation, and an associate of many of the aviation pioneers, and testified as an expert.
He died of pneumonia on March 24, 1934 in New York
.
Edison Pioneers
The Edison Pioneers was a group of former employees and other associates of Thomas Edison.On February 11, 1918, the Edison Pioneers met for the first time, on the 71st birthday of Edison...
starting in 1908.
Biography
He was born in Cressona, PennsylvaniaCressona, Pennsylvania
Cressona is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. Formed in 1857 from part of North Manheim Township, it was founded by and named for John Chapman Cresson, a Philadelphia civil engineer and manager of the Schuylkill Navigation Company, President of the Mine Hill and...
on February 26, 1858 to William Hammer (1827–1895) and Martha Augusta Beck (1827–1861). In 1906 he won the Elliott Cresson Medal
Elliott Cresson Medal
The Elliott Cresson Medal, also known as the Elliott Cresson Gold Medal, was the highest award given by the Franklin Institute. The award was established by Elliott Cresson, life member of the Franklin Institute, with $1,000 granted in 1848...
.
He became a laboratory assistant to Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
in December 1879, and assisted in the development of Edison's incandescent electric light. He became one of the world's earliest experts in electric power distribution. He also built the world's first advertising sign using incandescent electric lights. He was Chief Engineer when the English Edison Electric Light company built a central station in London to power 3,000 incandescent lamps on the Holborn Viaduct
Holborn Viaduct
Holborn Viaduct is a bridge in London and the name of the street which crosses it . It links Holborn, via Holborn Circus, with Newgate Street in the City of London, passing over Farringdon Street and the now subterranean River Fleet.It was built between 1863 and 1869, at a cost of over two million...
. This was the first large scale demonstration of a central station powering incandescent lighting, preceding the Pearl Street Station
Pearl Street Station
Pearl Street Station was the first central power plant in the United States. It was located at 255-257 Pearl Street in Manhattan on a site measuring 50 by 100 feet, just south of Fulton Street. It began with one direct current generator, and it started generating electricity on September 4, 1882,...
in New York City. Hammer invented the electric advertising sign, by constructing a ten foot long, four foot high sign with 12 bulbs for each letter of the name "Edison," which had a rotating drum switch to light the letters one by one and then all at once. It was exhibited at the The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
in London in February 1882.
He collected examples of the Edison lamp at various stages of development, as well as pioneering incandescent lamps by other inventors. The collection eventually was purchased by General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
placed in the Greenfield Village Museum, established by Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
.
He was a prominent promoter of Radium
Radium
Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
, after Marie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
and Pierre Curie
Pierre Curie
Pierre Curie was a French physicist, a pioneer in crystallography, magnetism, piezoelectricity and radioactivity, and Nobel laureate. He was the son of Dr. Eugène Curie and Sophie-Claire Depouilly Curie ...
gave him samples of Radium in 1902. He gave lectures on its properties and discussed its supposed curative powers, as well as writing a book based on his lectures and demonstrations of Radium and other luminous and phosphorescent substances. He was the first to propose Radium as a treatment for cancer. In 1903, he and Dr. Willy Meyer used Radium to treat an incurable tumor, and it was observed to shrink and become less painful, though the patient was not cured. He invented the luminous
Radioluminescence
Radioluminescence is the phenomenon by which luminescence is produced in a material by the bombardment of ionizing radiation such as beta particles.-Tritium:...
Radium dial
Radium dials
Radium dials are watch, clock and other instrument dials painted with radioluminescent paint containing radium. The 1900s were the peak of radium dial production, as radiation poisoning was then unknown; subsequently, radium dials have largely been replaced by tritium based light...
for watches and other instruments, widely used in World War 1 and thereafter.
Hammer was an early promoter of aviation, and an associate of many of the aviation pioneers, and testified as an expert.
He died of pneumonia on March 24, 1934 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.