Biographical entry Lay, John Louis (1832 - 1899)
- Born
- 1832
Buffalo, New York, United States of America - Died
- 1899
- Occupation
- Engineer and Inventor
Summary
John Louis Lay was an American engineer who designed naval weapons during the American Civil War.
In 1864 he invented the spar torpedo which was proved effective almost immediately upon the sinking by Lieutenant Cushing of the Confederate armor-clad ram Albemarle in October of the same year. In 1867 he presented his improved design and it was purchased by the American government.
The torpedo was also used by the Peruvian government.
Details
Chronology
- July 1862 -
- Career event - Appointed a second assistant engineer in the navy
- 1864
- Career event - Invented the spar torpedo that sank the Albermarle
- 1867
- Career event - Spar torpedo design purchased by the American federal government
Related entries
Published resources
Book Sections
- Mitman, Carl W., 'Lay, John Louis (1832-1899)', in Malone, Dumas (ed.), Dictionary of American Biography, vol. 11, Humphrey Milford and Oxford University Press, London, 1933, pp. 64-65. Details
Journal Articles
- 'Locomotive torpedoes', The Engineer, vol. 65, 24 February 1888, p. 147. Details
- Ericsson, Captain J, 'Movable torpedoes', Engineering, vol. 15, 7 February 1873, pp. 107-108. Details
Letters Patents
- Lay, J. L., Improvement in electro-magnetic steering apparatus for submarine torpedo-boats, United States Patent Office., 1877. Details
- Lay, J. L., Improvement in electro-magnetic steering apparatus for submarine boats, United States Patent Office., 1877. Details
Newspaper Articles
Sources used to compile this entry: 'John Lay dies destitute', New York times, 21 April 1899, p. 5; Mitman, Carl W., 'Lay, John Louis (1832-1899)', in Malone, Dumas (ed.), Dictionary of American Biography, vol. 11, Humphrey Milford and Oxford University Press, London, 1933, pp. 64-65.
Prepared by: Rebecca Rigby