Cyprien O. Mailloux

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Cyprien Odilon Mailloux
Born(1857-07-30)30 July 1857
L'Acadie, Quebec, Canada
Died4 October 1932(1932-10-04) (aged 75)
New York City, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
CitizenshipCanadian (1857–1921)
American (1921–1932)
Known forwork on International Electrotechnical Commission
Signature

Cyprien O. Mailloux (July 30, 1857[1] – October 4, 1932) American electrical engineer and inventor. He served terms of office as president of the International Electrotechnical Commission and as president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers between 1913 and 1914,.[2] He was also an editor of the ‘’Electrical World’’ journal, and supported the standardization of technical terms.

Early life and education[edit]

Cyprien Odilon Mailloux was born in L'Acadie, Quebec in 1857. His mother Helene "Ellen" Guernon and father Jean-Baptiste "John" Mailloux were of French descent who migrated to the US during the Quebec diaspora. At a young age, his family relocated to Lowell, Massachusetts, Boston then New York City.[3][4]

In 1905, he obtained his bachelor's degree from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute[5] before receiving MSc in electrical engineering.[6][7] In pursuit of professional learning, he was one of the leading pupils of Dr. M. I. Pupin, who was a lecturer on advanced theory of electrical engineering at Columbia University.[8]

Career[edit]

After graduation, Mailloux established himself as a professional electrical engineer and inventor. In December 1891, Mailloux filed an application to patent a system of power distribution. It was granted on August 31, 1893, as Canadian patent number 44129. This system used both alternating current (ac) and direct current (dc) for reasons that are related to what has become known as "the battle of the currents" that was taking place at that time.

During his early career, Mailloux designed very complex dc power systems for large buildings, many of them in New York City where he maintained his office. These included the original Astoria Hotel (on the site now occupied by the Empire State Building), the Park Row Building in downtown Manhattan, Aeolian Hall, formerly on 42nd Street, and the New York Life Insurance Building.

Mailloux developed the concept of what was termed a "booster" for use in such systems. This consisted of a low voltage dc generator driven by a dc motor operating from the power system itself. The booster generator could be connected in series with the batteries during the charging cycle so as to provide the necessary increase in charging voltage. Then the same booster could be used inversely in the battery discharge circuitry so as to lower the voltage slightly for the sake of lamp life. Sometimes the booster was connected between the lighting system and the motor (power) system so as to maintain two different voltages simultaneously. Also, it could be used to boost the voltage on long feeders to the upper floors of a building.

By the late 1880s, Mailloux had become a respected and well-known consulting electrical engineer. He teamed up with Benjamin Tingley Rogers and patent laweyer Paul Wilcox to establish the Casamajor Filter Co., named after chemist Paul Casamajor.

Patents[edit]

Mailloux made at least 100 original inventions, more than 30 of which had been patented.

Patents released in America
Number of patent Date
U.S. patent 467,545 Charging secondary batteries 26 January 1892
U.S. patent 668,108 Transfer apparatus for electric batteries 12 February 1901
U.S. patent 668,109 Storage and transfer system for electric batteries 12 February 1901
U.S. patent 714,497 Railway electric-motor-cooling system 25 November 1902
U.S. patent 714,498 Railway electric-motor-cooling system 25 November 1902
U.S. patent 719,020 Railway electric-motor-cooling system 27 January 1903
U.S. patent 725,001 Indicating and controlling apparatus 7 April 1903
U.S. patent 724,722 Electrical controlling system for elevators 7 April 1903
U.S. patent 935,763 Draft-regulating apparatus 5 October 1909
U.S. patent 942,861 Gas-analyzer for furnaces 7 December 1909
U.S. patent 1,014,241 Indicating gas-analyzer 9 January 1912
U.S. patent 1,043,616 Automatic draft-modifier 5 November 1912

Writings[edit]

Besides his patents, Mailloux did expert work, and submitted testimony, reports, and arbitrations in over 1,000 cases. He became the editor of trade journal Electrical World and remained a frequent contributor to technical literature.

He presented papers at the annual convention of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.[9] He also translated several books from various languages that contributed to the establishment of the Engineering Societies Library in New York City.[10]

  • The induction motor; its theory and design, set forth by a practical method of calculation, McGraw, 1903[11]
  • The induction motor; its theory and design, set forth by a practical method of calculation, McGraw, 1906[12]
  • Methode de determination du courant constant produisant le meme échauffement qu'un courant variable, Tipografia Baravalle e Falconieri, 1911[13]
  • Graphical determination of sags and stresses for overhead line construction, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., 1915[14]
  • Standard specifications and tests for Portland cement, Government printing office, 1921[15]

As well, he worked on French translation of documents from the American Society for Testing and Materials.

  • Cahier des charges normalisé pour essieux en acier laminé à froid, Imprimerie du gouvernement, 1921[16]
  • Cahier des charges normalisé pour fil de cuivre demi-écroui, Washington, Imprimerie du gouvernement, 1921[17]
  • Cahier des charges normalisé pour tubes en fer forgé soudés, Imprimerie du gouvernement, 1921[18]
  • Cahier des charges normalisé pour tuyaux et pièces moulées spéciales en fonte, Imprimerie du gouvernement, 1921[19]

Organizations[edit]

In 1884, Mailloux became a charter member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.[20] He served as an officer of AIEE at different capacities and remained active throughout his life. He served 3 terms as manager (1886–1889, 1899–1902, 1905–1907); 2 terms as vice-president (1898–1899, 1902–1904); and devoted many years to the institute's committees including the standards committee, the Edison Medal committee, and the John Fritz Medal board of award. In 1912, he was elected as an AIEE Fellow.[21]

In 1913, he was elected President of AIEE owing to his active role in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). He advocated for all electrical technologists in the AIEE because "in union there is strength" and were in support of admitting women to membership in their organization.[22][23]

Dr. Mailloux also served as IEC president (1919–1923), director, and secretariat on nomenclature; and on the U.S. national committee of the I.E.C, president (1914–1924) chairman, advisor on nomenclature, representative on division of foreign relations. In the 1921 International Conference on Large Electric High-Tension Systems in Paris, he was honorary president, acting also as United States delegate at biennial meetings.

Marriage and family[edit]

On June 21, 1883, Cyprien Mailloux was married to Emma Bertha Debs in Terre Haute, Indiana where they met.[24][25] Known as Emily, she was the sister of Eugene Debs, one of the most significant American socialists of the 20th century.

Death and honors[edit]

Cyprien Odilon Mailloux died in New York City and was interred in Terre Haute, Indiana.[26]

Doctor Mailloux had been a chevalier of the Legion of Honour (France). In 1914, he also received an honorary degree of D.Sc., from Lehigh University.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Although Mailloux's birth year is sometimes given as 1860 and 1861, earlier archival records list his birth year as 1857. See:
  2. ^ "Great Names Behind the Institute". Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  3. ^ Entry for John Mailloux and Ellen Mailloux, Massachusetts Census Record Indexes, United States Census, 1880 FamilySearch.org, Access 15 May 2024
  4. ^ Arsenault, Bona (1955). L’Acadie: Des Ancestres. Le Conseil de la Vie francaise en Amerique, Universite Laval.
  5. ^ "The Polytechnic Commencement". Brooklyn Life. 24 June 1905. p. 24.
  6. ^ "Largest class in years graduated from poly". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 15 June 1905. p. 13.
  7. ^ Maxwell, W. J (1916). Catalogue of officers and graduates of Columbia university from the foundation of King's college in 1754. Columbia University. p. 56.
  8. ^ "A Brief History of Columbia's Electrical Engineering Department, 1889–1975". Columbia University. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  9. ^ Mailloux, C. O. (Cyprien Odilon) "Notes on the plotting of speed-time curves". Great Barrington, Mass. 1902. Paper presented at the 19th annual convention of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.
  10. ^ In 1995, the Engineering Societies Library collection was transferred to the Linda Hall Library, Kansas City, MOAttwood, Randy (21 May 2006). "Stacks of Facts: Science Books Line 16 Miles of Shelves at the Linda Hall Library". Kansas City Star: 12–18.
  11. ^ Henri Boy de la Tour. ""The induction motor; its theory and design, set forth by a practical method of calculation"". Hathi Trust. Translated by Cyprien Odilon Mailloux. translated from French. New York. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  12. ^ Henri Boy de la Tour (1906). The Induction Motor: Its Theory and Design, Set Forth By a Practical Method of Calculation. Translated by Cyprien Odilon Mailloux. translated from French. New York: McGraw Pub. Co.
  13. ^ Methode de determination du courant constant produisant le meme échauffement qu'un courant variable. Torino: Tipografia Baravalle e Falconieri. 1911. Retrieved 16 May 2024. Presented at Congresso internazionale delle applicazioni elettriche Torino, 10–17 Settembre 1911.
  14. ^ Guido Semenza; Marco Semenza. ""Graphical determination of sags and stresses for overhead line construction"". Hathi Trust. Translated by Cyprien Odilon Mailloux. translated from Italian. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Standard specifications and tests for Portland cement: Text as adopted by the American society for testing materials and by the United States government". Hathi Trust. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. Retrieved 16 May 2024. Note: The translation into French was made by Mr. C.O. Mailloux.
  16. ^ American Society for Testing Materials (1921). ’’Cahier des charges normalisé pour essieux en acier laminé à froid’’. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office.
  17. ^ American Society for Testing Materials (1921). ’’Cahier des charges normalisé pour fil de cuivre demi-écroui’’. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office.
  18. ^ ’’Cahier des charges normalisé pour tubes en fer forgé soudés’’. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. 1921.
  19. ^ ’’Cahier des charges normalisé pour tuyaux et pièces moulées spéciales en fonte’’location=Washington. U.S. Government Publishing Office. 1921.
  20. ^ T. Commerford Martin; Stephen Leidy Coles, eds. (1891). The story of electricity (PDF). The Story of Electricity Co. p. 308.
  21. ^ "Application for for Transfer to Grade of Fellow" (PDF). Engineering and Technology History Wiki. 16 May 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  22. ^ "C.O. Mailloux honored". The Brooklyn Daily. 21 May 1913. p. 20.
  23. ^ Adrian Michal McMahon (1984). The Making of a Profession: A Century of Electrical Engineering in America. IEEE. p. 91,127.
  24. ^ Boone, Isabelle. "Biographical Sketch of Emily Debs Mailloux". Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  25. ^ Entry for C Odilon Maillonx and Emma Bertha Debs, 05 Jul 1883 "Indiana Marriages, 1811–2019". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  26. ^ "Obituary for Mailloux" (PDF). Engineering and Technology History Wiki. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.

External links[edit]

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