Aimé Argand
Encyclopedia
François Pierre Ami Argand (5 July 1750 – 14 October 1803) was a Swiss
physicist
and chemist
. He invented the Argand lamp
, a great improvement on the traditional oil lamp
.
, Switzerland, the ninth of ten children. His father was a watchmaker, who intended for him to enter the clergy. However, he had an aptitude more for science, and became a pupil of the noted botanist and meteorologist Horace-Bénédict de Saussure
. He published several scientific papers on meteorological subjects while in Paris in his late twenties. He took a teaching post in chemistry and developed some ideas for improving the distillation of wine into brandy, and, with his brother, successfully built a large distillery.
In 1783 Argand met Etienne Montgolfier
in France and became closely involved with his sensational experiments to devise a hot air balloon
.
When he was there, his acquaintance Antoine-Aroult Quinquet, to whom he had shown his an early prototype, began to manufacture the lamps himself, with minor change, and successfully fought a protracted legal battle for patent infringement.
Many problems attended the successful development of a lamp that could be a commercial success. Argand experimented with all of them, searching for practical compromises. The design manufacture of the wick was solved by a lacemaker. The type of glass to use next to the hot flame was a problem eventually solved. All available types of oil to use were tested, and methods to purify them for use were the subject of a number of experiments. Whale oil
was eventually settled on, which eventually created an important new industry. The mechanism for holding the wick and moving it up and down went through many variations. Even the solder used to fabricate the oil reservoir was a problem when it was discovered that the soft solder
joints leaked. The invention of the lamp did not consist, then, of only one invention, but rather of the improvement and development of a complete system of parts all working together, not unlike Edison's invention of the electrical lighting system that was to again revolutionize lighting over a century later.
In October of the same year, he determined to manufacture his lamp, in England. He eventually formed a partnership with William Parker
and Matthew Boulton
to manufacture the lamp. In 1784, he received a patent for his design.
Argand also formed a close relationship with James Watt
who performed some experiments on the lamps efficiency and advised him on waging his court battles.
The demand for the lamps was high, and the partners had many difficulties at first in manufacturing them, but they eventually became the standard source of illumination in homes and shops. Many imitators and improvers evolved new variations, and thousands of shops sprang up to produce them in the next decades. They were eventually displaced by the kerosene lamp
in about 1850.
and suffercated from it for twenty years before dying in Geneva at the age of 53.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
. He invented the Argand lamp
Argand lamp
The Argand lamp is home lighting oil lamp producing a light output of 6 to 10 candlepower which was invented and patented in 1780 by Aimé Argand...
, a great improvement on the traditional oil lamp
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
.
Early years
Francois-Pierre-Ami Argand was born in GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland, the ninth of ten children. His father was a watchmaker, who intended for him to enter the clergy. However, he had an aptitude more for science, and became a pupil of the noted botanist and meteorologist Horace-Bénédict de Saussure
Horace-Bénédict de Saussure
200px|thumb|Portrait of Horace-Bénédict de Saussure Horace-Bénédict de Saussure was a Genevan aristocrat, physicist and Alpine traveller, often considered the founder of alpinism, and considered to be the first person to build a successful solar oven.-Life and work:Saussure was born in Conches,...
. He published several scientific papers on meteorological subjects while in Paris in his late twenties. He took a teaching post in chemistry and developed some ideas for improving the distillation of wine into brandy, and, with his brother, successfully built a large distillery.
The invention
During this period, in 1780, he started to invent improvements on the conventional oil lamp. The basic idea was to have a cylindrical wick which air could flow through and around, increasing the intensity of the light produced. A cylindrical chimney enhanced the air flow and a series of experiments gave the proportions for optimum operation. A mechanism for raising and lowering the wick allowed some adjustment and optimization as well. The light was much brighter than a candle (by a factor of five to ten), burned cleanly, and was cheaper than using candles.In 1783 Argand met Etienne Montgolfier
Montgolfier brothers
Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier were the inventors of the montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent, carrying Étienne into the sky...
in France and became closely involved with his sensational experiments to devise a hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
.
When he was there, his acquaintance Antoine-Aroult Quinquet, to whom he had shown his an early prototype, began to manufacture the lamps himself, with minor change, and successfully fought a protracted legal battle for patent infringement.
Many problems attended the successful development of a lamp that could be a commercial success. Argand experimented with all of them, searching for practical compromises. The design manufacture of the wick was solved by a lacemaker. The type of glass to use next to the hot flame was a problem eventually solved. All available types of oil to use were tested, and methods to purify them for use were the subject of a number of experiments. Whale oil
Whale oil
Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales, particularly the three species of right whale and the bowhead whale prior to the modern era, as well as several other species of baleen whale...
was eventually settled on, which eventually created an important new industry. The mechanism for holding the wick and moving it up and down went through many variations. Even the solder used to fabricate the oil reservoir was a problem when it was discovered that the soft solder
Solder
Solder is a fusible metal alloy used to join together metal workpieces and having a melting point below that of the workpiece.Soft solder is what is most often thought of when solder or soldering are mentioned and it typically has a melting range of . It is commonly used in electronics and...
joints leaked. The invention of the lamp did not consist, then, of only one invention, but rather of the improvement and development of a complete system of parts all working together, not unlike Edison's invention of the electrical lighting system that was to again revolutionize lighting over a century later.
In October of the same year, he determined to manufacture his lamp, in England. He eventually formed a partnership with William Parker
William Parker
-Sportsmen:* Tony Parker, William Anthony Parker II, , Belgian basketball player* Smush Parker , American basketball player* Sir William Parker, 3rd Baronet , British rower and Olympic medalist*Will Parker, rugby union player...
and Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton, FRS was an English manufacturer and business partner of Scottish engineer James Watt. In the final quarter of the 18th century the partnership installed hundreds of Boulton & Watt steam engines, which were a great advance on the state of the art, making possible the...
to manufacture the lamp. In 1784, he received a patent for his design.
Argand also formed a close relationship with James Watt
James Watt
James Watt, FRS, FRSE was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world.While working as an instrument maker at the...
who performed some experiments on the lamps efficiency and advised him on waging his court battles.
The demand for the lamps was high, and the partners had many difficulties at first in manufacturing them, but they eventually became the standard source of illumination in homes and shops. Many imitators and improvers evolved new variations, and thousands of shops sprang up to produce them in the next decades. They were eventually displaced by the kerosene lamp
Kerosene lamp
The kerosene lamp is a type of lighting device that uses kerosene as a fuel. This article refers to kerosene lamps that have a wick and a tall glass chimney. Kerosene lanterns that have a wick and a glass globe are related to kerosene lamps and are included here as well...
in about 1850.
Later years
The invention of the lamp was not, in the end, profitable for Aimé. He contracted malariaMalaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and suffercated from it for twenty years before dying in Geneva at the age of 53.