Lewis was born in New Salem, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1884 and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Second Artillery.[2] Early in his career he made himself an authority on ordnance. In 1900, then-Captain Lewis was sent by Adjutant General Henry Clarke Corbin to Europe to study that subject,[1] his report resulting in the re-armament of the field artillery. By successive promotions, he rose to the rank of colonel in the Coast Artillery Corps in August 1913, and he was retired the next month for disability incurred in line of duty.[2]
In 1911, he refined an original machine gun design of Samuel Maclean and began active marketing of a type which came to be known simply as the "Lewis Gun", which was used in World War I by the Allied armies, the United States Navy, and the airplanes of the United States and Allies. Initially, the United States Army was not interested in his new gun, but after the British and French had bought more than 100,000 for use in the trenches in France, the US Army did purchase them. Lewis, already a wealthy man, declined the royalties—amounting to at least $1,200,000 ($35,557,320 in 2022 terms)—on guns made for the United States after it entered the war.[2][3]
His other inventions included a time-interval clock and bell system of signals, a replotting and relocating system for coast batteries, an automatic sight, quick-reading mechanical verniers for use in coast defenses, electric car lighting, and windmill electric lighting systems.
^"Isaac Newton Lewis • Obituary Notice (Association of Graduates USMA, 1932)". penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
^"COL. LEWIS, FAMOUS INVENTOR, DEAD; Designed the First Portable, Air-Cooled Machine Gun, Which Helped Win War. BRITISH BOUGHT RIGHTS United States Had Rejected Offer of Invention as a Gift--Colonel Was a West Point Graduate.", The New York Times, November 10, 1931. Accessed February 6, 2013. "colonel Isaac newton Lewis, who invented the first portable, air-cooled machine gun, dropped dead of heart disease yesterday afternoon in the Lackawanna Railroad station in Hoboken, N. J., while awaiting a train to Montclair, where he lived at 1 Russell Terrace."
^"Col Isaac Newton Lewis". Find A Grave. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
isaac, newton, lewis, october, 1858, november, 1931, united, states, army, officer, inventor, lewis, born, 1858, october, 1858new, salem, pennsylvaniadied, 1931, november, 1931, aged, hoboken, jerseynationalityamericanoccupation, inventor, officerknown, forlew. Isaac Newton Lewis October 12 1858 November 9 1931 was a United States Army officer and the inventor of the Lewis gun 1 Isaac Newton LewisBorn 1858 10 12 October 12 1858New Salem PennsylvaniaDied 1931 11 09 November 9 1931 aged 78 Hoboken New JerseyNationalityAmericanOccupation s Inventor OfficerKnown forLewis gunLewis was born in New Salem Pennsylvania He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1884 and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Second Artillery 2 Early in his career he made himself an authority on ordnance In 1900 then Captain Lewis was sent by Adjutant General Henry Clarke Corbin to Europe to study that subject 1 his report resulting in the re armament of the field artillery By successive promotions he rose to the rank of colonel in the Coast Artillery Corps in August 1913 and he was retired the next month for disability incurred in line of duty 2 In 1911 he refined an original machine gun design of Samuel Maclean and began active marketing of a type which came to be known simply as the Lewis Gun which was used in World War I by the Allied armies the United States Navy and the airplanes of the United States and Allies Initially the United States Army was not interested in his new gun but after the British and French had bought more than 100 000 for use in the trenches in France the US Army did purchase them Lewis already a wealthy man declined the royalties amounting to at least 1 200 000 35 557 320 in 2022 terms on guns made for the United States after it entered the war 2 3 His other inventions included a time interval clock and bell system of signals a replotting and relocating system for coast batteries an automatic sight quick reading mechanical verniers for use in coast defenses electric car lighting and windmill electric lighting systems He was awarded the Franklin Institute s Elliott Cresson Medal in 1919 Lewis died of a myocardial infarction at the Lackawanna Railroad terminal in Hoboken New Jersey while waiting for a train to his home in Montclair 4 He is buried at the West Point Cemetery on the grounds of the U S Military Academy in West Point New York 5 References Edit a b Prepare Says Inventor of Famous Lewis Gun PDF The New York Times June 11 1916 a b c New International Encyclopedia Isaac Newton Lewis Obituary Notice Association of Graduates USMA 1932 penelope uchicago edu Retrieved July 14 2022 COL LEWIS FAMOUS INVENTOR DEAD Designed the First Portable Air Cooled Machine Gun Which Helped Win War BRITISH BOUGHT RIGHTS United States Had Rejected Offer of Invention as a Gift Colonel Was a West Point Graduate The New York Times November 10 1931 Accessed February 6 2013 colonel Isaac newton Lewis who invented the first portable air cooled machine gun dropped dead of heart disease yesterday afternoon in the Lackawanna Railroad station in Hoboken N J while awaiting a train to Montclair where he lived at 1 Russell Terrace Col Isaac Newton Lewis Find A Grave Retrieved June 20 2017 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a Missing or empty title help External links EditBiographical sketch with portrait photo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Isaac Newton Lewis amp oldid 1098059686, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
