Albert S. Janin

Albert Stanley Janin (1881-1931) was an American inventor of a hydro-airplane which he invented in 1907 independently of Glenn Curtiss. Even though Janin had a prior patent, he lost in prolonged patent litigations to Curtiss on the grounds that Janin's designs did not disclose sufficient detail. Janin did win his claim first but then lost it on appeals. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]} Janin was honored by President Woodrow Wilson for donating much of his patents to the government during World War I.^[1] Janin was also credited with invention of the inflammable bullet used during that war,^[1] and the catapult to launch planes from ships.^[1]

References

1. New York Times:A.S. JANIN DIES; NOTED INVENTOR; Airplane Pioneer Left but Small Estate Despite His Many Inventions;January 9, 1931
2. New York Times:G.H. CURTISS LOSES HYDROAERO PATENT; Albert S. Janin, a Poor Staten Islander, Declared to Have Prior Claim. SEES RICHES IN ROYALTIES Order for 200 Planes from a European Belligerent Offered in America.;The Board of Examiners of the Patent Office decided that the man who made the hydroaeroplane possible was not Glenn H. Curtiss, but Albert S. Janin, a poor cabinet maker of Staten Island.January 26, 1915
3. New York Times:INVENTED HYDROAEROPLANE; Court Awards Priority Over Curtiss to Albert S. Janin.;WASHINGTON, June 1. -- Priority of invention of the hydroaeroplane was awarded today by the District Supreme Court to Albert S. Janin against Glenn H. Curtiss; June 2, 1916
4. Patent Rights in Aircraft;by Carl Zollmann
5. Glenn Curtiss, pioneer of flight; By Cecil R. Roseberry;page 475