George Herman Babcock

George Herman Babcock (June 17, 1832 – December 16, 1893) was an American inventor. He and Stephen Wilcox co-invented a safer water tube steam boiler, and founded the Babcock & Wilcox boiler company.

George Herman Babcock
Born	(1832-06-17)June 17, 1832 Unadilla Forks, New York
Died	December 16, 1893(1893-12-16) (aged 61)
Occupation	Engineer
Engineering career
Significant advance	Co-inventor of an improved safety water tube boiler

Babock was born in Otsego County, New York in a family of inventors. As a boy he started his career in the woolen mill industry. Still in his tens he started a printing office in Westerly, Rhode Island. Here he founded the "Literary Echo" journal, which was later renamed "The Narragansett" and was continued until the end of 19th century. Through his interest in photography he started a printing-press manufacture, for which he invented a polychromatic press for printing in several colors.[1]

After moving to New York Babcock taught mechanical drawing at the Cooper Institute. He was a draughtsman for the Mystic Iron Company and the Hope Iron Company in Providence. Here with Stephen Wilcox he developed the Babcock and Wilcox engine, which was taken into production.[1] They eventually founded the Babcock & Wilcox boiler company. In 1886-1887 Babcock served as president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Babcock's water tube steam boiler provided a safer and more efficient production of steam, and was built to work better under higher pressures than earlier boilers. In 1881 their company was incorporated, with Babcock as president and Wilcox as vice president.

In 1997, Babcock was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.