Hotchkiss, Benjamin Berkeley (1826-1885)

US inventor. He worked with his brother, Andrew Hotchkiss, to develop an improved type of cannon shell. He manufactured the shells in New York City and received more orders from the US Union army (1861-65) than all other manufacturers combined. He invented the Hotchkiss revolving-barrel machine gun in 1872. He spent the final years of his life in France (1871-85) where he organized Hotchkiss and Company in 1882. He was the most expert artillery engineer in the world and his magazine rifle of 1875 became the standard in both the British and French armies.

He was born in Watertown, Connecticut.