Mahlon Loomis

Summary

Mahlon Loomis (July 21, 1826 – October 13, 1886) was an American dentist granted US Patent 129,971, “Improvement in Telegraphing” (July 30, 1872), which proposed using atmospheric “natural electricity” as a wireless circuit — a conceptual disclosure without schematics or a workable physical mechanism. His claims of successful kite-borne transmission in 1866 rest on his own notes; skeptical scholarship finds no accepted primary evidence of a successful transmission, and his scheme was not radio in the modern sense. His place in wireless history is that of an intriguing early idea, not a demonstrated invention.

Focus areas: Wireless telegraphy · Patents · History of radio

At a glance

Field

Wireless telegraphy · Patents

Location

Washington, D.C.

Correction: “wireless before Marconi”

Loomis is often described as having demonstrated wireless communication before Marconi. His 1866 kite-experiment claims rest on his own notes, and skeptical scholarship finds no accepted primary evidence of a successful transmission. His 1872 patent set out a conceptual atmospheric-electricity scheme — no schematics, no workable physical mechanism, and no accepted evidence of operation; it was not radio in the modern sense.

References · in priority order

1. US Patent 129,971 (1872)patents.google.com/patent/US129971A/en
2. Wikipedia: Mahlon Loomisen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahlon_Loomis

Sources

• American dentist and inventor; July 21, 1826 - Oct 13, 1886Wikipedia
• Granted US Patent 129,971, 'Improvement in Telegraphing,' July 30, 1872 — proposing atmospheric 'natural electricity' as a wireless circuit; a conceptual disclosure without schematics or a workable physical mechanismGoogle Patents
• His 1866 kite-experiment claims rest on his own notes; skeptical scholarship finds no accepted primary evidence of successful transmission; his scheme was not radio in the modern senseWikipedia