and submitted a proposal for an improved low-recoil breech-loading cannon design to the US Navy in 1861; it was rejected as impractical. The Henson Aerial Steam Carriage Small model, wingspan unknown Medium model, wingspan 20 feet Full-size aircraft, wingspan 150 feet (never built) Timeline 3 May 1812 Birth in Nottingham, England 1835 UK Patent #4405 on ornamental lace-making improvements ("William Henson of Chard, machinist" - could be William Samuel Henson's father, who was also an inventor) 1840 UK Patent #6207 on making fabrics ("William Henson of Lambeth, engineer") 1841, 1842, 1843 UK Patents on lightweight steam engine and flying machine (#unknown and #9478) ("William S. Henson of Lambeth, engineer") 17 July 1847 Patent on the T-handled safety razor 1849 Emigration to the United States 1850 US Census in Newark, New Jersey as machinist 2 March 1852 US Patent on improvement to knitting looms 5 November 1861 US Patent #33646 for "Improvement in Breech-loading Ordinance". 13 October 1868 US Patent #83060 for an improvement to a steam engine governor circa 1869-1870: working in Peru in the mining industry 26 January 1869 US Patent #86264 for improvements to centrifugal screw pumps 1870 US Census in Newark, New Jersey as civil engineer, US patent #108816 on ice-making machine 1871 Publication of book on Astronomy; listed as a Master in the Newark Masons lodge 14 July 1874 US Patent #152914 for ice-making improvements 15 May 1883 US Patent #277486 for cleaning cisterns 1888 Death in Newark, New Jersey See also Adelaide Gallery George Cayley, aviation pioneer John Chapman, engineer References External links Chard Museum BBC: William Henson Flying Machines: William Henson Hargrave: William Henson 1812 births 1888 deaths History of aviation Aviation inventors People from Chard, Somerset People from Newark, New Jersey Steam-powered aircraft Burials at Rosedale Cemetery (Orange, New Jersey)