The Inventors Who Were Killed By Their Own Inventions

*-- Sieur Freminet (Rebreathing Device -1772) In 1772 Frenchman Sieur Freminet tried to invent a rebreathing device for scuba diving that recycled the exaled air from inside the barrel. This was first self-contained air device. Unfortunately, Freminet's invention

was a poor one and the inventor died of lack of oxygen after being in his own decice for twenty minutes. *-- Max Valier (Liquid-Fueled Rocket Car-1930) On May 17, 1930, Max Valier, an Austrian rocketry pioneer, was killed when his alcohl-fuelled rocket exploded in his test bench in Berlin.

In 1928 and 1929 Valier worked with Fritz von Opel on a number of rocket-powered cars and aircrafts. By the late 1920s Valier was focussing his efforts on on liquid-fuelled rockets. Their first successful liquid fueled test occured in Heylandt plant on January 25, 1930. On April 19, 1930, Valier performed the first test drive of a rocket car with liquid propulsion, the Valier Heylandt Rak 7. One month later the alcohol -fueld rocket exploded during the test. *-- Henry Fleuss (Oxygen Rebreather -1876) In 1876 Englishman Henry Fleuss invented a closed circuit oxygen rebreather. This suit used compressed oxygen instead of compressed air. His invention was originally inted to be used in the repair of iron door of a flooded ship's chamber. Fluess then decided to use his invention for a thirty-foot dive underwater.

Unfortunately, he died from the pure oxygen. Because oxygen is toxic under pressure. *-- Frank Reichelt (Parachute Suit-1912) On February 4, 1912, Frank Reichelt, an Austrian-born French tailor, inventor and parachuting poineer, jumped from Eiffel Tower,while testing a wearable parachute of his own design. Despite attempts by his friends and spectators to dissuade him, he jumped from the first plateform of the tower while wearing his invention.

Unfortunately, the parachute failed to deploy and he crashed into the icy ground at the foot of the tower.