Reginald James Seymour Pigott (Februari 4, 1886 – December 23, 1966) was a British/American

mechanical Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations o ...

and

consulting engineer Engineering consulting is the practice of performing engineering as a consulting engineer. It assists individuals, public and private companies with process management, idea organization, product design, fabrication, maintenance, repair and operati ...

, director of the engineering division of Gulf Research & Development Company, a subsidiary of

Gulf Oil Gulf Oil was a major global oil company in operation from 1901 to 1985. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the Seven Sisters (oil companies), Seven Sisters oil companies. ...

, and

inventor An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea, or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

. Pigott was known for his work in the fields of fluid flow pumps and power plant design. He had been president of three national engineering societies, an unicum in those days.:ASME. ''Mechanical Engineering,'' Volume 89, 1967, p. 113 He was president of the American Society for Measurement and Control founded in 1939, 71st president of the

Society of Automotive Engineers SAE International is a global professional association and standards organization based in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, United States. Formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers, the organization adopted its current name in 2006 to reflect bot ...

in 1948, and president of the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...

in 1952–53.

Biography

Family, education and early career

Pigott was born in 1886 in

Wellington, Shropshire Wellington is a market town and a civil parish in the borough of Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. It is situated northwest of Telford and east of Shrewsbury, near the western terminus of the M54 motorway. The summit of The Wrekin lie ...

, in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, to Elphic William Seymour Pigott and Lillian Mary (Fance) Pigott. In 1891 the family moved to the United States to New York City, where his father worked as an accountant.''The National Cyclopædia of American Biography,'' J. T. White, 1964. p. 794. After the regular public schools in New York City, Pigott studied mechanical engineering at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, obtaining his Mech.E. degree in 1906. After his graduation in Pigott in 1906 started his career at the

Interborough Rapid Transit Company The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) was the private operator of New York City's original underground subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT ...

as chief draftsman, and later became construction engineer. In this position he was "in full charge of the design, construction, and testing of live 7500~kilowatt low-pressure turbines and had charge of the general rebuilding of the boilers` stokers, economizers, coal handling, and other equipment and operations in the company's two power plants." In the year 1911–1912 he was assistant professor of steam engineering at the

, but after a year he returned to the Interborough Rapid Transit Co. as construction engineer in the motive power department in 1912–1915. For another eleven years Pigott worked in the design, construction, and operation of central steam power stations. In those days in the late 1910s and early 1920s, Pigott was mechanical engineer with Stevens & Wood, Inc. in New York for three years, and next consulting engineer with

Public Service Corporation The Public Service Corporation (PSC) was an energy and transportation company in New Jersey. It was formed to shore up financing and development of New Jersey's streetcar and power companies at a time when they were growing but exhausting Capital ...

of New Jersey Production Co.

Further career and acknowledgement

In 1929 Pigott was appointed chief engineer at the Gulf Research & Development Corporation at Pittsburgh, Pa,''Automotive Engineering,'' Volume 56. 1948. p. 35 where he became active in petroleum research. His research was also focussed on the development of special equipment, which includes projects as the "marsh buggy" and piston ring pressure tester. In World War II "a good deal of research work was done for the automotive industry, particularly aviation, covering the investigation and solution of the problem of oil foaming in flight, heat distribution in high output aviation engines, the solution of difficult bearing problems for gas turbines and engines, and the manufacture of a good deal of special test equipment." By the time of his retirement in 1953, Pigott he had been director of the engineering division of Gulf Research and Development Company. He had written over 40 papers, and had obtained a few dozens of patents. In 1952 Pigott was awarded the Egleston Medal, the highest award of the Columbia Engineering School Alumni Association. In 1957 he was recipient of the

Elliott Cresson Medal The Elliott Cresson Medal, also known as the Elliott Cresson Gold Medal, was the highest award given by the Franklin Institute. The award was established by Elliott Cresson, life member of the Franklin Institute, with $1,000 granted in 1848. Th ...

of the Franklin Institute. And in 1965 he was elected Honorary Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Selected publications

* Pigott, R. J. S., and A. T. Colwell. ''Hi-jet system for increasing tool life.'' No. 520254. SAE Technical Paper, 1952. ;Articles, a selectionSee also
R. J. S. Pigott
'' Profile, SAE International * Pigott, R. J. S. "The flow of fluids in closed conduits." ''Mechanical Engineering'' 55.8 (1933): 497–515. * Pigott, R. J. S. "Mud flow in drilling." ''Drilling and Production Practice.''

American Petroleum Institute The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the largest U.S. trade association for the oil and natural gas industry. It claims to represent nearly 600 corporations involved in extraction of petroleum, production, oil refinery, refinement, pipeline ...

, 1941. * Pigott, R. J. S. "Pressure losses in tubing, pipe, and fittings." ''Trans. ASME'' 72 (1950): 679–688. ;Patents, a selection * Pigott, Reginald JS.
Gear tooth shape
" U.S. Patent No 1,909,117, 1933. * Pigott, Reginald JS.
Pump
" U.S. Patent No. 2,055,587. 29 Sep. 1936. * Pigott, Reginald JS.
Chuck
" U.S. Patent No. 2,282,676. 12 May 1942. * Pigott, Reginald JS.
Internal gear pump and compressor
" U.S. Patent No 2,458,958, 1949. * Pigott, Reginald JS.
Method of applying cutting liquids
" U.S. Patent No. 2,653,517. 29 Sep. 1953.

References

External links

1952 Press Photo R.J.S.Pigott
Historic Images {{DEFAULTSORT:Pigott, Reginald J. S. 1886 births 1966 deaths 20th-century American engineers American business executives Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni Columbia University faculty People from Wellington, Shropshire Presidents of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers British emigrants to the United States