Fernley Hope Banbury (22 December 1881 – 26 May 1963) was an English scientist and engineer. He invented the

Banbury mixer In industrial process engineering, mixing is a unit operation that involves manipulation of a heterogeneous physical system with the intent to make it more homogeneous. Familiar examples include pumping of the water in a swimming pool to homogeni ...

, which is used to mix or blend a wide range of materials used in different industries including the food, chemical, pharmaceutical, plastic, rubber and mineral industries.

Biography

He was born in England on 22 December 1881 in

Cornwall, England Cornwall (; or ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, Devon to the east, and the Engli ...

. In 1904, he migrated to the United States, and earned a B.S. in

electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

from

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

in 1906, with a thesis titled "Test of New Lighting Plant". His yearbook records this about him: "if genuine English perseverance coupled with absolute honesty can achieve success, Fernly has a bright future." He received the

Charles Goodyear Medal The Charles Goodyear Medal is the highest honor conferred by the American Chemical Society#Organization, American Chemical Society, Rubber Division. Established in 1941, the award is named after Charles Goodyear, the discoverer of vulcanization, ...

in 1959, one of only two electrical engineers ever to do so (the other being Adolf Schallamach). He was an executive at the

Farrel Corporation The Farrel Corporation is an American manufacturing company based in Ansonia, Connecticut. Today, they manufacture process equipment for the plastics industry, and employ roughly 100 people. History Farrel was founded in 1848 as a foundry by Al ...

Ansonia, Connecticut Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. Located on the Naugatuck River, it is immediately north of Derby, and about northwest of New Haven. The city is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The population was ...

. He died on 26 May 1963 in

Torquay, England Torquay ( ) is a seaside town in Devon, England, part of the unitary authority area of Torbay. It lies south of the county town of Exeter and east-north-east of Plymouth, on the north of Tor Bay, adjoining the neighbouring town of Paignton o ...

References

1881 births 1963 deaths British polymer scientists and engineers Purdue University College of Engineering alumni Tire industry people {{England-inventor-stub