William Frishmuth

William Frishmuth (1830 - August 1st 1893) was a metallurgist and German-American architect. It was particularly famous for its work of the Aluminum, of which it worked out the methods of production. One him must have also carried out the cap of the Washington Monument.

Biography

William Frishmuth is born with Coburg in Germany in 1830. He studies with Friedrich Wöhler which one often regards as being the discoverer of the aluminum and which deposited the first patent of its refinement.

In 1855, Frishmuth settles with Philadelphia and takes American nationality. It founds the Frishmuth Foundry , specialized in the first and cast aluminum in its kind in the United States.

In 1861, it becomes secret agent on behalf of the ministry for the War on a request of Abraham Lincoln. The November 5th 1861, it receives order on behalf of the president, experienced by Curtin, the governor of Pennsylvania, to create a regiment of cavalry. In 1862, its regiment is enlisted for the active service and it is named colonel. He will remain colonel of the 113e regiment, 12th cavalry of Pennsylvania until the April 20th 1862.

In 1876, it produces the first authentic aluminum casting made in America in its foundry of Philadelphia, classified historic building of the ASM ( American Society for Materials ) in 1985. With this intention, it had privileged the chemical method instead of the electrolitic method, more traditional and which remains the standard nowadays.

In 1876 began work of Washington Monument, which had been blocked by the American Civil War and for lack of funds, begin again. Frishmuth completes work of metal coating. The army engineers then require of him to build a small cap for the monument in the shape of pyramid which was to act like lightning conductor. Frishmuth proposes to carry it out out of aluminum, stainless, easily polishable and gravable, and whose white color was to marry well with that of the granite of the monument

In 1884, it carries out the casting of the cap of Washington Monument, which became thus the first architectural use of aluminum in architecture. Let us note that at that time aluminum was almost as expensive as the money ($1 the ounce against $1,3; knowing that 100 was needed; ounces of aluminum to carry out the cap).

During its life, Frishmuth receives 12 patents, mainly on the coating by electrodeposition and the production of aluminum.

One found it dead at his place in Philadelphia on August 1st, 1893, wounded by his own firearm.

Each year, the AFS ( American Foundry Society ) offers the Frishmuth Award to the “founder of the year”.

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