Owen Maclaren
Encyclopedia
Owen Finlay Maclaren MBE
(1907, Saffron Walden
– April 13 1978) was the inventor of the lightweight baby buggy
with a collapsible support assembly.
to Andrew Maclaren and Eva (née Friend). His father died in 1914. His family descended from the Clan MacLaren
in Argyll
.
, Middlesex
when working for Maclaren Undercarriage Company Ltd. The design allowed aircraft to be steered or swivelled whilst on the ground. He retired from aeronautical design in 1944, forming the company Andrews Maclaren and making aircraft components.
and designer of the Supermarine Spitfire
undercarriage was inspired when his daughter visited from the United States
with his first grandchild. After watching the parents struggle with the clumsy conventional pushchair, he used his knowledge of lightweight, collapsible structures to create a new generation of infant transport and inspire the design of future collapsible objects such as the Strida
bicycle
.
He designed his first buggy in 1965, which was built in his medieval farmhouse stables in Barby, Northamptonshire
in England
just south of Rugby
. He applied for a patent on July 20 1965, for his 6lb B01 prototype with lightweight aluminium tubes receiving Patent No. 1,154,362. On July 18 1966 he filed for an American patent, receiving Patent
No. 3,390,893.
Only after this design would aluminium tubes be used in other household equipment. The buggy went on sale in 1967. He also designed the 'Gadabout folding chair' which was produced from 1961, and was commissioned by the Ministry of Health
to design a larger folding buggy for larger children with disabilities called the 'Buggy Major' this buggy was designed on square tubes instead of the usual round tubes like the 'Baby Buggy', being produced around 1970. Today the modern version of the 'Baby Buggy' are sold in over 50 countries under the Maclaren
brand based in Long Buckby
.
In January 1978 Queen Elizabeth II
awarded him with an MBE
in the New Year's Honours List.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1907, Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a medium-sized market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. It is located north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and approx north of London...
– April 13 1978) was the inventor of the lightweight baby buggy
Baby transport
Baby transport consists of devices for transporting and carrying infants. A "child carrier" or "baby carrier" is a device used to carry an infant or small child on the body of an adult...
with a collapsible support assembly.
Early life
He was born in EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
to Andrew Maclaren and Eva (née Friend). His father died in 1914. His family descended from the Clan MacLaren
Clan MacLaren
Clan MacLaren is a Highland Scottish clan.-History:-Origins:The origins of the clan are uncertain, but by tradition the MacLarens are descended from Loarn mac Eirc of Dál Riata, who landed in & settled Argyll in 503 A.D. The clan name is supposedly derived from Lorn ; these variations are all...
in Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
.
Spitfire undercarriage
He invented the Spitfire undercarriage when living in West DraytonWest Drayton
West Drayton is a suburban area in the London Borough of Hillingdon in the far west of London, England. Formerly part of the Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District of Middlesex, the district became part of Greater London in 1965....
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
when working for Maclaren Undercarriage Company Ltd. The design allowed aircraft to be steered or swivelled whilst on the ground. He retired from aeronautical design in 1944, forming the company Andrews Maclaren and making aircraft components.
Collapsible baby buggy
The former test pilotTest pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
and designer of the Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
undercarriage was inspired when his daughter visited from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his first grandchild. After watching the parents struggle with the clumsy conventional pushchair, he used his knowledge of lightweight, collapsible structures to create a new generation of infant transport and inspire the design of future collapsible objects such as the Strida
Strida
Strida is a portable, belt-driven, folding bicycle with a distinctive 'A'-shaped collapsible frame, designed by UK engineer and designer Mark Sanders...
bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
.
He designed his first buggy in 1965, which was built in his medieval farmhouse stables in Barby, Northamptonshire
Barby, Northamptonshire
Barby is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of Northamptonshire, England. the parish had a population of 2,083.-Location:Barby is located approximately 5 miles south of Rugby, and about 7 miles north of Daventry. The village is located upon a hill overlooking the Rains Brook and...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
just south of Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
. He applied for a patent on July 20 1965, for his 6lb B01 prototype with lightweight aluminium tubes receiving Patent No. 1,154,362. On July 18 1966 he filed for an American patent, receiving Patent
United States patent law
United States patent law was established "to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;" as provided by the United States Constitution. Congress implemented these...
No. 3,390,893.
Only after this design would aluminium tubes be used in other household equipment. The buggy went on sale in 1967. He also designed the 'Gadabout folding chair' which was produced from 1961, and was commissioned by the Ministry of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
to design a larger folding buggy for larger children with disabilities called the 'Buggy Major' this buggy was designed on square tubes instead of the usual round tubes like the 'Baby Buggy', being produced around 1970. Today the modern version of the 'Baby Buggy' are sold in over 50 countries under the Maclaren
Maclaren
For the Formula One racing team, see McLaren. For other uses, see McLaren .Maclaren is an English-based baby buggies, strollers and carriers manufacturer.-Product range:...
brand based in Long Buckby
Long Buckby
Long Buckby is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England, midway between Northampton and Rugby. In the 2001 census the parish of Long Buckby had a population of exactly 4,000....
.
Personal life
He was married to Marie and they had a son and daughter.In January 1978 Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
awarded him with an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
in the New Year's Honours List.
External links
- Presentation on Owen Finlay Maclaren and the history of the Maclaren company.
- His granddaughter sees his inventions at Duxford
Audio clips
- The Indispensables - narrated by Lynn Truss on Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
in July 2004
Patents
- US Patent 2222850 Aircraft Undergarriage, dated November 26 1940
- US Patent 2315901 Endless Track Element for Aircraft and Land Vehicles, dated April 1943
- US Patent 3124387 Seating structures, dated March 1964
- US Patent 3390893 Structures for Folding Baby-Carriages, Chairs, and the like, dated July 1968
- US Patent 3736021 Folding Wheel Chair, dated May 1973
- US Patent 3968991 Collapsible Seat Structures, dated July 13 1976
- US Patent D246518 Baby Carriage, dated November 29 1977
- US Patent 4232897 Lie Back Buggy, dated November 11 1980 (awarded posthumously)