Stuart Ballantine
Encyclopedia
Charles Stuart Ballantine (September 22, 1897 – May 7, 1944), better known as Stuart Ballantine, was a noted American
inventor.
Ballantine was born in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. He was an amateur radio enthusiast by 1908 and served as a ship radio operator during the summers of 1913-1915. He was employed in 1916 by H. K. Mulford Company, biochemicists
, and in 1917 by the Bell Telephone Company
of Pennsylvania.
From 1917-1920 Ballantine attended Drexel Institute and worked as a radio expert at the Philadelphia Naval Yard, where he led design of the Navy coil-type radio compasses. He discovered the "antenna effect" in such systems and invented the capacity compensator for its control. In 1920-1921 he undertook graduate studies in mathematical physics
at Harvard University
, then spent a year at the Radio Frequency Laboratories in Boonton, New Jersey
, where he worked on radio receivers and made inventions for stabilization of radio-frequency amplifiers via a Wheatstone bridge
, linear detection at high signal levels, and automatic volume control. He returned to Harvard 1923-1924 as a John Tyndall
scholar in physics.
From 1924-1927 Ballantine carried out independent studies of radio propagation in White Haven, Pennsylvania
, then was briefly research director at the Radio Frequency Laboratories, and in 1929 collaborated with F. M. Huntoon in studying the effects of high pressure on bacteria. From 1929-1934 he was President of the Boonton Research Laboratories investigating errors in microphones due to diffraction and cavity resonance, and developing new devices including an electrostethoscope, automatic optical recorder for frequency-response measurements, and logarithm
ic voltmeter
. In 1934 he founded Ballantine Laboratories, which he led until his death. There he developed improved techniques for measuring the performance of microphone
s and loudspeaker
s, and most notably, the first throat microphone
for aircraft pilots.
Ballantine held more than 30 patents, and was a Fellow of the American Physical Society
, the Acoustical Society of America
, and the Institute of Radio Engineers
, as well as a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
and the Franklin Institute
. He received the 1931 IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award
, the 1934 Elliott Cresson Medal
of the Franklin Institute, and the Radio Club of America's 1946 Armstrong Medal (posthumously). The Franklin Institute's Stuart Ballantine Medal is named in his honor. Ballantine was president of the Institute of Radio Engineers
in 1935.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inventor.
Ballantine was born in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
. He was an amateur radio enthusiast by 1908 and served as a ship radio operator during the summers of 1913-1915. He was employed in 1916 by H. K. Mulford Company, biochemicists
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
, and in 1917 by the Bell Telephone Company
Bell Telephone Company
The Bell Telephone Company, a common law joint stock company, was organized in Boston, Massachusetts on July 9, 1877 by Alexander Graham Bell's father-in-law Gardiner Greene Hubbard, who also helped organize a sister company — the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company...
of Pennsylvania.
From 1917-1920 Ballantine attended Drexel Institute and worked as a radio expert at the Philadelphia Naval Yard, where he led design of the Navy coil-type radio compasses. He discovered the "antenna effect" in such systems and invented the capacity compensator for its control. In 1920-1921 he undertook graduate studies in mathematical physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, then spent a year at the Radio Frequency Laboratories in Boonton, New Jersey
Boonton, New Jersey
Boonton is a town in Morris County, New Jersey that was chartered in 1867. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 8,347. The town was originally called "Boone-Towne" in 1761 in honor of the Colonial Governor Thomas Boone....
, where he worked on radio receivers and made inventions for stabilization of radio-frequency amplifiers via a Wheatstone bridge
Wheatstone bridge
A Wheatstone bridge is an electrical circuit used to measure an unknown electrical resistance by balancing two legs of a bridge circuit, one leg of which includes the unknown component. Its operation is similar to the original potentiometer. It was invented by Samuel Hunter Christie in 1833 and...
, linear detection at high signal levels, and automatic volume control. He returned to Harvard 1923-1924 as a John Tyndall
John Tyndall
John Tyndall FRS was a prominent Irish 19th century physicist. His initial scientific fame arose in the 1850s from his study of diamagnetism. Later he studied thermal radiation, and produced a number of discoveries about processes in the atmosphere...
scholar in physics.
From 1924-1927 Ballantine carried out independent studies of radio propagation in White Haven, Pennsylvania
White Haven, Pennsylvania
White Haven is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. White Haven was created in 1824 by industrialist Josiah White. It is located along the Lehigh River which connects White Haven to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. The population was 1,182 at the 2000 census...
, then was briefly research director at the Radio Frequency Laboratories, and in 1929 collaborated with F. M. Huntoon in studying the effects of high pressure on bacteria. From 1929-1934 he was President of the Boonton Research Laboratories investigating errors in microphones due to diffraction and cavity resonance, and developing new devices including an electrostethoscope, automatic optical recorder for frequency-response measurements, and logarithm
Logarithm
The logarithm of a number is the exponent by which another fixed value, the base, has to be raised to produce that number. For example, the logarithm of 1000 to base 10 is 3, because 1000 is 10 to the power 3: More generally, if x = by, then y is the logarithm of x to base b, and is written...
ic voltmeter
Voltmeter
A voltmeter is an instrument used for measuring electrical potential difference between two points in an electric circuit. Analog voltmeters move a pointer across a scale in proportion to the voltage of the circuit; digital voltmeters give a numerical display of voltage by use of an analog to...
. In 1934 he founded Ballantine Laboratories, which he led until his death. There he developed improved techniques for measuring the performance of microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
s and loudspeaker
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
s, and most notably, the first throat microphone
Throat microphone
A throat microphone, also laryngophone, is a type of contact microphone that absorbs vibrations directly from the wearer's throat by way of single or dual sensors, often called "transducer," worn against the neck. The throat microphone's design has several advantages...
for aircraft pilots.
Ballantine held more than 30 patents, and was a Fellow of the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
, the Acoustical Society of America
Acoustical Society of America
The Acoustical Society of America is an international scientific society dedicated to increasing and diffusing the knowledge of acoustics and its practical applications.-History:...
, and the Institute of Radio Engineers
Institute of Radio Engineers
The Institute of Radio Engineers was a professional organization which existed from 1912 until January 1, 1963, when it merged with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .-Founding:Following several attempts to form a...
, as well as a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
and the Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
. He received the 1931 IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award
IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award
The initially called Morris Liebmann Memorial Prize provided by the Institute of Radio Engineers , the IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award was created in 1919 in honor of Colonel Morris N. Liebmann. It was initially given to awardees who had "made public during the recent past an important...
, the 1934 Elliott Cresson Medal
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...
of the Franklin Institute, and the Radio Club of America's 1946 Armstrong Medal (posthumously). The Franklin Institute's Stuart Ballantine Medal is named in his honor. Ballantine was president of the Institute of Radio Engineers
Institute of Radio Engineers
The Institute of Radio Engineers was a professional organization which existed from 1912 until January 1, 1963, when it merged with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .-Founding:Following several attempts to form a...
in 1935.