史蒂文斯(1749～1838年)

Stevens, John

美国工程师和发明家。独立战争时期任陆军上校。他设计了多种锅炉和发动机，为保护自己的发明权，向国会提出专利法草案。由於他的陈情，美国国会於1790年通过了「专利法」，这是美国现行专利制度的基础。1802年他建成第一艘用螺旋桨推进的汽船。1809年他驾驶的「凤凰号」成为在海上航行的第一艘汽船。1811年他在费城完成了世界上首次蒸汽船货运服务。1825年七十六岁高龄的他制造了美国第一台蒸汽机车。他把自己在新泽西州的家园发展成霍伯肯市。他是罗伯.利文斯顿.史蒂文斯的父亲。他的另一个儿子爱德温.沃格斯特斯.史蒂文斯（1795～1868）发明了史蒂文斯犁具，是制造铁壳战舰的先驱，还利用一笔遗产建立史蒂文斯科学研究所。第三个儿子约翰.考克斯.史蒂文斯（1785～1857）带领「美国号」赛艇驶往英国，赢得後来被称为「美洲盃」的赛艇比赛。

English version：

1749～1838年

Stevens, John

U.S. engineer and inventor. Born in New York City, he served as a colonel in the American Revolution. To protect his boiler and engine designs, he submitted his outline for a patent law; the resulting Patent Law of 1790 formed the basis of the U.S. patent system. In 1802 he became the first person to employ a powered screw to propel a ship. In 1809 his steamship Phoenix became the world's first seagoing steamboat. In Philadelphia in 1811 he inaugurated the world's first steam-ferry service. In 1825, at age 76, he built the first American steam locomotive. He developed his New Jersey estate into the city of Hoboken. He was the father of Robert L. Stevens. Another son, Edwin Augustus Stevens (1795-1868), was the inventor of the Stevens plow and a pioneer builder of ironclad warships, and established the Stevens Institute of Technology by a bequest. A third son, John Cox Stevens (1785-1857), headed the group that sent the yacht America to Britain, where it won the race that established the America's Cup.