Benjamin Berkeley Hotchkiss (1826 - 1885), American inventor and ordnance maker. He invented a number of improvements in ammunition, rifles, machine guns, naval guns and artillery. His developments of artillery and artillery ammunition expanded to the point where, in 1882, he organized the B.B. HotchkissCompany, armsmakers, with headquarters in the United States and branch factories in England, France, Germany, Austria, Russia and Italy, manufacturing ordnance and ammunition of many types. Even after his death, his company continued to produce high-quality guns and ammunition. —3rd South African published appr gls (14.4.92)