Jack Cover
| John Higson Cover, Jr. | |
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| Born | John Higson Cover April 6, 1920 New York City |
| Died | February 7, 2009 (aged 88) |
John "Jack" Higson Cover, Jr. (April 6, 1920 – February 7, 2009) was the inventor of the Taser stun gun.[1]
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[edit] Biography
He was born in New York City on April 6, 1920, and grew up in Chicago.[1] He earned a bachelor's degree and a doctorate in nuclear physics at the University of Chicago,[1] studying under Enrico Fermi.[2] During World War II, he was an Army Air Force test pilot. He later worked the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. He was a scientist at North American Aviation from 1952 until 1964 and also worked for NASA[2] (Apollo program), IBM and Hughes Aircraft.[1]
In 1970, he formed Taser Systems, Inc., named for the Tom Swift novels. Because the Taser used gunpowder to launch the darts, the federal government considered it a firearm, a classification that ruled out a civilian market and also discouraged police and military sales.[1]
He had Alzheimer's disease, and died of pneumonia at his home.[1][3]
[edit] Patents
- U.S. Patent 3,803,463 July 10, 1972; Weapon for Immobilization and Capture
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f "Jack Cover dies at 88; scientist invented the Taser stun gun". Los Angeles Times. February 13, 2009. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-jack-cover13-2009feb13,0,4344955.story. Retrieved 2009-02-13. "Jack Cover, an aerospace scientist who invented the Taser stun gun. a device used by thousands of law enforcement agencies to subdue unruly offenders with electrical shocks -- has died. He was 88."
- ^ a b Cover's obituary, Time Magazine, early 2009 (before March)
- ^ "Inventor of Taser gun dies of pneumonia". Associated Press. 2009. http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11698337. Retrieved 2009-02-13. "John "Jack" H. Cover, the inventor of the Taser stun gun used by thousands of police agencies around the world, has died. He was 88."
