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Edme Régnier

1751 – 1825

French mechanic and inventor

MechanicInventor Gunsmith
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About Edme Régnier

Lived 1751 – 1825 (aged 73). Edme Régnier was a French mechanic, inventor, gunsmith and independent publisher.

Edmé Régnier L'Aîné (15 July 1751 – 10 June 1825) was a French pistol maker and engineer, born in Semur-en-Auxois in 1751 and died in Paris in 1825.

He became the inspector of hand firearms production under the Committee of Public Safety. Subsequently, he was appointed the first Director of the Musée d'Artillerie in the cloister of the Church of Saint Thomas d'Asquin, Paris.

Régnier's dynamometer Régnier's dynamometer, on display at the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Paris. In the early 1780s, Philippe Guéneau de Montbeillard and Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte de Buffon encouraged Régnier to begin the design a device that could compare muscular strength. The physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb further encouraged him, and the result was made known to the public in 1798 and became known as Régnier's dynamometer.

Régnier's dynamometer was one of a series of innovations related to public safety and rifle safety and adopting recent innovations to public need. A list of his innovations was published in around 1801.

Combination Lock According to the ASSA Abloy website, Régnier also invented a combination lock that could change its combination, by doubling the number of rings. Usually, this type of lock has a number of rotatable rings that release the shackle only when all of them are set to a specific position. The ability to change the combination made it more secure and popular.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Mechanic, inventor, gunsmith, independent publisher
Nationality
Positions held
Conservator
Awards
Knight of the Legion of Honour
Also known as
Edme Regnier, Edmé Régnier L'Aîné

People in Edme Régnier's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Edme Régnier's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Edme Régnier?

French mechanic and inventor (1751-1825)

When was Edme Régnier born?

Edme Régnier was born on 15 July 1751 in Semur-en-Auxois.

When did Edme Régnier die?

Edme Régnier died on 10 June 1825 in Paris.

What was Edme Régnier's occupation?

Edme Régnier was a mechanic, inventor, gunsmith and independent publisher.

What nationality was Edme Régnier?

Edme Régnier was French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Edme Régnier

· Wikidata: Q3047705

· DBpedia: Edmé Régnier L'Aîné

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Edme Régnier. https://biography.guide/edme-regnier/

MLA: "Edme Régnier." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/edme-regnier/.

Chicago: "Edme Régnier." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/edme-regnier/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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