André Galle (27 May 1761, Saint-Étienne – 21 December 1844, Paris) was a French engraver and medallist. In 1829, he patented a type of roller chain, known as a leaf chain, which is still used for low-speed, heavy duty applications.[1] It was not put into production during his lifetime.
Biography
André's father was an engraver who specialized in decorating rifles. Unable to support his family in Saint-Étienne, he relocated to Lyon, where André became an apprentice in a button factory, but also received drawing lessons. His work attracted the attention of a local artist named Bergeon, who helped him gain admission to the Academy of Lyon. At the factory, his problem-solving and technical abilities led to his being named a partner. In 1779, aged only eighteen, he married Marie-Catherine, née Lejeune.,
After the factory owner and his wife had died, Galle became the company's sole proprietor. He focused on the engraving and production of medals, and became a Master Engraver in 1785. Four years later, he opened his own engraving studio, where he appears to have specialized in seals and stamps for various Revolutionary organizations.
In 1792, as a result of these activities, the City of Lyon appointed him a delegate to Paris, to discuss the use of metal from bells. There, he produced two coins from bell metal, one of which depicted Mirabeau, an early leader of the Revolution. This prompted the Committee of Public Safety to commission a medal of Hercules and the Hydra; symbolizing the French people destroying the Monarchy.