Robert Henry (Bob) Abplanalp (April 4, 1922 – August 30, 2003) was an American inventor who invented the aerosol valve[1], the founder of Precision Valve Corporation and a political activist.[2]
Born in New York City to Swiss immigrant parents in The Bronx, Abplanalp graduated from Fordham Preparatory School in 1939 and studied mechanical engineering at Villanova University and ran his own small machine shop prior to entering the United States Army in 1943.
After fighting in World War II he worked in his machine shop where he invented the first workable aerosol valve that could be mass-produced inexpensively.[2]
He began the Precision Valve Corporation in 1949, and, by 1950, 15,000,000 valves had been produced, marking the beginning of his business empire. In 1956 he married Josephine Sloboda.[2]
Later in life he became a Republican and supported many conservative causes. Abplanalp was a close friend and supporter of former U.S. President Richard M. Nixon, Nixon's immediate family, and Nixon's long-time confidant, Charles "Bebe" Rebozo.
Abplanalp and his wife donated much to charities championed by the Roman Catholic Church. In recognition, they were inducted in 1971 into two charitable orders: the Order of Malta and the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.
At the time of Abplanalp's death in Bronxville, New York from lung cancer on August 30, 2003, he held over 300 aerosol-related patents.