Klaus L. Cappel

Klaus L. Cappel, P.E., a resident of Friday Harbor, Wash., for the past 12 years, beloved father of Susan Cappel who resides in New Jersey, passed away on May 3, 2006.

Mr. Cappel was born on March 18, 1920, in Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Germany, to Adolph and Else Cappel, now deceased. His only sister, Lore Fishersmith, is also deceased. He is survived by his daughter, Susan, and three nephews, Jordan, Jeremy and Jotham, who live in California.

Mr. Cappel was a mechanical engineer and inventor. He worked as a principal engineer in the Franklin Institute Laboratories in Philadelphia, Pa., and Wylie Laboratories in Huntsville, Ala. After retiring he worked as a technical adviser for Team Corporation in Burlington, Wash.

While working in the Franklin Institute Laboratories, Mr. Cappel designed and received a patent for the synergistic simulator, the six-legged moving base platform from which Link produced many trainers.

Perhaps Mr. Cappel is best known for his centrifuge design of “man-rated” centrifuges at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He also designed centrifuges for the Geo Tech community which would simulate earthquake effects on large structures.

Among his many contributions to engineering was the area of multi-degrees of freedom vibration. He has several patents in this area including joint patents on the well-known CUBE 6DOF vibration machine.

Klaus also designed a davit which was built by the Bayard Co. in Philadelphia, Pa., for which he obtained a patent. Throughout his lifetime, he was also awarded a number of other patents for his inventions.

He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Klaus will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers and other condolences, please make donations to the Whale Museum by contacting Jeanne Hyde or Eliza Buck at 378-4710, ext. 24.

The celebration of Klaus Cappel’s life will be held at Downriggers Restaurant on June 4, 2006, 2-5 p.m.

— Family of Klaus L. Cappel