Robert Hare. Portrait of Robert Hare, American chemist (1781-1858). In 1801, at the age of 20, Hare invented the oxy-hydrogen blowpipe, which achieved a temperature high enough to boil platinum (4170 degrees Celsius). He attained a high reputation as a chemist, and was responsible for the invention of the calorimeter and a hydrostatic balance. He also isolated boron and silicon. He held the post of professor of chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania from 1818 to 1847.