James B. Kirby (September 28, 1884 – June 9, 1971) was an American inventor and self-taught electrical engineer who focused his career on "eliminating the drudgery of housework". He is known mostly for inventing the Kirby vacuum cleaner and the wringerless washing machine. Kirby continued his association with the Franz brothers, eventually becoming a trustee of their new company “Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company” which produced a variety of household appliances. In 1935 Scott and Fetzer introduced a new division of their company which was named “Kirby”.