Friday, July 23, 2010

Benz Patent-Motorwagen

The Karl Benz Patent-Motorwagen (or motorcar), built in 1885, is widely regarded as the first automobile, that is, a vehicle designed to be propelled by a motor.
The vehicle was awarded the German patent, number 37435, which Benz applied for on January 29, 1886. Following official procedures, the date of the application became the patent date for the invention once the patent was granted, which occurred in November of that year.
Benz officially unveiled his invention to the public on July 3, 1886 on the Ringstrasse (Ringstraße) in Mannheim, Germany.

After developing a successful gasoline-powered two-stroke piston engine in 1873, Benz focused on developing a motorized vehicle while maintaining a career as a designer and manufacturer of stationary engines and their associated parts.



The Benz Patent-Motorwagen was a three-wheeled automobile with a rear-mounted engine. The vehicle contained many new inventions. It was constructed of steel tubing with woodwork panels. The steel-spoked wheels and solid rubber tires were Benz's own design. Steering was by way of a toothed rack that pivoted the unsprung front wheel. Fully elliptic springs were used at the back along with a live axle and chain drive on both sides. A simple belt system served as a single-speed transmission, varying torque between an open disc and drive disc.
Karl Benz - detail from gravestone
Working replica of the 1885 Benz Motorwagen in Frankfurt, 2007

The first Motorwagen used the Benz 954 cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine. This new engine produced ⅔ hp (½ kW) at 250 rpm in the Patent-Motorwagen, although later tests by the University of Mannheim showed it to be capable of .9 hp (0.7 kW) at 400 rpm. It was an extremely light engine for the time, weighing about 100 kg (220 lb). Although its open crankcase and drip oiling system would be alien to a modern mechanic, its use of a pushrod-operated poppet valve for exhaust would be quite familiar. A large horizontal flywheel stabilized the single-cylinder engine's power output. An evaporative carburettor was controlled by a sleeve valve to regulate power and engine speed.

Benz later built more models of the Motorwagen, model number 2 boasting 1.5 hp (1.1 kW), and model number 3 with 2 hp (1.5 kW), allowing the vehicle to reach a maximum speed of approximately 10 miles per hour (16 km/h). The chassis was improved in 1887 with the introduction of wooden-spoke wheels, a fuel tank, and a manual leather shoe brake on the rear wheels.
More...

The History of Mercedes



The history of Mercedes-Benz or for short Mercedes (and sometimes even "Benz" or "Merc") is quite interesting. Mercedes is a German company founded in 1871. In the beginning there were three people - Gottlieb Daimler together with Wilhelm Maybach and Karl Benz. Karl Benz and the other two were able to invent the automobile with internal combustion independently from each other. It is very interesting however that they were only sixty miles apart from each other in that time.

Karl Benz was working in Mannheim. He had a shop there which was the place where he invented the first real automobile driven by internal combustion. The year was 1885 and in the next year Karl Benz was granted a patent for his new creation.



The automobile was called "Benz Patent Motorwagen" and it had three wheels and the design reminds of a carriage hauled by horses perhaps because the main design model was taken from a carriage. The first engine Karl Benz patented in 1879 and it was designed by him.

Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach were granted a patent a year before Karl Benz's internal combustion automobile model. The year was 1885 and the exact date - August 29. The engine they made is believed to be the first prototype of the today's gas engine and they called it "grandfather clock engine".

In the next year Gottlieb Daimler purchased a stagecoach in which he was planning to put the internal combustion engine. Many people made these purchases in that time but Gottlieb Daimler is perhaps the first one with the engine idea in mind. Daimler and Maybach worked together to adopt this stagecoach to fit the needs of the engine. The official words which Mercedes used for this model is "a carriage without horses". It is without horses but with conventional drawbar steering and internal combustion engine.


Soon after that in 1889 they built a complete model from scratch which was the first automobile powered by four-stoke engine. It was again with four wheels and after the founding of DMG in 1890 they were able to sell the first model of their automobile two years later in 1892.

On the other hand Karl Benz was able to sell his first model in 1888 - an year before Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach was able to build their model. Karl Benz did that after some refining of his model Motorwagen and maybe this gave him this advantage over the years because he did not started from scratch like Daimler and Maybach did.

In 1899 automobiles from Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft made in a city near Stuttgart took a part in a race driven by Emil Jellinek. Jellinek was a diplomat and a businessman and he was very enthusiastic about the whole idea around automobiles. In 1896 he went to see the designers Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach and soon after that he bought from them his first automobile car - the Phoenix. An interesting story about that car is that Emil Jellinek painted the name of his daughter Mercedes Adriana Manuela Ramona Jellinek on the car for good luck. Years after that a whole series of cars got that name.

Jellinek wanted faster cars and that the 1900 DMG was the first to bear his daughter name. It looks like Jellinek was obsessed by the idea of his daughter's name because he offered and made a contract for 550 000 marks for the purchase of 36 models of the new car with 35 hp engine only to see his daughter name on this car. The new engine was named Daimler-Mercedes engine containing like this only the name of the developer and Mercedes.

Very soon after that he made a deal for another 36 models but of another series - with 8 hp engines. After that on a higher price he was able to sell these models on the market in USA, Belgium, France and Austria-Hungary and that quickly made him be one of the biggest sellers of cars for that time.

Of course the name of his daughter Mercedes kept on showing on new models of automobiles like "Mercedes 35 hp". Jellinek's obsession by the name Mercedes grow up and he even change his own name to Jellinek-Mercedes. For eight years Jellinek took place in the meetings of the board of directors of Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft from 1901 to 1909 but he retired from any activities linked to automobiles because of his diplomatic appointments.

In 1924 the two big companies DMG and Benz & Cie. finally began cooperating but due to World War I and the problems with the German economy in that time they were able to merge two years after that in 1926 and they used the name Daimler-Benz AG. Of course the name Mercedes was not lost. They began production of tracks and automobiles and they used the name Mercedes-Benz for them. From the part of Daimler they got the name Mercedes and Benz was from the part of the ex company Benz & Cie. A clause of the merging agreement compelled the two companies to stay together until 2000.

They focused on creating land models of vehicles but they also made engines for boats and planes for both civil and military organizations. They was able to make even Zeppelins powered by their engines and soon after that in 1929 Karl Benz died.

The company's most efforts were on creating limousine models and their glory is known today for that. Still they made some sport models like the early model of SSK designed by Ferdinand Porsche. Another product is the amazing Mercedes-Benz 300SL. With its gull-wing doors it was an interesting view.

Of course Mercedes-Benz made less expensive cars for the general public too. In Stuttgart they were able to create and test the Volkswagen models in cooperation with Porsche. Before that car a model called A-Class came in production. It is a small family car and maybe because of this the popular name of that car is Baby Benz. The first generation of Baby Benz was created in 1997 and years after that after redesign it appeared again in 2004.
More...

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Who Invented the First Automobile?

The first automobile was invented in the 18th century, but was in one of its most primitive forms. However, who exactly invented the automobile is a very difficult question to answer. It was slowly improvised into a full fledged thing and no single person worked on it completely.

The first steam powered automobile was put together in the year 1630 and the first electric car was invented in the year 1830. In 1885, the first car to be driven on gasoline was invented. So, if anyone can be credited with the concept of a vehicle called a car it can be Ferdinand Verbiest, who built the steam powered car in 1672 and it was a gift to the emperor of China. He meant for it to be a toy.

Exactly after one century Nicholas and Joseph Cugnot designed a vehicle for the French Army. It was self propelled vehicle and could go at 2.5 miles per hour.

The first electric car was developed by Robert Anderson from Scotland. However, the batteries could not be recharged. Nonetheless, as time passed these vehicles became extremely popular as it was the only kind of automobile back then.

In the year 1880, the first automobile with an internal combustion engine was invented. Then, in 1885, Karl Benz came up with the first gasoline car and patented it. So, Benz is the father of automobiles in this world as far as gasoline run vehicles are concerned. After that there has been no looking back even now. Cars have only improvised on various technologies and have gotten better.
More...

First Automobile


The first automobile was invented in the 18th century, but was in one of its most primitive forms. However, who exactly invented the automobile is a very difficult question to answer. It was slowly improvised into a full fledged thing and no single person worked on it completely.


The first steam powered automobile was put together in the year 1630 and the first electric car was invented in the year 1830. In 1885, the first car to be driven on gasoline was invented. So, if anyone can be credited with the concept of a vehicle called a car it can be Ferdinand Verbiest, who built the steam powered car in 1672 and it was a gift to the emperor of China. He meant for it to be a toy.

Exactly after one century Nicholas and Joseph Cugnot designed a vehicle for the French Army. It was self propelled vehicle and could go at 2.5 miles per hour.

The first electric car was developed by Robert Anderson from Scotland. However, the batteries could not be recharged. Nonetheless, as time passed these vehicles became extremely popular as it was the only kind of automobile back then.

In the year 1880, the first automobile with an internal combustion engine was invented. Then, in 1885, Karl Benz came up with the first gasoline car and patented it. So, Benz is the father of automobiles in this world as far as gasoline run vehicles are concerned. After that there has been no looking back even now. Cars have only improvised on various technologies and have gotten better.
More...

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Different Types Of Vehicles


Do you know how many types of vehicles there are in all? Since the creation of the first crude automobile, several models and types have been created to suit the needs of people. These were developed in order to provide a safe, efficient and economical means of transportation. Some are built for luxury, others for practicality and some for environmental purposes.

Cruder Forms


Vehicles were first made thousands of years ago. The earliest forms of vehicles were actually living things like horses, elephants and camels. With the invention of the wheel around 3000 B.C., chariots, carts and horse-drawn carriages came into existence. The wheel has certainly paved the way for modern transportation as it is still very much present today.

Cycles were created around the 19th century which comes in many forms. Bicycles are one of the most common types of vehicles available today. There are also tricycles, quadricycles and unicycles. These vehicles mainly use a chain that goes around the wheels for propulsion. Cycling is a very important action in order to keep the transportation balanced. Later on, motorcycles were invented which incorporated a motor engine instead of manual pedals.

Origin Of Alternate Fuel Sources

Electric vehicles or EVs were invented in the 1830's which uses one or more electric motors. The rotary or linear motors propel the vehicle through the wheels. Linear motors are used by tracked vehicles such as trains and MRTs. There are several sources of energy used to move the vehicle like an on-board RESS or rechargeable energy storage system, batteries, on-board super capacitors and direct connection to energy-generating plants. Fuel cells and nuclear energy have also shown to be very viable in propelling vehicles.

Steam engines are another alternate fuel source which uses an external combustion engine or ECE. ECEs are less efficient compared to ICEs but proper configurations can be made for the fuel burner in order to emit very low amounts of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and other harmful gases making it environmentally friendly in the process. Steam cars do have a problem when starting from cold leading to the development of flash boilers.

The Automobile

Automobiles are the most common type of vehicle. The majority of automobiles today are powered by gasoline or diesel engines. Automobiles use an internal combustion engine or ICE which can be highly polluting due to the constant burning of harmful gases. This type of vehicle has shown to be very powerful, convenient and aesthetic as well making it the most popular of all time.

Gasoline engine vehicles are lighter and able to work at optimum rotational speeds. The invention of the electric starter has boosted its popularity beating steam and electric cars in the process. Carburetor and fuel injection are some of the most useful discoveries in enhancing automobile performance.

There are various innovations in the engine allowing exhaust gases to be less harmful. Others combine efforts to minimize the greenhouse effect by reducing emissions to zero. Gasoline engines are capable of running with different ethanol concentrations. Some may run on 15%, 85% or even 100% ethanol. Fuel burn efficiency of gasoline engine vehicles are around 27%.

Diesel engine vehicles are more cost-effective compared to gasoline engine ones because of their 50% fuel burn efficiency. However, power and performance is also compromised due to less concentration of fuel. Diesel also releases exhaust gases into the atmosphere from soot particles. 100% biodiesel has been developed to improve the downside of these vehicles.

Other Transports

A train is a series of vehicles moving along a guided track or rail. A separate locomotive provides power to propel the entire train. Diesel or electricity is the usual energy source of trains while older versions were dominantly powered by steam engines. There are special kinds of trains with special tracks like rubber-tired underground, high-speed and monorails. Some trains can have more than one locomotive or coach.

A road train has a prime mover pulling one or more trailers. Trucks are the simpler version of this. Since the weight and maneuverability are a challenge, these vehicles often require several wheels for more control. Speed should also be watched meticulously to make travel as safe as possible. Diesel engines usually power big heavy trucks and road trains for fuel efficiency and power.

Other unique types of vehicles are amphibious vehicles and snowmobiles. Amphibians can run on both land and water making them very versatile. There are amphibious bicycles, cars, trucks and ATVs developed for passenger and official use.

The advantages provided by amphibians made them very useful for military operations. Snowmobiles are propelled by a built-in track made of Kevlar composite or rubber in order to effectively move through snow. These are also powered by a motor engine that consumes gas for fuel. Tanks use the same mechanism as snowmobiles by running on steel tracks.
More...

Trusselle automobile


Trusselle Automobile, 1901

This is a 1901 Trusselle "Quad Sociable", built inEngland. It used a 2.75 hp engine built by De Dion Bouton of France. More...

Inventor of the modern automobile



Karl Benz generally is acknowledged as the inventor of the modern automobile.

An automobile powered by his own four-stroke cycle gasoline engine was built in Mannheim, Germany by Karl Benz in 1885, and granted a patent in January of the following year under the auspices of his major company, Benz & Cie., which was founded in 1883. It was an integral design, without the adaptation of other existing components, and included several new technological elements to create a new concept. This is what made it worthy of a patent. He began to sell his production vehicles in 1888.


In 1879, Benz was granted a patent for his first engine, which had been designed in 1878. Many of his other inventions made the use of the internal combustion engine feasible for powering a vehicle.
In 1896, Benz designed and patented the first internal-combustion flat engine, called a boxermotor in German. During the last years of the nineteenth century, Benz was the largest automobile company in the world with 572 units produced in 1899 and, because of its size, Benz & Cie., became a joint-stock company.
More...

Car, an automobile

An automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally for the transport of people rather than goods. However, the term automobile is far from precise, because there are many types of vehicles that do similar tasks. More...