Karl Benz is a German engineer, inventor, and automotive pioneer. In 1885 he built the world's first benz car(Motorwagen, stored in Munich). A patent for the invention of this car was received by Benz on January 29, 1886.
The ancestors of several generations of the Karl Benz family lived in Pfaffenort and were always engaged in blacksmithing. Karl's father first became a skilled blacksmith and fitter, but later worked as a locomotive driver for railway. Karl Benz went to high school in Karlsruhe and later, under the influence of his mother, entered the technical school in Karlsruhe and successfully completed it, passing the final exams brilliantly. While studying at a technical school, the main interest for young Karl was steam locomotives and other means of transport on steam traction. The difficult period of life for Carl was the years after graduating from technical school. He worked as an employee in many engineering companies, but was always obsessed with the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a new type of engine, since at that time atmospheric engines Otto.
After the death of his mother in 1870, Benz decided to leave work and establish his own workshop with an acquaintance in which experiments could be carried out. They bought a small piece of land and started by making metal parts. However, as his partner resisted the idea of experimenting with engine development, Carl had to give up his dreams. Benz is almost resigned to it.
Soon he met Bertha Ringer and married her. Thanks to his wife's inheritance, he managed to buy out his leisurely partner's share and became the sole owner of the workshop. Now he could devote all his time to the development of a new engine. Unfortunately, he did not pay attention to the financial condition of his enterprise, and it soon went bankrupt in 1877. All banks refused him further loans, although by this time he had developed new engine internal combustion and now there is an urgent need to start production of a prototype model. Despite considerable difficulties, Benz managed to create a prototype of a new two-stroke engine, but he could not bring it to the market, since an English company had already developed and patented a similar engine, which made it impossible to obtain an authorship certificate. However, the Patent Office still issued a patent for fuel system, which eventually allowed him to begin production of a number of engine models. He founded a new company that began manufacturing small two-stroke engines.
In 1885 Karl Benz founded another new firm with his investors. During the day he worked in his workshops, and at night he experimented in a barn near his house. Perseverance, initiative and determination allowed Benz to overcome the initial difficulties. The result was the creation tricycle with a 4-stroke engine in his workshop. Benz himself designed and developed all the components of his car and himself came to the decision of many technical problems. In January 1886, Karl Benz received a patent for his new car, which did not arouse much interest among buyers, although the engines were in great demand in the market, especially in Germany. They were also produced under license in France by Panhard et Levassor (Panhard and Levassor).
In 1889, Benz's representative in France presented his car on car exhibition in Paris. At the same time, cars were shown there. German company"Daimler" ("Daimler"). Unfortunately, the exhibition did not bring successful sales. This was until 1890, when a number of German firms did not have an interest in the production of the Benz car. Was founded new firm, which produced exclusively the Benz car. In the following period, Benz worked continuously on his new project, including test runs of cars. In 1897 he developed a 2-cylinder horizontal engine known as the "contra engine". Firm "Benz" soon achieved recognition and high popularity among buyers due to the high sports performance of the cars it developed. Finally, after many years of failure, a more successful stage came for Karl Benz. In 1926, the Benz company merged with the Daimler company ("Daimler"), the Daimler-Benz company arose, which still exists today. Karl Benz died on April 4, 1929 at the age of 85.
Carl Friedrich Michael Benz(Carl (Karl) Friedrich Michael Benz, November 25, 1844, Muhlburg, Germany - April 4, 1929, Ladenburg, Germany) - his name, which has taken half of the name of one of the most prestigious today car company Daimler-Benz AG, has already become familiar to any motorist. It is to him that we owe the creation of cars with gasoline engines that drive today on all roads of the planet.
Carl Friedrich Michael Benz
(Karl Friedrich Michael Benz)
Childhood
The Benzes had a whole family dynasty, which for a long time(several generations) lived in Pfaffenort, and most of its representatives were engaged in blacksmithing.
The birth of Karl Benz took place in the city of Karlsruhe on November 25, 1844. But already at the age of 2 he was half orphaned, since his father, who worked at that time as a machinist, caught a bad cold, went to bed and soon died. Karl stayed with his mother, who tried to provide him with a good education, although he had to constantly struggle with poverty.
Youth
Karl Benz received his primary education at a secondary school in the same city of Karlsruhe. Further, in 1953, he entered the Bismarck Gymnasium, which was then called the Technical Lyceum, he graduated from it with flying colours, having passed all the final exams perfectly. There he became seriously interested in the study and design of various vehicles equipped with steam engines - locomotives, etc.
After graduating from the gymnasium, Benz entered the University of Karlsruhe, the faculty technical mechanics, which he ends on July 9, 1864, when he turns 19 years old.
Further, until 1870, hard times last for Karl, as he is sorely lacking funds to open his own business. During these years, he is forced to work as a simple employee at various engineering enterprises, and he constantly moves, working in Karlsruhe, Pforzheim, Mannheim and Vienna.
Start of development
The start took place in 1970, when Benz, together with his partner August Ritter, was able to organize a mechanical workshop, which was located in Mannheim. It happened after the funeral of his mother. He and Ritter bought a small land plot, on the territory of which a workshop was created, and in it the production of metal spare parts was launched. But by that time, the disagreements of the partners became visible.
Photo: Engine designed by Karl Benz
Benz had long nurtured the idea of creating a fundamentally new power unit, but Ritter was against it, so movement in this direction stalled. But everything was decided already in 1972, when Karl Benz married Bertha Ringer, who received a large dowry, which helped Benz buy out his friend's share in their common production and become the sole owner. From now on, nothing prevented him from immersing himself in development.
A crisis
It happened because Karl paid too little attention to the administrative and commercial parties affairs, fully immersed in technical aspect work. As a result, in 1877 his company simply went bankrupt, and this happened at the moment when new motor was already developed, but there was no money to create at least a prototype, and the companies refused to lend. Nevertheless, Benz was still able to assemble a test sample of a 2-stroke engine and was going to patent it, but it turned out that one of the UK firms had already done it. Yet the Patent Office agreed in 1878 to issue a patent for the fuel system, and this push enabled Benz to start mass production.
Company creation
In 1883, Benz created joint-stock company"Gasmotoren Fabrik Mannheim", but just a year later, Karl himself leaves it, founding new company Benz & Company Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik. This was done on the basis of an old bicycle workshop, where the production of engines began.
The company was founded for the production of 2-stroke, gasoline power units. They proved to be very popular, especially in Germany. But they were also produced in France, at the Panhard et Levassor factory. At the same time, the development own car Karl Benz, and the designer himself patents all the main units and components of the future mechanism. These are a cooling radiator, an ignition system equipped with candles and a battery, a gearbox, an accelerator, a clutch and a carburetor.
Creation of the first car
Photo: Reconstruction of the Benz Motorwagen (1886)
In 1885, with the support of investors, Karl opens a new company. During the day he works at his enterprise, and at night he experiments in a small barn, right next to the house. This perseverance was rewarded - in the same 1885, Benz completes the design and assembles his first car, called the "Motorwagen".
It was a 3-wheeled cart with metal wheels, and the 4-stroke engine was located between the rear wheels, under the seat. Torque per rear axle transmitted by chain transmission. In January 1886, the car was patented and tested. And the following year he was sent to the Paris Exhibition. However, few people were interested in it, and sales in the German Empire, which started in 1888, did not go very well. As a result, Benz opened a branch in the capital of France, where Motorwagen sold out more actively.
The role of the wife
She was really decisive. Without informing her husband, Bertha, taking the Motorwagen on August 5, 1888, went with her sons to the city of Pforzheim to see their mother. She was accompanied by 2 sons, who at that time were 13 and 15 years old. Pforzheim was located 106 kilometers from Mannheim.
During this rally, riders had to stop several times at pharmacies that sold gasoline as a cleaning agent to fill up the car. Also along the way they changed brake pads. In addition, they repeatedly pushed the car uphill, because it could not drive up the hill. This made for great publicity as most people didn't see the car at all and ran down the road to look at it. The press, which brightly covered this event, did not stand aside, thanks to which the whole of Germany learned about Benz's Motorwagen.
Relatively technical side, then after the trip, Berta gave Carl advice to install a gearbox on the car.
Exhibitions
The next Paris exhibition was held in 1889, where a representative of Benz's company brought his car. In addition, cars from Daimler also got on it. But no change in terms of sales occurred until 1890, when investors took notice of Karl's products and founded a new firm specializing in the production of exclusively his machines.
In general, over a 7-year period (from 1886 to 1893), 25 Benz cars were sold.
fracture
This year was 1893, as it was then that Benz developed the budget, 4-wheel model "Victoria", designed for 2 seats and equipped with a 3-horsepower gasoline engine. Maximum possible speed was 20 km/h. Already in the first year, the company sold 45 copies.
In 1894, the start of sales of the Velo model took place, which took part in the first racing competition along the route Paris - Rouen. 1895 was marked by the construction of the world's first truck and bus. Further, in 1897, Benz developed new type motor - "counter-engine". He was distinguished by a horizontal arrangement and was a harbinger of boxer power units.
All this time, Karl Benz's company has developed, sales have grown, as well as profits, and the company's authority has increased due to the repeated victories of his cars in races. In particular, already in 1899, the total number of cars sold exceeded 2,000 units, which put the Benz company in 1st place in the world.
In 1906, the Benz family moved to Ladenburg. In the future, work continued, but the defeat in the First World War largely undermined the position of the company. However, she was able to recover.
Merger
The merger of the corporations Benz & Cie., as well as the company Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, took place on June 28, 1926. The result was Daimler-Benz. But the models produced were renamed "Mercedes-Benz".
But after 3 years - April 4, 1929 - Karl-Benz died as a result of pneumonia. It happened in the city of Ladenburg. But Bertha Benz lived until 1944 and died on May 5th. Karl Benz is one of the few brilliant inventors and car designers, who lived to a ripe old age (85 years), and died in wealth and honor.
Karl Friedrich Benz was born on November 25, 1844 in Muhlburg, Germany. Karl's father, a train driver, died of a cold when his son was only two years old. Parents wanted to give their son a decent education. At the end elementary school in Karlsruhe, in 1853, Karl entered the Technical Lyceum (now the Bismarck Gymnasium), and then the Polytechnic University. On July 9, 1864, at the age of 19, he graduated from the Faculty of Technical Mechanics. Pupil of Ferdinand Redtenbacher. For the next seven years he worked in various establishments in Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Pforzheim and even some time in Vienna.
In 1871, together with August Ritter, he organized a mechanical workshop in Mannheim. Karl Benz soon bought out the partner's share with money borrowed from the bride's father, Bertha Ringer. Carl and Bertha became engaged on July 20, 1872. They later had five children.
Career
In his workshop, Karl Benz began to create new internal combustion engines. On December 31, 1878, he received a patent for a two-stroke gasoline engine.
Soon Karl Benz patented everything important knots and future car systems: accelerator, battery operated ignition system and spark plug, carburetor, clutch, gearbox and water cooler.
In 1882 he organized the joint-stock company "Gasmotoren Fabrik Mannheim", but already in 1883 he left it. In 1883, on the basis of a bicycle workshop, he organized the company Benz & Company Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik, also known as Benz & Cie. ". The company began to manufacture and sell gasoline engines. Here Benz designed his first car.
Benz's car had three metal wheels. It was driven by a four-stroke gasoline engine placed between two rear wheels. The rotation was transmitted using a chain drive to the rear axle. The car was completed in 1885 and was named "Motorwagen". It was patented in January 1886, was road tested the same year, and presented at the Paris Exhibition in 1887.
Car sales began in 1888. Soon a branch was opened in Paris, where they sold better.
On August 5, 1888, Bertha Benz took a car without the knowledge of her husband and made a trip with her children from Mannheim to Pforzheim to visit her mother. During the day, motorists covered a total of 106 km. Along the way, they bought gasoline several times in pharmacies (it was sold there as a cleaning agent). .
In 1886-1893, about 25 Motorwagen cars were sold.
In 1889, Benz's representative in France presented his car at an automobile exhibition in Paris. At the same time, the cars of the German company Daimler (Daimler) were demonstrated there. Unfortunately, the exhibition did not bring successful sales. This was until 1890, when a number of German firms did not have an interest in the production of the Benz car. A new company was founded, producing exclusively the Benz car. In the following period, Benz worked continuously on his new project, including test runs of cars.
In 1893, a cheaper two-seater Victoria was created with a 3 hp engine. With. on four wheels. Its speed was 17-20 km/h. During the first year, 45 cars of this type were sold.
In 1894, the Velo model car began to be produced. The car "Velo" participated in the first car race Paris - Rouen. In 1895, the first truck was created, as well as the first buses in history.
In 1897 he developed a 2-cylinder horizontal engine known as the "contra engine" (boxer engine). The Benz company soon achieved recognition and high popularity among buyers due to the high sports results of the cars it developed. Finally, after many years of failure, a more successful stage came for Karl Benz.
In 1906, Karl Benz, Bertha Benz and their son Eugene settled in Ladenburg. On November 25, 1914 Karlsruhe University of Technology awarded Karl Benz an honorary doctorate.
On June 28, 1926, Karl Benz's Benz & Cie. and Daimler's DMG merged to form the Daimler-Benz concern (now
Karl Benz- inventor. Carl Friedrich Michael Benz was born on November 25, 1844 in the city of Mulburg in Germany in the family of a hereditary blacksmith. Later, his father went to work at a railroad depot, where he worked as a locomotive driver, and when Benz was only two years old, his father died after suffering a cold.
The boy was further raised by his mother, who made every effort to ensure that Benz received a good education. After graduating high school in the city of Mühlburg, Benz brilliantly passes the final exams and receives an excellent diploma, with which he easily enters the technical school of Karlsruhe, which he also graduates with honors.
During his studies, he is interested in construction steam engines and his main dream and goal in life is the development of a new, more efficient engine, which would be able to get rid of the existing problems and allow the creation of new vehicles.
After leaving school, Benz goes to work as a clerk in an engineering company and subsequently changes several jobs. In those days, Otto engines ruled in mechanical engineering, which Benz did not like and which he wants to radically change, considering them further development dead end and sees no prospects in it. His work continues until 1870, in which his mother dies.
After the death of his mother, Benz quits his job at the enterprise and, together with a partner, opens his own workshop, under which they acquire a piece of land on which a small workshop is being built. Benz's dream of developing a fundamentally new engine is not supported by his friend, and under his persuasion, he abandons his idea for some time.
The workshop is engaged in the production of various elements and spare parts for train engines and wagons, and this becomes their main business.
After a short period of time. Benz marries Berga Ringer, who has quite a lot of money, which is enough to buy out a share from his partner. After Benz becomes the sole owner of the business, he abandons his usual work, which is carried out according to the residual principle and devotes all his time to the development of an internal combustion engine.
Lack of attention to business and a complete lack of interest in it leads to the fact that Benz's enterprise quickly turns into bankruptcy after the banks refused to give him loans, seeing his disregard for doing business. It happens just as Benz is ready to assemble his first prototype, and in 1877 he faces a difficult choice.
Benz decides not to engage in further production of spare parts, but creates the first prototype, but he fails to patent it, since apart from him similar engines already made by other inventors, and one of them received a patent for it. Having gone to some tricks, Benz receives a patent for the fuel system, and this paper allows him to start a small limited production and market of his invention. First two stroke engine Benz became interested in several inverters in 1885, with which he creates a new company, finally abandoning his small factory.
Paying attention to new production during the day, Benz tries to create a new one in the evening and at night. full car on his own engine and in the same 1885, he presents to the world his first model, an open three-wheeled two-seater with a more powerful four-stroke engine.
Working tirelessly, in his spare time from his main job, Benz completely designs the car himself, starting from its management and a new engine, ending with the creation of the first prototype and the solution of emerging small problems with her design. In the first month of 1886, Benz receives the first patent for his model. vehicle and enters the consumer market with it.
The novelty did not interest buyers in general, although a lot of people liked its engine and actually became the most successful element that did not let it fail again. The engine begins to be actively sold, and primarily in Germany itself.
Soon, Benz sells a patent for its production in France, where its assembly immediately begins and on the basis of the Panhart and Levassor plant, which, on behalf of Benz, present their car equipped with its engine at an exhibition in 1889 in Paris, where it competes with the same representative their new product to Daimler and this competition does not allow the brainchild of Benz to successfully enter the market.
The streak of bad luck that haunts Benz finally ends in 1980. His efforts and perseverance in obsession with the idea of creating his own original car, is being evaluated by several other German automakers who are opening with Benz co-production and create a new company that produces exclusively his models. In 1980-1981
Benz is actively developing new model, creating an original design, which is being finalized through numerous tests and runs on a test lap, after which, in 1987, he creates a new engine based on a two-cylinder layout with horizontal arrangement cameras. The engine gets the name of the counter-engine, and the firm
Benz launches it on the market in a complete set of new sports car. Raspberry quickly wins the love of the public and acquires many buyers, which bring the company a good profit, for the first time after years of trying and failing.
After several years of successful sales and production ramp-up, the Benz company merged with the Daimler company, resulting in the company that we now know under the Daimler-Benz brand.
On April 4, 1929, Benz passes away at the age of 85 and has created one of the most respected automakers in the world.
Achievements of Karl Benz:
Benz became one of the founders modern engineering. He developed original engine and many developments of car systems, from fuel to running gear, which are still in use today. Having come a long way, after many failures over the decades, he was still able to create own brand loved by consumers.
Significant dates in the life of Karl Benz:
Born November 25, 1844
1846 father dies
1864 graduates from a technical school and goes to work in an industrial enterprise
1870 mother dies, quits job and starts first company
1877 first firm went bankrupt
1885 new company with co-owners
1889 unsuccessful premiere of a new model at an exhibition in Paris
1897 develops the first successful engine, which became the basis for the first popular model sports car
1926 Establishes a new venture with the automaker Daimler
1926 dies at age 85
Interesting from the life of Karl Benz:
August 1, 1888, the first driver license issued to Benz survived until today and exhibited in a museum in Germany
His first car model, which was more like a three-wheeled tent with an engine, is on display in the museum and is in working order.
The famous three-beam star was originally used by Daimler and meant the use of his engines on land, on water and in the sky. Shortly before teaming up with Benz, Daimler adorned her own house as a talisman, later it became the emblem of their joint venture.
, Ladenburg, near Mannheim) - German engineer, inventor of the automobile, pioneer of the automotive industry. From his firm, Daimler-Benz AG was later formed.
Karl's father, a train driver, died of a cold when his son was only two years old. The mother tried her best to give her son a decent education. After graduating from elementary school in Karlsruhe, Karl entered the Technical Lyceum, and then the Polytechnic University. On July 9, at the age of 19, he graduated from the Faculty of Technical Mechanics of the University of Karlsruhe. For the next seven years, he works in various factories in Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Pforzheim and even some time in Vienna.
Links
- biography (German)
- biography (German)
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