Gottlieb Daimler – The Father of the Automobile
Gottlieb Daimler March 17, 1834 – March 6, 1900
By Edwin Emerson, Jr. [as reprinted from Automobile Magazine April 1900]
BY the death of Gottlieb Daimler, the celebrated German inventor and engineer, last month, the world has lost the guiding spirit and creator of modern automobilism. Daimler was a man who resurrected the crude principles employed in the earliest horseless carriages and infused into them a new life. Thus he is in truth the father of the modern automobile.
Daimler’s great achievement was the invention of the gasoline and petroleum explosion motor, which, fifteen years ago, revolutionized the construction and industry of light mechanical motors. His cylindrical motor in upright V form immediately became known as the celebrated Daimler Motor. In various modified forms it has been applied to a great majority of all the various gasoline motors now in use in Europe and in America. Later, as a result of the collaboration of Europe’s most famous automobile inventors, Daimler and Levassor, a new motor was
devised, the so-called ” Phoenix Daimler ” which has achieved such startling success in French racing machines. Levassor adopted the sprocket and chain, but Daimler insisted upon the use of pulleys and belts for the speed changing gear, and of gearing in the transmission of power. Before the death of Levassor, it was agreed that the system which gave the bestresults would be adopted. Daimler’s system carried the day.
Gottlieb Daimler began his career as a common mechanic. He was born at Schorndorf in Wurtemberg, on March 17, 1834. After leaving school, he worked as a mechanic in a tool factory at Grafenstaden, in Alsace. In 1857 ne had earned enough money to attend the Polytechnic Institute at Stuttgart. After his graduation there he went to England and France and there continued his studies for two years at several of the best known factories. On his return to Germany, he was employed as an assistant foreman in Geislingen and Reutlingen, but soon left these machine shops to become the foreman of a large machine factory at Carlsruhe. In 1872 he was entrusted with the installation and management of a new factory for the construction of gas motors at Deutz. Within the space of ten years Daimler transformed this factory into a huge establishment of world-wide renown. In conjunction with Dr. Otto he constructed the first gas motor of one hundred horse-power, which has since become celebrated as “Otto’s Motor.” In 1882 he left this concern and established a factory of his own. It was at this time that he
aided the well-known Messrs. Crossley, in Manchester, in their first construction of gas motors which have since then achieved so prominent a place in England.
The first product of Daimler’s new factory was a motor with a horizontal cylinder in which the gas was compressed before ignition. By means of a so-called amorce, ignition was produced in such a manner that the motor continued to work, even after the extinction of the amorce. The cylinder was cooled by air flanges.
Next year Daimler constructed his first upright motor with a cylinder where all the constructive parts were contained in a tight case. In 1885 Daimler patented the first motor cycle with a motor on the rear wheel. By the end of the same year he was able to turn out his first practical motor carriage. The inventor’s genius next turned to a construction of vertical motors for gas or petroleum to be used in launches. This invention achieved instant favor and soon became one of the most profitable products of the Daimler works. In 1887 Daimler patented a motor street car propelled over steel tracks by means of a single cylinder. Change of speed was provided by three pairs of interlocking wheels which could be shifted at will. This invention was exhibited by MM. Panhard and Levassor at the Paris Exposition of 1889, where it excited universal attention.
In all Gottlieb Daimler invented no less than fifteen different motors, all of which were patented by himself, and were turned to immediate practical use. In his personal character the German inventor was one of the most kindly and generous of men. This serves to explain the great friendship that sprang up between him and so many French automobilists. As Baudry de Saunier has told in his Petites Annales, Daimler’s factory and private laboratory at Cannstadt, during the last few years, came to be considered as the true Mecca of all the most progressive chauffeurs, and they drove there on their motor wagons from all parts of the continent.
The Hon. Evelyn Ellis, the pioneer of British automobilism, not long ago related this interesting episode of his personal relations with the German inventor. Herr Daimler came to visit him at Malvern, in England. Mr. Ellis’ automobile, fitted, of course, with the Daimler engine, carried the inventor over a long drive from the station to the house. After luncheon a more extensive country drive was undertaken, but at the first hill the
machine stopped. The combined experience of the inventor and the owner failed to make the motor start. Every known expedient having been tried in turn, Mr. Ellis turned away disgusted, but Herr Daimler gave his motor a slap with his open hand, as if to say, “Now, will you be good?” This slap shook off some soot which had settled on the inhalation pipe, and in a moment the motor was running perfectly. Subsequently Mr. Ellis purchased from Mr. Daimler two of his most perfected motor carriages and no less than six motor tricycles. He did this impelled solely by the personal magnetism of Gottlieb Daimler.