The Cherepanovs' locomotive, Blinov's tractor, Nartov's lathe, Kulibin's waterway and other fruits of inquisitive minds
In Russia, there has always been no shortage of talented scientists and engineers who have moved and continue to move science forward and invent fundamentally new machines and devices. There are special people in this circle - nugget inventors or, in other words, self-taught. Not having received a regular education, they nevertheless managed to work on a par with graduates, achieving the highest results. Of course, in the process of work, these people were engaged in self-education, in their free hours assimilating the content of both educational literature and fundamental scientific works.
Andrei Konstantinovich Nartov (1693 - 1756)
The self-taught inventor is originally from Moscow. At the age of 17, he began working as a turner at the School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences. And in three years, thanks to his ingenuity, inquisitive mind and diligence, he managed to achieve such authority that Emperor Peter I learned about Nartov's talents. As a result, Andrei Konstantinovich was transferred to the court workshops for metal work.
From this moment begins his inventive activity, which contributed to the ascent of the social ladder. Having become the favorite of the emperor, Nartov was sent to Europe for a year to improve his skills and study "mechanical science". Upon his return, he was appointed head of the lathe. And he began to invent new methods of metal processing.
His main invention was the world's first screw-cutting lathe with a caliper and a set of interchangeable gears for changing gears. Alas, after the death of Peter I, the machine, like Nartov itself, was forgotten for many years. About what machine the Russian nugget invented was remembered only in late XIX century, accidentally discovering its drawings and description in the state archive.
In the photo: a ceremonial copy-turning medallion, made by decree of Emperor Peter 1 A.K. Nartov in 1718-21 for the manufacture of the Triumphal Pillar for the glory of Russia / Photo: Valentin Kuzmin / TASS
Retired from work, Andrei Konstantinovich took up compiling an encyclopedia of metalworking and machine tool building, which he called "Theatrum Machinarium, or the Clear Spectacle of Machines." In it, he described in detail 34 original turning, copy-turning, screw-cutting lathes. Narts completed this fundamental work shortly before his death. The son of Nartov handed over the manuscript to the office of Catherine II. This priceless work for many years unclaimed gathering dust in the court library.
Ivan Petrovich Kulibin (1735 - 1818)
He was born into a merchant family, but did not receive a regular education. At the age of 32, he made a watch of unique complexity built into an egg-shaped case. This intricate apparatus housed an hourly chime mechanism, a jukebox tuned to several melodies, a mechanical theater with retractable figures.
The fame of the miracle watch spread from Nizhny Novgorod to St. Petersburg, and the mechanic was called to the capital, where he immediately became the head of the mechanical workshops at the Academy of Sciences. He held this post for over thirty years.
Kulibin developed several unique projects, of which only a small part was implemented. He proposed to build a 300-meter single-span arch bridge with wooden trusses across the Neva. The 30-meter layout passed the test, but the case was not completed due to budget cuts. The spotlight, in which only a candle gave a powerful sheaf of light, was realized in a miniature version for the amusement of the aristocracy. Kulibin owns the authorship of a vessel of the “navigable type”, which moves against the current without any kind of engine - wheels with blades set the river current in motion. The waterway was supposed to replace the labor of barge haulers, but the government considered this inappropriate.
The leg prosthesis proposed by Kulibin was approved by the Academy of Sciences. Ivan Petrovich created many useful instruments for the Academy. However, at the court, first of all, his mechanical dolls, music boxes, fireworks and other glamours were valued.
Ivan Ivanovich Polzunov (1728 - 1766)
Born in Yekaterinburg in the family of a soldier. Until the age of 15, he studied at a school at a metallurgical plant, after which he was taken into training as the chief mechanic of the Ural factories. Since 1747, Polzunov, rapidly rising in the ranks, has been solving a wide range of tasks at the Ural factories - from setting up a sawmill driven by a water wheel to modernizing steelmaking. At the same time, he is constantly engaged in self-education, spending all his free time in the factory libraries.
As a result, in 1763 Polzunov created a 1.8 hp steam engine, which began to be used in production. It is widely believed that Polzunov was a pioneer in this matter. However, this is not entirely true. Various projects of "atmospheric machines" began to emerge as early as the 17th century. The first workable steam engine was made and patented in 1689 by English engineer Thomas Savery. Polzunov also made the world's first two-cylinder machine, the pistons of which worked on one shaft. And only 20 years later, the Englishman James Watt proposed a number of design solutions to improve the efficiency of the machine.
And in 1966, Ivan Ivanovich created a car with a record power of 32 hp. The year of triumph was the last for Polzunov - he suddenly died of consumption at the age of 38.
Efim Alekseevich (1774 - 1842) and Miron Efimovich (1803 - 1849) Cherepanovs
Father and son were serfs of the Demidov breeders. Since 1822, his father, who excelled in mechanical engineering, served as the chief mechanic of the factories of Nizhny Tagil. The son, who followed in the footsteps of his father, was his deputy and colleague in the field of designing all kinds of useful machines. During their career, they built more than 20 steam engines, the power of which ranged from 2 hp. up to 60 hp
The Cherepanovs made several trips to Sweden and England to study railway traffic. Based on the experience gained, as well as natural ingenuity, in 1834 they built a steam locomotive, which, due to the low power of the steam engine, turned out to be experimental. A year later, a steam locomotive appeared, already quite capable of transporting trolleys with ore. For him, they stretched a cast-iron road 854 meters long from the mine to the iron smelter.
In the picture: Cherepanovs locomotive / Photo: Oleg Buldakov / TASS
For a huge contribution to the mechanization of production processes, they immediately received freedom.
However, their experience was not used at other Russian enterprises. And after a while, steam traction was also abandoned at the Nizhny Tagil plant. This happened not because the locomotive was bad, but because of the lack of infrastructure necessary for the normal operation of the railway. For the efficient operation of the steam engine, it was necessary to establish coal mining. But firewood was used instead. Firstly, a lot of effort was spent on their harvesting, large forest areas had to be cut down. Secondly, firewood is a less efficient fuel than coal.
Fyodor Abramovich Blinov (1831 - 1902)
From the serfs. Born in the Saratov province. After the abolition of serfdom, having received freedom, he moved long and painfully towards design activities. At first he was a burlak. Then he joined the ship as a stoker. He grew up to an assistant driver, and after a while became a driver.
Having saved up money, Blinov returned to his native village in 1877, intending to have his say in the transport business. His first invention, patented in 1879, was "a wagon of a special arrangement with endless rails for the transport of goods on highways and country roads." The role of endless rails was played by caterpillars, which increased the permeability of the car. The first carriage was horse-drawn.
In 1888, the inventor demonstrated a new wagon (essentially a tractor), which was driven by a steam engine. Its speed was 3.5 km / h, and its cross-country ability and carrying capacity delighted specialists in the field of mechanical engineering.
Blinov immediately became famous. His tractor was demonstrated with great success at major industrial exhibitions. And the inventor went into pure business. Having opened a factory for the production of fire pumps in his native village, Blinov soon became a very wealthy man. there was a lack of talented scientists and engineers who moved and continue to move science forward and invent fundamentally new machines and devices. There are special people in this circle - nugget inventors or, in other words, self-taught. Not having received a regular education, they nevertheless managed to work on a par with graduates, achieving the highest results. Of course, in the process of work, these people were engaged in self-education, in their free hours assimilating the content of both educational literature and fundamental scientific works.
01-05-2015, 17:05
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Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, whose quotes have not lost their relevance even today, is an example of determination and amazing patience. Born in 1857 in the city of Ryazan, suffered scarlet fever in childhood, after which he almost lost his hearing.
Life and art
Kostya has been fond of engineering since childhood. Movement without human intervention, the action of a spring on an object, carriages and locomotives - all these were homemade toys on home machine. Impressed by the success of his son, the father sends the boy to Moscow, but it is not easy to enter the school. Having achieved nothing, Konstantin returns home, takes the teacher's exam, and earns a living as a teacher.
It was during this period that Tsiolkovsky, whose quotes about human patience we hear every day, completely surrenders to the invention of mechanisms. The self-taught scientist did not create a rocket, but his idea jet engine(inertia creates energy) inspired Sergei Korolev and Andrei Tupolev, was a catalyst for inquisitive minds.
Human illusions and fears
Tsiolkovsky's quotes about a person and about himself are taken from life, born through reflection.
- Humanity has discovered solar system. They study it, they think that they are the masters. But this is a mistake. We cannot learn anything about space from one system, it's like studying the ocean from one stone.
- New ideas are difficult to maintain, but necessary. Not all people have such a precious property.
- My goal is to move humanity forward. It gives me neither bread, nor rest, nor strength. But I hope that my labors will allow society to gain power and mountains of bread.
- Courage must be developed, and not given up at the first setbacks. The causes of these failures can be easily eliminated.
- After exercising in the water and walking, I get younger, and most importantly, I massage and give freshness to my brain.
- Everyone can achieve anything if they think it is possible.
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, quotes about space and opportunities
The main thing for the inventor has always been science and its promotion. The desire to know the cosmos gave meaning and strength to the most daring ideas. Theoretical astronautics was born when a scientist proved the necessity of using rocket "trains" and using several stages for a rocket.
- Our planet is our cradle. But you need to get out of the cradle.
- The cosmos is such an endless mechanism that it creates the illusion of freedom of action.
- The creation of a rocket is not an end in itself, but only a way to penetrate into space.
- What is impossible today will be commonplace tomorrow.
- At first there was only a thought and a fairy tale, then calculation and possibility, and the finished object crowns everything.
- Time is possible and exists, but not yet discovered, because we do not know where to look for it.
- The whole experience of accumulated knowledge is nothing compared to what we will never know.
Death is part of nature
Connection with the vast space, great ideas and achievement made Tsiolkovsky cynical. Death, no matter how terrible it may be for us, in comparison with the universe, is just a phenomenon. In striving for perfection, Tsiolkovsky, whose death quotes look shocking, expresses himself quite clearly.
- When nature is known, the fear of death becomes insignificant.
- I always strive for perfection. This also applies to people. You can take care of rapists, the insane, the crippled, but prevent the appearance of their offspring, and they will fade away in possible happiness.
- A person gravitates his life to 30-50 years, the difference depends on the conditions of existence. What contradictions can be caused by an artificial stop of vital activity at will? After all, doctors say that there are quick and painless ways.
Being an optimist in life, Tsiolkovsky Konstantin Eduardovich diluted his works, books, lessons and lectures with quotes about the perfection of the world. While teaching physics, he inspired not only his students, but also his friends to take action.
Regional competition of creative works
"I will be appreciated in the 21st century", dedicated to Kursk inventors
F. A. Semenov and A. G. Ufimtsev
Nomination
"Physics, astronomy, astronautics"
RESEARCH
"Fyodor Alekseevich Semyonov is a Russian self-taught scientist,
astronomer, mechanic, meteorologist"
Completed by: 11th grade student
Mokrushanskaya secondary school
Zarechnaya Lina
Head: history teacher Zarechnaya E.V.
Fedor Alekseevich Semyonov - Russian self-taught scientist,
astronomer, mechanic, meteorologist
Chronicle of the life of F.A. Semenov
1794
In the family of the merchant Alexei Nikonovich and Ekaterina Semyonovna Semenov, a son, Fedor, was born.
1800s
The father was engaged in trade and introduced his son to this occupation. In the spring, under the supervision of the clerk, he sent him to fairs to buy livestock, in the fall, together with the workers, to the slaughterhouse. Fedor was indifferent to this occupation, for which he heard ridicule more than once. Literacy education. He was drawn to natural knowledge, to the study of celestial phenomena.
1806
He met the Fatezh tradesman Fyodor Chernyshev and bartered from him the Monthly Book of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, from which he learned about the possibility of predicting eclipses of the Sun and Moon, weather changes.
1807
For the first time, he observed the appearance of a comet with his family in a small theatrical tube, which was brought to them by a relative Ivan Ivanovich Filiptsov.
1808
Bought my first book natural sciences and natural history "Inscription of Natural History".
1810–1812
From the editions of the book Astronomical Telescope bought at the Root Fair, he learned about the magnitude of the Sun, the Moon and other planets, began to observe the starry sky and became interested in astronomy.
1813–1816
Improved my scientific knowledge. He acquired important books for himself: "The New General Description of the Earth" by Adam Christian Gaspard, "Abbreviation of Astronomy" by Lalande, "Monthly Book for 1813", "Flat Trigonometry" by Anichkov, "Arithmetic" by Memorsky, "Spherical Trigonometry", "Mathematics" by Bezout, "Physics" Nolet.
1815
He married Anna Vetrova from Yamskaya Sloboda.
1816
He met Nikolai Polev, the head of the office of the Kursk merchant A.P. Baushev.
1816–1820
Did lathe for turning parts for his instruments, he learned to cast copper parts, made electrical machines and lamps, electrophores, electrometers, barometers, and made electrical and magnetic experiments. Acquired "Chemistry" Giza. He set up a small chemical laboratory and made experiments.
1817
Father died. Only in 1821, after litigation, he was able to buy the land that belonged to his father in the village of Gnezdilovo and the village of Potapovo. The site was first leased out, and then in 1825-1826. started his own farm, together with the workers he planted orchard part of the land began to be sown with bread.
1820
Meeting with K.I. Verman, engaged in astronomy and magnetism, N.A. Polev and Rozanov, who subsequently published a biography of the Kursk astronomer in Otechestvennye Zapiski.
1823
Assembled a machine for turning, grinding and manufacturing optical glasses.
He was invited to the vacant position of a laboratory assistant in the chemical laboratory of the St. Petersburg Medical and Surgical Academy, but not wanting to interrupt his astronomical research, he refused the flattering offer.
1825
He made a telescope from cardboard, having a length of 3.5 meters, later taken in a wooden frame and magnifying 40 times.
1825
He was elected from the Kursk petty-bourgeois society as a foreman.
1827
He observed an annular solar eclipse through a telescope and described it in detail.
1828
Together with the Kursk merchant A.V. Shchedrin made a trip to Moscow. ON THE. Polevoy arranged for Semyonov to visit Moscow University. M.P. Pogodin introduced him to professors S.N. Glinka, M.A. Maksimovich, I.M. Snegirev, with astronomer D.M. Perevoshchikov, physicist M.G. Pavlov, writer S.T. Aksakov, actor M.S. Shchepkin.
1829
1830
Three times he went to Moscow, which gave a lot of useful things for his development as a scientist. Leaving aside other sciences, Fedor Alekseevich began to seriously engage in observations and accurate astronomical calculations.
1832
Publication in the journal "Moscow Telegraph" "Theories of lunar eclipses" with author's drawings, a description of the large meteor shower Leonid, which took place on the night of November 1, 1832. At the initiative of the Kursk nobility, a project was drawn up to organize navigation along the main river of the Kursk province, the Seim, and a special committee was created for the implementation of the project of this trade waterway, later called the Alexandrinsky waterway. Semenov took part in the work of this committee.
1833-1834
A portrait painted by I.I. Stefanov and engraved at the expense of an officer familiar to Semenov D.I. Knyazev.
Meeting with General A.N. Sablukov and Kursk military governor M.N. Muravyov, who recommended acquaintance with him to local nobles and merchants.
1836
Compiled "Tables for the eclipse of the Sun and Moon." Presented to the official on special assignments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs E.V. Passek, sent to compile statistics on the Kursk province.
1837
Presented to the heir to the throne (later Emperor Alexander II) and Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna when they passed through Kursk, who promised to take on the upbringing of his two sons at her own expense.
The tutor of the heir V.A. Zhukovsky visited Semyonov's house.
He was elected a corresponding member of the Free Economic Society and was awarded a medal for success in gardening.
1838
At the suggestion of Governor M.N. Muravyov in the Kursk Gubernskiye Vedomosti began to publish his meteorological observations.
1839
For the first time I visited St. Petersburg. Bring your sons to school. One of them was admitted to the Technological Institute, and the other - to the College of Civil Surveyors. Both studied at the personal expense of Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna.
Visited the Academy of Sciences and transmitted meteorological observations. The Academy considered them valuable and sent him a barometer, a thermometer, a psychrometer, and a rain gauge to Kursk. Thus, the beginning of the Kursk meteorological station was laid.
1840
Systematic astronomical and meteorological observations, work on newspaper and magazine articles, farming and gardening.
Semyonov, the first in Russia, announced in the Kursk Gubernskiye Vedomosti about the forthcoming June 26, 1842 and July 16, 1851. Total solar eclipses.
1842
D.M. Perevoshchikov made a special trip to Kursk to observe the solar eclipse together with Semyonov.
1846-1847
He wrote the works "About the solar eclipse that will follow in 1847, 27 days.", "A brief note of the apiary located in the farm of the Kursk district near the village of Gnezdilovo" and "Experience in fruit growing".
1850
In Geographic News and in the Moskvityanin magazine there is a Map of the total solar eclipse that will apparently occur in Europe on July 16, 1851, a review by D.M. Perevoshchikov about this work with a portrait of F.A. Semenov and the Emperor's Decree on his elevation to hereditary honorary citizens.
The Russian Geographical Society awarded Semenov with a gold medal "For especially scientific works and extensive knowledge in astronomy."
1851
Participation in an astronomical expedition to observe a solar eclipse in the city of Bobrinets, Kherson province, led by Professor of St. Petersburg University A.N. Savich.
1853
Astronomical instruments purchased with funds from the Kursk Society were presented.
1856
In the "Proceedings of the Geographical Society" he published his main work "Tables of indication of the time of lunar and solar eclipses from 1840-2001. on the Moscow meridian, according to the old style, calculated and compiled by Fedor Semenov. In addition to tables, a publicly accessible graphical method for predicting eclipses using a compass and straightedge was presented.
1858
He was awarded the gold medal of the Geographical Society.
1860
He died of liver cancer at the age of 66. Thousands of residents of Kursk gathered at the Semyonovs' house to see him off last way. The coffin in his arms was transferred to the Church of Frol and Laurus, after the funeral - to the Moscow (Nikitskoye) cemetery, where a civil memorial service and funeral took place.
Famous inventors of the world have created a lot of useful things for mankind. Their benefit to society is difficult to overestimate. Many ingenious discoveries have saved more than one life. Who are they - inventors known for their unique developments?
Archimedes
This man was not only a great mathematician. Thanks to him, the whole world learned what a mirror and a siege weapon are. One of the most famous developments is the Archimedean screw (auger), with which you can effectively scoop out water. It is noteworthy that this technology is still used today.
Leonardo da Vinci
Inventors, known for their brilliant ideas, did not always have the opportunity to bring ideas to life. For example, drawings of a parachute, an airplane, a robot, a tank and a bicycle, which appeared as a result of the painstaking work of Leonardo da Vinci, remained unclaimed for a long time. At that time, there simply were no engineers and opportunities to implement such grandiose plans.
Thomas Edison
The inventor of the phonograph, kinescope and telephone microphone was the most famous. In January 1880, he filed a patent for an incandescent lamp, which later glorified Edison throughout the planet. However, some do not consider him a genius, noting that the inventors known for their developments worked alone. As for Edison, a whole group of people helped him.
Nikola Tesla
The great inventions of this genius were brought to life only after his death. Everything is explained simply: Tesla was so that no one knew about his work. Thanks to the efforts of the scientist, a multi-phase electric current system was discovered, which led to the emergence of commercial electricity. In addition, he formed the foundations of robotics, nuclear physics, computer science, and ballistics.
Alexander Graham Bell
Many inventors known for their discoveries have helped make our lives even better. The same can be said about Alexander Bell. Thanks to him, people were able to communicate freely, being thousands of kilometers apart, and all thanks to the phone. Bell also invented an audiometer - a special device that determines deafness; a device for searching for a treasure - a prototype of a modern metal detector; the world's first airplane; a model of a submarine, which Alexander himself called a hydrofoil boat.
Karl Benz
This scientist successfully realized the main idea of his life: a vehicle with a motor. It is thanks to him that we now have the opportunity to drive cars. Another valuable invention of Benz is the internal combustion engine. Later, a car manufacturing company was organized, which today is known throughout the world. This is Mercedes Benz.
Edwin Land
This famous French inventor devoted his life to photography. In 1926, he managed to discover a new type of polarizer, which later became known as the Polaroid. Land founded Polaroid and filed patents for 535 more inventions.
Charles Babbage
This English scientist worked on the creation of the first computer back in the nineteenth century. It was he who called the unique device a computer. Since at that time humanity did not have the necessary knowledge and experience, Babbage's efforts were not crowned with success. Nevertheless, brilliant ideas did not sink into oblivion: Konrad Zuse was able to realize them in the middle of the twentieth century.
Benjamin Franklin
This famous politician, writer, diplomat, satirist and statesman was also a scientist. The great inventions of mankind, which saw the light thanks to Franklin, are both a flexible urinary catheter and a lightning rod. Interesting fact: Benjamin basically did not patent any of his discoveries, because he believed that all of them were the property of mankind.
Jerome Hal Lemelson
Such great inventions of mankind as the facsimile machine, cordless telephone, automated warehouse and magnetic tape cassette were introduced to the general public by Jerome Lemelson. In addition, this scientist developed the technology of diamond coating and some medical devices that help in the treatment of cancer.
Mikhail Lomonosov
This recognized genius of various sciences organized the first university in Russia. The most famous personal invention of Mikhail Vasilyevich is an aerodynamic machine. It was intended to raise special meteorological instruments. According to many experts, it is Lomonosov who is the author of the prototype of modern aircraft.
Ivan Kulibin
It is not for nothing that this man is called the brightest representative of the eighteenth century. Ivan Petrovich Kulibin from early childhood was interested in the principles of mechanics. Thanks to his work, we now use navigational instruments, alarm clocks, and water-powered engines. For that time, these inventions were something from the category of science fiction. The surname of the genius even became a household name. Kulibin is now called a person with the ability to make amazing discoveries.
Sergei Korolev
His interests included manned astronautics, aircraft engineering, the design of rocket and space systems, and missile weapons. Sergei Pavlovich greatly contributed to the exploration of outer space. He created the Vostok and Voskhod spaceships, the 217 anti-aircraft missile and the 212 long-range missile, as well as a rocket plane equipped with a rocket engine.
Alexander Popov
And the radio receiver is this Russian scientist. The unique discovery was preceded by years of research into the nature and propagation of radio waves.
A brilliant physicist and electrical engineer was born in the family of a priest. Alexander had six more brothers and sisters. Already in childhood, he was jokingly called a professor, because Popov was a shy, thin, awkward boy who could not stand fights and noisy games. In the Perm Theological Seminary, Alexander Stepanovich began to study physics based on Gano's book. His favorite pastime was assembling simple technical devices. The acquired skills were subsequently very useful to Popov when creating physical devices for their own important research.
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
The discoveries of this great Russian inventor made it possible to bring aerodynamics and astronautics to new level. In 1897, Konstantin Eduardovich finished working on a wind tunnel. Thanks to the allocated subsidies, he calculated the resistance of the ball, cylinder and other bodies. The data obtained were subsequently widely used in his work by Nikolai Zhukovsky.
In 1894, Tsiolkovsky designed an airplane with a metal frame, but the opportunity to build such an apparatus appeared only twenty years later.
Controversial question. Who is the inventor of the light bulb?
The creation of a device that gives light has been worked on since ancient times. The prototype of modern lamps were clay vessels with wicks made of cotton threads. The ancient Egyptians poured into such containers olive oil and set it on fire. The inhabitants of the coast of the Caspian Sea used another fuel material - oil - in similar devices. The first candles made in the Middle Ages consisted of beeswax. The notorious Leonardo da Vinci worked hard to create, however, the world's first safe lighting device was invented in the nineteenth century.
Until now, disputes about who should be awarded the honorary title of "Inventor of the Light Bulb" have not subsided. The first is often called Pavel Nikolaevich Yablochkov, who worked as an electrical engineer all his life. He created not only a lamp, but also an electric candle. The latter device is widely used in street lighting. The miracle candle burned for an hour and a half, after which the janitor had to change it for a new one.
In 1872-1873. Russian engineer-inventor Lodygin created an electric lamp in its modern sense. At first, it emitted light for thirty minutes, and after pumping air out of the device, this time increased significantly. In addition, Thomas Edison and Joseph Swan claimed the championship in the invention of the incandescent lamp.
Conclusion
Inventors around the world have given us many devices that make life more comfortable and varied. Progress does not stand still, and if a few centuries ago there were simply not enough technical capabilities to implement all the ideas, today it is much easier to bring ideas to life.
Describing Ivan Petrovich Kulibin, the Encyclopedia of Cyril and Methodius (KM) states with restraint: “Russian self-taught mechanic (1735-1818). Invented many different mechanisms. Improved glass polishing for optical instruments. He developed a project and built a model of a single-arch bridge across the river. Neva with a span of 298 m. He created a “mirror lantern” (prototype of a searchlight), a semaphore telegraph and many others.
When reading this paragraph, an unprepared person gets the feeling that Kulibin was still a pretty decent inventor (over there, he also has a lantern, and a semaphore, and even “many others”). But on the other hand, just a mechanic (like a locksmith), and even self-taught.
You can’t put next to a highly learned European of the Renaissance.
Therefore, breaking the tradition of writing essays and scientific articles devoted to some personalities, I will start not with biographical data, but with a riddle.
So, it is known that Ivan Kulibin, who was born on the Volga and from childhood saw the hard work of barge haulers, invented a self-propelled barge. Which (attention!) She went against the flow of the river, using the very (you won’t believe it!) The flow of the river as a driving force.
Yes, it's not a mistake or a typo. Kulibin really created a barge that, using only the force of the current, went ... against the current.
It seems incredible. Impossible. Contradicts the basic laws of physics.
Judge for yourself: even if you achieve that a heavy barge has a zero coefficient of friction on the water (which is impossible!), then the ship would at best remain in place. It would not drift downstream to the lower reaches of the river.
And then the barge went UP under its own power.
It's just some kind of perpetual motion machine!
The Paris Academy of Sciences would refuse to consider such a project, because it is impossible, because it is never possible!
But Kulibin did not provide a project, but a real barge. Which, with a large crowd of people, was indeed launched and ACTUALLY, in front of everyone, went against the current, without using any external forces.
Miracle? No, reality.
And now that you know this, try for yourself (after all, we are residents of the 21st century, armed with knowledge and favored by technical progress) to figure out how a self-taught mechanic (!) Of the 18th century achieved such an amazing effect using the simplest and most accessible materials.
While you're thinking, to sharpen your thought processes, here are a few fundamental principles of invention. Developed, of course, in the XXI century.
A technical solution is considered ideal if the desired effect is achieved "for nothing", without the use of any means.
A technical device is considered ideal when there is no device, but the action that it should do is being performed.
The way in which the technical solution is carried out is ideal when there is no energy and time consumption, but the required action is carried out, moreover, in a regulated manner. That is, as much as you need and only when you need it.
And finally: The substance used in technical solution, is considered ideal when the substance itself is absent, but its function is performed in full.
Don't you think that the village-bearded man-bast-worker, or rather the self-taught mechanic Ivan Kulibin was able to find exactly IDEAL solutions? Impossible from the point of view of the Paris Academy of Sciences?
Alexandre Dumas' book The Count of Monte Cristo vividly depicts how the titular character intercepted and distorted information transmitted by semaphore telegraph from the Spanish theater of operations to Paris. The result was the collapse of the stock exchange and the grandiose ruin of one of the most powerful bankers - the enemies of the count.
Nothing surprising. Whoever owns the information owns the world.
I would only like to emphasize that this same semaphore telegraph was invented by Ivan Petrovich Kulibin.
Now about the spotlight.
Let's not forget that by the grace of Her Imperial Majesty Catherine II, the son of the Nizhny Novgorod Old Believer merchant Ivan Kulibin was called to the capital and there, for 32 years (from 1769 to 1801), he was in charge of the mechanical workshops of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.
Petersburg is a nautical city. So, the supply of light signals in it is extremely important. There are beacons that orient ships and protect them from running aground, and the transfer of information from ship to ship ...
Until the era of Kulibin, ships used multi-colored pennants raised on masts and a hand-held semaphore (a dashing sailor with flags) to transmit signals. It is clear that it was possible to see this beauty only during the day. Fires were lit at the lighthouses at night.
But on a wooden ship, open fire is too dangerous, so at sea, only a candle or a wick floating in a bowl of oil could be used for lighting. It is clear that the power of light from such sources is low and is not suitable for transmitting signals over any decent distance. So at night the ships plunged into darkness and informational silence.
Having studied the problem, the self-taught mechanic Kulibin in 1779 designed his famous lantern with a reflector, which gave powerful light with a weak source. The importance of such a searchlight in a port city can hardly be overestimated.
Victor Karpenko in his book "Mechanic Kulibin" (N. Novgorod, publishing house "BIKAR", 2007) describes the event as follows:
“Somehow, on a dark autumn night, a fireball appeared on Vasilyevsky Island. It illuminated not only the street, but also the Promenade des Anglais. Crowds of people rushed into the light, making prayers.
It soon became clear that it was a lantern that was hung by the famous mechanic Kulibin from the window of his apartment, which was located on the fourth floor of the Academy.”
The lanterns were in great demand, but Kulibin was a bad businessman and the orders went to other craftsmen who made more than one fortune on this.
Automobile
Leonardo da Vinci is considered to be the first inventor of the wheelchair in history. True, the Florentine used it for military purposes and, as they now say, was the prototype of the modern tank.
The device, protected on all sides by “armor” made of wood (modern bullets and shells were not known in the Middle Ages), moved due to the muscular strength of several people who sat inside and rotated the levers. (Like a crooked starter).
Alas, having studied the drawings of Leonardo, modern experts evaluated the invention as follows:
David Fletcher, British tank historian:
“Yes, at first it seems that nothing will come of it. There must be people inside, turning the handles so that the wheels turn and the colossus moves from its place, God knows how heavy. I would say that it is physically almost impossible.
In order for this to move, you need a battlefield as flat as a table. Stone - and it will stop. Mole hole - and again stop. The enemy will die of laughter before this thing reaches him.
But this is only at first sight. From the second - the soldiers (!) of the British army noticed that there was a fundamental error in the drawing.
The gears on the wheels are in the wrong place,” said one of those who were put inside the Leonard tank and forced to turn the handles. - With this device, the front wheel spins backwards, and the rear wheel forwards. So this needs to be fixed - rearrange the gears. Then both wheels will simultaneously move in the same direction.
As you can see, Leonardo's invention contained fundamental design flaws. Moreover, even after their elimination, the mechanism could only be used in laboratory conditions on a perfectly flat surface, which cannot be found in real life.
Now let's look at the inventions of Ivan Kulibin.
The Polytechnic Museum of Moscow has several smaller copies of a self-propelled carriage. Those (not copies, but real products) were made in the mechanical workshops of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, which were led by Kulibin, and were quite widely used for aristocratic walks.
Museum staff emphasize that the Kulibino self-running cart had all the parts of a modern car: a gearbox, a brake, a cardan mechanism, a steering wheel, rolling bearings ... The only similarity with Leonard's invention is that this design was set in motion also due to human muscles. The driver pedaled with his feet, his efforts spun the heavy flywheel ... and after a short period of time, the bicycle carriage, which had an enviable carrying capacity, could develop a decent speed. The driver was only required to firmly hold the steering wheel and keep the flywheel in constant rotation.
Bridges
Settling under the patronage of the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza, Leonardo positioned himself as a military engineer.
“I can create light, strong bridges,” he said, “that will be easy to transport during the persecution. Or, God forbid, fleeing from the enemy. I also came up with a method of besieging castles, in which the first thing is to drain the moat with water.
And the duke accepted him into service. However, as a sane person (encyclopedias report that under him “Milan became one of the strongest states in Italy, the center of science and art”), he instructed the new employee not to build bridges of a new design, but something much more modest. He entrusted Leonardo (Can you drain? - Drain!) to drain the Duchess's bathroom.
Encyclopedia KM says:
“In the 1770s. Kulibin designed a wooden single-arch bridge across the Neva with a span of 298 m (instead of 50-60 m, as was built at that time). In 1766 he built a 1/10 life-size model of this bridge. It was tested by a special academic commission. The project was highly appreciated by the mathematician L. Euler, who checked the correctness of his theoretical formulas using the Kulibin model.”
It is very interesting to mention that the famous Euler did not carry out calculations for a self-taught Russian, but checked HIS calculations using his model. He was a smart man, he understood that "practice is the criterion of truth."
Question: why, in fact, did Kulibin need to invent such a bridge unusual shape? Thank God, there are many bridge designs from ancient times ...
The fact is that St. Petersburg is a large port. And to this day it accepts ships of large tonnage and displacement. In order for these huge ships to enter the city, the main bridges of St. Petersburg were made drawbridges.
And the single-arch bridge that Kulibin proposed seemed to hover over the Neva, touching the ground at only two points - on the right and left banks.
IT WOULD NOT NEED TO BE BREEDED!
Kulibin's bridges, if their project were adopted, would allow ocean-going ships to enter the port not only at night, but at any time of the day! And no costs for maintenance and repair of adjustable mechanisms.
Clock
It is well known that Ivan Kulibin's metropolitan career began with the fact that during the visit of Empress Catherine II to Nizhny Novgorod, she was presented with a watch made by the master. They were the size of a goose egg and contained (in addition to the clock itself) nothing less than an automatic theater, a music box and the mechanism that controlled it all. In total, the “egg figure”, which is now a pearl in the Hermitage collection, contains 427 details.
Here is how this amazing watch is described in Viktor Karpenko's book:
“They beat every hour, half and even a quarter of an hour. At the end of the hour, the folding doors in the egg opened, revealing a gilded chamber. Opposite the doors stood an image of the Holy Sepulcher, into which a closed door led.
On the sides of the coffin stood two warriors with spears. Half a minute after the doors of the chamber were opened, an angel appeared. The door leading to the coffin opened, and standing warriors fell to their knees. The myrrh-bearing women appeared and the church verse “Christ is Risen!”, Accompanied by ringing, was heard, performed three times.
In the afternoon, another verse was sung every hour: "Jesus is risen from the tomb." At noon, the clock played a hymn composed by Kulibin himself. Figurines of angels, warriors and myrrh-bearing women were cast in gold and silver.”
The clocks created by Kulibin are kept in the storerooms of the Hermitage, and in order to see them, you need to make special efforts (negotiate, issue a pass, etc.). The famous "Peacock Clock" made in Europe and exhibited in one of the halls of the Hermitage is much more accessible.
This is a truly grandiose building, which, even in the spacious Hermitage, occupies a significant part of the premises allocated to it.
Of course, like everything made in Europe, the Peacock watch is a fashionable entertaining toy and, at the same time, a work of art. A peacock, a rooster, an owl in a cage and squirrels are located on gilded oak branches in a life-size “wonderful garden”. When winding special mechanisms, the figures of birds come into motion. The owl turns its head, the peacock spreads its tail and turns to the audience with its most beautiful part (that is, the rear), the rooster crows.
In addition to all the bells and whistles, there is also a dial (in a mushroom cap), looking at which you can, without any frills, purely humanly find out what time it is.
The clock was purchased by Prince Potemkin from the English Duchess of Kingston, who in 1777 sailed to St. Petersburg on her own ship with a cargo of art treasures taken from England.
The clock had only one drawback: the duchess took it out of London disassembled and, for more than ten years, it lay in the pantry, losing its parts and details. For example, out of 55 faceted crystals lying on the base of the clock, only one survived by 1791.
His Serene Highness Prince Potemkin-Tavrichesky, who spent a lot of money on the curiosity, called on Kulibin and asked him to "revive the poor birds."
The clock is still running.
Clock various designs Kulibin created in a variety of: pocket, daily, ring, watches with harp ...
But I want to talk about just one more. In 1853, a note appeared in the Moskvityanin magazine, signed by a certain P.N. Obninskiy. He reported that he had a clock created by Kulibin in his house, and asked to send a commission for examination.
What was so interesting about this device?
First, the clock was astronomical. That is, they showed the course of the planets, eclipses of the Moon and the Sun. In addition, the clock indicated the date (day, month), and a special hand marked leap years.
Secondly, a small clock was arranged on the minute hand, the size of a dime, which, having no communication with common mechanism watch and not having a factory, show, however, the time is very true.
In fact, here we are again faced with " perpetual motion machine”, invented by Kulibin.
