Many people know about the outstanding Russian engineer Ivan Petrovich Kulibin. And especially enterprising inventors have heard his last name addressed to them more than once: “You are like Kulibin!” However, few people know that out of a dozen developments by I. P. Kulibin patented only a few. And the world now knows that the architect Town built a heavy-duty bridge structure, but that Kulibin invented it - does not know.
Inventor's identity
Ivan Petrovich will be born in Nizhny Novgorod in 1735. Surprisingly, there were no scientists in his family, and therefore the ability of a self-taught mechanic can rightfully be called an outstanding talent!
Ivan's family lived on petty trade: his father was an entrepreneur and an Old Believer, and his mother took care of the household and helped with accounting.
From an early age, the boy felt great sympathy for engineering structures and all sorts of inventions, which at that time were not so many in the villages. But the young man, passionate for science, did not want to keep accounting books and went toan apprentice to a fellow villager, learn locksmithing, turning and watchmaking.
Having gained experience, Kulibin makes his first watch, which has no analogues in the world to this day. The tiny invention served as a striking clock, as well as a music box and a miniature theater. Catherine II herself could not resist the work of art of the Nizhny Novgorod master - he gave her a watch, and she invited Kulibin to work.
In 1769, Ivan Petrovich received a place at the Academy of Sciences, and from that day on he served faithfully for the benefit of Russian science.
However, only a few inventions received a patent and rightfully belonged to the master. Most of the drawings and layouts remained unfulfilled dreams of the engineer.
Let's consider a few things that Kulibin invented, but never patented.
Vane water engine
In the 18th century, hired barge labor was one of the most common ways to move ships against the flow of rivers, as well as in shallow water.
Ivan Petrovich decided to save people from suffering and introduce an engineering novelty into the steamship business - a vane engine. The principle of its operation was based on the technique of moving ships with the help of anchors and ropes - a ship was pulled to the anchor dropped far ahead with the help of a rope. And while the ship was "going" to one cargo, the other was thrown further - and so on in turn.
Kulibin improved the system. Now, instead of hired workers, pull the ship tothe rope was supposed to have an engine (it consisted of 2 wheels with blades) using the energy of water. It would seem that a simple and reliable design that will save hundreds of barge haulers and hundreds of money for entrepreneurs. However, even after successful tests to move a ship with 65 tons of sand, production funding was not made.
Unfortunately, this is not the only thing that Kulibin Ivan Petrovich invented, but he could not start production.
Elevator for the Empress
The aging Catherine II had difficulty moving around the apartments of the Winter Palace. Therefore, Kulibin was given an important assignment - to come up with an elevator for the Empress herself.
The winch lift did not meet the main condition: it was strictly forbidden to attach ropes to the ceiling of the Palace. The resourceful scientist came up with a different mechanism, similar to the work of an office chair or tightening a nut: the servant turned the handle, and the self-tapping screw, rotating in the sleeve, raised and lowered the chair. Unfortunately, the mechanical elevator has not survived to this day. After the death of Catherine II, as unnecessary, it was bricked up, and Kulibin never got the right to authorship for its development. He became another object that Kulibin invented, but he could not consider it his brainchild.
Bridge
If the foresight of Catherine II did not let her down that time, she would rightfully be considered the founder of the bridge business in St. Petersburg.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Ivan Petrovich developed an extremely stable construction of a single-span bridge. Over his invention, heworked for 30 years! Despite the lack of necessary knowledge in mathematics and physics, he, without knowing it, discovered new laws in a practical way. A huge advantage of the bridge was the fact that ships could pass under it without sawing off their matches.
Great Euler, checking the drawings of the master, was surprised by the absence of miscalculations and errors in them. Potemkin himself allocated money for the construction of a model bridge, but the sponsorship ended there.
And 30 years later, Town became the famous architect of the bridge, and not I. P. Kulibin, who invented this bridge.
The "grandfather" of the car
Among other things, Ivan Petrovich invented a self-propelled carriage. In appearance, it was very similar to a car, but the principle of operation was different. The stroller could be safely called a hybrid of a bicycle and a wagon, since it was powered by a person by pressing the pedals. The invention served as a toy for the nobility for some time, but she never had the desire to sponsor its production. The drawings of the "grandfather of the car" have sunk into oblivion before reaching our days.
Don't confuse the stroller invented by Kulibin and Shamshurenkov's bike crew. His invention was much larger and more interesting: there was enough space for two, and in winter the bicycle crew turned into a sled. I would like to note an interesting similarity: no one took up the production of Leonty Shamshurenkov's development, and the drawings of his invention were lost.
First prosthesis
At the beginning of the 19th century Kulibinpresented "know-how" for the employees of the Academy of Sciences! A prosthesis that mimics the lower limbs. Nepeitsyn became the first tester of the design - he lost his leg during the assault on Ochakov, and now his military career was going downhill! However, Ivan Kulibin, who invented his new leg, gave a start to his new victories! As a result, Nepeitsyn rose to the rank of Major General and received the funny nickname Iron Leg.
Searchlight, ship launching system, optical telegraph, iron bridge project across the Volga - the smallest list of things invented by Kulibin Ivan Petrovich.
Photos, as well as drawings of many of them, unfortunately, have not survived to this day. However, the glory and memory of such an outstanding person must be preserved in our hearts!
