Founder of Benz cars and three-pointed star

Karl Friedrich Benz (25.11.1844 - 04.04.1929) is a manufacturer of motors and is a German automobile engineer. He is recognized as the people who invented the automobile run by gasoline engines. Two other German contemporaries, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, and independent research on the same with his invention, but Benz was granted a patent for his work and then he was granted a patent for all All major components make up the internal combustion engine.

In 1885, he built the Motorwagen, the first passenger cars equipped with a gas. This car has 3 wheels, front wheel drive with passengers and the engine was mounted on the rear wheels (currently a number of such vehicle called a tricycle). In addition, he also invented the carburetor, or speed system called accelerator, ignition systems for spark from the battery, buzi ignition, clutch, gear and water tanks cooling.

In 1896, Karl Benz designed and patented the first internal combustion engine with pistons horizontally in opposite directions to each other. This is the design principles of high performance engines used for sports cars.

Benz founded the Benz Company, precursor of Daimler-Benz, Mercedes-Benz and DaimlerChrysler. Before his death, he saw the explosion of demand for automobiles during the 1920s thanks to his inventions.

Early

Karl Benz (Karl Friedrich Michael Vaillant) was born in Karlsruhe, Germany. His father was a train driver named Johann George Benz and Josephine Vaillant mother. Time he was born, they never officially married, and they must move to the new married in 1845. Karl two years old when his father died because of a railroad accident, and his name was changed to Karl Friedrich Benz in honor of the father.

Although living in poverty, but his mother still tries to school him kindly. Benz attended the local Grammar School at Karlsruhe and became an excellent student. In 1853, at 9 years old, he was at school specializing in science Lyzeum. Then he entered the Polytechnic University under the direction of Ferdinand Redtenbacher.

Initially Benz learn locksmithing, but eventually followed his father's footsteps apprentice locomotive engineers. 15, he passed the exam and mechanical engineers are studying at the University of Karlsruhe. He graduated on 07/09/1864.

This time, when using a bicycle, he began to formulate the concept of a car that later became wagon without a horse.

After completing his studies, Benz has 7 years of professional training in a few companies but he did not see fit to any company. He started in Karlsruhe with two years doing different jobs at an engineering firm. He then moved to Mannheim to do a sketch at the same time as a designer in a company draw ratio. In 1868, he went to Pforzheim to work for bridge construction company Benckiser Eisenwerke Gebruder und Maschinenfabrik, and then to Vienna for a short time working at a construction company and iron.

Benz's Factory and first inventor (1871-1882)

In the age of 27 (1871), combined with Karl Benz founded August Ritter in Mannheim mechanical plant (also to provide both construction materials): The mechanical and cast, then renamed the manufacturing plant Sheet-metal working machines.

In the first year of the plant was a dismal failure. Ritter no longer trusted the local authorities shall order the confiscation of the factory. Benz bought out Ritter's share in the company of his father's dowry fiancée, Bertha Ringer.

Benz and Ringer married on 7/20/1872, had five children: Eugen (1873), Richard (1874), Clara (1877), Thilde (1882), and Ellen (1890).

Because the business is not so lucky Karl Benz moved to develop the new engine. To get more revenue, in 1878, he began to make the new patent. At first, he concentrated all efforts to create a gas engine reliable second period, based on 4-stroke engine design by Nikolaus Otto. Benz finished his engine on New Year's Eve and was patented in 1879.

Karl Benz showed his real talent through continuous invention while a two-stroke motors. He was granted a patent for speed system, ignition system for battery ignition, buzi ignition, carburetor, clutch, gear and radiator cooling.

Gasmotoren-Fabrik Mannheim Company of Benz (1882-1883)

The problem arises when the banks in Mannheim requirements merger of Benz Gas because it maintains the high production costs. Benz was forced to rescue by linking with the photographer Emil Bühler and his brother (a cheese merchant) to get the support of the bank. The company became joint-stock companies Gasmotoren Fabrik Mannheim in 1882. 
After all the necessary agreements, Benz unhappy because he only retain 5% of the shares and a modest position as company directors. Worse, his ideas are not paying attention to when designing new products, so he withdrew from this partnership just a year later (1883).

1885 Benz Patent Motorwagen

Benz & Cie and the Motorwagen

Lifelong passion Benz took him to a bicycle repair shop of Max Rose and Friedrich Wilhelm Esslinger. In 1883, the three formed a new company producing industrial machines called Benz & Company Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik, or also called Benz & Cie. Rapid development with 25 employees, the company soon embarked on the production of gas engines.

The company gave Benz the opportunity to satisfy the desired design is not a horse wagon. Based on experience and love of cycling, he has used similar technology to create a car, 4-stroke engine in itself placed between the rear wheels. Power is transmitted through gears by chains to the rear axle. Benz finished his invention in 1885 and named it the Benz Patent Motorwagen. It was the first automobile designed whole, not simply a motorized rickshaw. That's why Karl Benz is considered the inventor of the automobile.

The beginning of 1885 Motorwagen not be as expected. The tests often attracted many viewers. They laughed sarcastically when the vehicle crashed into a wall because initially it was hard to control. The Motorwagen be patented DRP-37 435 on 29/02/1886: "gas-powered vehicles." The first successful test was conducted in early summer 1886 on public roads. The next year, Karl Benz built the Motorwagen Model 2 with a few changes, and in 1887, Model 3 with wooden wheels out to the public.

Benz began selling cars - under the name ad-Benz Patent Motorwagen and Motorwagen became the first car to be put on the market. The first customer (late summer 1888) is a person working in a mental hospital. Buyers Monday, Emile Roger, who Paris, has a very profound influence to the success of the Benz. In a period of several years, Roger has produced the engines of Benz under his permission, and in 1888, decided to further his car into production lines. So many of the Benz cars manufactured in France and sold by Roger, because at that time, who seems very popular Paris car.

The first customer facing many serious problems. At that time, gasoline is only available in pharmacies and sold as a cleaning product, and is stored in large quantities. Moreover, the 1888 version of the Motorwagen to push when going uphill.This limitation is overcome after Berta Benz made ​​her famous trip, drive one car to go quite a distance away from her husband and suggested adding a different gear.Famous story comes from a morning of 05/08/1888, Berta Benz took the car of Benz (her husband did not know this), and make long trips to 106 kilometers from Mannheim to Pforzheim visit her mother, take both sons Eugen and Richard. Apart from having to manage to gasoline as a fuel at pharmacies on the way, she must overcome many technical problems and finally to Pforzheim at dusk sky, his achievements notice for Karl Benz by telegram. Today, the event was held in Germany in a stock car race.

Model 3 of Benz debuted the world at the international fair in Paris in 1889, and about 25 aircraft Motorwagen produced during the period between 1886 and 1893.

Models Benz "Velo" (1894)

The first buses in history

Form Benz "Velo" on display at London 1898

Scaling Benz & Cie.

As the demand for internal combustion engines still growing, Benz was forced to expand the factory, and in 1886 he added a new building located in Waldhofstrasse (active until 1908). Benz & Cie. developed during the transition from 50 employees (1890) up to 140 (1899). During the last years of the 19th century - Benz & Company - is the largest automobile company in the world with 572 cars produced in 1899.

In 1899, Benz & Cie. become joint stock companies with the participation of Friedrich Von Fischer and Julius Ganss, two foreigners are members of the board. Ganss working at the trade.

The new director Karl advice should produce less expensive cars to suit a range of production requirements. In 1893, Benz built the Victoria, a two-seat car with a 3HP motor, the speed can reach up to 11mph, and a front axle operated by a key force in roller wheel for steering. This model successfully with 45 units sold in 1893.

A year later (1894) Benz improved this design in his new Velo model. This car was produced on a large scale - 1200 units from 1894 to 1901 - to the extent it is considered the automobile was first mass-produced. Benz Velo also participated in the first automobile race Paris to Rouen 1894

In 1895, Benz built the first truck in history. Some units are then Netphener bus company, the first bus company in history, changed somewhat.

Karl Benz was granted a patent for boxer engines with horizontal pistons in opposite directions in 1896. The respective pistons simultaneously touching the dead, thus balancing each other on momentum. The engine has 4 or more flattened cylinder boxer engine is the most common and is called reverse horizontal piston engine. This is the principle designer of racing engines such as Porsches operation.

Although Daimler died in 03/1900, and there is no evidence to suggest that Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler knew each other as well as known to the achievements of each other first, but the competition with Daimler Motors (DMG) in Stuttgart began to challenge the leaders of Benz & Cie. In 10/1900 main designer of DMG, Wilhelm Maybach, Mercedes came out-35HP at the request of Emil Jellinek in the contract.Jellinek purchased 36 units and he became a dearler of this model. Although Maybach left DMG in 1907, but he was the design of this model and all its significant changes.After testing, the first car was delivered to Jellinek on 22/12/1900. Jellinek proposed changes continue to model and have obtained good results in the following years, promoting increased production model DMG automobile.

Counterattack by the Parsifil Benz, launched in 1903, with two cylinders and a maximum speed of 37mph. Then, the other directors hired some French designers without consulting Benz. (France is a country with developed automotive industry based on Maybach's invention.) Due to this move, after intense discussions, on 24/02/1903, Karl Benz retired, not management design more reasonable, although he remains a director of the board until losing in 1929. Benz's sons Eugen and Richard also left the company, but Richard back in 1904 in his capacity as an automotive designer guests.

By 1904, sales of Benz & Cie.da 3480 increased the company and the company remains the leading automobile manufacturers. Although still involved in the board of Benz & Cie., But Karl Benz soon find yourself another company and worked with his son, Eugen. The company has close relationships with his family, manufacturing automobiles under a different brand.

In 1909, Benz & Cie. production and the Blitzen Benz racing car has set a record speed of 288.1 km / h, is considered a "faster than any aircraft, train or automobile that" at that time. It maintains a record of this in the next 5 years.

Benz-Söhne (1906 - 1923)

Karl Benz and his son, Eugen, moved to Ladenburg, and with their own capital, they formed a company Benz Sons (Benz-Söhne) in 1906, automobile production and gas engines. Gas engine was later replaced by the gasoline engine due to lack of demand.

Benz-Söhne Cars of good quality and became popular as a taxi in London. In 1912, Karl Benz liquidated all the stocks in the Benz-Söhne and left the company to Eugen and Richard. Year he turns 70 (25/11/1914), Karl Benz was the University of Karlsruhe University awarded the doctorate.

Almost from the beginning of automobile manufacturing industry, the presence of sports car racing has become a way for firms to advertise. Initially, the model produced racing speed and Benz Velo was present in the first automobile race Paris to Rouen 1894. After that, the investment for the development of racing sports cars bring more revenue by attaching names to the winner car. Race car one of a kind produced at that time (which we can see in the image of the Benz), motor vehicle and designed the aerodynamics first, Tropfenwagen, was about presented at the European Grand Prix 1923

350 cars were produced in 1923, the last year the company Benz-Shone. The following year, 1924, Karl Benz produced two additional 8/25 hp for the purposes of his own, so he never sold them. Currently, two cars are still preserved.

Mercedes Benz Logo

Toward Daimler-Benz and Mercedes Benz (1926)

During the First World War, both Benz & Cie. and Daimler Motors (DMG) will increase production in large quantities to serve the war. After the war ended, both manufacturers return to normal operation, but the German economy, which were severely shaken. Cars are considered a luxury and taxed 15%. At the same time, Germany was in a severe shortage of gasoline. To cope with this difficulty, in 1919, as suggested by Karl Benz, Benz & Cie. proposals through cooperation with DMG representative Karl Jahn, but DMG rejected the proposal.

The economic crisis in Germany has become increasingly worse. In 1923, Benz & Cie.producing only 1,328 units in Mannheim, and DMG 1020 units in Stuttgart. The average price of a car is 25 million marks by rapid inflation. Two companies return to negotiations and in 1924 signed an agreement of mutual benefits take effect until 2000. Both firms have the same standardized design, production, purchase, sale and advertising-the automobile market their products - though still holding its own label.

Finally, Benz & Cie on 28/07/1926. and DMG merged into Daimler-Benz company and name their cars as Mercedes Benz honoring the most important model of the DMG, Mercedes-35HP. DMG model name is selected by the name of her 10 year old Mercedes Jellinek daughter of Emil Jellinek (then one of the partners of the DMG), who has set the technical standards for new model. A new logo was created-including three-pointed star (representing Daimler's motto: "engines used for roads, waterways and airways") is surrounded by the traditional laurel branch logo Benz - and Mercedes-Benz labeled. The following year (1927), the number of vehicles sold in 7918 reached a triple and diesel used for truck production. In 1928, Mercedes Benz SS released.

On 04/04/1929, Karl Benz died at his home in Ladenburg at the age of 84 due to bronchitis.