In the eighties of the 19th century, Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler already pioneered independently. Carl Benz founded the company Benz & Cie at that time with the support of lenders. in Mannheim he starts production of the two-stroke engine he designed. This motor also offers a variety of possible applications as a stationary current source. Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach are simultaneously developing the high-speed four-stroke engine in Cannstatt. This is how the pioneers lay the foundation for the first cars. Profits from the sale of its two-stroke engines allow Benz to develop the combustion engine car.
Benz is presenting its Patent Motorwagen in 1886. At the same time, Daimler is authorized to drive a motorized vehicle and builds the single-cylinder power source in the four-wheeled vehicle. This new form of mobility does not stop there. Daimler and Benz develop various innovative ideas around the theme high-speed combustion engine. New applications for the engine on the one hand and the reliability of the machine on the other are the foundations for making their developments future-proof.
Fire truck
Gottlieb Daimler is intensively researching the use of the combustion engine that Wilhelm Maybach has developed for new applications. After the first motorcycle in the world, the 'driving car' from 1885 and the motor car from 1886, there are various innovative concepts in 1888. It all starts with a motor-driven fire truck: in the horse-drawn fire truck, the Daimler engine takes over the drive from the fire pump. The concept is convincing. Because the new engine - in contrast to the steam engine - is immediately ready for use. It also works much more consistently than the then usual drive by so-called gas syringes, which generate the extinguishing water stream for a short time with the help of carbon dioxide gas.
Patent and first long drive
On 29 July 1888 Daimler applies for a patent for his fire engine powered by fire engines. On April 15 he will receive 1889 patent number 46779, class 59. Daimler tunes the 0,74 kW (1 hp) engine with a small auxiliary transmission so that the extinguisher pump operates at the most efficient speed range of 180 revolutions per m / min. The fire truck is being further developed: there will be a variant with a two-cylinder engine with 4 hp. While Daimler opens new facilities for the production of its engine in Cannstatt, the first practical test with the Patent-Motorwagen is being prepared in Mannheim. Bertha Benz, Carl Benz's wife, completes 1888 in August with the Model 3 Series Type Benz Patent Motorcar the first long-distance drive in car history. It leads to a ride of more than 106 kilometers. The route runs from Mannheim to Pforzheim.
Airship and tram
At Daimler, meanwhile, there is a variety of completely new applications. In August 1888 the first motorized flight takes place with an airship. That is a breakthrough for what is called aviation today. The construction overcomes gravity. The 1,8 kW (2,5 hp) Daimler drives one cylinder engine with the two screws (horizontal and vertical). The developments continue. The Gottlieb Daimler engine not only drives the airship. The power source is also used for driving a new rail vehicle. After Daimler already introduced a miniature tram with a gasoline engine at the Cannstatter Volksfest in 1887, a fully-fledged tram follows in 1888. The Stuttgart-based daily newspaper "Schwäbische Kronik" reports 7 on 1888 October 2,9 about the day before the test drive of the "Daimler's motorbus of the new tram". Powered by an 4 kW (20 hp) single-cylinder engine from the Stuttgarter Pferdeeisenbahn Gesellschaft can carry up to XNUMX people.
Developments visible in contemporary mobility
The developments at the end of the 19 century indicate once again to what extent Daimler and Benz exerted their influence on various transport applications. They have been developments that have made a major contribution to today's mobility.
