Louis-Guillaume Perreaux
Louis-Guillaume Perreaux | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19-02-1816 |
| Died | 1889 |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer and inventor |
Louis-Guillaume Perreaux was born in a village called Almenêches, in Normandy, France on the 19th February 1816[1] was a French inventor and engineer who submitted one of the first patents for a working motorcycle in 1869. He died in 1889.[2]
Early life
After attending elementary school in Almenêches, and showed an early interest in engineering, inventing a cane gun (a type of walking stick with a gun concealed inside) at the age of twelve. Perreaux was sent to the Minor Seminary of Sees where he formed the ideas that were later published in his first book in 1877, the two-volume 'Lois de l'univers principe de la création' (Laws of the Universe) which is now in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. He later secured a scholarship to the School of Arts and Crafts at Chalons-sur-Marne in 1836.[1]
Inventions
Perreaux moved to Paris where he began working on and patenting a range of inventions, including a multi chambered gun, a lock mechanism in 1841, a circular power saw in 1843[3] and scientific instruments such as the Perreaux Dividing Machine, invented in 1846, which could precisely calibrate the divisions on a glass thermometer using a screw driven micrometer with a chisel attachment or accurately measure the distance between two points to within a micron (one thousandth of a millimeter).[4]
Steam velocipede
Perreaux experimented with a small steam engine in a bicycle frame, contributing to the invention of the first motorcycle.[5] Perreaux patented this design under number 83 691 on the 16 March 1869 (and continued to improve his invention until 1885).[6] The design featured a brass plated single cylinder steam engine with a alcohol fuel burner under the saddle[3] of a French made Michaux velocipede bicycle. Drive was by twin belts[7] and it was capable of about 9mph.[3] The original machine is now displayed in the Musse de I'lle de France at the Chateau de Sceaux.[8]
Military tent
One of Perreaux's last inventions was in 1879 when he submitted Patent No. 128,656 for a 'system of military tent poles without external cables and without pickets'. As well as being much more rigid than conventional tents, Perreaux's design claimed to be simpler, lighter and therefore transportable for military use. He also proposed that several of his square tent designs could be erected together to form a gallery.[9]
References
- ^ a b Leroyer, Fernand. "Louis-Guillaume Perreaux". Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ "La Moto Perreaux". Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ a b c "American Motorcyclist". March 1985. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ "Perreaux Dividing Machine". Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ "Materials in the fast lane". Retrieved 23 September 2010.
- ^ "L'invention de la moto". Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ Burgess Wise, David. Historic Motor Cycles. Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited. ISBN 0 600 34407 X.
- ^ "The Perreaux Steam Motorcycle". 11-09-2005. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Military tent". Retrieved 3 October 2010.