Franz Reuleaux

Franz Reuleaux [ pronounced like " Röh - loh " ] ( born September 30, 1829 in Eschweiler- pump; † August 20, 1905 in Berlin- Charlottenburg, ± honor grave Age Twelve Apostles Cemetery in Berlin) was a German engineer on many areas of mechanical engineering and has been also active. In particular, he tried to transform the engineering into an exact science.

Franz Reuleaux was born on September 30, 1829 in Eschweiler- pump. He came from a reputable and well-established family technician. His father was a partner Maschinenfabrik Englerth, Reuleaux & Dobbs (now works Ermag of EBV ), both grandfathers also exerted technical professions. 1833 Franz Reuleaux moved with his mother to Koblenz, because his father had died suddenly. There he began an engineering apprenticeship in the foundry and machine factory Zilken.

In 1846 he began in his father to work in the meantime taken over by his uncle operation. 1850 to 1852 he studied at the Polytechnic University of Karlsruhe engineering client of Professor Ferdinand Redtenbacher ( 1809-1863 ) and was a member of the fraternity Teutonia. Training in Karlsruhe was based on the Paris Ecole Polytechnique, who was then pioneering university in the field of technology. Redtenbacher it should have been, the Reuleaux moved to studies of philosophy, which he then operating in Bonn and Berlin together with mathematics and mechanics. 1854 he worked as a freelance engineer in the engineering factory in Cologne Baehrens.

In Zurich

The first chapter of the textbook Construktionslehre for mechanical engineering, which Reuleaux wrote jointly with Carl Ludwig Moll, was by 1853 pre- printed. It was very well received due to its clear structure and the exemplary drawings. The last chapter of the work even looked at the engineering style. The thoughts on this were indeed arrested historicism, but pursued new and not from the architecture inherited ideas.

Reuleaux was noticed with its activities by Gustav Zeuner, who picked him in 1856 as full professor for the mechanical- engineering department of the Federal Polytechnic School of Zurich. The principle of unity of teaching and research, which had a high priority in Zurich, Reuleaux was very pleased. So he was able to inspire his students quickly. In the Zurich time, the textbook was The Construkteur, which was for three decades as a standard work. It was published in 1861 in five editions and four languages. This Reuleaux saw the machine elements as an independent discipline and sat as possible for as many standard constructions in.

In Berlin

1864 was followed by a call of the Reuleaux Commercial Institute Berlin. At the same time he became a member of the Technical deputation for the industry, and four years later became director of the school, which now called itself the Commercial Academy. After the merger with the Charlottenburg Technical School of Architecture in 1879, he first headed the Department of Mechanical Engineering, before he was Rector 1890/91. His students included Carl von Linde and Trajan Ritterhaus.

The terms composite, forced running ( for kinematics ) and especially interchangeability led Reuleaux in mechanical engineering. For the latter, he sat very strong.

During this time, Reuleaux was concerned with the time of his still underdeveloped kinematics, which he gave a decisive boost its published in 1875 Theoretical Kinematics. Reuleaux adopted in this work, a general systematization of the moving mechanisms ( Reuleaux'sche transmission system ). This work found many admirers but also many opponents: In the 80s and 90s of the 19th century, many engineering laboratories, all working empirical and not based on complicated calculations emerged.

1888 came with Professor Alois Riedler ( 1850-1936 ), a staunch supporter of the direction of the TH Charlottenburg, which acted as opponent of Reuleaux and even made ​​sure that Reuleaux in 1896 his teaching career ended. His ideas pursued Reuleaux but on. A second volume of his kinematics appeared in 1900, the third should also follow, but could not be completed. With the emergence in the 1940s computers to Theoretical Kinematics gained in importance.

On August 20, 1905 Franz Reuleaux died the age of 75 in Charlottenburg. His final resting place he found in a grave of honor of the city of Berlin in the Protestant Old Twelve Apostles Cemetery in the Dept. 302-001A-034/035, G2.

As judges

It was a special honor for Reuleaux to be appointed at the Universal Exhibitions of 1862 (London), 1867 ( London), 1873 (Vienna), 1873 (Dublin) and 1876 (Philadelphia ) for judges. In his letters from Philadelphia, which excited by their openness quite a stir, he drew attention to abuses within the German economy. His saying German goods are cheap and poorly struck first on a wave of indignation, the demand competition by quality found but then heard. In the world exhibitions in Sydney ( 1879) and Melbourne ( 1881) directed Franz Reuleaux as Reich Commissioner for the German Department.

As judges Reuleaux helped the gas engine of Otto and Langen to the first public recognition, but he made sure that she received the Golden Medal in Paris, he also helped with the patenting of this invention. For the cross-rolling method of Mannesmann, with which seamless tubes could produce, he put himself in the same way. He also supported the young electrical engineering.

Other activities

In the 1880s Reuleaux involved instrumental in the creation of unitary patent law. He also promoted the arts, he also dealt intensively with its reorganization and is providing important principles and guidelines. His literary vein was found in travelogues and poetry translations - he even spoke Arabic and Sanskrit. Finally, he also co-founded a philosophy of technology, but they does accused him of eclecticism.

Honors

Reuleaux was an honorary member of many domestic and foreign companies. The Université de Montréal and the University of Karlsruhe awarded him an honorary doctorate. Before TH Charlottenburg, a memorial stone, created in the design of the sculptor John Roettger was set with the following inscription seven years after his death: Franz Reuleaux - the researcher and teacher, Ergründer the relationship of technology to science and life. It is now located on the central campus of the Technical University of Berlin.

His father town of Eschweiler made ​​him an honorary citizen and named a street after him.

Familial

Reuleaux was married to Charlotte Wilhelmine Friederike Overbeck (1829-1882), granddaughter of Lübeck Mayor, canon, Senators and poet Christian Adolph Overbeck ( 1755-1821 ). His brother in law was archaeologist John Overbeck, his Schwippschwager the anthropologist and physician to the hypochondriacal Alfred Krupp, Emil Ludwig Schmidt.

One of his grandchildren was Otto Reuleaux (1896-1979), member of the Metal Company ( now GEA Group), Chairman of Kali Chemie, Chairman of Money, Credit and Currency Committee in the BDI and Wehrwirtschaftsführer.

Another grandson, Erich Reuleaux (1883-1967), a German civil engineer and traffic scientists, worked as a professor at the Technical University of Darmstadt.