Hippomobile

The Hippo Mobile is an automobile that was constructed by Étienne Lenoir in 1863. It was powered by an internal combustion engine, the Lenoir had also developed itself.

Technology

The vehicle was a three-wheeled carts, the single-cylinder internal combustion engine, a development of the Lenoir gas engine from the year 1859. He performed at 100 rev / min about 1 ½ hp by former calculation method. Stationary engines based their fuel from municipal gas supply. Therefore, Lenoir had to find another way to carry around the fuel; Gas bottle not yet available. Lenoir constructed around the engine so that it ran on a fuel to turpentine basis. This in turn made ​​a device for mixture preparation, ie, an early form of the carburetor required. Previously, he had a boat equipped with one of his gas engines.

The " body " consisted of a high-lying, rectangular building. The Bank for drivers for driver and passenger was at the forefront, a second was mounted directly behind it a little deeper. The rest took a loading area. Among them there was a wooden compartment with the drive system. The engine was mounted longitudinally in the middle, the drive was by chain to a rear wheel. The tank was housed entirely in the rear, between it and the engine sat the ignition system. The axis of the steered front wheel suspended on both sides on was Doppelelliptik leaf springs, the rear axle was not grooved.

In September 1863 Lenoir led to the Hippomobile a test drive of his studio at the Rue de la Roquette in the 11th arrondissement. in Paris to Joinville -le- Pont and back through. For a total of 18 km, it took about 3 hours ( with breaks) and huge amounts of fuel.

Lenoir constructed only one other car for the Russian Tsar Alexander II and two boats, after which he focused on the construction of stationary engines. None of the vehicles is obtained; Hippo Mobile was destroyed in the Franco-German War 1870-1871.