Marc Seguin

Marc Seguin ( born April 20, 1786 in Annonay, † February 24, 1875 ) was a French engineer. He was received as a designer of suspension bridges and steam locomotives in the history of technology. He was a nephew of the brothers Montgolfier.

Life and work

Seguin used as George Stephenson the tube boilers for steam engines. Whether Seguin Stephenson brought up this idea or whether he had copied this design principle in Stephenson, is still controversial. 1827 and 1828 he spent three months in England, where he also visited the factory of Stephenson. In 1828 he reported in France for a patent for a steam boiler with multiple heat pipes for a stationary steam engine. The first test runs with his locomotive, he led only by shortly after the race of Rainhill. Thus in any case was the Rocket, the first steam locomotive in operation with multiple heat pipes. The firebox of Seguins locomotive was part of the boiler. The ventilation of the firebox had to be ensured by large fans at the Tender. The chimney was mounted directly above the firebox. The exhaust steam from the cylinders fizzled unused. Overall, the Rocket was the progressive construction.

On 7 June 1826, he acquired the concession for the construction of a railway from Saint -Etienne to Lyon 58 km away. This was put into operation in 1831 and 1832 completely finished railway was the first in France and on the Continent, which was operated by a steam locomotive and for public travel.

Seguin constructed a total of 12 locomotives, before he focused on the bridge. He improved the system of suspension bridges and is considered the inventor of the suspension rope bridge. While, chain bridges were common in Europe, especially in Britain, Guillaume -Henri Dufour developed on the basis of sketches Seguins the end of 1822 a suspension bridge with steel cables with a central tower and two spans. The bridge Passerelle de Saint -Antoine in Geneva, the first cable - suspension bridge in Europe, was built in 1823 by Dufour's plan in five months.

Shortly after Seguin built in Annonay, along with some neighbors on private land his first wire suspension bridge, which was opened in 1825. It was regarded as a test of the suspension bridge over the Rhone between Tournon -sur -Rhône and Tain l'Hermitage, whose construction had already begun, and became known as the Passerelle Marc Seguin later. Because their headroom was too low, they had to be demolished and rebuilt later with the beginning of steam navigation. Following this example, another 20 bridges were built over the Rhone eventually. Along with his four brothers, he built bridges in France 186, which to this day are still in operation partly.

Marc Seguin is listed among the 72 names of prominent persons on the Eiffel Tower.

He was married three times and had a total of 19 children.