Means of transportation of modern man. Short description

How do you get around the city? On foot? By car? By bike? What about technologically advanced and modern portable vehicles? With the growing popularity of sports and environmental friendliness, both classic bicycles and scooters, as well as fashionable technical innovations, are becoming more and more attractive.

Despite the fact that over the past few years, people on Segways, hoverboards or electric scooters have ceased to amaze us when we meet them on the street, they still attract glances and make us want to become the owner of the same gadget. And this is justified! After all, modern portable vehicles run on electric batteries; they are safe, compact and perfectly balanced for urban environments. And most importantly, they can be used both to get to work / school / store, and as entertainment (a great way to get children away from computers and tablets and take them outside).

There are different types of portable vehicles. Some are modernizations of classic modes of transport: bicycles, scooters, skateboards. Others are independent gadgets that have appeared quite recently. Many of them are great for people with disabilities, some are only for children or only for adults. There are also models that only physically active riders can handle. Therefore, when choosing a portable vehicle, you need to have a good understanding of who will use it and in what situations.

Let's take a look at what portable vehicles are available and who each would be suitable for.

What gadgets are there?

Electric scooters

A scooter is not only children's entertainment. This is a comfortable and fashionable means of transportation. It’s no wonder that scooters for adults have become so popular in recent years. They differ from children's ones in having large wheels and a wide platform for the feet. This, as well as the optional presence of shock absorbers and hand brakes, make the scooter an ideal portable means of transportation in the city - it is much smaller than a bicycle, but more solid than rollerblades or a skateboard.

Now imagine that an ordinary scooter has an electric motor that accelerates it from 10 to 24 km/h. Great? Certainly! With such a gadget, you don’t need to be afraid of sweating on the way to work or on a visit, and the speed of movement increases significantly.

If we talk about portability, the presence of a motor and batteries only affected the weight, so these gadgets, like regular scooters, fold up and are conveniently transported. By the way, electric scooters come with seats, which is especially important for people with disabilities.

There are electric scooters for children and adults. Children's ones have small wheels, the rider's weight limit is 55 - 75 kg, the maximum speed is 10 - 18 km/h. Adults have large and wide wheels, rider weight limit is up to 120 kg, maximum speed is 20 - 25 km/h.

Most electric scooter models have shock absorbers to soften the ride, as well as hand brakes.

Bicycles with electric motor

Fans of cycling will enthusiastically appreciate this vehicle: every cyclist shudders nervously, remembering the moments when there was almost no strength left, and there was still a decent distance to travel. An electric motor will help out in this situation. Accelerating up to 20 - 25 km/h, it will help you easily climb the mountain, relax and chat. And, of course, on such a bike the rider does not have to be afraid of sweating on the way to work or school.

Modern bicycles with an electric motor are different from ordinary bicycles that have an engine. These are, first of all, city models that should not be driven off-road. They take advantage of their portability and safety. On such a gadget you don’t have to worry about accelerating too quickly, since the limitation of the electric motor and small wheels are designed specifically for busy city traffic. Moreover, the weight of electric bicycles does not exceed 17 kg, which is comparable to the weight of conventional bicycles.

Many models of modern bicycles with an electric motor allow them to be conveniently folded and easily carried or stored in the trunk. And hand brakes and shock absorbers make the ride safe.

Electric bicycles differ in wheel diameter (the larger it is, the higher the bike’s cross-country ability), battery capacity, dimensions and folding ability. Most models have a rider weight limit of up to 100 kg.

Speed ​​(km/h)	20 km/h
Weight, kg)	12 - 17
Rider weight (kg)	100

Gyrocycles (Segways)

An electric self-balancing vehicle with two wheels located on either side of the driver and a handle for holding - a Segway (or gyrocycle) - appeared more than ten years ago. Since then, in some countries, postal workers, golfers and even police officers have been equipped with these vehicles.

Jet skis are a convenient and safe means of transportation. They can drive not only on asphalt, but also on grass and dirt. The handle helps you maintain your balance, and the large, wide wheels soften the ride. The main disadvantage of Segways is their large dimensions. Weight over 22 kg, massive wheels, handle - all this makes them difficult to transport. Therefore, this type of transport is unlikely to be used as a universal means of transportation in the city. It is much more suitable for trips outside the city, as well as for special needs.

Various models of gyrocycles accelerate from 16 to 50 km/h, have a rider weight limit of 120 to 140 kg, and themselves weigh from 22 to 50 kg.

One of the varieties of gyrocycle is a unicycle designed for riding in the city. Extremely portable and lightweight, it is perfect for urban conditions, but not everyone can maintain balance on it. Therefore, this type of transport is loved by physically active riders.

Speed ​​(km/h)	16 - 50 km/h
Weight, kg)	22 - 50
Rider weight (kg)	120 - 140

Hoverboards

Hoverboards deserve special attention. They are remarkable in everything: price, size, weight, speed, environmental friendliness.

Hoverboards appeared relatively recently and are direct descendants of Segways. They are based on two platforms - one for each leg. By tilting one of them forward or backward, you activate the motor, which rotates its wheel in the corresponding direction. This way you can drive forward, reverse, turn and even spin in place. Very simple and convenient for a city vehicle! And most importantly, thanks to their dimensions, they are very easy to transport.

The main thing you should pay close attention to when choosing a hoverboard is the diameter of the wheels. Passability depends on it. There are four types of diameters: 4.5, 6 - 6.5, 8 - 8.5, 10 - 10.5 inches. The first option is for children, the second and third are for riding around the city, the fourth can be ridden on grass and dirt. The larger the wheels, the heavier the hoverboard – from 6 to 15 kg. The average speed of these gadgets is from 10 to 15 km/h.

Hoverboards are often equipped with backlighting, speakers, and remote control using a key fob or a special application on a smartphone (which, by the way, can measure speed and distance traveled). You can also find models with stands with seats.

For children and teenagers: electric karts and skateboards with an electric motor

Electric karts are a bright and extreme way to have fun for any child. Different models accelerate from 13 to 27 km/h, and their rider weight limits range from 55 to 115 kg.

An electric kart is not a means of transportation. It’s nice to “drive” around the yard with such a gadget. It is not convenient for the city due to its size. And small wheels limit travel only to smooth asphalt and special areas.

A skateboard with an electric motor is designed to diversify and make classic ripstick skating more fun. You can ride on such a gadget without using a motor, and the remote control will help you control the speed. The weight of electric skates is about 7 kg, the maximum speed is 16 km/h, and the rider’s weight limit is up to 65 kg.

Criterias of choice

A portable vehicle is its owner’s every day friend. But if you make the wrong choice, the rider will quickly be disappointed, and the gadget will gather dust in the closet.

When choosing a portable vehicle, the most important thing is to understand who will use it and for what purposes.

For children the main thing is safety. Therefore, we need a gadget that will not gain high speed, will ride smoothly, and will not weigh much.

Electric scooters with small wheels, children's hoverboards and electric skateboards are ideal for daily riding. And on the weekends you can drive an electric go-kart.

All people in everyday life are accustomed to using various methods of transportation: roller skates, bicycles, buses, cars, yachts, motorcycles and many others. With the development of technology, vehicles have changed a huge number of times. In the modern world, creative designers and ordinary people are constantly trying to create the most unusual vehicles.

Suffice it to recall the recently appeared hoverboards and segways, but now they are commonplace. It is difficult to determine which transport is the most creative. In order to simplify this task, we present a list of the most unusual means of transportation in the world.

Limousine VAZ-2101

Cuba is a country where socialism and communism still flourish. Since the time of Che Guevara, the republic has accumulated equipment used in the USSR. A taxi driver decided to modify a Soviet VAZ 2101 into a limousine.

Nowadays a luxury economy class car drives around the streets of Havana. The man cut off the trunk of a penny and welded the second half of a car of the same brand in its place.

Motorskateboard Wilman

It was quite unusual for American inventors to combine a motorcycle and a skateboard into one vehicle. Wilman is capable of reaching a speed of 40 kilometers per hour, but controlling it requires serious training.

In order to learn how to control a motorized skateboard, you must have a good sense of balance. It is driven by a gasoline engine, which can travel about 30 kilometers in one flight. This pleasure costs an average of 60,000 rubles.

built bus

Quite recently, the MAZ 216 bus came out using one section of the well-known “accordion”, but it was overtaken by a Brazilian representative with two sections. A miracle of technology can be found in the city of Curitiba.

It was recognized as the largest bus in the world. The transport capacity is more than 100 people. It is mainly used to transport travelers on tourist routes.

Jetpack

Anyone who has ever heard of the game GTA San Andreas is familiar with a very convenient means of transportation - a jetpack. Nowadays, fiction has become reality. The inventors of Martin Aircraft presented the first Jetpack prototype in 2008.

Its current value is $100,000. However, the project has still not entered mass production in 10 years. The jetpack is still undergoing field testing and contains a parachute in case of a life-threatening situation.

"Diamond" Mercedes-Benz

In Japan, at the Tokyo Motor Show, special models of Mercedes-Benz cars covered with semi-precious stones were presented. Their cost is kept secret, but according to some sources, the cost of all stones exceeds $25,000.

The cars were made according to the special requirements of an unknown customer. The Diamond Mercedes-Benz was last seen in the UK. According to eyewitnesses, a young girl was driving.

Surfboard with motor

Not everyone can afford to go to the ocean coast to surf. A prerequisite for boarding on water is the presence of large waves, which occur only in natural conditions.

However, American inventors managed to create a surfboard with a motor. Now the natural factor is no longer mandatory. Anyone can ride on the water without leaving their country.

flying car

Another representative of the most unusual means of transportation is the Terrafugia Transition flying car. Humanity has been dreaming of creating such a machine for a very long time, ever since the movie “Back to the Future.”

The Terrafugia Transition is set to go into mass production in 2019 and will cost about $300,000. The flying car is capable of reaching speeds on the highway of up to 100 kilometers per hour, and in the air up to 200 kilometers per hour.

Its design is very similar to a sports aircraft. The wings attached to the sides can be folded 3 times. Of course, he is still far from the usual fantasies about flying cars, but the process of creation has already begun.

Cardboard bike

An Israeli designer has invented the most unusual means of transportation made from cardboard. The cost of his bike was only $9. In the near future, the man plans to acquire his own production.

However, cardboard has some disadvantages - low strength and moisture resistance. Izhar Gafni managed to solve this problem by adding stiffeners to the structure and impregnating the material with a special resin.

The bicycle copes with its functions perfectly, no worse than the iron one we are used to, and it is also the cheapest in the world. If you try hard, anyone can make it with their own hands.

Wooden motorcycle

Dutch inventors managed to create a motorcycle made entirely of wood. The only metal parts in it are the wheels and the engine. The body is made entirely of birch, held together with ordinary glue.

Moreover, the motorcycle is powered by algae fuel. It is environmentally friendly and can be used as an alternative to gasoline in the future. However, for unknown reasons, their innovation did not attract investors.

The motorcycle itself is capable of reaching a speed of only 50 kilometers per hour. At the moment, the project needs technological improvement and additional funding. But for some reason it’s hard to believe that oil tycoons will simply lose their earnings just like that.

6 wheel SUV

In a limited edition of 100 pieces, the German company Mercedes-Benz has released an unusual SUV with a 6x6 wheel arrangement, the Gelendvagen AMG G63 6x6. Their real purpose is still unknown.

The interior of the car is no different from business class representatives. The cross-country ability of a jeep is equal to that of a truck. The rear body of the AMG G63 is equipped with a 1.2 meter long platform.

The SUV's engine power was 544 horsepower. For comparison, for example, in KamAZ, engines with a power of 300 horsepower are usually installed, but Mercedes are much lighter than all-wheel drive trucks.

Now you know the most unusual means of transportation, but there is still so much interesting in the world. For example, there is a list of the most unusual sports games in the world that will pleasantly surprise the reader.

Vehicles are devices used to transport goods or equipment installed on it or people by road. This definition gives a completely comprehensive picture of the vehicle. However, in practice this is often not enough. Traffic regulations contain more complete information about the vehicle.

General information

Conventionally, there are rail and trackless vehicles. There is also a division into non-self-propelled and self-propelled. The movement of vehicles in the latter case is ensured by the operation of the motor. The traffic rules, however, have a different classification. In accordance with the rules, mechanical and non-mechanical types of vehicles are distinguished. These categories have fundamental differences.

Mechanical vehicles

Their main feature is the presence of an engine. Mechanical vehicles (vehicles) are trucks, cars, and motorcycles. These also include self-propelled machines and tractors. The engine can be anything: hydrogen, gasoline, gas, diesel, etc. Another criterion for such vehicles is their purpose. They should only be used on the road.

Non-mechanical vehicles

These primarily include bicycles. They are vehicles, with the exception of wheelchairs, that have at least 2 wheels and are driven by the muscular energy of citizens and control them. Pedals or handles can be used for this. Motors can be installed on bicycles. Their maximum does not exceed 0.25 kW. At the same time, they automatically turn off at speeds above 25 km/h. All of these parameters allow us to classify bicycles as non-mechanical vehicles.

Special category

Mopeds are mechanical means (transport). This is due to the presence of an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. Meanwhile, mopeds are included in the category of non-motorized vehicles. This is explained by the fact that their maximum design speed does not exceed 50 km/h, and the working volume of the motor is 50 m 3 (or the rated power with a continuous load of more than 0.25 and less than 4 kW). Other vehicles are defined in a similar way. These are primarily scooters, motorcycles and other similar vehicles with engines.

Important point

Driving a vehicle classified as non-motorized does not require a driver's license. The vehicles themselves do not undergo registration; signs (numbers) are not provided for them. Meanwhile, we should not forget that the persons who own them are drivers. In this regard, driving a non-mechanical vehicle must be carried out in accordance with traffic rules.

Maximum permissible weight

It characterizes the weight of the vehicle with cargo, passengers and driver. The permitted weight is set by the manufacturer and is considered the maximum permissible. Let's understand the terminology. The maximum permissible weight of a vehicle with passengers, cargo and driver is considered to be the maximum. Exceeding the established indicator is prohibited. This is due to the fact that under high loads (greater than those provided by the manufacturer), the car body, brake system, engine, suspension, steering part will not be able to function normally. Accordingly, there is a risk of creating an emergency situation. The maximum permitted weight is to a certain extent a theoretical indicator, which is prescribed in the vehicle title and registration certificate. Often many people confuse it with the actual weight of the vehicle. The key difference between these parameters is that the permitted mass is set once and for all. However, the actual weight may constantly change. However, in any case, its value should not exceed the permitted mass.

Weight as a criterion of differentiation

Vehicles are classified according to their permitted weight. Trucks are divided into 2 categories according to this indicator. The first includes vehicles with a permissible weight of no more than 3.5 tons, the second - more than 3.5 tons. This figure acts as a kind of indicator of the size of cars. In this regard, trucks whose permissible weight is less than 3.5 tons are included in a category that also includes passenger cars.

Permitted weight of coupled vehicles

The totality of their weight parameters is taken as the maximum permissible weight of vehicles moving as a whole. To understand this situation, it is advisable to refer to the concepts of “trailer” and “road train”. The first is a vehicle that is not equipped with a motor and is used to move in conjunction with a mechanical vehicle. A road train refers to devices that are coupled to a trailer. Accordingly, if there are several vehicles in the composition, including those without engines, the total permissible weight will correspond to the sum of their permissible weight provided by the manufacturers.

Route vehicle

It is a technical vehicle intended for public use. This category includes buses, trams, and trolleybuses. Their main function is to transport people along a set route with stops at designated places. Such vehicles are determined by the following criteria:

Specifics

It should be noted that one of the key criteria for route vehicles is the availability of a working schedule. Why is this feature particularly highlighted in the definition? The fact is that while the vehicle is not on the route, it will not be considered public transport. For example, a passenger GAZELLE driving to a garage or parking place after a shift is an ordinary vehicle. There are certain concessions and privileges for public transport. For example, the driver of a route vehicle can ignore the effect of a number of prohibitions or special lanes are provided for this. They are distinguished by special markings and signs.

Vehicle purchase and sale agreement

Many vehicle owners need to sell their car. At the same time, a contract for the sale of the vehicle is drawn up. Here are some recommendations for how to compile it correctly. The document can be filled out by hand or on a computer. Particular attention should be paid to key terms. The contract must contain a number. For example, 01/2016. Subsequently, this number will be indicated in the PTS. The document contains the place and date of the transaction. The passport details of the seller and the buyer must be indicated. Information about the car must also be present in the document. They are copied from the certificate and PTS. The price of the car is set by the parties to the transaction themselves. The amount is written in numbers and words. Immediately before signing, the owner hands over the keys and documents, and the buyer hands over the money. In addition to the contract, a vehicle acceptance certificate is also drawn up.

Applications

The seller must provide:

1. Original PTS.
2. Car registration certificate.
3. Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.

The buyer presents:

1. A document that verifies his identity.
2. OSAGO policy.

First of all, you should make sure that the vehicle:

1. Does not serve as collateral.
2. Not a credit card.
3. Has no penalties.
4. There are no restrictions on registration actions.
5. Not arrested.

Additionally

After signing the contract, the new owner is indicated in the PTS. Within ten days from the date of the transaction, the buyer must register the car. At the end of the established period, the former owner can check the fact. In this situation, the former owner will need a signed agreement. The citizen does not have a vehicle, but it is registered with him - what to do in this case? The former owner has the right to terminate registration by submitting a corresponding agreement to the traffic police. If the policy has not expired on the date of the transaction, the citizen has the right to return the money under it. It should be taken into account that the calculation of unused days begins on the calendar date following the day of termination of the insurance agreement.

Vehicle rental

It is regulated by the provisions of the Civil Code. The Code provides for two types of charter: with and without crew. Their definitions are given in Art. 632 and 642. The subject of the agreement is exclusively vehicles intended for the transportation of baggage, passengers and cargo. Renting a vehicle with crew involves two obligations. One is directly related to the provision of a vehicle for use. The second concerns the provision of services by the crew. The differences in regulatory regulation of these types of transactions are as follows. Responsibilities for operating a vehicle provided without a crew are assigned to the lessor. In the second case, they are performed by the tenant. The payment made by the user is called freight. The crew of a leased vehicle is subordinate to both the lessee and the lessor. Liability for damage to third parties is distributed depending on a number of circumstances. So, if the vehicle is provided without a crew, it is borne by the lessee. He may be released from liability if he proves that the damage was a consequence of the actions of the victim or When renting a car with a crew, the lessor is responsible for the damage.

Conclusion

Currently, there are a huge number of vehicles of various types. Meanwhile, regardless of the vehicle category, drivers are required to comply with traffic rules. The rules establish requirements relating not only to direct movement on the roads, but also to the registration and operation of vehicles. Drivers need to remember that a vehicle acts not only as a means of transportation, but also as a source of danger. In this regard, the condition of the object must be given special attention. To prevent emergency situations, it is recommended to carry out timely diagnostics of the machine. When making transactions, you should carefully study the documents provided by the seller. The buyer, in turn, needs to register the vehicle in a timely manner.

Many writers, scientists and philosophers spoke about the need to develop means of transportation.

F. Bacon (1561-1626)- an English philosopher and scientist, wrote: “Three things make a nation great and prosperous: fertile soil, active industry and ease of movement of people and goods.” English historian and public figure

T. Macaulay (1800-1859) believed that only those inventions that help overcome distances benefit humanity, with the exception of the alphabet and printing.

The beginning of the history of the development of the automobile can be considered the invention of the wheel, which is rightly one of the greatest technological discoveries of mankind. Without wheels, it is impossible to imagine the further development of means of transportation. After all, what makes it interesting is that, unlike tracked and stepper mechanisms, wings, and a jet engine, the wheel has no analogues in living nature. It is impossible to say exactly where and when it was invented. It is known for certain that the age of the first wheels is about four thousand years.

Humanity has constantly strived to reduce the time spent moving. Postmen in the Middle Ages used stilts. The process of taming fleet-footed animals was actively underway; horses were most often used. Until recently, there were mounted troops, which were much more effective than foot troops. Nowadays, there are mounted police units.

Previously, man himself was the source of the strength necessary to move heavy objects. Then people began to resort to the help of domestic animals, which they harnessed to a sleigh or a cart. This method of transportation is still used today.

The oldest means of transportation is the sleigh. Even now there are places on earth where this is the most common means of transport. In Russia, for the purpose of movement, both on winter and summer off-road conditions, carts similar to sleighs were used - drags. Sleighs were used not only in the north, but even in those places where snow had never fallen. It is interesting to note that at the beginning of the 20th century, during the development of the automobile industry, automobile sleighs (snowmobiles) were invented.

Images of the first carts are akin to the first wheels that appeared. The archaeological finds are about four thousand years old. Two carts, covered with bronze plates, found in an ancient tomb, are especially well preserved.

What were the first wheeled vehicles? Initially, these were carts drawn by oxen and having only one axis. Later, various chariots appeared: one-, two- and multi-seat, with an open top and a closed one, two-wheeled and four-wheeled, with simple and richer decoration. The carts of that time were characterized by structural strength, because there were almost no good roads (stone roads were built exclusively in Rome and the territories it conquered), and the invention of springs, shock absorbers and pneumatic tires was still very far away. The weak carts quickly fell apart from the shaking on the roads.

Carts became widespread as tools. Heavy, armored chariots were used as shock weapons for attacks. The problem of insufficient power was solved simply - more horses were harnessed. As practice has shown, the best option is a team of four horses, or, as it is otherwise called, a quadriga. In revolutionary Russia, during the civil war (1918-1920), carts were actively used - mobile platforms for heavy machine guns; these guns demoralized enemy troops, “sowing” fear and panic.

In ancient times, carts were not very comfortable and therefore most people preferred to travel on horseback, and sometimes even in hand-held portable cabins - sedan chairs and palanquins.

An amazing story is captured in one of the old books. During a trip to the Council of Constance (1414-1418), a traffic accident occurred with the Pope.

The image clearly shows that the cart had a typical design for that time, and was not equipped with springs. Only at the end of the 15th century did the first prototypes of carriage springs appear - strong leather belts on which the carriage body was suspended. King Charles VII of France received such a carriage as a gift in 1457 from King Vladislaus V of Hungary. Princely and royal carriages were distinguished by a special luxury of decoration.

The first hired carriages appeared in the 17th century. There were about 200 hackney carriages in London in 1652. By 1718, their number had increased to 800. In France, such carriages were called fiacres.

In the 17th year, multi-passenger public transport - stagecoaches - also appeared. In a day they covered a distance of 40-50 km, and in the 18th century - 100-150 km.

In 1662, “omnibuses” appeared on the streets of Paris - the embodiment of the idea of ​​the great scientist Blaise Pascal about organizing an entire urban transport network. Omnibuses (Latin for “cart for all”) were large carts that transported everyone for a small fee. Each passenger had his own seat, and the omnibuses stopped at any place at the request of the passenger.

The design of the omnibus underwent great changes in the 19th century. The horse-drawn omnibus was placed on rails, which made it possible to increase its capacity and speed of movement. In Russia, this type of transport was called “horse tram”; they first appeared in St. Petersburg in 1856.

A typical picture for that time - an omnibus, crowded with passengers, slowly drives along the road, attracting the attention of the rabble-rousers.

The development of technical thought, as well as human ingenuity, was aimed at finding new sources of power that would reduce human dependence on living nature.

The emergence of mechanical means of transportation was a transitional stage on the way to the car.

Vehicles using the muscular power of animals and humans.

Coach

Article published 06/21/2014 16:28 Last edited 06/21/2014 16:44

Carriage - (from Latin carrus - carriage)- a closed passenger carriage with springs. Initially, the body was suspended on belts, then springs began to be used for suspension (from the beginning of the 18th century), and from the beginning of the 19th century, springs began to be used. Most often they were used for personal use, although from the late Middle Ages in Europe they began to be used also as public transport. An example is the stagecoach, omnibus and charabanc. The most common type of stagecoach can be considered mail coach.

Story...

Although carriages were invented before bicycles, they are more like early versions of cars. The first horse-drawn carriages were found in Celtic burials. Their body was suspended by belts. Prehistoric Europe also used four-wheeled carriages with the classic wheel-type design and leaf spring suspension.

Chariot. The earliest example of a carriage is the chariot. It was invented in Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium BC. Proto-Indo-Europeans. The chariot could accommodate up to two people and was harnessed to no more than one pair of horses. Since the chariot was a fairly light, fast and maneuverable means of transportation, it proved itself well in battles. Warriors on chariots could easily be transported from one battlefield to another.

Preview - click to enlarge.

The pictures show: one of the most popular French carriages, a Roman chariot and other variations of carriages and stagecoaches.

Roman chariot. In the 1st century BC. The Romans used sprung chariots for travel. The state of the Zhou dynasty was known for using carriages for transport needs during the “Era of Warring States,” but with the decline of civilization, all the secrets about the manufacture of this vehicle were completely lost. Most likely, the Romans used chains or leather belts as some kind of spring, as indicated by excavations from the ancient Roman era.

Medieval carriage was a four-wheeled covered carriage above the coachman's seat with a semicircular hinged visor. The carriages of that time were characterized by the traditional technology of securing the front axle. In the annals of the 14th and 15th centuries, this type of carriage becomes popular, and there are images and documented references to springs on chains. The carriage had 4 wheels and was harnessed to one or two pairs of horses. Typically, iron and wood were used as manufacturing materials, and the carriages used by the townspeople were upholstered in leather.

Mechanical vehicles

In the understanding of modern people, the word “car” means a vehicle that is equipped with an autonomous engine (this can be an internal combustion engine, an electric or even a steam boiler). A couple of centuries ago, all “self-propelled carriages” were called a car.

People used mechanical means of transportation long before the invention of the automobile. They tried to use both human muscles and free resources as a driving force. For example, in ancient China there were land wagons with sails which were driven by the force of the wind. Such an innovation came to Europe only in the 1600s, thanks to the designer Simon Stevin.

It was built by the Nuremberg Watchmaker I. Hauch, the source of movement of which was a large clock spring. One winding of such a spring was enough for 45 minutes of driving. This cart really moved, but there were skeptics who claimed that two people were hidden inside it, setting it in motion. But, despite this, it was still bought by King Charles of Sweden, who used it for trips around the royal park.

According to a book published in Paris in 1793, the author of which was Ozanam, for several years a carriage had been driving through the streets of Paris, driven by a footman who pressed on the footrests located under the body.

In Russia (18th century), two designs of mechanical carriages were invented: L.L. Shamshurenkov’s self-running carriage (1752) and scooter I.P. Kulibin (1791). A detailed description of the self-running carriage has not been preserved, but it is known that its tests were successfully carried out on November 2, 1752. According to the invention of I.P. Kulibin has preserved much more information: it was a three-wheeled pedal stroller with a flywheel and a three-speed gearbox. Idling of the pedals was carried out due to a ratchet mechanism installed between the pedals and the flywheel. The driving wheels were considered to be the two rear ones, and the steering wheels were the front wheels. The weight of the stroller (including the servant and passengers) was 500 kg, and its speed was up to 10 km/h.

Later, Russian inventor E.I. Artamonov (a serf mechanic at the Nizhny Tagil plant) built the first two-wheeled metal bicycle in 1801. You can read more about the invention of the bicycle here.

The next stage in the development of the automotive industry was the advent of steam engines.

Self-running stroller by Kulibin and L. Shamshurenkov
(1752, 1791)

Humanity has long dreamed of creating something like self-propelled wheelchairs that can move without draft animals. This is clearly visible in various epics, legends and fairy tales. It's May 1752. A festive mood reigned in St. Petersburg, the air was permeated with the subtle aromas of spring, the hiding sun was sending out its last rays. The summer garden was filled with people. Decorated carriages were driving along the pavements, and suddenly among all the carriages one strange one appeared. He walked without horses, quietly and without noise, overtaking other carriages. The people were very surprised. Only later did it become known that this outlandish invention was built by the Russian serf peasant of the Nizhny Novgorod province Leonty Shamshurenkov.

Also, a year later, Shamshurenkov wrote about what he could do self-propelled sled and a counter up to a thousand miles with a bell ringing for every kilometer traveled. Thus, even 150 years before the appearance of the first car with an internal combustion engine, a prototype of a modern speedometer and car appeared in serf Rus'.

I.P. Kulibin drew up the project in 1784, and in 1791 he built his “scooter”. For the first time, rolling bearings and a flywheel were used to ensure smooth running. Using the energy of the rotating flywheel, the ratchet mechanism, driven by the pedals, allowed the stroller to move freely. The most interesting element of the Kulibin “self-propelled gun” was the mechanism for changing gears, which is an integral part of the transmission of all cars with internal combustion engines.

Bicycle history

Background.

You think since the site is about cars, then bicycles have no place here. Not at all like that. Before the creation and development of the car, it was necessary to invent something simpler and more affordable. This invention was precisely the bicycle.

Before 1817, there was no information confirming the creation of the bicycle. The drawing by Leonardo da Vinci and his student Giacomo Caprotti, which depicts a spirit-wheeled bicycle with a chain drive and steering wheel, is believed by many to be a fake. The 1791 scooter attributed to Count Sivrak is a forgery and falsification of 1891, cleverly invented by the journalist Louis Baudry. In fact, there was no count; his prototype was Jean Henry Sivrak, who received permission to import four-wheeled vehicles in 1817.

Despite the fact that the bicycle seems to us as something completely simple and ingenious, in reality it was invented in at least three steps.

First design solutions.

The history of the bicycle begins in 1817, when Baron Karl von Dres, a German professor, created the first two-wheeled scooter. This invention was called a “walking machine.” It already had a steering wheel, but, nevertheless, there were still no pedals; the frame was wooden. This is where the name trolley came from. Drez's car later gained popularity in the UK, where it was nicknamed the "dandy horse".

It was only in 1839-40 that the blacksmith Kirppatrick Macmillan from a village in the south of Scotland, adding pedals and a saddle, improved Drese's inventions. His invention was already more like a bicycle.

In 1845 R.W. Thompson, a scientist from France, patented an inflatable tire, but since it was technologically imperfect, it did not receive further distribution.

In 1862-63, Pierre Lallement, a master of making strollers for children, equipped the Dandy Horse with pedals on the front wheel. Then he moved to Paris and created the first bicycle similar to modern prototypes. In 1864, mass production of “dandy horses” with pedals began, and the frame was already made of metal thanks to Pierre Michaud and the Olivier brothers. There are rumors that the name “bicycle” itself was invented by Michaud. In 1866, already in America, Pierre Lallement patented his invention, therefore, he can be called the inventor of the bicycle. But still, this was not the bike that we are used to seeing at the present time.

In 1867, Cowper invented the spoked wheel model, and in 1878, Lawson introduced the chain drive.

Rover - “Wanderer”, this is the name of the first bicycle, similar to those that are used today. It was created in 1884 by John Kemp Starley, and a year later it was actively produced. Subsequently, Rover became a huge automobile concern, but unfortunately on April 15, 2005, it went bankrupt and was liquidated.

The "Golden Age" of bicycles.

In 1888, John Boyd Dunlop invented inflatable rubber tires; they were much more advanced than those patented in 1845. The 1890s became the golden age of bicycles; now, thanks to inflatable tires, the nickname “bone shakers”, which was inherent in all bicycles, was safely forgotten. Now the ride was soft and even pleasant.

In 1898, pedal and hand brakes were invented, as well as a freewheel mechanism, which made it possible not to pedal while the bicycle was rolling on its own.

Closer to modern times.

Bicycle history reaches a new level. In 1878, the first folding bicycle appeared. In the 90s, an aluminum frame was invented, and in 1895, the ligrad was a bicycle that you can ride while lying down. Moreover, it was only in 1914 that Peugeot began mass production of ligrades.

The beginning of the 20th century is characterized by the first gear shift mechanisms. To change gears, the rear wheel had to be removed and then turned over. The planetary shift mechanism was invented in 1903. And the speed switch, known to us in the form that is used now, appeared only in 1950, thanks to the famous Italian cyclist Tullio Campagnolo.

Bicycles continued to improve throughout the 20th century. In 1974, the production of bicycles from titanium began, a year later from carbon fiber, and in 1983 the first bicycle computer was invented. In the early 90s, the index speed switching system became widespread.

On this, under no circumstances, bicycle history doesn’t end, I just think it’s necessary to finish the story, since I’ve already gone too far from the topic of the site.

Cart - a vehicle designed to move cargo or passengers on a hard surface using the muscle power of animals or humans; the living being driving the cart is located outside it.

Freight carts

A cart is a four-wheeled carriage (In the Soviet Union there were twelve teleworks factories. The largest of them was the Smena plant in Borovichi. In the 1980s, it produced up to two thousand carts per month, which were delivered to all corners of the USSR.)

Arba - two-wheeled cart

A wagon is a large cart, a military vehicle. (Until the second half of the 20th century, a wagon was a large, long cart drawn by horses or oxen)

A wheelbarrow is a single-axle and therefore easily controlled cart for moving goods by muscular force (The wheelbarrow was invented in ancient Greece. Two lists from 408-407 and 407-406 BC mention “1 box for a one-wheeled vehicle (hyperteria monokyklou)” )

War wagons

Chariot (they appeared around 2600 BC)

Four-wheeled war wagons of a unique design were used by the Hittites and Hussites.

Tachanka - used during the Russian Civil War (the name of a horse-drawn, spring-loaded cart with an easel (mostly) rear-facing machine gun. Known since the early 1890s.)

Specialized carts

Field kitchen (The first field kitchens appeared in the Russian army in 1898.)

Mobile Church (The first Orthodox mobile (camping-ulus) church in the name of the Resurrection of Christ was built in 1724 for the grandson of the Kalmyk khan Ayuki Khan Baksaday-Dorji (Peter Taishin) who converted to the Orthodox faith)

On skids

Carts on runners are usually called sleighs. The most famous types of sleds in Russia:

A cart is a carriage on runners.

A sledge is an open cart on runners that widens at the rear.

Drovni - cargo sleds without a body.

Passenger carriages

A carriage is a covered carriage on springs. (The first horse-drawn carriages found in Celtic burials indicate that the body was suspended by straps. Four-wheeled carriages were also used in prehistoric Europe and their classic wheel and spring suspension design has been used since time immemorial .)

Stagecoach is a large multi-seat passenger or mail carriage, widely used in the 19th century. (Mail stagecoaches became most widespread at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries. The average route speed of postal stagecoaches was 9-10 km/h.)

Mechanical vehicles

In the understanding of modern people, the word “car” means a vehicle that is equipped with an autonomous engine (this can be an internal combustion engine, an electric or even a steam boiler). A couple of centuries ago, all “self-propelled carriages” were called a car.

People used mechanical means of transportation long before the invention of the automobile. They tried to use both human muscles and free resources as a driving force. For example, in ancient China there were land carts with sails that were driven by the power of the wind. Such an innovation came to Europe only in the 1600s, thanks to the designer Simon Stevin.

The Nuremberg watchmaker I. Hauch built a mechanical carriage, the source of movement of which was a large clock spring. One winding of such a spring was enough for 45 minutes of driving. This cart really moved, but there were skeptics who claimed that two people were hidden inside it, setting it in motion. But, despite this, it was still bought by King Charles of Sweden, who used it for trips around the royal park.

According to a book published in Paris in 1793, the author of which was Ozanam, for several years a carriage had been driving through the streets of Paris, driven by a footman who pressed on the footrests located under the body.

In Russia (18th century), two designs of mechanical carriages were invented: the self-running stroller by L.L. Shamshurenkov (1752) and the scooter by I.P. Kulibin (1791). A detailed description of the self-running carriage has not been preserved, but it is known that its tests were successfully carried out on November 2, 1752. According to the invention of I.P. Kulibin has preserved much more information: it was a three-wheeled pedal stroller with a flywheel and a three-speed gearbox. Idling of the pedals was carried out due to a ratchet mechanism installed between the pedals and the flywheel. The driving wheels were considered to be the two rear ones, and the steering wheels were the front wheels. The weight of the stroller (including the servant and passengers) was 500 kg, and its speed was up to 10 km/h.

Later, Russian inventor E.I. Artamonov (a serf mechanic at the Nizhny Tagil plant) built the first two-wheeled metal bicycle in 1801.

The era of steam cars

Ferdinand Verbst built the first steam-powered automobile around 1672 as a toy for the Chinese Emperor.

The car was small in size and could not carry a driver or passenger, but it may have been the first working steam-powered vehicle ("car"). In 1680, Isaac Newton, in one of his works on mechanics, described a carriage that was supposed to move due to the reactive force of steam. The crew consisted of a cart equipped with a steam boiler with a nozzle through which, using a valve, the driver could release steam, thereby accelerating the cart. Of course, this was just a project, and it is unknown whether it was ever realized. The first steam engine used in production was the “fire engine”, designed by the English military engineer Thomas Savery in 1698. Then the English blacksmith Thomas Newcomen demonstrated his “atmospheric engine” in 1712. It was an improved Severi steam engine, in which Newcomen significantly reduced the operating steam pressure. Newcomen's attempts to use the reciprocating motion of a piston to rotate a paddle wheel on ships were unsuccessful. However, Newcomen's merit is that he was one of the first to realize the idea of ​​​​using steam to produce mechanical work. Newcomen's steam engines became widespread: by 1735 there were more than a hundred of them in England alone.

In 1769, the French inventor Cugnot tested the first example of a full-size steam-powered machine (Newcomen's improved machine), known as the "little Cugnot cart", and in 1770 - the "great Cugnot cart". The inventor himself called it the “Fire Cart” - it was intended for towing artillery pieces. The “Cugno Trolley” is considered the predecessor of not only the automobile, but also the steam locomotive, since it was driven by steam power. Cugnot's steam cart (fardier à vapeur de Cugnot) had a drive to a single front wheel. However, apparently, its handling was unimportant, which was the cause of the world's first car accident: during testing, the inventor lost control.

In 1791, the Russian inventor Ivan Kulibin made a “scooter cart”. Ivan Kulibin began work on a carriage with a steam engine and pedals in the 1780s. Its features include the flywheel, brake, gearbox and bearing that make up any modern car. Its design had three wheels. Unfortunately, as with many of his other inventions, the government did not see the potential of these developments and they were not further developed.

The first automobile patent in the United States was granted to Oliver Evans. in 1789. Evans was demonstrating his first successful self-propelled vehicle, which was not only the first automobile in the United States, but also the first amphibious vehicle, as it was capable of traveling on wheels on land.

In the 19th century, steam-powered stagecoaches and routieres (steam tractors, that is, trackless steam locomotives) for ordinary roads were built in England, France and used in a number of European countries, including Russia, but they were heavy, voracious and inconvenient, so they were not widely used . Other works include a liquid fuel steam engine, assembled in 1815 by Josef Bozek, a professor at the Prague Polytechnic. and a four-seater steam phaeton made in 1813 by Walter Hancock, designer and operator of London's steam buses.

In 1900, approximately half of the cars in the United States were steam powered. Steam, electric, and gasoline cars competed for decades until gasoline internal combustion engines became dominant in the 1910s.

Soviet projects:

in 1948, an experimental NAMI-012 was built on the chassis of the seven-ton YaAZ-200 (later MAZ-200). The characteristics of the three-cylinder steam engine were quite familiar: power - 100 hp, speed - up to 1250 per minute. And the dimensions and weight were even smaller than those of a diesel engine with a gearbox. True, this saving was negated by the heavy (about a ton) “boiler unit”.