Gottlieb Daimler(1834-1900)
After completing secondary school, Daimler began an apprenticeship as a gunsmith in Stuttgart, which he completed with the journeyman's examination in 1852. For further training, he attended the Württemberg State Trade School from 1852 to 1853. In 1853, Daimler settled in Alsace, where he found his first professional job at a mechanical engineering company in Grafenstaden. In 1857 he returned to Stuttgart and studied mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic School until 1859. Daimler then visited Paris, Leeds, Manchester and Coventry during a study trip. From 1862 he worked as a designer in the Straub metal goods factory in Geislingen and in 1865 he became head of the machine factory at the "Bruderhaus" orphanage in Reutlingen. Here Daimler met the engineer Wilhelm Maybach. A friendship developed between the two that lasted throughout their lives.
In 1867, Daimler married the pharmacist's daughter Emma Kurz. Five children were born from this marriage. In 1869 he moved to Karlsruhe as director of the Karlsruher Industriewerkstätten, IWKA, where Maybach followed him shortly afterwards as a technical draftsman. In 1872, Daimler became technical director of the Deutz gas engine factory under Nikolaus August Otto and Carl Eugen Langen. His friend Maybach followed him here too, perfecting the engine designed by Otto and developing it to series production. After differences between Daimler and Otto, both separated in 1882; Maybach also left Otto. For the patents created under his leadership, Daimler received compensation of 112,000 Reichsmarks in Deutz shares. That same year, Daimler founded his first workshop in Cannstatt near Stuttgart, where he manufactured smaller and more powerful engines that burned gasoline instead of gas.
This research, in which Maybach played a key role, resulted in the first patent for a single-cylinder four-stroke engine with hot tube ignition in 1883. The fuel was also revolutionary, as until then petrol had mostly been sold as a stain remover and was only sold in pharmacies. In 1885, Maybach installed the 0.5 HP unit in a so-called riding car, which can now be seen as the world's first motorcycle. Gottlieb's son Paul Daimler carried out the successful test drive of the prototype, which was registered for a patent in the same year. At the same time, Maybach developed a motor car at Daimler and Carl Friedrich Benz. In 1889, Maybach presented his motor car to the enthusiastic public. Daimler's wife died in 1889. The company operated with high losses due to the low number of units, so in order to reduce the entrepreneurial risk, he founded Daimler-Motoren Aktiengesellschaft in 1890. A third of the shares remained with Daimler itself.
Shortly afterwards, Daimler and Maybach worked together to develop the first two-cylinder in-line engine. After differences arose between the shareholders and Daimler, Daimler sold its shares and left the company with Maybach in 1893. In the same year he married Lina Schwend. This relationship resulted in two more children. With the help of an English investor, Daimler became a shareholder again in Daimler-Motoren-Aktiengesellschaft. The merchant and ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Monarchy in Nice, Emil Jellinek, commissioned Wilhelm Maybach to develop a sports car for Daimler-Motoren-Aktiengesellschaft. Since he financed the entire project and was able to demonstrate excellent sales figures in the south of France, he made it a condition in 1899 that the car should be named "Mercedes" after his daughter.
The "Mercedes", completed in 1900 with a 4-cylinder engine and 5,913 cm3, set new standards in speed, reliability and appearance, so that the name Mercedes became synonymous with the performance of the brand and found its way into the entire production as an automobile name.
In 1926, Daimler-Motoren-Aktiengesellschaft merged with Benz & Cie. from Carl Friedrich Benz to Daimler-Benz AG in Stuttgart.
In 1867, Daimler married the pharmacist's daughter Emma Kurz. Five children were born from this marriage. In 1869 he moved to Karlsruhe as director of the Karlsruher Industriewerkstätten, IWKA, where Maybach followed him shortly afterwards as a technical draftsman. In 1872, Daimler became technical director of the Deutz gas engine factory under Nikolaus August Otto and Carl Eugen Langen. His friend Maybach followed him here too, perfecting the engine designed by Otto and developing it to series production. After differences between Daimler and Otto, both separated in 1882; Maybach also left Otto. For the patents created under his leadership, Daimler received compensation of 112,000 Reichsmarks in Deutz shares. That same year, Daimler founded his first workshop in Cannstatt near Stuttgart, where he manufactured smaller and more powerful engines that burned gasoline instead of gas.
This research, in which Maybach played a key role, resulted in the first patent for a single-cylinder four-stroke engine with hot tube ignition in 1883. The fuel was also revolutionary, as until then petrol had mostly been sold as a stain remover and was only sold in pharmacies. In 1885, Maybach installed the 0.5 HP unit in a so-called riding car, which can now be seen as the world's first motorcycle. Gottlieb's son Paul Daimler carried out the successful test drive of the prototype, which was registered for a patent in the same year. At the same time, Maybach developed a motor car at Daimler and Carl Friedrich Benz. In 1889, Maybach presented his motor car to the enthusiastic public. Daimler's wife died in 1889. The company operated with high losses due to the low number of units, so in order to reduce the entrepreneurial risk, he founded Daimler-Motoren Aktiengesellschaft in 1890. A third of the shares remained with Daimler itself.
Shortly afterwards, Daimler and Maybach worked together to develop the first two-cylinder in-line engine. After differences arose between the shareholders and Daimler, Daimler sold its shares and left the company with Maybach in 1893. In the same year he married Lina Schwend. This relationship resulted in two more children. With the help of an English investor, Daimler became a shareholder again in Daimler-Motoren-Aktiengesellschaft. The merchant and ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Monarchy in Nice, Emil Jellinek, commissioned Wilhelm Maybach to develop a sports car for Daimler-Motoren-Aktiengesellschaft. Since he financed the entire project and was able to demonstrate excellent sales figures in the south of France, he made it a condition in 1899 that the car should be named "Mercedes" after his daughter.
The "Mercedes", completed in 1900 with a 4-cylinder engine and 5,913 cm3, set new standards in speed, reliability and appearance, so that the name Mercedes became synonymous with the performance of the brand and found its way into the entire production as an automobile name.
In 1926, Daimler-Motoren-Aktiengesellschaft merged with Benz & Cie. from Carl Friedrich Benz to Daimler-Benz AG in Stuttgart.