!!!Erfinder
Inventions and Inventors: Austria´s contribution to the history
of inventions is significant. However, in many cases it is difficult
to ascribe an invention to one particular person, as frequently a
problem was dealt with simultaneously and independently in different
countries, leading to parallel inventions. Up to the 18%%sup th/% and
19%%sup th/% centuries, inventions were usually made by individuals
involved in practical work, in recent decades inventions have
increasingly resulted from scientific research. In addition, the
commercial realisation of inventions takes place in a cycle of
invention, innovation and diffusion (distribution).
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Due to their significance for economic development, technological
inventions are protected by law. In Austria, systematic legal
regulation began under Emperor Franz II, who enacted a decree
(December 24, 1794) regulating the granting of privileges for the
invention of useful machines or for newly invented products. Other
laws governing privileges were enacted in 1810, 1820 and 1852, and
were finally laid down in the 1897 Patent Act, still valid today in
its 1970 version (BGBl. 259/1970). This law protects new inventions
that can be used for commercial purposes for a period of
18 years.
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Austrian inventions and inventors can be found in a broad range of
economically significant fields. Basically, these contributions either
resulted from specific Austrian know-how, or met a particular Austrian
need. Only few inventions have been of international significance and
have actually been utilised economically, such as the inventions by C.
Auer von Welsbach (gas mantle), L. Hatschek (asbestos cement), M.
Thonet (furniture made of bent wood), V. Kaplan (K. water turbine) and
J. Ressel (marine propeller). Others, like J. Kravogl (electric
motor), O. Nussbaumer (radio detector), J. Madersperger (sewing
machine), P. Mitterhofer (typewriter) and S. Marcus (automobile) did
not have any economic success.
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Mining and metal processing are branches which have dominated
Austria´s economy for centuries. P. von Rittinger
(1811-1872) developed a new wet technique for ore processing and H.
Fleissner (1881-1928) founded new principles for drying ore and coal.
Pioneers in the field of crucible steel production were the Rosthorn
family in Lippitzbach (from 1793), M. Miller (1769-1833) in
St. Aegyd am Neuwalde and J. H. Bleckmann (1826-1891) with
his Phoenix steel works in Muerzzuschlag. It was also in Muerzzuschlag
that Max Mauermann (1868-1929) worked, who in 1913 invented stainless
steel. Rudolf Schmidt (1894-1955) revolutionised reinforced-concrete
engineering by inventing TOR-Steel ("Torsion Steel") in 1936. Other
significant experts in the field of metallurgy were P. Schwarzkopf
(1886-1970), the founder of powder metallurgy and of the Plansee
metalworks in Reutte in 1921, and H. Jueptner-Jonstorff (1853-1941).
The invention of the LD Process in Linz, an invention in the field of
steel production, is also of international importance.
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During the 19%%sup th/% century mechanical engineering was crucial
for the development of industrialisation. L. Baudiss (1861-1914) and
A. Collmann (1851-1937) introduced new systems of steam engine
control, contributing to the development of the steam engine, which
had dominated technology for a long time. H. Hoerbiger (1860-1931),
the originator of the "Welteislehre" (world ice theory), a theory of
cosmogony which is, however, not based on scientific principles,
designed the first light, frictionless disk valve for blowers, pumps
and compressors. Even more numerous were inventions of production
machines: C. G. Hornbostel (1778-1841) was the first to produce
silk fabric using a mechanical weaving loom, and E. Fehrer
(b. 1919) has obtained hundreds of patents for the construction
of new textile machinery since 1948. Since the 1950s,
Plasser & Theurer, based in Linz, have successfully produced
and exported machines for railway track construction. In
Deutschlandsberg, V. Czerweny (1877-1956) developed the first
automatic match-producing machine in 1898, thus making a crucial
contribution to the match industry. In 1870 A. Freissler (1838-1916)
constructed the first lift in Vienna. V. Kaplan (1876-1934), from
Muerzzuschlag, was the inventor of the low-pressure water turbines
with variable pitch runner blades, which could also be used for low
heads in river power stations with changing water throw. The Kaplan
turbine is used worldwide, mainly in large hydroelectric power plants.
The bulb-type turbine, invented in 1936, is a further development. The
technique of bending wood by means of hot steam founded by M. Thonet
(1796-1871) in 1830 in Vienna was a major step in the progress of
mechanical wood processing.
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The development of transportation has always been closely connected
with mechanical engineering. In 1862 J. Haswell (1812-1897) invented
the forging press in a Vienna locomotive factory and thus made an
important contribution to the construction of large-size machinery.
Other successful Austrian locomotive designers were G. Sigl
(1811-1887), who also invented a high-speed printing machine, K.
Goelsdorf (1861-1916), W. von Engerth (1814-1884), who designed
the first mountain locomotive for the Semmering railway, and A.
Giesl-Gieslingen (1903-1992), who invented a flat funnel for steam
locomotives. The construction of the Railway, Horse-drawn and the
Semmering Railway made Austria a pioneer in the field of railway
construction. A. Negrelli (1799-1858) achieved international fame as
an engineer and expert in railway, hydraulic and road engineering. In
addition, he became famous for his plans for the construction of the
Suez canal, which was subsequently carried out by F. Lesseps.
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An important step in the history of navigation was the invention of
the propeller (privilege 1827) by J. Ressel (1793-1857), which was
fixed at the stern of a ship and replaced the paddle wheel which had
been used until then. One century later, Ernst L. Schneider
(1894-1975) invented the cycloidal screw propeller which gave ships
unlimited maneuvrability at rest. Apart from propulsion, ship hull
design is crucial for overcoming water resistance. F. F. Maier
(1844-1926) designed a low-resistance hull shape (patented in 1905)
which is still used as a basis for ship-building today.
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The Austrian pioneer of automobile construction is S. Marcus
(1831-1898), who came to Vienna in 1853 as a mechanic. In 1865 he
designed his first test vehicle with a petrol engine. The only Marcus
model which has been preserved was built in 1875 or 1888; it is
equipped with a horizontal single-cylinder four-stroke engine with
electromagnetic ignition and injection brush-carburettor. It was also
in Vienna that C. Graef (1871-1939) constructed his first petrol
engine car with a Cardan front-wheel drive in 1898 (patented in 1900);
from 1898 L. Lohner (1858-1925) and the young F. Porsche (1875-1951)
constructed an electrical automobile with wheel-hub motors in the
front wheels. The prototype of Porsche cars was designed after World
War I in Gmuend (Carinthia). From 1891, J. Puch (1862-1914) produced
the first Austrian factory-made bicycle in Graz and later also
constructed motor-cycles and automobiles. In 1948, H. List
(b. 1896) founded AVL an international research and development
centre for combustion engines in Graz.
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Aviation: W. Kress (1836-1913) experimented with freely suspended
kite-models from 1877. In 1900 he invented the control stick for
combination control, but his first experimental take-off in 1901
failed. In 1907 I. Etrich (1879-1967), who constructed the first motor
aerocraft in Austria, had already obtained patents for his wing design
and the air propeller in 1905. After 1910, the "Etrich-Taube" ("Etrich
Dove") was developed further by E. Rumpler (1872-1940) and renamed
"Rumpler-Taube" ("R. Dove"). Rumpler also became famous for his
"Tropfenauto", a "drop-shaped" aerodynamic automobile design, which he
built in 1921. In 1895/1896 D. Schwarz (1850-1897) built the first
all-metal dirigible airship made of aluminium.
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Electrical Engineering: one of the early pioneers in this field was J.
Kravogl (1823-1889), a Tirolean, who obtained a privilege for his
"electric power wheel", the forerunner of the electric motor, which he
constructed in 1867. G. Kapp (1852-1922), the inventor of the phase
shifter, established many basic principles for the calculation and the
construction of dynamos and transformers. R. v. Lieben
(1878-1913) provided an important element for the construction of
radio and telephone devices with the invention of amplifier valve in
1905/1906 and in 1910 with the hot thermionic cathode. In 1904 O.
Nussbaumer carried out the first wireless transmission of music in
Graz. G. Dietl (1862-1946) invented an automatic system of two-motion
selectors for exchange offices. W. J. Gintl (1804-1883)
constructed the first portable telegraph. F. W. Schindler
(1856-1920), the founder of "Elektra Bregenz", whose electrical
kitchen (privilege 1891) was presented for the first time at the world
fair in Chicago in 1893, established himself as a pioneer of household
electrification.
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Construction: Although there have been fewer Austrian inventions in
this field, Austria has been influential in using and distributing
reinforced concrete. The following inventors should be mentioned in
this context: F. I. Emperger (1862-1942), J. Melan (1853-1941),
who developed the "Melan technique" for arch construction, G. A.
Wayss (1851-1917) and A. Porr (1872-1915). In 1901 L. Hatschek
(1856-1914) invented asbestos cement (eternit), an all-purpose
material used especially for roof coverings and façades.
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Chemical Industry: in Austria this branch of industry was of minor
importance for a long time. C. Auer von Welsbach (1858-1929) is a
notable exception, as he invented the gas mantle in 1895, the Osmium
metal-filament lamp 3 years later and ferrocerium (mischmetal,
Auer´s metal) for lighters in 1904. A. Schroetter von Kristelli
(1802-1875) revolutionised the match industry by using red, nontoxic
phosphorus. A. M. Pollack von Rudin (1817-1884) invented the
match box with sliding covers and striking surfaces on its sides.
J. N. Reithoffer (1781-1872) had economic success with the
production of water-proof clothes (privilege 1824) and the utilisation
of raw rubber (1831). J. Hardtmuth (1758-1816) was another successful
Austrian who invented the ceramic pencil lead. His grandson,
F. von Hardtmuth developed the "Koh-i-noor" pencil with
17 different degrees of hardness in 1889.
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Photography and Film: there are numerous Austrian inventions in this
field. As early as 1840/1841 J. Natterer (1821-1900) improved
Daguerre´s silver plates; soon after he succeeded in the
fluidisation of carbon dioxide. In 1840 P. W. F. von
Voigtlaender (1812-1878) constructed the first all-metal camera in
Vienna, for which J. Petzval (1807-1891) calculated the portrait lens.
J. M. Eder (1855-1944) invented a developer solution for improved
colour reproduction. S. Stampfer (1792-1864) made an important
contribution to the early history of motion pictures by inventing the
stroboscopic moving picture. In 1904 A. Musger (1868-1929) obtained a
patent for his invention of slow motion photography.
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Printing: The invention of lithographic printing by A. Senefelder
(1771-1834) in 1799 revolutionised the typographical reproduction of
pictures. In 1803 Senefelder founded the first lithographic printing
works in Vienna. In 1878 K. Klíc (1841-1926) invented two new
gravure press methods: heliogravure and knife printing. J. Degen
(1760-1848), who was also a flight pioneer, constructed the first
Guilloche printing machine for printing counterfeit-proof banknotes in
1819. In 1883 N. Schlotterhoss (1852-1892) obtained a privilege for
the invention of a copying device.
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Instrument Design: S In 1830. Ploessl (1794-1868) constructed a
dialytic telescope and various microscopes. C. Reichert (1851-1922)
and K. Reichert (1883-1953), who ran a business in Vienna, contributed
a number of innovations to this field, new lenses, the development of
fluorescence microscopy and of metallography in 1911 (the microscopic
study of the structure of metals) being some examples.
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Mechanical devices developed in the Baroque period were the
forerunners of apparatus for scientific use: F. von Knaus
(1724-1789) developed a mechanical writing device, W. von
Kempelen (1734-1804) invented a chess automaton and a speaking device;
J. N. Maelzel (1772-1838) designed a mechanical doll and in 1816
invented the metronome. P. Mitterhofer (1822-93), a South Tirolean,
invented the typewriter but was not able to economically exploit his
invention. Similarly, the inventor of the sewing machine, J.
Madersperger (1768-1850), could not make any profit with his
invention.
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The design of calculators developed out of apparatus and automaton
design. A. Braun the Younger (1708-76), for example, invented the
first functioning pin-wheel type calculating machine for the four
fundamental arithmetical operations in 1766. For the evaluation of the
census of 1890 in Vienna a punch-card machine constructed by O.
Schaeffler (1838-1928) was used. In the interwar period, Gustav
Tauschek (1899-1945) obtained 168 patents for the construction of
fully automatic book-keeping machines and calculators. In Vienna, H.
Zemanek (b. 1920) constructed the first Austrian computer, the
"Mailuefterl" ("May breeze") 1954-1959.
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Requirements of military armaments frequently triggered technical
inventions. In 1865 K. Holub (1830-1903) and J. Werndl (1831-1889)
constructed the breech-loading gun. In 1882, F. Mannlicher (1848-1904)
invented the repeating gun (magazine rifle), which was produced in
Werndl´s factory in Steyr. G. Burstyn (1879-1945) constructed a
cross-country armoured car with revolving gun turret (tank); in 1914
J. M. Boykow (1878-1935) invented an automatic bomb dropping
device and the autopilot (automatic control system for aircraft). F.
von Uchatius (1811-1881) was the director of gun casting in the Vienna
Arsenals and in 1874 became famous for the invention of steel bronze
for gun casting.
!Literature
E. Attlmayr, Ti. Pioniere der Technik, 1968; M. Habacher,
Oesterr. Erfinder, 1964; E. Kurzel-Runtscheiner, Erfindungen aus
Oesterreich, 1950; Oesterr. Naturforscher und Techniker, 1950 and
1957; Triumphe der Technik, Pionierleistungen oesterreichischer
Erfinder, 1963.
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