One cannot yet learn the profession of a car mechanic in the middle of the 19th century, not only since there is no automobile yet. Individual journies were difficult as they were 2000 years ago, at least the carriages with their quite moderate cruising speed were already equipped with springs.Gottlieb Daimler, born in 1834 as son of a baker, plans to motorise everything but only from the age of 50 years on he can deal straight with his ideas.

The basis for this work is the occupation of a gunsmith with a double-barrelled gun as a diploma piece, followed by schooling at the land vocational school in Stuttgart and a scholarship for further education in a lokomotiv plant in french speaking Alsace. Already during his engineering study (compatible to today`s Bachelor education) on the polytechnic school he quite intensely thinks of the problem of combustion of hydrocarbons. By that time at the latest he must have had the idea of a propulsion not only for land vehicles, but for nearly all kinds of locomotion.The special abilities of Gottlieb Daimlers are probably perfected by a sort of peregrination which he begins after successfully finishing studies at tha age of 25 years. The borders around Germany that was no federal republic yet didn`t mean obstacles to him! By another scholarship in France he perfects, amongst other things, his French linguistic proficiency. During two years in Leeds, Great Britain`s centre of the mechanical engineering he gains some skill. Back in Germany these experiences pay off in higher and higher qualifications Daimler receives in different employments.

In 1863, in leading functions in the engine factory "The brother's house" he gets in contact with the apprentice Wilhelm Maybach, a momentous encounter since this man will follow Daimler for his whole professional life. He is probably highly responsible for the success of Daimler constructions. From 1872 both of them work in different positions for the gas engine factory in Köln-Deutz. One of their two bosses is Nikolaus August Otto.Away from being a businessman, Otto is searching for something. In his head he carries the idea of a certain engine construction, based on the Lenoir-illuminating gas engine from 1860. Otto has tested his idea of the four-stroke engine in 1862 for the first time, unfortunately, with literally "exploding" success. Today it may be considered a fact that Daimler and above all Maybach had quite determining influence on the development of the four-stroke engine in 1876.

During his first time as technical director Daimler rationalised the construction of atmospheric gas engines and increased the production figures immensely. Then he saw the breakthrough of the four-stroke engine. Looking back, it must be said that Otto as well as Daimler belonged to that species of men who are not easily influenced but set their targets with great determination. The differences between them turned out to be irreconcilable. A separation by Daimler`s transfer to the companie`s plant in Russia -which he preferred- didn`t change things, one of the directors had to go. Daimler asserts his claims to the companie`s patents, but instead receives high reward by means of redeemable shares. Both Daimler and Maybach leave the company in 1882 heading for Canstadt (Stuttgart).

Truely, Daimler has committed by contract not to work on the four-stroke engine. Nevertheless, in the future he will first replace the illuminating gas by liquid Ligroin which is available in pharmacies. Also the ignition used in Otto`s internal combustion engine is changed. Still it is unclear whether it will be reached by a glow pipe or by other heat carriers. Anyway, a part of the combustion chamber shall be constantly heated up by an external flame and ignite the Ligroin/air mixture. This uncontrolled ignition must have taken several attempts and both constructor`s nerves since shape of the combustion chamber, compression, mixture and maybe RPM as well were to be tuned in such a way that the ignition always happens after TDC.All these experiments are done in the garden shed of the Daimler villa and lead to a patent for an engine which, at 650 rpm , rotates nearly four times faster than Otto`s. The weight of 45 kg is just one tenth. After the first engine being based on the four stroke principle Daimler and Maybach build a second one which they insert in the riding vehicle, the world`s first motorcycle. 01/10