Raw History of the Automobile - 3

Diversification and Progress

Thought the conceptual treatment of downsizing and lightweight vehicles was something new, as the current advertising and marketing gimmicks claim? Well, it is and it isn't. We can talk about the integration of components with specialized and optimized functional definition in the vehicles’ construction right from the early axles with wheels. In addition, the use of vehicles was already taken beyond the theme of heavy transport during the last part of the Neolithic.

Since the mass of the chariot had to be supported by the axle and wheels without causing any of those to crack, the problem of lightening the components came up. It has also been observed that reducing the number of components makes manufacturing of the vehicle easier. No surprise, among the entry-level vehicles, the single-axle carts prevailed: they were light, robust and had a good maneuverability. Lots of those were made since the dawn of antique times, as they could be used for light transport (including deliveries within the densely populated settlements), short personal journeys and military purposes (the development of states and empires would trigger armed conflicts at unprecedented scales).

On the right side here, you can see an example of a light Danish cart from the late Neolithic era. In this case, an ultra-light engineering by the builders of Viking origin is noted: the superstructure is a reed basket, the chassis and the perch are an integrated construction, while the wheels not solidly attached to the axle. By the way, the axle has a structural role.

Numerous depictions attributed to the legendary Sumerian civilization (years 6500 to 2000 BC) show four-wheeled, steerable chariots having perfectly circular wheels made of solid pieces of wood fastened with metal mounts. Later, significant engineering progress occurred through the standardization and refinement of the wood and metal components out of which the wheels were made.

Following this, spoked wheels began to be manufactured. The spokes were massive and few in number at the beginning, but over time they became finer and their number per wheel increased. Beyond the already complex technique, the Sumerian chariot in the bas-relief reproduced below also has numerous decorative elements.

Of note in the construction of the light Sumerian chariot shown here: the eight-spoke wheels have a surprisingly complex construction. We are dealing with a rim and separate rolling elements. It seems that the Sumerians could replace the outer part of the wheel when it became damaged, keeping the rim - a more difficult component to manufacture, with finely integrated metal parts.

Celtic Chieftain's Symbolic Carriage 

The tomb of the Celtic chieftain discovered at Hochdorf (its dating reference calls to the year 530 BC, the archaeological site being assimilated to the Hallstatt culture) has a certain importance in the history of wheeled vehicles. Among the many very well-preserved artifacts, a small, intact four-wheeled symbolic carriage was also found there.

This is an illustrative example of the best the technology of the time had to offer: precision manufacturing of all the components, solid metal fittings, 10-spoke wheels with metal hubs. The images borrowed here from Wikipedia show a reconstruction of the Hochdorf carriage, along with recent replicas of the other historical artifacts, all of which can be seen in the tomb that was set up in the 1990s for visitors.

Rome and its Ways

The rise of the civilizations of Greece and, later, Rome during the European antique times were marked by striking advances in terms of chariots’ design and manufacturing improvements. Seeking to create superior transport and travel conditions, the Romans started building paved roads around 300 BC.

As the illustration below shows, examining the reconstruction of a luxury Roman carriage intended for long journeys, six essential elements that we also find in the concept of current automobiles may be identified without a trace of doubt: chassis (1), suspension (2), steering (3), brakes (4), parking brake (5) and body/superstructure separate from the chassis (6). The Romans also created an impressive variety of chariots and carts, partially comparable to the automobile classes of our times.

Engine of the ancient Greeks: the aeolipila

Unmistakably, all ancient carts, chariots and carriages of various sizes were drawn by oxen, horses and other domesticated animals. Besides, the device called the "aeolipila" created by Heron of Alexandria in the first century AD used the steam pressure to generate a rotary motion.

The steam jets coming out through two nozzles located diametrically opposite on the pressure accumulator-sphere generated a couple of forces intended to rotate the sphere around the axis formed by the steam feeding pipes themselves (particularly demanding constructive idea for the technology of the time). Calling it a steam turbine is not inappropriate for the principle of the aeolipila, but its functionality and reliability, viewed from the perspective of recent industrial times, still appear very precarious.

Theoretically – at least – the aeolipila could have been brought to a form capable of transferring that rotational motion to a vehicle's drive axle. According to known and accepted historical sources, such a thing did not happen during the ancient times.