Biography of Ivan Kulibin

His father traded flour. Already in childhood, Ivan Kulibin began to manufacture various kinds of mechanical devices - weathercocks, watches, etc. From the second half of the X. In the city in the gg. Kulibin made from parts a watch size with a goose egg now this device is located in a meeting of the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The automatic egg performed several melodies and, in addition to the dial, had the sash that open every hour, behind which metal figures played Easter scenes.

Under the start of Kulibin at the academy, there were instrumental, turning, locksmith, barometted and punch for the manufacture of chamber stamps, which supported the instruments and tools of the academy. The head of the mechanical workshop independently studied mechanics, physics, chemistry and mathematics, developed new methods for grinding glasses for optical devices, tried himself in writing OD and continued to engage in invention.

Among the projects of Ivan Kulibin were tower hours, a miniature “clock in the ring”, as well as “planetary” pocket watches with a compensation device of the new system, they showed hours, minutes, seconds, days of the week, seasons and phase of the moon. In the x Kulibin designed a single -blue bridge over the river. The large Neva, which had the length of the span, the inventor proposed to use original farms with a cross grill in the design of the bridge.

In December, Catherine II granted the mechanics of a nominal gold, specially made medal for wearing on the St. Andrew's tape - this award gave the right to visit the imperial palace. At the same time, Ivan Kulibin abandoned the noble title, as this required him to renounce the Old Believers. This prototype of the spotlight reached industrial use - Kulibin lanterns were used to illuminate workshops, ships, lighthouses, etc.

After exemption from mechanical workshops in the city of Ivan Kulibin, continued to engage in invention. They designed mills without dams, the “lifting chair” of the elevator with screw mechanisms, the “mechanical legs” of prostheses, an optical telegraph and a “scooter” - a three -wheeled crew, set in motion of a person’s muscular strength. Most Kulibin projects have not been implemented.

At the end of his life, he worked on the problem of creating an eternal engine, spending all his savings on this dream. In recent years, he lived in poverty. He died in Nizhny Novgorod on August 11 according to the old style - on July 30, G. was buried at the Nizhny Novgorod Petropavlovsk cemetery now Park named after Kulibin, from the old cemetery, only the grave of the eminent mechanic was preserved.

Ivan Kulibin was married three times.

From various marriages, he had seven daughters and seven sons of the two sons died in infancy.