Inventions of Leonardo da Vinci flying machine. Aircraft. History of invention. Ring platform crane

, .
In the 15th century, the thought of flight haunted many engineers. But it was Leonardo who became the first to study the theory of flight.
Initially, da Vinci worked to create an aircraft based on the principle of flapping wing movements. He analyzed the flight characteristics of birds and bats, and also studied the anatomy of their wings. He believed that a person could learn to fly if he designed and then operated a device that imitated the flapping flight of birds.
Some of his drawings depict a man lying face down, about to take off using mechanisms attached to the wings. Other drawings show more complex fastening systems. There are also drawings of a man with flapping wings, positioned vertically, and pressing the pedals of the apparatus with his hands and feet.
However, later da Vinci comes to the conclusion that a person simply does not have enough muscular strength in the torso and arms to rise into the air like a bird. As a result, he begins to explore the possibility of flight without flapping movements, delving into the study of wind speed and how to use air currents for flight.
His ideas, embodied in the form of drawings and sketches, largely anticipated the appearance of modern hang gliders, airplanes, helicopters and parachutes. The result of his tireless research was a collection containing 36 pages of drawings of bird flight and notes in which da Vinci argued that human flight was possible.
Leonardo's achievements in the field of aerodynamics can be viewed

Wing study (studio d'ala unita, wing study). Leonardo's many studies of wings. This wing pattern is based on the shape of the wing bat. This structure had to be made of wood and completely covered with canvas. This model may have been a prop in da Vinci's theatrical productions during his work at the royal court of Milan.

Anemoscope (anemoscopio, anemoscope). In the process of studying flight, Leonardo, among other works, created a drawing of an anemoscope, a device for determining the direction of the wind. The device looks exactly like a weather vane, often installed on the roofs of modern houses.

A device for measuring wind and water speed (studio per condotti conici, speed gauge for wind or water). Leonardo asked the question: “If the intensity of wind and water remains the same, can increasing their intensity five times lead to a fivefold increase in energy?” This experimental device consisted of cone-shaped tubes with a hole at the top through which wind and water were released.

Anemometer (anemometro, anemometer). This device was used to measure the force of wind. The vertical plate moved as an indicator of the direction of the wind, and by the degree of its deviation from the vertical position one could judge the intensity of the wind.

Flapping wing (studio d'ala batiente, flapping wing). This drawing was an experiment by Leonardo in which he tried to determine the lift of a flapping wing. The reed structure, covered with paper and consisting of a 12-meter wing and mesh, had to be attached to a wooden beam weighing as much as a person. If the lever was quickly pulled down, the wing would rise into the air along with the beam. If this idea worked, two wings would be able to lift the aircraft along with the pilot and keep them in the air.
In his notebook Leonardo wrote:
"... make sure that the jerk is as sharp as possible,
and if the desired result is not achieved,
Don't waste any more time on this."

Aircraft (macchina volante, flying machine). One of Leonardo's most famous drawings dedicated to human flight. A person, attached to the structure by straps, had to lie face down and pedal, raising and lowering the wings using ropes and levers. To change the direction of flight it was necessary to pull levers. The movement of the device imitated the flight of birds, since the wings of the mechanism bent and straightened during the flight.

Hang glider (deltaplano, hang-glider). Leonardo's early aircraft were based on the principle of imitating the flapping movements of bird wings. The mechanism of such devices used blocks and levers that moved the wings up and down. Later, Leonardo began to design devices that could fly using air currents and wind power. In such devices, a person could shift the center of gravity simply by changing the position of the upper part of his body. According to the drawing in this glider, the person was located at points "m", "d" and "a". The movement of the glider in flight was controlled using ropes. In 2002, a copy of this device was constructed in England based on Leonardo's drawings. And although the device was unstable in flight, it was nevertheless able to fly successfully after a tail was added to da Vinci’s design.

Air screw (vite aerea, aerial screw). In the Middle Ages, children played with a top, the blades of which rotated around an axis made of thread and lifted the top up. Apparently Leonardo borrowed this idea for his concept of a propeller rising into the air. Four people, standing on a central platform at the base of the apparatus, had to move around the axis and push the levers. As the linen-covered screws untwisted, thrust was generated, allowing the apparatus to rise into the air. Most likely, such a device would never be able to get off the ground and, nevertheless, it can rightfully be considered the prototype of a modern helicopter.

Vertical flying machine (ornitottero verticale, vertical flying machine). The picture shows a man standing in the very center of a huge apparatus. With the help of his arms, legs and even his head, he had to control the sliding mechanisms in order to rise into the air. Leonardo used every part of the human body in order to maximize the source of energy. The height of the device was 12 meters, the wingspan was 24 meters, and the structure was also equipped with a retractable ladder with a shock absorber 12 meters long. Leonardo believed that the design should consist of two pairs of wings, flapping diagonally (crosswise), like the gait of a horse.

Leonardo da Vinci amazes with the variety of his scientific interests. His research in the field of aircraft design is unique. He studied the flight and gliding of birds, the structure of their wings, and created flying machines with flapping wings, a parachute, a model of a spiral propeller and other devices unique for his time. Leonardo's manuscripts contain dozens of images of various flying structures with a number of interesting engineering solutions.

Wing design

Leonardo began the creation of “airplanes” by studying the behavior of dragonflies in the air, and then came up with a flapping wing as a means of studying repulsion from the air. It was necessary to calculate the human strength required to lift the flywheel into the air, the total weight of which was supposed to be about 90 kg.

After carefully studying the flight of birds, Leonardo da Vinci designed his first model of a flying machine, which had flapping wings like a bat. With its help, pushing off the air with the help of wings and using the strength of the muscles of the arms and legs, the person had to fly.

The wings were supposed to not only lift a person into the air, but also, thanks to such devices as ailerons and hinges, keep him in the air. Leonardo was then convinced that he could achieve human flight with the help of flapping wings. He was going to replace the insufficiently strong muscles with the energy of such a mechanism as a cocked bow, which, he believed, would be quite sufficient for human flight. However, even when using this winding mechanism, problems arose with the rapid unwinding of the spring.

Years passed, and when Lenardo, after a short break, again took up the study of flight, he was already thinking about soaring flight with the help of the wind, knowing that in this case less effort was required to hold and propel the aircraft in the air.

Ornithopter with recumbent pilot

A person must be on such a device during the flight. supine position and use the movements of your arms and legs to control the mechanisms of flapping wings. The legs are threaded into stirrups so that one leg raises the wing, the other lowers it, and then vice versa. The wings bend and rotate using ropes and levers.

Ornithopter

This aircraft has a body shaped like a boat. Huge wings, similar to the wings of a bat, are driven by mechanisms. Like boats, a steering wheel is provided for steering. The wide tail plane was most likely intended to control height.

Vertical aircraft

A vertically flying vehicle is considered the predecessor of the helicopter.

In this apparatus, the inventor provided two pairs of wings flapping in turn. During the flight, a person had to stand inside a huge bowl with a diameter of 12 m. The wings of the device had to be 24 m wide, and their span was about 5 m. To control the mechanisms of the device, the hands, legs and even the head of the pilot had to be used. The flapping of the wings was supposed to occur in a cross pattern, up and down, like the wings of a bird. If this were built, the machine would be so heavy that flight would be impossible. Leonardo recognized this problem and tried to reduce weight by using lighter materials.

Vertical take-off aircraft

On this device Leonardo wanted to install a system of retractable stairs, an analogue of a modern retractable landing gear. Upon landing, concave wedges attached to the base of the ladders would serve as shock absorbers.

Air propeller

In Leonardo's sketches he depicts a completely different aircraft - " air propeller", capable of rising into the air. A device with such a propeller must fly by screwing into the air! The radius of the propeller is 4.8 m. It had a metal edging and a starched linen covering. The propeller had to be driven by people who walked around the axis and pushed the levers. There was another way to start the propeller - it was necessary to quickly unwind the cable under the axis.

Reconstruction:

The model is made on the basis of a square wooden frame, from the corners of which there are also wooden guides, fastened above the center of the frame. The material fixed to the frame forms an exhaust hood. Ropes are attached to the corners of the frame, on which a person hangs below. However, in practice, descent with such a parachute cannot be safe, because the material will simply be torn apart by the air pressure. As Leonardo da Vinci believed, “if a person has an awning made of thick fabric, each side of which is 12 arm lengths, and the height is 12, then he can jump from any significant height without breaking.” He was not able to test this device himself.

Reconstruction:

However, the flying devices of the great inventor Leonardo da Vinci never took off. Everything remains only on paper.

After 500 years of oblivion

The flying machine invented by Leonardo da Vinci has finally taken to the skies. Recently, a prototype of a modern hang glider, designed exactly according to the scientist’s drawings, was successfully tested over the English county of Surrey. The aircraft was made exclusively from materials available during Leonardo's lifetime. The medieval hang glider resembled the skeleton of a bird from above. It was made from Italian poplar, cane, flax, animal tendons and flax treated with a glaze derived from beetle secretions. On test flights from the hills it was possible to raise the "delta plan" to maximum height at 10 m and stay in the air for 17 seconds. It cannot perform aerobatic maneuvers, but it takes off from the ground and flies beautifully.

YES. Sobolev

THE IDEA OF FLIGHT IN THE WORKS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI

YES. Sobolev
Dmitry Alekseevich Sobolev, Ph.D. Sciences, Institute of History of Natural Science and Technology named after. S.I. Vavilova, RAS

One of the most interesting pages Among the many-sided works of Leonardo da Vinci are studies devoted to the problem of human flight. Leonardo was the first scientist to seriously study this topic. In his manuscripts there are drawings and brief descriptions various aircraft. He returned to this topic throughout his creative career: the first projects of flying machines date back to the mid-80s. XV century, and the latter date from the second decade of the XVI century.

The most numerous projects are devices with flapping wings - ornithopters. This is quite natural, since the bird was always the role model at the early stage of aviation development.

The first known design of a flying machine by Leonardo da Vinci was the design of an ornithopter, where a person should be in a recumbent position (1485-1487) (Fig. 1). To flap the wings, you need to use both the strength of the arms and the legs of the “pilot”. The wing axis was positioned in such a way that when moving down, it simultaneously moved backward, creating, along with the lifting force, the forward force necessary for horizontal flight.

Rice. 1

Leonardo not only gave a brief description of the design, but also gave recommendations on testing the device. He wrote: “You will test this device over the lake and put on a long fur as a belt so that you don’t drown if you fall. It is also necessary that the lowering of the wings be done with the strength of both legs at the same time, so that you can delay and balance, lowering one wing faster than the other, looking if necessary, just as you see kites and other birds do. Moreover, lowering with two legs is always more powerful than with one... And raising the wings should be done by the force of a spring or, if you want, by hand, or even better by lifting legs, this is better, because then your hands are freer."

* Leonardo da Vinci. Selected natural science works. M, 1955. P. 605.

Rice. 2

In an effort to reduce the effort required to move the wings, the great Italian inventor proposed making special fabric valves on the flapping surfaces, which, when the wing moved downward, would be tightly pressed against the mesh stretched over the wing reinforcement, and when reverse stroke opened, allowing air to pass freely. A similar idea was later used by other ornithopter designers.

Another version of the ornithopter, proposed by Leonardo in the same years, was an apparatus in which a person had to flap his wings, like a cyclist, rotating wheels with his feet, connected by levers to the power structure of the wings (Fig. 3). In the sketch of this device, what attracts attention is something resembling a bell suspended in front of the “pilot’s” face. Researchers are still debating what it could be. In my opinion, this device is a pendulum designed to indicate position in space. It is known that around 1485 the scientist made a sketch of such a device (Fig. 4). If this is so, then we see the first drawing of an aircraft instrument.

Rice. 3

Rice. 4

The most famous project is the ornithopter-boat (Fig. 5). It dates from about 1487. Apparently, a person had to sit or stand in the boat, moving levers connected to the wings. Another lever was intended for turning the horizontal steering wheel, shaped like a bird's tail.

At the end of the 1480s. Leonardo da Vinci makes a drawing and description of a large flying machine with two pairs of flapping wings (Fig. 6). Standing in something like a bowl, the man set his wings in motion using a system of pulleys. Interestingly, the device had a retractable landing gear; the supports could be folded upward using gates and cables (Fig. 7).

Rice. 5

Rice. 6

Rice. 7

Leonardo explained the concept of his new ornithopter this way: " I decided that standing on my feet was better than lying flat, since the device could never turn upside down... Rising and lowering when moving[wings] will be done by lowering and raising both legs, which gives greater strength, and the arms remain free. If you had to lie flat, your legs, at the shin joints, would get very tired..." *.

* Leonardo da Vinci. Selected natural scientific works... P. 606.

Apparently, over time, Leonardo himself realized the unreality of his plan. Perhaps he even conducted some experiments, since in his notes 1485-1490. There is a drawing of an experiment to determine the lift force of a flapping wing (Fig. 8). A little later, he pointed out the possibility of using a bow compressed with great force as a source of energy for the movement of wings (Fig. 9). When straightening powerful bow could indeed create a large impulse of force, but it would be very short-lived, and at best the car could only jump up.

Fig 8

Rice. 9

A hint for getting out of this deadlock was given by a thorough study of the mechanism of bird flight, which the scientist became interested in at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries. Observation of birds prompted him to the correct idea that the main thrust in flight is created by the end parts of the wing. As a result, at the very end of the 15th century. Leonardo makes a drawing of a fundamentally new design for an ornithopter - with a wing consisting of two articulated parts (Fig. 10). The flapping had to be carried out by the outer parts, making up about half of the total wing area. This idea, which is the first step in the emergence of the concept of a fixed-wing aircraft - an airplane, found practical implementation in the last decade of the 19th century. in the experiments of the famous German aviation pioneer O. Lilienthal. It is known that he tried to fly with a glider, the ends of the wing were driven by an engine attached to his body (Fig. 11).

Rice. 10

Rice. eleven

The next step in the evolution of Leonardo's views on the design of a flying machine is associated with his study of the mechanism of soaring and gliding flight of birds. He concluded: “...When a bird is in the wind, it can stay on it without flapping its wings, because the same role that the wing performs in relation to the air when the air is still, is performed by the moving air in relation to the wings when the wings are stationary” *.

* Leonardo da Vinci. Selected natural scientific works... P. 497.

* Giacomelly, R. The aerodynamics of Leonardo da Vinci // Aernautical Journal. 1930. Vol. 34. P. 1021.

* Giacomelly, R. Leonardo da Vinci e il volo meccanico // L "Aerotechnica. 1927. No. 8. P. 518-524.

* Leonardo da Vinci. Selected natural scientific works... P. 494.

Shortly before his death, the scientist once again returned to thoughts about moving through the air using a fixed wing. His manuscript, kept at the Institute of France in Paris, contains a little-known drawing dating from 1510-1515. (Fig. 12). It depicts a man who, holding a plane with his hands, descends through the air, and there is an indication of the method of control: "This[Human] will move to the right if he bends right hand and straightens the left one; and will then move from right to left as the position of the hands changes."*. Apparently, this idea of ​​​​a simple balancing glider, or, more precisely, a controlled parachute, arose from Leonardo as a result of observing a sheet of paper falling in the air.

* Gibbs-Smith, S. Leonardo da Vinci's aeronautics. London, 1967. P. 21.

Leonardo accompanied the drawing of a man descending on a pyramid-shaped parachute (Fig. 13) with the inscription: “If a person has a tent of starched linen, 12 cubits wide and 12 cubits high, he will be able to throw himself from any great height without danger to himself.” *

* Leonardo da Vinci. Selected natural scientific works... P. 615.

Rice. 12 And 13 (on right)

The familiar image of Leonardo da Vinci's helicopter (Fig. 14) represents the first project of a vertically taking off aircraft. Unlike modern helicopters with a bladed propeller, this machine had to take off using the well-known in the 15th century. Archimedean screw, with a diameter of about 8 m. Despite the fact that the screw had to be unscrewed by hand, Leonardo da Vinci believed in the feasibility of his project: “I say that when this device, made by a screw, is made well, that is, from linen, the pores of which are starched, and is quickly set into rotation [...] the said screw is screwed into the air and rises up".

Like all first proposals, these projects were still imperfect. The parachute did not have a special hole in the top of the canopy, providing a stable descent trajectory, and the helicopter design did not take into account the influence of the reaction torque from the rotation of the propeller, which would spin the structure located below, and the shape of the propeller was far from the best. But they both represent remarkable technical foresight nonetheless.

Rice. 14

Wonderful ideas of Leonardo da Vinci for a long time remained unknown because he did not publish the results of his research. Ultimately, what Leonardo achieved over several decades dragged on for centuries. Only in the 18th century, unsuccessful attempts to fly by flapping wings attached to the arms and legs were replaced by the first designs of aircraft with a fixed wing generating lift and small movable wings to create forward force - Swedenborg (Sweden, 1716), Bauer ( Germany, 1763), Keighley (England, 1799). Flights on balancing gliders began at the end of the 19th century, and the first helicopters appeared only in the 20th century.

An analysis of the development of views on the design of a winged aircraft in the works of Leonardo da Vinci and in the works of subsequent aviation pioneers allows us to draw the following general conclusion: contrary to the common point of view among aviation historians, the idea of ​​an aircraft did not originate in itself as an alternative concept to the ornithopter, but “grew” from projects of devices with flapping wings through a series of intermediate designs of half-aircraft, half-ornithopter, the author of the first of which was the great Leonardo.

Painter, sculptor, architect, anatomist, natural scientist, inventor, engineer, writer, thinker, musician, poet.

If you list only these areas of application of talent, without naming the name of the person to whom they relate, anyone will say: Leonardo da Vinci. We will consider only one of the facets of the personality of the “great Leonardo” and talk about his technical inventions.

Da Vinci was a famous figure of his time, but real fame came many centuries after his death. Only at the end of the 19th century were the scientist’s theoretical notes published for the first time. They contained descriptions of strange and mysterious devices for their time. During the Renaissance, da Vinci could hardly count on the quick implementation of all his inventions. The main obstacle to their implementation was the insufficient technical level. But in the 20th century, almost all the devices described in his works became a reality. This suggests that the “Italian Faust” was not only a talented inventor, but also a man who was able to anticipate technical progress. Of course, this was facilitated by Leonardo's deep knowledge.

The scientist systematized his developments, creating so-called “codes” - books containing records about certain aspects of science and technology. There is, for example, the Leicester Code, in which you can find descriptions of various natural phenomena, as well as mathematical calculations.

It is noteworthy that da Vinci’s notes are made in the so-called “mirror” font. All letters are written from right to left and rotated vertically. They can only be read using a mirror. There are still ongoing debates about why the scientist needed to keep records in this way. Rumor has it that this is how he intended to keep his works secret.

No technical invention evokes such awe and admiration as a flying car. That is why special attention has always been focused on da Vinci’s flying machines. The inventor always dreamed of the idea of ​​aeronautics. Birds became the source of inspiration for the scientist. Leonardo tried to create a wing for an aircraft in the image and likeness of bird wings. One of the devices he developed was driven by movable wings, which were raised and lowered by the pilot's rotation of the pedals. The pilot himself was positioned horizontally (lying down).

Another version of the flying machine involved using not only the legs, but also the arms of the aeronaut for movement. Experiments with the “bird” wing did not have practical success, and soon the inventor moved on to the idea of ​​gliding flight. This is how the hang glider prototype appeared. By the way, in 2002, British testers proved the correctness of the da Vinci hang glider concept. Using a device built according to the master’s drawings, world hang gliding champion Judy Liden was able to rise to a height of ten meters and stay in the air for seventeen seconds.

Of no less interest is the aircraft developed by da Vinci with a main rotor. Nowadays, many consider this machine to be the prototype of a modern helicopter. Although the device looks more like a gyroplane rather than a helicopter. The screw, made of fine flax, had to be driven by four people. The helicopter was one of the first flying machines proposed by da Vinci. Perhaps that is why he had a number of serious shortcomings that would never have allowed him to take off. For example, the strength of four people was clearly not enough to create the thrust necessary for takeoff.

But the parachute was one of the simplest developments of the genius. But this does not at all detract from the significance of the invention. According to Leonardo's idea, the parachute was supposed to have a pyramidal shape, and its structure was supposed to be covered with fabric. In our time, testers have proven that da Vinci's parachute concept can be considered correct. In 2008, Swiss Olivier Tepp successfully landed using a pyramid-shaped tent. True, for this the parachute had to be made from modern materials.

Leonardo da Vinci was the illegitimate (illegitimate) son of the Tuscan notary Piero da Vinci. His mother was a simple peasant woman. Subsequently, Leonardo's father married a girl from a noble family. Since this marriage turned out to be childless, he soon took his son to him.

It is believed that da Vinci was a vegetarian. The following words are attributed to him: “If a person strives for freedom, why does he keep birds and animals in cages?.. Man is truly the king of animals, because he cruelly exterminates them. We live by killing others. We are walking cemeteries! Also in early age I gave up meat."

Automobile

When you get acquainted with the works of da Vinci, you begin to understand why small Italy became the birthplace of legendary automobile brands. Back in the 15th century, an Italian inventor was able to sketch a “self-propelled carriage”, which became the prototype of modern cars. The cart developed by Leonardo had no driver and was driven by a spring mechanism.

Although the latter is just an assumption of modern scientists. It is not known for certain how exactly the master intended to move his invention forward. We also don’t know what the first car should have looked like. Leonardo's main attention was not appearance designs, and technical specifications. The cart was three-wheeled, like a children's bicycle. The rear wheels rotated independently of each other.

In 2004, Italian researchers managed to not only build a car designed by da Vinci, but also make it move! Scientist Carlo Pedretti managed to solve main secret Leonardo da Vinci's carriages, namely the principle of movement. The researcher suggested that the car should have been driven not by springs, but by special springs, which were located at the bottom of the structure.

Tank

Bestialissima pazzia (translated from Italian as “animal madness”) - this is precisely the unflattering epithet that the “titan of the Renaissance” awarded the war. In his notes, da Vinci mentioned that he hated war and killing machines. Paradoxically, this did not stop him from developing new military equipment.

We should not forget that Leonardo did not live in peacetime. Italian cities had a difficult relationship with each other, and there was also the threat of French intervention. By the end of the 15th century, da Vinci had become a famous and respected military specialist. He presented his numerous military developments in a letter written to the Duke of Sforza in Milan.

One of the scientist’s most exciting ideas was... a tank. However, it would be much more correct to call Leonardo’s design a distant prototype of armored vehicles of the 20th century. This structure had a rounded shape and looked like a turtle, bristling with tools on all sides. The inventor hoped to solve the problem of movement with the help of horses. However, this idea was quickly abandoned: in a confined space the animals could become uncontrollable.

Instead, the “engine” of such a tank would have to be eight people who would turn levers connected to the wheels and thus move combat vehicle forward. Another crew member had to be at the top of the device and indicate the direction of movement. Interestingly, the design of the armored vehicle allowed it to move only forward. As you might guess, at that time the tank concept had little chance of being realized.

For real effective weapon The tank will only become available when a suitable internal combustion engine can be created. Da Vinci’s main merit was that he managed to lift the curtain of history and look many centuries ahead.

Leonardo da Vinci was a truly versatile man. The inventor played the lyre beautifully and appeared in the records of the Milan court as a musician. Da Vinci was also interested in cooking. For thirteen years, the organization of court feasts rested on his shoulders. He developed several useful devices especially for cooks.

Chariot - scythe

Another very original and at the same time creepy invention of the genius of the Renaissance dates back to 1485. It received the simple name “chariot-scythe”. This chariot was a horse cart equipped with rotating scythes. The design does not at all claim to be the invention of the century. This invention was also not destined to come to fruition. On the other hand, the war chariot demonstrates the breadth of thought of da Vinci as a military specialist.

Machine gun

One of da Vinci's most famous inventions, ahead of its time, is considered to be a machine gun. Although it would be more correct to call Leonardo’s design a multi-barreled gun. Da Vinci had several designs for guns volley fire. His most famous invention in this field is the so-called “musket in the shape of an organ pipe.” The design had a rotating platform on which three rows of muskets (arquebuses) with eleven barrels were placed.

The da Vinci machine gun could fire only three shots without reloading, but they would be enough to kill large quantity enemy soldier. The main disadvantage of the design was that such a machine gun is extremely difficult to reload, especially in combat conditions. Another version of a multi-barreled gun involved the arrangement of a large number of muskets in a fan-like arrangement. The gun barrels were pointed in different directions, increasing the radius of destruction. Like the previous development, the “fan” gun was supposed to be equipped with wheels to increase mobility.

Cannonballs and "mobile" bridges

Perhaps da Vinci's most insightful invention was keeled cannonballs. Such cannonballs were shaped like artillery shells of the 20th century. This development was many centuries ahead of its time. It demonstrates the scientist's deep understanding of the laws of aerodynamics.

An invention called the “rotating bridge” was of great value for its time. This bridge became the prototype of modern mobile mechanized bridges designed for quickly crossing troops from one bank to another. The Da Vinci Bridge was solid and attached to one bank. After installing the bridge, it was supposed to turn it to the opposite bank using ropes.

"Vitruvian Man" is one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous drawings. The drawing is notable for its detailed recreation of the proportions of the human body. It simultaneously arouses scientific and cultural interest. It is noteworthy that long before the image of the “Vitruvian Man” by da Vinci, a similar drawing was made by the Italian scientist Mariano Taccola. True, the image of Taccola was only an undeveloped sketch.

The Sforza dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Milan during the Renaissance. The first Duke of Milan was Francesco Sforza, who reigned until 1466. In 1480, the talented cultural figure Lodovico Sforza became Duke of Milan. During his reign, the most capable artists and scientists of their time were invited to the court. One of them was Leonardo da Vinci.

"Mona Lisa" ("La Gioconda") is perhaps the most mysterious pattern painting in the world. The picture still raises many questions. So, it is not known for certain who exactly da Vinci depicted on his canvas. It is believed that the painting depicts the noble Florentine Lisa Gherardini. One of the most incredible theories states that the painting is a self-portrait of da Vinci himself.

Diving suit

Yes, yes, its invention is also attributed to da Vinci. The diving suit was made of leather and equipped with glass lenses. The diver could breathe using reed tubes. The scientist proposed the concept of a diving suit to repel the threat posed by the Turkish fleet. According to the idea, the divers were supposed to dive to the bottom and wait for the arrival of enemy ships.

When enemy ships appeared above the water, the divers had to commit sabotage and send the ships to the bottom. It was not destined to prove the correctness of this concept. Venice was able to resist the Turkish fleet without the help of saboteurs. By the way, the world’s first squad of combat swimmers appeared in Italy, but this happened only in 1941. The very design of the spacesuit, presented by da Vinci, can be considered innovative.

Submarine, mine, gun parts

Leonardo da Vinci's recordings have survived to this day, in which one can clearly see the prototype of a submarine. But there is very little information about her. Most likely, on the surface the ship could move using sails. Underwater, the ship had to move using oar power.

To destroy enemy ships, da Vinci designed a special underwater mine. According to the inventor's plan, such a mine could be delivered to the side of an enemy ship by saboteur divers or Submarine. This idea was first realized only in the second half of the 19th century, during Civil War in USA.

Despite the abundance of inventions, only one of them brought da Vinci fame during his lifetime. It's about about the wheel lock for a pistol. In the 16th century, this development gave rise to a real technological boom. The design turned out to be so successful that it was used until the 19th century.

All of the above is far from full list inventions of da Vinci. In addition to these developments, among the master’s ideas were: a bearing, a mechanical ladder, a rapid-fire crossbow, a steam weapon, a ship with a double bottom, and much more.

Ideal city

If history had taken a different path, the small Italian town of Vigevano near Milan could have become a real wonder of the world. It was there that Leonardo da Vinci intended to realize his most ambitious idea - the ideal city. Da Vinci's project is reminiscent of a high-tech city of the future from literary works of science fiction. Or a utopia generated by the wild imagination of a writer.

The main feature of such a city was that it consisted of several tiers connected by stairs and passages. As you might guess, upper tier intended for the upper classes of society. The lower one was allocated for trade and services. There were also located essential elements transport infrastructure. The city was to become not only the greatest architectural achievement of the time, but also to embody many technical innovations. However, the project should not be perceived as a manifestation of soulless technocracy. Da Vinci paid a lot of attention to the comfort of the city's inhabitants. Practicality and hygiene were paramount. The scientist decided to abandon narrow medieval streets in favor of spacious roads and squares.

One of the key aspects of the concept was the widespread use of water channels. Using a complex hydraulic system, water had to be supplied to every city building. Da Vinci believed that in this way it would be possible to eliminate unsanitary conditions and reduce the spread of disease to a minimum.

Having familiarized himself with the scientist’s concept, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza considered the idea too adventurous. At the end of his life, Leonardo presented the same project to the French king Francis I. The scientist proposed to make the city the capital of the monarch, but the project remained on paper.

One of da Vinci's interests was anatomy. It is known that the master dismembered many corpses, trying to understand the mysteries of human anatomy. Most of all, the scientist was interested in the structure of muscles. Leonardo da Vinci wanted to understand the principle of human movement. He left behind many anatomical records.

Genius or plagiarist?

As you know, history develops in a spiral. Many inventions were born long before their development was appropriated by other inventors. Probably Leonardo da Vinci is no exception either. We should not forget that da Vinci had access to the scientific heritage of ancient civilization. In addition, da Vinci lived surrounded by the best minds of his time. He had the opportunity to communicate with outstanding figures of science and culture. The scientist could adopt many ideas from his colleagues.

Artist and engineer Mariano Taccola is a forgotten genius of the Renaissance. He died in 1453 (da Vinci was born in 1452). Unlike da Vinci, Mariano Taccola did not receive recognition during his life and did not gain worldwide fame after it. Meanwhile, many of Taccola's developments were continued in the works of da Vinci. It is known that Leonardo was familiar with the works of Francesco di Giorgio, which, in turn, were based on the ideas of Taccola. For example, in di Giorgio's manuscripts da Vinci had the opportunity to become familiar with Taccola's concept of a diving suit.

It would be a mistake to consider da Vinci the inventor of flying machines. In the 11th century, the monk Aylmer of Malmesbury lived in England. Possessing a wide knowledge of mathematics, he built a primitive hang glider and even made a short flight on it. It is known that Aylmer managed to fly more than two hundred meters.

There is a high probability that Leonardo also borrowed the helicopter concept. But already from the Chinese. In the 15th century, traders from China brought toys that resembled mini-helicopters to Europe. A similar point of view is shared by the British historian Gavin Menzies, who believes that da Vinci adopted his most famous inventions from the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom. Menzies claims that in 1430 a Chinese delegation visited Venice, passing on to the Venetians many of the developments of Chinese scientists.

Be that as it may, Leonardo da Vinci always remains for us one of the greatest inventors of all times. Many ideas came to life thanks to Leonardo. The scientist improved various inventions and, more importantly, was able to make them visual. Do not forget that Leonardo da Vinci was a talented artist.

The master left many sketches for his developments. And even if the ideas attributed to da Vinci do not belong to him, it cannot be denied that the scientist was able to systematize a huge layer of knowledge, conveying this knowledge to his descendants.

Leonardo da Vinci was convinced that “a man who overcomes air resistance with the help of large artificial wings can rise into the air.” Convinced that he was right, he began to develop an apparatus driven only by the power of a person’s muscles, and allowing him to soar in the air like a bird.

There are many drawings of this “ornitotteri” invented by Leonardo. Some of them depict a person lying down, who is about to take off with the help of mechanisms attached to the wings; others are propelled forward by a more advanced system of screws and pulleys. There are also drawings of a man positioned vertically in a flying ship, on the pedals of which he pressed with his hands and feet.

To design the ornitotteri wings, Leonardo studied the anatomy of a bird's wing, taking into account the function and distribution of its feathers. While observing the bird's flight, the scientist noticed that it flaps its wings differently when it hovers in the air, flies forward, or lands. He was also interested in the membranous wings of bats. Based on these observations, Leonardo designed huge wings designed not only to lift a person into the air, but also to keep him in flight, thanks to ailerons and hinges. He intended to imitate the aerial acrobatics of birds, their ability to conserve energy in flight and land accurately. Until the end of the 15th century, Leonardo was convinced that he could carry out the project of mechanical flight. However, he was concerned about the fact that the capabilities of human muscles are limited. Therefore, he was going to use the bow mechanism instead of muscle energy, which would provide forward movement. However, the bow did not solve the problems of autonomy in flight that arise when the spring unwinds quickly.

From 1503 to 1506 Leonardo was busy with research in Tuscany. Atmospheric conditions, the presence or absence of wind, and corresponding meteorological and aerodynamic phenomena forced him to abandon his old idea of ​​​​an “instrument” based on the flapping of wings, and to recognize “flight without the movement of wings.”

Watching how big birds allow air currents to pick up and carry them in the air, Leonardo thought of equipping a person with large compound wings that would give him the opportunity to enter a suitable air current with the help of simple body movements and without spending much effort on it. A person will float freely until he falls to the ground like a “dry leaf”.

Systematic research undertaken by Leonardo at the beginning of the 16th century led him to the need to study the “quality and density of air.” For this purpose he designed hydroscopic instruments. Leonardo emphasized that the laws of aerodynamics are similar to the laws of hydrostatics, i.e. the science of water is a mirror image of the science of wind, “which (the science of wind) we will show through the movement of water and this important science will be a step forward in the understanding of bird flight in the air.” .

Leonardo da Vinci's helicopter

This drawing is an image of the “ancestor” of the modern helicopter. The radius of the propeller was 4.8 m. It had a metal edging and a linen covering. The screw was driven by people who walked around the axis and pushed the levers. There was another way to start the propeller - it was necessary to quickly unwind the cable under the axis. “I think that if this screw mechanism is well made, that is, made of starched linen (to avoid tearing) and quickly spun, then it will find support in the air and fly high into the air.”

Hydroscope

The hydroscope is an instrument invented by Alberti. It was a simple set of scales with a hydroscopic substance (cotton wool, sponge, etc.) and wax that did not absorb water. According to Leonardo, the device was used to “find out the quality and density of the air and when it would rain.”

TILT METER

This device is a pendulum placed inside a glass vessel (in the shape of a bell), which serves to “direct the aircraft (aircraft) straight or inclined, as you prefer, that is, when you want to fly straight, place the ball in the middle of the circle.” .

BALANCING STUDY

The movements of the glider in flight were controlled by movable wings and the balancing of the pilot: “a person must be free from the waist down so that he can balance himself, although he is in a boat, and so that his center of gravity coincides with the center of gravity of the entire structure and is balanced with him".

EQUILIBRIUM STUDY

The scientist conducted a study of the glider's balance in order to determine the bird's center of gravity. There are no drawings of this glider, but it is known that it must have been built from lightweight materials: bamboo and fabric with fastenings and guy lines made of raw silk or special leather. High design made of reed in the shape of a cylinder or parallelepiped, apparently pulled out on straps from the very wide (about 10 m wide) wings of this glider. In this design, the pilot was located much lower than the wings, which created the balance of the device.

LYING "ORNITOTTERO"

This drawing is one of Leonardo's most famous drawings: "A rotates the wing, B turns it with a lever, C lowers it, D raises it." A man lies stretched out on the platform: “The heart is located in this place.” The legs are threaded into stirrups in such a way that one leg raises the wing, the other lowers it. This is an aircraft in which a prostrate person turns pedals that raise and lower the wings, bending and rotating them with the help of ropes and levers, i.e. this device seems to be “rowing” through the air.

LYING "ORNITOTTERO" WITH FOUR WINGS

In another variant of the Ornitottero, the four wings were driven by the pilot's hands and feet. The hands raised the wings with the help of a drum, and the legs lowered one pair of wings in turn. Thus, the rhythm of the flapping wings accelerated. The device on the pilot's back was controlled by winding the ropes onto the drums and unwinding them.

ORHITOPTER

The picture shows not a glider controlled by a pilot, but an interesting “hybrid”. The pilot hangs vertically in the center of the vehicle, the tips of the wings have joints that control the vehicle, and a rigid structure supports it.

ORHITOPTER WITH SPRING DRIVE

Convinced that it was impossible to control such a device using only the power of human muscles, Leonardo gave alternative solutions. For example, he designed a device with a spring-starting device that transfers its energy to the wings of the “ornitottero” (in this case, vertical) at the moment the spring straightens. In the detailed work on the left, Leonardo depicted a device similar to those he used in his “car” and in some clock mechanisms. This system theoretically, it was so ahead of its time that it even received the name “Leonardo’s Airplane.” In practice, it turned out to be imperfect due to the need to quickly unwind the spring and the difficulties in rewinding it during flight.

If a person has an awning made of thick fabric, each side of which is 12 arm lengths, and the height is 12, then he can jump from any significant height without breaking.”

FLIGHT OF BIRD

Thanks to systematic studies of bird flight, Leonardo decided to replace flight with flapping wings with gliding flight. Around 1505, his book “Codice sul Volo degli Uccelli” was completed (it is currently in Turin, in the former Royal Library). These drawings are from this book.

DEVICE FOR MEASURING WIND SPEED

There was another type of anemometer. It was made of cone-shaped tubes and was used to determine whether the wind turning a wheel was proportional to the air intake opening in the cone, given identical wind intensity.

SYSTEM OF LEVERS AND CONNECTIONS

Leonardo believed that the wings could be raised and lowered by a system of ropes and pulleys, driven by the pilot's legs in stirrups and his hands operating the handles. While rising and falling, the wings also bent and straightened with the help of automatic system guys, levers and connections.

DESCENT TO GROUND “THE DRY LEAF”

A person will turn to the right if he bends his right arm and extends his left; by changing these movements, he will turn from right to left.”