Hippopotams
Hippopotame is the design for an amphibious vehicle from the 2nd half of the 18th century.
The lieutenant in Schaumburg-Lippe Artillery Corps, Military school teacher and engineer Jakob Chrysostom Praetorius put (1730 to 1797) on 6 May 1761 , Count Wilhelm of Schaumburg-Lippe , the design drawing for an amphibious vehicle in front, which he called Hippopotame or lake - or hippo called . They are two floats that are connected to each other. Between them there are two “legs” that can be moved back and forth using push rods and cranks. The “legs” end in “feet”, the rods of which were connected to a membrane that, like the webbed feet of waterfowl , opened and closed when the “legs” moved forwards and backwards, thus enabling movement in the water. The whole construction was designed as a horse and the soldier sat on his back like a rider . The control was to be done with ropes that led to the soldiers' feet. A wheel could be installed at the front for land transport and the vehicle could be moved like a wheelbarrow . For the soldier, J. Chr. Praetorius had designed his own armored uniform , which also included a life jacket . The amphibious vehicle should mainly be driven on rivers at night. Dams, fortifications and other obstacles should be avoided by land. The aim was to carry out acts of sabotage behind the enemy lines, such as destroying supply depots or bridges. At the same time, however, it is also stated that in times of peace the hippopotame would be ideal for exploring unknown countries. Although J. Chr. Praetorius had explicitly asked Count Wilhelm to have a test vehicle built, the plan was never implemented.
literature
- C. Ochwadt, The Steinhuder Sea. A collection of messages and descriptions up to 1900 (Hanover 1967) 80 opposite; 88 opposite; 398 f.
- T. Weski, Hippopotame and Schaumburgischer or Steinhuder Hecht: an Amphibious Craft and a Submarine from the second Half of the Eighteenth Century. The Mariner's Mirror, 88 (2002) 271-284.