Lucius B. Packard

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The American wheelwright and furniture maker Lucius B. Packard († October 14, 1914 ) built the first velocipede (balance bike , trolley) in Peabody (Massachusetts) as early as 1860 . His company moved to Salem, Massachusetts, where it was based on the corner of Derby and Liberty Street until 1914. This is where his first real bicycle was made in 1879.

description

In 1895 Packard constructed its own experimental automobile. Only two years earlier, the Duryea brothers had presented the USA's first gasoline-powered car. Packard's vehicle was designed as a runabout for 2 people and had wooden spoked wheels. It was powered by an internal combustion engine with 2 bhp (approx. 1.5 kW) from the manufacturer American . The power was transmitted to the left rear wheel with a chain. A hand lever to the right of the steering lever was used to regulate the speed: pushing forwards accelerated the vehicle, pulling it backwards slowed it down. In the vertical position the engine was idling. A second, similar lever behind the seat was used for reversing - one of the earliest devices of its kind. A buyer was found for this automobile even before it was completed.

According to his own statements, Lucius Packard built an electric vehicle in 1896, based on a carriage. An electrically operated tricycle followed in 1898. This filigree construction had wooden spoke wheels and was controlled with a steering lever on the front wheel. Other vehicles are not occupied.

On June 25, 1914, a fire destroyed the shop. Lucius Packard died on October 14th of the same year.

Photographs of the 1st and 3rd vehicle have survived.

Lucius B. Packard does not appear to have been related to the Packard family of entrepreneurs in Warren, Ohio (co-founders of the Packard brand , 1899-1958).

literature

  • Beverly Rae Kimes (Ed.), Henry Austin Clark Jr.: Standard Catalog of American Cars. 2nd Edition. Krause Publications, Iola WI, ISBN 0-87341-111-0 , pp. 1063-1064.
  • Horseless Age: the automobile trade magazine . Volume 1, The Horseless age company, 1895, p. 33. ( limited preview in Google book search).

Web links