Technikatörténeti szemle 18. (1990-1991)

TANULMÁNYOK - Trudeau, Terence: The Work and Life of John Csonka

"As discussed earlier, the revolutionary invention of the atomizing carburetor was announced in a patent application on February 11, 1893. From that time on, ah engines constructed by Bánki and Csonka were equipped with this new device. These so-called Bánki-Csonka engines, known for their reliable service and attractive appearance, were widely used in Hungary and the neighboring countries." Between 1896 and 1898 the collaboration between Bánki and Csonka gradually came to an end. At that time Bánki became interested in developing high compression ratio gasoline engines. These were designed to operate by cooling the inside of the combustion chamber with an atomized fine Water spray. He was also drawn to various problems in hydrodynamics, notably questions pertaining to airplane stabilization, as weh as steam and water turbine performance. By contrast, Csonka's interest turned to gasoline driven highway vehicles. As the nineteenth century drew to a close, he came to realize with increasing clarity the revolutionary impact that long distance communication would make on ah aspects of life in the coming new age. He felt the need to develop vehicles which would one day bring ah this to pass. He became a pioneer and creator of the new technology. He designed and built the first engine-driven tricycle in 1900 (Fig. 8.), and the first automobile not only in Hungary, but also in this part of the world (Fig. 9). (Indeed, when he tested his first models by taking them on long trips into the Hungarian countryside, including the Great Planes and the mountains of Transylvania, terrified villagers in Transylvania knelt and crossed themselves as the "horseless carriage" passed them on remote roads, suspecting that the devU himself must be in the driver's seat.) His designs were original. In certain important aspects they were far ahead of any other contemporary design. Even today the observer is enchanted by their beauty derived from simple construction and logical structuring which reveals the handiwork of a true master. These early vehicles performed remarkably weh, even by modern standards. For example, the first eight automobiles he ever built were purchased by the Royal Hungarian Postal Service, and over a period of 25 years were driven an average of 500.000 kilometers each. They initiated motorized mail delivery in Central and Eastern Europe. Csonka was the first to use aluminium as a construction material in motor vehicles (in 1900). In 1909 he designed and built ultra light cars that could be lifted by two men (Fig. 10). These cars had a single cylinder 4HP engine with cardan drive, and custom buht carburetors. For ignition he used high voltage magnetos, and doing so he ignored the dire predictions of those who warned him of the likelihood of electrocuting himself as weh as his passengers. In addition to all his other achievements, he thus became a pioneer in this area of technology as well. His last automobile was completed in 1912. It was a very light two seater, with an 8HP four cylinder engine. He intended it to be cheap, light, easy to maintain, and accessible to the non-rich. In some sense, he constructed the "Volkswagen" of his day. In this model he used three-point suspension. He was the first designer to ever do so (Fig. 11). The engine,