Felix Wankel 11358 221537266 2008-06-24T23:09:28Z Chrislonghurst 709418 /* External links */ {{Infobox Engineer |name = Felix Wankel |nationality = |birth_date = {{birth date|1902|8|13}} |birth_place = [[Lahr]], [[Germany]] |death_date = {{death date and age|1988|10|9|1902|8|13}} |death_place = [[Heidelberg]], [[Germany]] |education =[[Germany|German]] |spouse = |parents = |children = |discipline = |institutions =Paki, [[Reich Air Ministry]], [[Federal-Mogul|Goetze AG]], [[NSU Motorenwerke AG|NSU]], Wankel GmbH |practice_name = |significant_projects = [[Wankel engine]] |significant_design = |significant_advance = |significant_awards = }} '''Felix Heinrich Wankel, Hon. DEng''' ([[August 13]] [[1902]] &ndash; [[October 9]] [[1988]]) was a [[Germany|German]] [[mechanical engineer]] and the inventor of the [[Wankel engine]]. Wankel was born in [[Lahr]], Germany, in the upper Rhine Valley. Since his mother was widowed in [[World War I]], Wankel received no [[university]] education or even an [[apprenticeship]]. However, he was able to teach himself technical subjects and conceived the idea of the Wankel engine in [[1924]]. ==Career== [[Image:DrehkolbenmotorDKM54.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Wankel engine, type DKM54 (1957)]] During [[World War II]], he developed seals and rotary valves for German air force aircraft and navy torpedoes. After the war, he was imprisoned by the [[Allies]] for some months, his laboratory was closed, his work confiscated, and he was prohibited from doing more work. In 1951, he began development of the engine at [[NSU Motorenwerke AG|NSU (NSU Motorenwerke AG)]], leading to the first running prototype on [[February 1]] [[1957]]. <ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,1518,459789,00.html Wankel-Jubiläum: Warten aufs Wunder - Auto - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> His engine design was first licensed by [[Curtiss-Wright]] in [[New Jersey]]. [[Mazda]] in Japan solved the chatter marks problem. The engine has been successfully used by Mazda in several generations of their RX-series of [[Coupe|coupés]] and sedans including the [[Mazda R100|R100]] and especially the [[Mazda RX-7|RX-7]]. In later years, Wankel was granted an honorary Doctorate of Engineering. He was known for his championing of [[animal rights]] and opposition to the use of animals in testing. Wankel died in [[Heidelberg]], aged 86. ===Licensees=== {| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#e3e3e3;" |- |21.10.1958 || [[Curtiss-Wright]] Corp.|| USA || without restriction, no series |- |29.12.1960 || [[Fichtel & Sachs]] AG || BRD || industrial engine and boat, 0.5-30 PS |- |25.02.1961 || [[Yanmar]] Diesel Co. Ltd || JP || gasoline and diesel engine, 1-100 PS, 1-300 PS |- |27.02.1961 || [[Mazda|Toyo Kogyo]], Co. Ltd.|| JP || gasoline 1-200 PS land vehicles |- |04.10.1961 || [[Deutz AG|Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG]] || BRD || diesel engine without restriction |- |26.10.1961 || [[Daimler-Benz]] AG|| BRD || gasoline 50 PS upwards |- |30.10.1961 || [[MAN AG]] || BRD || diesel engine without restriction |- |02.11.1961 || [[Friedrich Krupp AG]] || BRD || diesel engine without restriction |- |12.03.1964 || Daimler-Benz AG || BRD || diesel engine without restriction |- |15.04.1964 || S.p.A [[Alfa Romeo]] || IT || gasoline engine 50-300 PS or Passenger car |- |17.02.1965 || [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]] Motors Ltd. || GB || diesel and hybrid engines 100-850 Ps |- |18.02.1965 || [[Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau|IFA]] VEB || DDR || gasoline engine 0.5-25 PS and 50-150 PS |- |02.03.1965 || Dr.Ing. h.c. [[Porsche]] KG || BRD || gasoline engine 50-1000 Ps |- |01.03.1966 || [[Outboard Marine]] Corp. || USA || gasoline engine 50-400 Ps |- |11.05.1967 || [[Comotor]] S.A. || L || gasoline and diesel engine 40-200 PS |- |12.09.1967 || Graupner || BRD || 0,1-3 PS model engines |- |28.08.1969 || [[Savkel]] Ltd. || IS || gasoline 0.5-30 PS industrial engines |- |01.10.1970 || [[Nissan Motors|Nissan]] || JP || gasoline engines 80-120 Ps |- |10.11.1970 || [[General Motors]] || USA || everything, except aircraft engines |- |24.11.1970 || [[Suzuki]] || JP || gasoline engines 20-60 PS for motorcycle |- |25.05.1971 || [[Toyota]] || JP || gasoline engines 75-150 PS |- |29.11.1971 || [[Ford Germany|Ford-Werke AG, Köln]] || BRD || gasoline engines 80-200 PS (1974 quit) |- |25.07.1972 || [[Birmingham Small Arms Company|BSA]] Ltd. || GB || gasoline engines 35-60 PS for motorcycle |- |29.09.1972 || [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]] || JP || gasoline engines 20-80 PS for motorcycle |- |04.10.1971 || [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries|Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.]] || JP || gasoline engines 20-80 PS for motorcycle |- |03.02.1973 || [[American Motors]] (AMC) [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3165/is_2000_Feb/ai_62965382] || USA || gasoline engines 20-200 PS |} ==Honors and awards== *Honorary doctorate degree from [[Technische Universität München]], [[December 5]], [[1969]]. *The Federation of German Engineers (VDI) Gold Medal, 1969. *The Grand Federal Service Cross, Germany's highest civilian honor, 1970 *The Franklin Medal, [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], 1971. *The Bavarian Service Medal, 1973. *The "Honour Citizen" of [[Lahr]],1981, and the title of Professor in 1987. *The Soichiro Honda Medal, 1987. *Honorary citizenship of [[Lindau]] (declined) ==See also== *[[Wankel engine]] *[[NSU Ro 80]] *[[Norton Commander (motorcycle)|Norton Commander]] motorcycle *[[Citroën GS#GS Birotor|Citroën GS Birotor]] *[[Mazda RX-7]] *[[Mazda RX-8]] *[[VAZ Motor Car Works]] *[[Aixro]] ==References== <references/> ==External links== *{{US patent|2988008}} *[http://www.carbibles.com/fuel_engine_bible.html The Fuel and Engine Bible] - A good resource for different engine types and fuels {{DEFAULTSORT:Wankel, Felix}} [[Category:1902 births]] [[Category:1988 deaths]] [[Category:German engineers]] [[Category:German inventors]] [[Category:People from Heidelberg]] [[af:Felix Wankel]] [[cs:Felix Wankel]] [[de:Felix Wankel]] [[es:Felix Wankel]] [[eo:Felix Wankel]] [[fr:Felix Wankel]] [[it:Felix Wankel]] [[nl:Felix Wankel]] [[ja:フェリクス・ヴァンケル]] [[no:Felix Wankel]] [[pl:Felix Wankel]] [[pt:Felix Wankel]] [[ro:Felix Wankel]] [[ru:Ванкель, Феликс Генрих]] [[sk:Felix Wankel]] [[fi:Felix Wankel]] [[sv:Felix Wankel]]