Timeline of Diesel Engines

The history of the diesel engine is a long and convoluted one, influenced by many outside forces and the constant refinement of the manufacturing process. Below is a timeline of all the most important events in the history of the diesel engine up until the early post-war years. The recent history of the diesel engine is dealt with elsewhere on this site, so this is purely a timeline of the early history of the diesel engine.

• 1862: Nicholas Immel develops an engine fuelled by coal gas. This forms the basic inspiration for the mechanics of the diesel engine.
• 1892: A British company, Hornsby, acquires the rights to start building the first cold start, compression ignition engines.
• 1892: the first instance of the ignition of fuel from compression alone is recorded at Hornsby, when they increase the pressure inside a cylinder as opposed to the more conventional vapouriser.
• 1892: Rudolf Diesel is employed by various large companies in the refrigeration, iron and engine industries in Germany and Switzerland. He gains valuable experience of engineering and mechanics at each of these companies. He also designs a heat engine fuelled by powdered coal dust.
• 1893: Rudolf Diesel patents and constructs a working version of his engine designs on August 10th of this year.
• 1894: Engines continue to be built and different ignition systems tested by various engineering geniuses across Europe. However, the race to develop a powerful, efficient engine has boiled down to a competition between Britain and Germany.
• 1897: The Winton Motor Carriage company produces a petrol engine car in America, which puts increasing pressure on Diesel and other engineers to produce.
• 1897: Diesel manufacturers a working prototype of a modern diesel engine. It nearly destroys itself at a demonstration.
• 1897: Having recognised their defeat, British engineers begin to manufactuer Diesel's engine under license. Although the engine wouldn't really be profitable until 1908, the licensed building of diesel engines begins to increase.
• 1898: The first diesel engine in the United States is installed at a brewery in St. Louis. Rudolf Diesel perfects his engine, drawing on innovations and advancements made by other engineers. He re-patents it and licenses it engine builders including Burmeister & Wain, Krupp and Sulzer.
• 1904: Momentum has begun to build behind the diesel engine. The French Navy build and use the first diesel submarine, the Z.
• 1905: Swiss engineer Alfred Buchi applies for a patent for his turbocharger.
• 1912: A Danish ship, the MS Selandia, becomes the first diesel powered ship in the world. It's built by Burmeister and Wain, who acquired the license 10 years earlier.
• 1913: On the 29th September, Rudolf Diesel mysteriously disappears from the SS Antwerp during an English Channel crossing. His body is found 10 days later off the Dutch coast.
• 1914: German U-boats are diesel powered during the first world war, which proves that the engine is viable and reliable to the engine industry.
• 1920s: After the success of the diesel engine in wartime, fishing fleets across the world begin converting to diesel.
• 1924: The first diesel engined trucks appear in America and Europe.
• 1928: Beginning in Canada, diesels are being used widely in trains and in train yards.
• 1930: The first diesel-only engine institute in North America is opened.
• 1933: Citroen's Rosalie becomes the world's first commercially available diesel engined passenger car.
• 1930's: Caterpillar begin making diesel engines for their tractors and earth-moving equipment while Duesenberg sets about making a huge luxury diesel engined car at Daytona Speedway.
• 1934: GM (General Motors)starts a diesel research facility, proving to the motoring industry that diesel engines are here to stay and worthy of development.
• 1936: Mercedes Benz builds its famous 260D diesel car, further cementing diesel engines as a viable engine for motor cars.
• 1936: The Hindenburg uses huge, diesel powered engines.
• 1939: The diesel is in high demand an all sides during the Second World War. It is used in landing craft, tanks, aeroplanes, road building equipment, generators, and innumerable other items.
• 1939: During the war, turbochargers become widespread in aeroplane engines thanks to their ability to operate well at high altitudes.
• Post-War Years: Diesels remained popular in larger vehicles after the war thanks to the lower refining effort necessary for the fuel.

After the war, the popularity of the diesel engine boomed and today, with the various oil crises of the 25 years, diesel is becoming more and more popular thanks to its frugality and environmental benefits.