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Ivan Petrovich Kulibin (April 21, 1735 – August 11, 1818) was a Russian mechanic and inventor. He was born in Nizhny Novgorod in the family of a trader. From childhood, Kulibin displayed an interest in constructing mechanics tools. Soon, clock mechanisms became a special interest of his. His realizations as well as his prolific imagination inspired the work of many.
During the 1770s, he designed a wooden one-arch bridge over the Neva river with a span of 298 metres (instead of the typically used 50–60 metre spans), offering to use an original girder with a cross grate. In 1776 a model 1/10 the natural size of this bridge was tested by a special commission of academics. Kulibin's project was praised by Leonhard Euler and Daniel Bernoulli, but was never realized. After 1780 Kulibin worked on possibilities for a metallic bridge, but these projects were also rejected by the government. Altogether Kulibin designed three projects for wooden and three projects for metallic bridges.
In 1779 he built a lantern that could emit a powerful light using a weak light source. This invention was used industrially for lighting workshops, lighthouses, ships, etc. In 1791 Kulibin constructed a push-cycle cart, in which he used a flywheel, a brake, a gearbox and roller bearing. The cart was operated by a man pressing pedals. Трехколесное чудо механика Кулибина (in Russian) Самокатка Кулибина (in Russian) Введение книги "Тракторы и автомобили" (in Russian) Основные события. Изобретение и история автомобиля (in Russian) In the same year, he also designed "mechanical legs", a prosthetic device, which was later used by a French entrepreneur. In 1793 Kulibin constructed an elevator that lifted a cabin using screw mechanisms. In 1794 he created an optical telegraph for transmitting signals over distance. He assembled the famous Peacock Clock created by James Cox and purchased by Catherine the Great, the only large 18th century automaton that has come down to us in its authentic configuration without any change or modification.
The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center has named an asteroid in Kulibin's honor: 5809 Kulibin. The asteroid was discovered on September 4, 1987 by L. V. Zhuravleva at Nauchnyj.Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003–2005) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names: Addendum to Fifth Edition, Page 489. New York: Grune and Stratton.
On May 20, 2020, a special economic zone of industrial and production type "Kulibin" was established in Russia (Nizhny Novgorod region), named after Kulibin.
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