Daniel Schwenter (Schwender) (31 January 1585 – 19 January 1636) was a German Orientalist,

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

inventor An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea, or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

, and

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Biography

Schwenter was born in

Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...

. He was professor of oriental languages and mathematics at the University of Altdorf. This is achieved by a preface written by Schwenter in the book ''Kurtzer, gründtlicher, warhaffter, gebesserter und vermehrter Underricht, Zuberaitung und Gebrauch deß Circkels, Schregmeß und Linial'' from George Galgemair and by an old chronicle of the University of Altdorf. His works include ''Delicia Physico-Mathematicae'' (

, 1636) and ''Geometriae practicae novae et auctae tractatus I-IV'' (published posthumously in 1641). Among other topics, ''Geometriae practicae'' covers the art of ''baculometry'' - the measuring of inaccessible distances via staves. As a linguist, Schwenter was familiar with Greek,

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

, Syriac, and

Aramaic Aramaic (; ) is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written a ...

. He was also an authority on

Euclid Euclid (; ; BC) was an ancient Greek mathematician active as a geometer and logician. Considered the "father of geometry", he is chiefly known for the '' Elements'' treatise, which established the foundations of geometry that largely domina ...

. He died in Altdorf bei Nürnberg.

Schwenter and the Scioptric Ball

He is credited with developing the scioptric ball in 1636. This is a universal joint that allows a microscope, mounted on the ball, to be swiveled into any position. Its invention was inspired by Schwenter's studies of the

human eye The human eye is a sensory organ in the visual system that reacts to light, visible light allowing eyesight. Other functions include maintaining the circadian rhythm, and Balance (ability), keeping balance. The eye can be considered as a living ...

. The scioptric ball provided a firm anchor for a

microscope A microscope () is a laboratory equipment, laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic ...

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption, or Reflection (physics), reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally, it was an optical instrument using len ...

while allowing the telescope to be swiveled in all directions in order to follow the course of an eclipse or for drawing panoramic views. The microscope or telescope passes through the center of the ball, the essential function being similar to that of the ball (or pan-and-tilt) head on a modern photographer's tripod.

Schwenter and the Fountain Pen

Schwenter did not invent the fountain pen, but in 1636, in his ''Deliciae Physic-Mathematicae'', he described a pen made in two parts, using portions of seven quills. One part served as a reservoir for ink and included the writing point. The second part provided the pen body (a full-length feather) and served as a plug in the back end of the first part. The ink was sealed inside first part by the second. Squeezing the pen forced ink to flow through a small hole in one of the first part's quill fragments and from there to the writing point.

References

Sources

Portrait of Daniel Schwenter

The Camera Obscura

External links

From th

in the Rare Book and Special Collection Division at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

Deliciae physico-mathematicae, Volume 1

Deliciae physico-mathematicae, Volume 2

Deliciae physico-mathematicae, Volume 3
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwenter, Daniel 1585 births 1636 deaths 17th-century German inventors 17th-century German mathematicians Linguists from the Holy Roman Empire Engineers from Nuremberg Christian Hebraists Academic staff of the University of Altdorf Engineers from the Holy Roman Empire