Fritz Huber (1881-1942) was a German mechanical engineer and designer of the

Lanz Bulldog The Lanz Bulldog was a series of tractors manufactured by Heinrich Lanz AG in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Production started in 1921 with the Lanz HL, and various versions of the Bulldog were produced up to 1960, one of them being the L ...

tractor.

Biography

Huber was born on 8 March 1881 in

Wasserburg am Inn Wasserburg am Inn (Central Bavarian: ''Wassabuag am Inn'') is a town in Rosenheim district in Upper Bavaria, Germany. The historic centre is a peninsula formed by the meandering river Inn. Many Medieval structures remain intact, giving the city ...

. He came from an old family of engineers. In

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, he first attended the industrial school, then he began studying at the local technical college. He successfully completed his studies in 1903 and went on to work in France and Switzerland. After his return to Germany, he got a job at the Grade company in

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; ) is the Capital city, capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is on the Elbe river. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archbishopric of Mag ...

, where he devoted himself to the construction of high-quality

two-stroke engine A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a Thermodynamic power cycle, power cycle with two strokes of the piston, one up and one down, in one revolution of the crankshaft in contrast to a f ...

s. He also built the first

hot-bulb engine The hot-bulb engine, also known as a semi-diesel or Akroyd engine, is a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignites by coming in contact with a red-hot metal surface inside a bulb, followed by the introduction of air (oxygen) compr ...

s at the Climax plant in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

and improved their running characteristics with adjustable injectors and improved mass balance. On 20 September 1916, he obtained employment with Heinrich Lanz AG in

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (), is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, the States of Ger ...

. He constructed

gasoline Gasoline ( North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When for ...

-powered tractors for the German army in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Between 1918 and 1921 he developed a single-cylinder

for stationary work. This engine was later used in the

, the first German heavy-oil tractor in mass production. Because of the First World War, the testing of the concept had to be postponed but, from 1920, the development and construction of the Bulldog got under way. The tractor got its name because of its external resemblance to a bulldog and Fritz Huber is considered the "Father of the Bulldogs". In 1942, Huber retired because of illness. He died on 14 April 1942 in Mannheim.Hans-Erhard Lessing: ''Mannheimer Pioniere''. Wellhöfer-Verlag, Mannheim 2007

References

Article, 10 September 1919
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