15 Facts About Nicolaus Otto

Nicolaus August Otto was born on 10 June 1832 in Holzhausen an der Haide, Germany.

Nicolaus Otto did not complete his studies but was cited for good performance.

Nicolaus Otto worked for various companies, first for IC Alpeter and then in 1860 for Carl Mertens.

Nicolaus Otto was aware of the concept of compressed fuel charge and tried to make an engine using this principle in 1861.

Nicolaus Otto's brother gave up on the concept, resulting in Nicolaus Otto looking for help elsewhere.

From 1862 to 1863 Otto experimented with the help of Cologne Mechanic Michael J Zons in an effort to improve the engine.

Early in 1864, Nicolaus Otto sought investors to fund his research.

Nicolaus Otto found Eugen Langen, whose father was a sugar industrialist.

Nicolaus Otto turned his attention to the four stroke cycle at which he had failed in 1862.

Largely due to the efforts of Franz Rings and Herman Schumm, who were brought into the company by Gottlieb Daimler Nicolaus Otto succeeded in making the Four Stroke, Compressed Charge engine.

Nicolaus Otto married Anna Gossi and the couple had seven recorded children.

The Nicolaus Otto engine was designed as a stationary engine and in the action of the engine, the stroke is an upward or downward movement of a piston in a cylinder.

Nicolaus Otto had obtained many patents from several different nations and for several different features.

When his former manager Gottlieb Daimler wanted to build small engines for transportation Nicolaus Otto showed no interest.

Nicolaus Otto's engines were the first to go into serial production.