China Product
Factory-built housing in Australia
An Australian modern prefabricated house
In Australia these homes are commonly known as transportable homes, relocatable homes or prefabricated homes. They are not as common as in the US, but the industry is expected to grow as this method of construction becomes more accepted. used crane truck
Manufactured home parks refer to housing estates where the house owner rents the land instead of owning it. This is quite common in Queensland in both the form of tourist parks and over 50's estates. The term transportable homes tends to be used to refer to houses that are built on land that is owned by the house owner.[citation needed] rough terrain crane
Typically the homes are built in regional areas where the cost of organizing tradespeople and materials is higher than in the cities. In particular prefabricated homes have been popular in mining towns or other towns experiencing demand for new housing in excess of what can be handled by local builders. This method of construction is governed by state construction legislation and is subject to local council approval and homeowners' warranty or home warranty insurance. truck mounted crane
See also
Modular home
Prefabrication
Prefabricated home
HUD USER
Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse
Lustron house
Dymaxion house
Cardinal Industries, Inc.
Palm Harbor Homes
All American Homes
All Parks Alliance for Change
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Manufactured homes
Manufactured Home Buyer's Handbook
Manufactured Housing Institute
Categories: Building engineering | Construction terminology | House typesHidden categories: Articles needing cleanup from May 2009 | All pages needing cleanup | Wikipedia introduction cleanup from May 2009 | Pages with intro too long | Articles needing additional references from May 2009 | All articles needing additional references | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from December 2009
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Manufactured housing
Cyperus rotundus
China Product
Cyperus rotundus stretching massage chair
Scientific classification slim sauna belt
Kingdom: slendertone flex belt
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Monocots
(unranked):
Commelinids
Order:
Poales
Family:
Cyperaceae
Genus:
Cyperus
Species:
C. rotundus
Binomial name
Cyperus rotundus
L.
Cyperus rotundus (coco-grass, purple nut sedge, red nut sedge) is a species of sedge (Cyperaceae) native to Africa, southern and central Europe (north to France and Austria), and southern Asia.
A cross section through the flower stem
It is a perennial plant, that may reach a height of up to 40 cm. The names "nut grass" and "nut sedge" (shared with the related species Cyperus esculentus) are derived from its tubers, that somewhat resemble nuts, although botanically they have nothing to do with nuts.
As in other Cyperaceae, the leaves sprout in ranks of three from the base of the plant. The flower stems have a triangular cross-section. The flower is bisexual and has three stamina and a three-stigma carpel. The fruit is a three-angled achene.
The root system of a young plant initially forms white, fleshy rhizomes. Some rhizomes grow upward in the soil, then form a bulb-like structure from which new shoots and roots grow, and from the new roots, new rhizomes grow. Other rhizomes grow horizontally or downward, and form dark reddish-brown tubers or chains of tubers.
Invasive problems
A Cyperus rotundus tuber, approximately 20 mm long
Cyperus rotundus is one of the most invasive weeds known, having spread out to a worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate regions. It has been called "the world's worst weed" as it is known as a weed in over 90 countries, and infests over 50 crops worldwide. In the United States it occurs from Florida north to New York and Minnesota and west to California and most of the states in between.
Its existence in a field significantly reduces crop yield, both because it is a tough competitor for ground resources, and because it is allelopathic, the roots releasing substances harmful to other plants. Similarly, it also has a bad effect on ornamental gardening. The difficulty to control it is a result of its intensive system of underground tubers, and its resistance to most herbicides. It is also one of the few weeds that cannot be stopped with plastic mulch.
Weed pulling in gardens usually results in breakage of roots, leaving tubers in the ground from which new plants emerge quickly. Ploughing distributes the tubers in the field, worsening the infestation; even if the plough cuts up the tubers to pieces, new plants can still grow from them.
Most herbicides may kill the plant's leaves, but most have no effect on the root system and the tubers. In addition, the tubers can survive harsh conditions, further contributing to the difficulty to eradicate the plant. Halosulfuron, brand name "Manage," (now renamed "SedgeHammer" in the USA or "Sempra" in Australia), will control nut grass after repeated applications.[citation needed]
Uses and positive aspects
Flower stem showing triangular cross-section
Despite its bad reputation, it also has several beneficial uses.
Folk Medicine
The plant is used in popular medicine:
In the Traditional Chinese medicine it is considered the primary qi regulating herb.
The plant is mentioned in the ancient Indian ayurvedic medicine Charaka Samhita (ca. 100 A.D.). Modern ayurvedic medicine uses the plant for treating fevers, digestive system disorders, dysmenorrhea and other maladies.
Arabs of the Levant traditionally use roasted tubers, while they are still hot, or hot ashes from burned tubers, to treat wounds, bruises, carbuncles, etc.
Modern uses and studies
Modern alternative medicine recommends using the plant to treat nausea, fever and inflammation; for pain reduction; for muscle relaxation and many other disorders.
Several pharmacologically active substances have been identified in Cyperus rotundus: -cyperone, -selinene, cyperene, cyperotundone, patchoulenone, sugeonol, kobusone, and isokobusone, that may scientifically explain the folk- and alternative-medicine uses.
Food
Despite the bitter taste of the tubers, they are edible and have a nutritional value. The plant is known to have been eaten in Africa in famine-stricken areas.
In addition, the tubers are an important nutritional source of minerals and trace elements for migrating birds such as cranes.
References and external links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cyperus rotundus
Flora Europaea: Cyperus rotundus
Germplasm Resources Information Network: Cyperus rotundus
USDA Plants Profile: Cyperus rotundus
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: Cyperus rotundus (pdf file)
Use in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
A Tel-Aviv University study mentioning its nutritional importance for migrating birds (in Hebrew)
Categories: Cyperus | Edible nuts and seeds | Invasive plant species | Medicinal plantsHidden categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from October 2009
Deutz AG
China Product
History
The company was founded by Nikolaus Otto, inventor of the four-stroke internal combustion engine, in 1848 as N. A. Otto & Cie. Other famous names who worked for Deutz in the past are Eugen Langen, Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach, Prosper L'Orange and Ettore Bugatti.
In the early years, neither Otto nor his partner, lawyer Eugen Langen, were interested in automobiles, only stationary engines. In the middle 1870s, technical director Gottlieb Daimler, agitating for production of automobiles, was transferred to the company's St. Petersburg factory to reduce his influence. He resigned, taking Wilhelm Maybach with him. inflatable jumpers
Deutz once also produced agricultural machines like combines and tractors as well as commercial vehicles such as lorries and buses. (Deutz sold the agricultural machinery division to SAME (Societ Accomandita Motori Endotermici), an Italian company.) The company's head office is located in the Porz district of Cologne and as of 2004 was manufacturing liquid and air-cooled diesel engines. The larger engines in the Deutz range are manufactured in Mannheim. The production facility there in Mannheim once belonged to a company called MWM. Deutz also have production facilities in other countries including Spain and a joint venture production facility in China. After Deutz took over, the plant specialised in marine engines. This facility now produces engines for marine and power generation which can run on either fuel oils or fuel gases (including landfill gas). bounce house inflatable
During World War II, the company was ordered to produce artillery and operated under the name Klckner Humbolt Deutz AG, although both names have been used ever since, even by the company itself, until recently.[citation needed] inflatable football
Deutz-powered commercial vehicles were popular in the years 1960-1980, sold under the brand name Magirus Deutz.
The Engines
Deutz engines are available in the power range 4 to 4000 kW, with air, oil or water cooling.
Parts and service are available worldwide. In the United States and Canada, a network of distributors was established a few years ago, providing parts and service in North America.
Deutz powered equipment has a simple air-cooled design, well-suited for many applications since they cannot freeze or boil-over during normal operation.
Deutz also manufacture oil cooled engines, as these can provide the same power as other engines but in a smaller package since they don't require the additional space to house a radiator.[citation needed] Deutz also makes engines with a tandem oil cooler/radiator configuration; these also do not require antifreeze or coolant agents.
Deutz also has line of economical liquid-cooled engines.
In 2007 the "Deutz Power Systems" division was sold to 3i, and Deutz now concentrates on producing and selling engines under the Deutz brand only. They are focusing on manufacturing engines only for the customer without competing for the entire piece of machinery.
On October 1, 2008, Deutz Power Systems received a new, old, name.... MWM (Motoren Werke Mannheim AG). The company traces its roots to Carl Benz who set up the foundations of the company in 1871. After splitting the engine business off from Benz AG, it became Motoren-Werke Mannheim AG. Klckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG took over in 1985, later becoming Deutz AG. After spinning off Deutz Power Systems, the company has made a full circle back to MWM.
Notes
^ Georgano, G.N. Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)
^ Georgano.
^ http://www.promotion-mwm-energy.de/index.php/en/press-room.html
External links
Official Deutz Website
Deutz Marine Engine Website
DEUTZ logo in the mirror of time
Overhauling of a DEUTZ BF4M1013EC Engine
Categories: Companies listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange | Engine manufacturers | Agricultural machinery manufacturers | Companies based in Cologne | Companies of GermanyHidden categories: Articles needing additional references from April 2008 | All articles needing additional references | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from September 2008 | Articles with unsourced statements from September 2009
Amphibious ATV
China Product
History
ATVs were made in the United States a decade before 3- and 4-wheeled ATVs were introduced by Honda and other Japanese companies. After the presentation of the Jiger in 1961, numerous manufacturers offered a number of similar small off-road vehicles, that were designed to float and were capable of traversing swamps, ponds and streams as well as dry land. Because they were smaller and much simpler in construction than (amphibious) cars, they were much cheaper to produce and quickly gained considerable popularity. By 1970 there were almost 60 companies producing amphibious 6x6 vehicles. There was even a professional racing association dedicated to the 6x6, holding numerous competitions across the USA. These amphibious vehicles were originally called all-terrain vehicles - or ATVs.
In the early 1970s however there was a rapid decline in sales of this type of ATVs, forcing most manufacturers to cease production. Reasons were: digital tire gauge
the 1973 oil crisis prompted many North Americans to tighten their belts and spend less on recreational vehicles. digital tyre pressure
the introduction of the 1970 Honda ATC90 threewheeler offered a fun alternative at some $600 / $800, when a 6x6 would cost $1,500. tire tread gauge
The simple construction of the original ATVs attracted many companies that were interested in making a quick buck, but underestimated the engineering needed, leading to poor quality products, that gave the industry a bad reputation.
Only a small number of manufacturers of this type of vehicle remain today.
Characteristics
Although many differing variants have been developed over the years, and new ones are still being devised, most amphibious ATVs share most of the following characteristics. In contrast to today's ANSI definition of an ATV: "a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the (single) operator, and with handlebars for steering control", an AATV is intended for multiple riders, sitting inside, and will usually have steering wheels or control sticks rather than motorcycle-type handle bars as stipulated in the current definition. Typically constructed with a hard plastic or fiberglass watertight body"tub", AATVs usually have six or eight wheels - all driven - with low pressure (around 3 PSI) balloon tires, no suspension (other than what the tires offer) and no steering wheels. Directional control is accomplished through skid-steering - just as on a tracked vehicle - either by braking the wheels on the side where you want to turn, or by applying more throttle to the wheels on the opposite side. Most contemporary designs use garden tractor type engines, that will provide roughly 25 mph top speed. AATVs typically do not meet automobile legislation in most countries, and are therefore strictly Off Highway Vehicles.
Though not as fast as a straddled ATV, the amphibious 6x6 and 8x8 can be operated with precision at slow speeds, carry more passengers and cargo, and of course, has the ability to float. Although the spinning action of the tires is enough to propel the vehicle through the water - albeit slowly - outboard motors can be added for extended water use.
On land the combination of a large number of wide wheels and tires, low tire pressure and low vehicle weight, all result in exceptionally low ground pressure, high grip and off-road ability. Nevertheless for further enhanced off-road, snow and mud performance, optional tracks can be mounted directly onto the wheels.
Manufacturers and models
Brands / models no longer in production include:
The Jiger, the worlds first to produce ATVs, starting in 1962,
The Amphicat, ca. 1965 - 1975
Attex produced several models from 1968 - 1983, some stood out due to their high 55 mph top speed
The Coot, that featured an articulated twin hull, to keep all of its four wheels on the ground as much as possible, even when driving on very rough terrain. In production from 1967 - 1985.
Current brands of these machines include:
HydroTraxx , fully hydraulic drive 6x6
Argo, manufacturer of 6x6 and 8x8 models
Land Tamer, steel or aluminium hull heavy duty 6x6 or 8x8
MAX, producing several 6x6 models
Gibbs Technologies, makes the Quadski with Performance similar to a jetski
XIBEIHU, manufacturer of Amphibious vehicle.
External links
For more information on amphibious ATVs, see 6x6 World's Amphibious ATV FAQ, or view their comprehensive Amphibious ATV Image Gallery for pictures of various machines.
For more information on amphibious ATVs, see www.route6x6.com's FAQ page, Information Bank and Museum pictures pages.
The amphibiousvehicle.net Amphiclopy also includes information on many known AATVs.
For more information on China made Amphibious ATV,please see Yiwu XIBEIHU
Categories: ATVs | Amphibious vehicles | Off-road vehiclesHidden categories: Wikipedia articles needing style editing from December 2007 | All articles needing style editing
Professional Coin Grading Service
China Product
Influence
Though PCGS was not the first company to provide independent grades (photo-grading services and the ANA's own ANA Certification Service already provided coin grading but at the time) or even the first to introduce the hard plastic protective slab (a smaller company, ASA-Accugrade, claims a patent dated two years earlier), PCGS is credited by coin experts as founding the movement of formal professional third party coin grading.
PCGS introduced the "slabbing" revolution to professional numismatics, in which a coin is encapsulated with an accompanying tamper-resistant certification of its grade. This packaging transformed rare coins from subjectively appraised valuables to numerically valued commodities that could then be traded sight-unseen among coin dealer and outside investor networks. About a year after PCGS was founded, one of their founding members, John Albanese, left and started rival company NGC, and the two have since dominated the coin grading industry. sinamay
The introduction of objective grading attracted considerable new interest in rare coins by investors such as those from Wall Street firms. This lead to a dramatic rise in rare coin values from 1988 to 1989, followed by a collapse of what became an economic bubble in 1990. Since then, the average value of coins have stabilized and shown a slow and steady gain, though the market continues to exhibit fluctuations. easter symbols
In 2002, the Professional Numismatic Guild surveyed members on the quality of the various certification services, with PCGS and NGC both scoring the highest in rank. Subsequent repeats of the survey have given similar results. topiary trees
Coin Holder Design
The PCGS holder is made of transparent, colorless plastic and is designed to be stackable. Anti-counterfeiting measures include a holographic emblem on the back, the design of which has changed over time. The current design depicts the name "PCGS" and the Collector's Universe NASDAQ stock symbol, and a Saint Gaudens double eagle. On the front in pastel blue, the coin information provided includes its type, denomination, grade, and a unique serial number assigned to that particular coin, as well as a machine-readable barcode. Coins that are improperly cleaned, have altered surfaces, or are otherwise damaged will not be graded by PCGS but will still be certified as genuine; such coins are placed in holders that specify "GENUINE" on the front label in place of a grade, and on the back below the holographic emblem will have the phrase "GENUINE NOT GRADABLE" printed. The holder is formed from two parts that are joined over the coin and a paper insert by way of sonically generated heat. Note that though the holder is airtight, it is not vacuum-sealed.
Original first-generation PCGS coin holders are smaller and lack the raised stackable edges of later issues. The original label insert was printed on a green insert. In some of these early holders, the coin on occasion will be loose enough to produce noise when the holder is handled, thus giving rise to the affectionate nick-name of "rattler" to these holders by the coin-collecting community.
The appearance of counterfeit holders early-on led PCGS to introduce a redesigned holder with a holographic emblem next to their logo on the back. Subsequent improvements in technology gave rise to several minor redesigns since, including a transition from the original light green labels to blue ones. PCGS was at one point in time named the official grading service of the Professional Numismatic Guild; during that time, the PNG logo was included on the back as part of its holographic design. This feature was replaced with the current design when PNG switched their affiliation to NGC.
Population Report
PCGS maintains a census of all coins they have graded since their inception, revealing the incidence of each date, mint mark, and reported variety of particular coins, as well as prominent feature designations such as "prooflike" Morgan dollars or "full bands" found on the reverse of better-struck Mercury dimes. Access to this report is available to dealers and paid members of the PCGS Collectors Club, an annual membership service that allows non-dealer individuals to submit coins for grading. The report is updated continuously on their web site, though a printed version is published at regular intervals.
Analysis of this report and a similar one published by NGC has allowed numismatic professionals to estimate the rarity of specific coins, and over time these two data bases have revealed some coins once thought rare to be remarkably common, whereas others thought more common have shown to be likely few in number. The population reports are followed closely by numismatic professionals, but they also recognize that their numbers can be inflated through multiple submissions of the same coin, broken out of its holder and re-submitted with the hopes by the sender of receiving a higher grade, or deflated through reluctance to submit a common coin of little value for a service that costs more money than the coin is worth.
Additional Services
In addition to a population report, PCGS publishes a price guide accessible to the general public including a video by president David Hall of weekly market condition updates. A Set Registry allows coin collectors to register PCGS-certified coins in competitive sets, ranked based on fineness of grade and degree of completion, with famous historic coin collections also listed for comparison. Unlike NGC's Collector's Society, which allows registration of both PCGS-certified coins and NGC's, the PCGS set registry is limited only to PCGS-graded coins, with the exception of the before-mentioned historical comparisons.
Controversies
The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (June 2009)
In the May 26, 2003 edition of Coin World, the hobby newspaper had announced they had contracted investigators to conduct a year-long, comparative study of PCGS, ACCGS, NGC, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation and several other grading services, each know as a Third Party Grader (TPG). In their investigation, several of the same coins were sent to each grading service over the course of a year, each graded by all Third Party Graders sent to. In no case did the grading services agree on the grade of any given coin, and in some cases the difference in grading was seven points off. Coin World further reported that in one case ACCGS had graded a coin as "cleaned" and several grades lower than PCGS, which PCGS had not noted the same coin was "cleaned". PCGS had failed to note on their holders that thousands of shipwreck coins had not been cleaned, although the coins were in fact encrusted with sea debris and barnacles, and cleaned in acid baths. It is standard for professional dealers to note when coins have been cleaned or treated in acid baths, and not doing so can be considered unprofessional and unethical by some numismatists. Further, in U.S. Numismatics, it is standard to grade coins on a point-scale from 1 (poor) to 70 (perfect) and to note on the coin holder if a coin has been cleaned or poorly mishandled, or in some cases, to reject it for encapsulation.
In 1990 the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), which oversees business ethics and fraud, filed a civil action against PCGS alleging exaggerated advertising claims. PCGS did not admit wrongdoing, but agreed to submit its advertising for review for a period of five years. In a filing in Federal district court in Washington, the company agreed to include a statement in its newspaper and television advertising affirming that certification by PCGS does not guarantee protection.
In September 2004, members of the American Numismatic Association reported seeing counterfeit PCGS slabs at the Long Beach Coin Show. More were reported on eBay in the years following, but PCGS did not address the issue until March 27, 2008 with the following acknowledgments on the PCGS website:
"The counterfeit PCGS holders are well-executed, but with minor differences from a genuine holder. PCGS anticipates that authentic coins will eventually be placed into counterfeit PCGS holders in the future, perhaps with elevated grades and/or inappropriate designators.
The following list of coins and certificate numbers have been seen in fake PCGS holders:
China (1916) Silver Dollar, Y-332, Cert #10712316 (valid)
China (1923) Silver Dollar, K-677, Cert #11354470 (valid)
China (1923) Silver Dollar, K-678, Cert #11285683 (valid)
China (1923) Silver Dollar, Y-336.1, Cert #13835186 (valid)
China Republic (1912) 20 Cents, Cert #21981173 (invalid)
China (1916) Gold Dollar, Pn-44, Cert # 11072163 (invalid)
China (1923) Gold Dollar, Tsao Kun, K-677, Cert #11354470 (invalid spec, valid certsed above)
US 1858-O Half Dollar, Cert #03884338 (valid)
US 1800 Silver Dollar, Cert #03859118 (valid)
US 1795 Silver Dollar, Off-Center Bust, Cert #22030856 (valid)
Mexico 1761-MoMM 8 Reales, Cert #05763936 (valid)
"Valid" means that the correct information shows up under Cert Verification."
The above listing consists of only the counterfeits known or reported by PCGS as of March, 2008. Other PCGS counterfeit holders have been reported in eBay forums and more may be reported by other firms and individuals, since PCGS anticipates that authentic coins will eventually be placed into counterfeit PCGS holders, and counterfeit holders may multiply and improve over time. PCGS offers no reimbursement liability for the prices paid for coins in their counterfeit holders. PCGS has an online link to verify the Cert numbers, however, many buyers may not be computer users or may be unaware of their link. On January 7, 2008 Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) posted a notice on their website that high-quality counterfeits of their holders had been purchased on eBay : "Most frequently Trade Dollars and Bust Dollars are found, although Flowing Hair Dollars and foreign coins have also been seen. A range of grades is also represented." Caution is advised when purchasing coins in PCGS and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) holders as the seller can disclaim liability due to the "third party" nature of the counterfeit holder. Additionally, it may be too late to request refunds from eBay sellers before Cert numbers can be verified as counterfeits. Many coins are posted on eBay "as is" and with no return privileges.
See also
Coin collecting
Currency
External links
Professional Coin Grading Service
New York Times Article on the 1990 FTC action
References
^ Travers, Scott A. The Coin Collector's Survival Manual, 6th edition, page 74. House of Collectibles, 2008.
^ Professional Numismatic Guild's 2002 survey of coin grading services
Categories: Coin gradingHidden categories: Articles lacking sources from June 2009 | All articles lacking sources | Wikipedia articles needing style editing from November 2009 | All articles needing style editing | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from October 2009 | NPOV disputes from June 2009 | All NPOV disputes
Serendipity
China Product
Etymology
The word derives from Serendip, the Persian name for Sri Lanka. The Persian word itself has been derived from Sanskrit name for Sri Lanka viz. Swarnadweep (Swarna meaning golden and Dweep meaning island) and was coined by Horace Walpole on 28 January 1754 in a letter he wrote to his friend Horace Mann (not to be confused with the famed American educator, see Horace Mann), an Englishman then living in Florence. The letter read,
"It was once when I read a silly fairy tale, called The Three Princes of Serendip: as their highnesses traveled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of: for instance, one of them discovered that a camel blind of the right eye had traveled the same road lately, because the grass was eaten only on the left side, where it was worse than on the rightow do you understand serendipity? One of the most remarkable instances of this accidental sagacity (for you must observe that no discovery of a thing you are looking for, comes under this description) was of my Lord Shaftsbury, who happening to dine at Lord Chancellor Clarendon's, found out the marriage of the Duke of York and Mrs. Hyde, by the respect with which her mother treated her at table." clamshell packaging stock
Role in science, technology and life clamshells
One aspect of Walpole's original definition of serendipity that is often missed in modern discussions of the word is the "sagacity" of being able to link together apparently innocuous facts to come to a valuable conclusion. Thus, while some scientists and inventors are reluctant about reporting accidental discoveries, others openly admit its role; in fact serendipity is a major component of scientific discoveries and inventions. According to M.K. Stoskopf "it should be recognized that serendipitous discoveries are of significant value in the advancement of science and often present the foundation for important intellectual leaps of understanding". removable adhesive paper
The amount of contribution of serendipitous discoveries varies extensively among the several scientific disciplines. Pharmacology and chemistry are probably the fields where serendipity is more common.
Most authors who have studied scientific serendipity both in a historical, as well as in an epistemological point of view, agree that a prepared and open mind is required on the part of the scientist or inventor to detect the importance of information revealed accidentally. This is the reason why most of the related accidental discoveries occur in the field of specialization of the scientist. About this, Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who discovered LSD properties by unintentionally ingesting it at his lab, wrote
It is true that my discovery of LSD was a chance discovery, but it was the outcome of planned experiments and these experiments took place in the framework of systematic pharmaceutical, chemical research. It could better be described as serendipity.
The French scientist Louis Pasteur also famously said: "In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind." This is often rendered as "Chance favors the prepared mind." William Shakespeare expressed the same sentiment 250 years earlier in act 4 of his play Henry V: "All things are ready if our minds be so."
History, of course, does not record accidental exposures of information which could have resulted in a new discovery, and we are justified in suspecting that they are many. There are several examples of this, however, and prejudice of preformed concepts is probably the largest obstacle. See for example for a case where this happened (the rejection of an accidental discovery in the field of self-stimulation of the brain in humans).
Examples in science and technology
Economics
M. E. Graebner describes serendipitous value in the context of the acquisition of a business as "windfalls that were not anticipated by the buyer prior to the deal": i.e., unexpected advantages or benefits incurred due to positive synergy effects of the merger.[citation needed] Ikujiro Nonaka (1991,p.94 November-December issue of HBR) points out that the serendipitous quality of innovation is highly recognized by managers and links the success of Japanese enterprises to their ability to create knowledge not by processing information but rather by "tapping the tacit and often highly subjective insights, intuitions, and hunches of individual employees and making those insights available for testing and use by the company as a whole".
Chemistry
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (or LSD) by Albert Hofmann, who found this potent hallucinogen while trying to find medically useful derivatives in ergot, a fungus growing on wheat.
Gelignite by Alfred Nobel, when he accidentally mixed collodium (gun cotton) with nitroglycerin
Polymethylene by Hans von Pechmann, who prepared it by accident in 1898 while heating diazomethane
Low density polyethylene by Eric Fawcett and Reginald Gibson at the ICI works in Northwich, England. It was the first industrially practical polyethylene synthesis and was discovered (again by accident) in 1933
Silly Putty by James Wright, on the way to solving another problem: finding a rubber substitute for the United States during World War II.
Chemical synthesis of urea, by Friedrich Woehler. He was attempting to produce ammonium cyanate by mixing potassium cyanate and ammonium chloride and got urea, the first organic chemical to be synthesised, often called the 'Last Nail' of the coffin of the lan vital Theory
Pittacal, the first synthetic dyestuff, by Carl Ludwig Reichenbach. The dark blue dye appeared on wooden posts painted with creosote to drive away dogs who urinated on them.
Mauve, the first aniline dye, by William Henry Perkin. At the age of 18, he was attempting to create artificial quinine. An unexpected residue caught his eye, which turned out to be the first aniline dyepecifically, mauveine, sometimes called aniline purple.
Racemization, by Louis Pasteur. While investigating the properties of sodium ammonium tartrate he was able to separate for the first time the two optical isomers of the salt. His luck was twofold: it is the only racemate salt to have this property, and the room temperature that day was slightly below the point of separation.
Teflon, by Roy J. Plunkett, who was trying to develop a new gas for refrigeration and got a slick substance instead, which was used first for lubrication of machine parts
Cyanoacrylate-based Superglue (a.k.a. Krazy Glue) was accidentally twice discovered by Dr. Harry Coover, first when he was developing a clear plastic for gunsights and later, when he was trying to develop a heat-resistant polymer for jet canopies.
Scotchgard moisture repellant, used to protect fabrics and leather, was discovered accidentally in 1953 by Patsy Sherman. One of the compounds she was investigating as a rubber material that wouldn't deteriorate when in contact with aircraft fuel spilled onto a tennis shoe and would not wash out; she then considered the spill as a protectant against spills.
Cellophane, a thin, transparent sheet made of regenerated cellulose, was developed in 1908 by Swiss chemist Jacques Brandenberger, as a material for covering stain-proof tablecloth.
The chemical element helium. British chemist William Ramsay isolated helium while looking for argon but, after separating nitrogen and oxygen from the gas liberated by sulfuric acid, noticed a bright-yellow spectral line that matched the D3 line observed in the spectrum of the Sun.
The chemical element Iodine was discovered by Bernard Courtois in 1811, when he was trying to remove residues with strong acid from the bottom of his saltpeter production plant which used seaweed ashes as a prime material.
Polycarbonates, a kind of clear hard plastic
The synthetic polymer celluloid was discovered by British chemist and metallurgist Alexander Parkes in 1856, after observing that a solid residue remained after evaporation of the solvent from photographic collodion. Celluloid can be described as the first plastic used for making solid objects (the first ones being billiard balls, substituting for expensive ivory).
Rayon, the first synthetic silk, was discovered by French chemist Hilaire de Chardonnet, an assistant to Louis Pasteur. He spilled a bottle of collodion and found later that he could draw thin strands from the evaporated viscous liquid.
The possibility of synthesizing indigo, a natural dye extracted from a plant with the same name, was discovered by a chemist named Sapper who was heating coal tar when he accidentally broke a thermometer whose mercury content acted as a catalyst to produce phthalic anhydride, which could readily be converted into indigo.
The dye monastral blue was discovered in 1928 in Scotland, when chemist A.G. Dandridge heated a mixture of chemicals at high temperature in a sealed iron container. The iron of the container reacted with the mixture, producing some pigments called phthalocyanines. By substituting copper for iron he produced an even better pigment called 'monastral blue', which became the basis for many new coloring materials for paints, lacquers and printing inks.
Acesulfame, an artificial sweetener, was discovered accidentally in 1967 by Karl Claus at Hoechst AG.
Another sweetener, cyclamate, was discovered by graduate student Michael Sveda, when he smoked a cigarette accidentally contaminated with a compound he had recently synthesized.
Aspartame (NutraSweet) was accidentally ingested by G.D. Searle & Company chemist James M. Schlatter, who was trying to develop a test for an anti-ulcer drug.
Saccharin was accidentally discovered during research on coal tar derivatives.
Saran (plastic) was discovered when Ralph Wiley had trouble washing beakers used in development of a dry cleaning product. It was soon used to make plastic wrap.
A new blue pigment with almost perfect properties was discovered accidentally by scientists at Oregon State University after heating manganese oxide
Pharmacology
Penicillin by Alexander Fleming. He failed to disinfect cultures of bacteria when leaving for his vacations, only to find them contaminated with Penicillium molds, which killed the bacteria. However, he had previously done extensive research into antibacterial substances.
The psychedelic effects of LSD by Albert Hofmann. A chemist, he unintentionally absorbed a small amount of it upon investigating its properties, and had the first acid trip in history, while cycling to his home in Switzerland; this is commemorated among LSD users annually as Bicycle Day.
5-fluorouracil's therapeutic action on actinic keratosis, was initially investigated for its anti-cancer actions
Minoxidil's action on baldness; originally it was an oral agent for treating hypertension. It was observed that bald patients treated with it grew hair too.
Viagra (sildenafil citrate), an anti-impotence drug. It was initially studied for use in hypertension and angina pectoris. Phase I clinical trials under the direction of Ian Osterloh suggested that the drug had little effect on angina, but that it could induce marked penile erections.
Retin-A anti-wrinkle action. It was a vitamin A derivative first used for treating acne. The accidental result in some older people was a reduction of wrinkles on the face
The libido-enhancing effect of l-dopa, a drug used for treating Parkinson's disease. Older patients in a sanatorium had their long-lost interest in sex suddenly revived.
The first benzodiazepine, chlordiazepoxide (Librium) was discovered accidentally in 1954 by the Austrian scientist Dr Leo Sternbach (19082005), who found the substance while cleaning up his lab.[citation needed]
The first anti-psychotic drug, chlorpromazine, was discovered by French pharmacologist Henri Laborit. He wanted to add an anti-histaminic to a pharmacological combination to prevent surgical shock and noticed that patients treated with it were unusually calm before the operation.
The anti-cancer drug cisplatin was discovered by Barnett Rosenberg. He wanted to explore what he thought was an inhibitory effect of an electric field on the growth of bacteria. It was rather due to an electrolysis product of the platinum electrode he was using.
The anesthetic nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Initially well known for inducing altered behavior (hilarity), its properties were discovered when British chemist Humphry Davy tested the gas on himself and some of his friends, and soon realised that nitrous oxide considerably dulled the sensation of pain, even if the inhaler was still semi-conscious.
The anesthetic ether.[citation needed]
Mustine a derivative of mustard gas (a chemical weapon), used for the treatment of some forms of cancer. In 1943, physicians noted that the white cell counts of US soldiers, accidentally exposed when a cache of mustard gas shells were bombed in Bari, Italy, decreased, and mustard gas was investigated as a therapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The first oral contraceptive (a.k.a. The Pill) was discovered by Dr. Carl Djerassi accidental production of synthetic progesterone and its intentional modification to allow for oral intake.[citation needed]
Prontosil, an antibiotic of the sulfa group was an azo dye. German chemists at Bayer had the wrong idea that selective chemical stains of bacteria would show specific antibacterial activity. Prontosil had it, but in fact it was due to another substance metabolised from it in the body, sulfanilimide.
Medicine and Biology
Bioelectricity, by Luigi Galvani. He was dissecting a frog at a table where he had been conducting experiments with static electricity. His assistant touched an exposed sciatic nerve of the frog with a metal scalpel which had picked up a charge, provoking a muscle contraction.
Neural control of blood vessels, by Claude Bernard
Anaphylaxis, by Charles Richet. When he tried to reuse dogs that had previously shown allergic reactions to sea anemone toxin, the reactions developed much faster and were more severe the second time.
The role of the pancreas in glucose metabolism, by Oskar Minkowski. Dogs that had their pancreas removed for an unrelated physiological investigation urinated profusely; the urine also attracted flies, signaling its high glucose content.
Coronary catheterization was discovered as a method when a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic accidentally injected radiocontrast into the coronary artery instead of the left ventricle.
The mydriatic effects of belladonna extracts, by Friedrich Ferdinand Runge
Interferon, an antiviral factor, was discovered accidentally by two Japanese virologists, Yasu-ichi Nagano and Yasuhiko Kojima while trying to develop an improved vaccine for smallpox.
The hormone melatonin was discovered in 1917 when it was shown that extract of bovine pineal glands lightened frog skin. In 1958 its chemical structure was defined by Aaron B. Lerner and in the mid-70s it was demonstrated that also in humans the production of melatonin exhibits and influences a circadian rhythm.
Physics and Astronomy
Discovery of the planet Uranus by William Herschel. Herschel was looking for comets, and initially identified Uranus as a comet until he noticed the circularity of its orbit and its distance and suggested that it was a planet, the first one discovered since antiquity.
Infrared radiation, again by William Herschel, while investigating the temperature differences between different colors of visible light by dispersing sunlight into a spectrum using a glass prism. He put thermometers into the different visible colors where he expected a temperature increase, and one as a control to measure the ambient temperature in the dark region beyond the red end of the spectrum. The thermometer beyond the red unexpectedly showed a higher temperature than the others, showing that there was non-visible radiation beyond the red end of the visible spectrum.
The thermoelectric effect was discovered accidentally by Estonian physicist Thomas Seebeck in 1821, who found that a voltage developed between the two ends of a metal bar when it was submitted to a difference of temperature.
Electromagnetism, by Hans Christian rsted. While he was setting up his materials for a lecture, he noticed a compass needle deflecting from magnetic north when the electric current from the battery he was using was switched on and off.
Radioactivity, by Henri Becquerel. While trying to investigate phosphorescent materials using photographic plates, he stumbled upon uranium.
X rays, by Wilhelm Roentgen. Interested in investigating cathodic ray tubes, he noted that some fluorescent papers in his lab were illuminated at a distance although his apparatus had an opaque cover
S. N. Bose discovered Bose-Einstein statistics when a mathematical error surprisingly explained anomalous data.
The first demonstration of wavearticle duality during the Davissonermer experiment at Bell Labs after a leak in the vacuum system and attempts to recover from it unknowingly altered the crystal structure of the nickel target and led to the accidental experimental confirmation of the de Broglie hypothesis. Davisson went on to share the 1937 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery.
Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, by Arno A. Penzias and Robert Woodrow Wilson. What they thought was excess thermal noise in their antenna at Bell Labs was due to the CMBR.
Cosmic gamma-ray bursts were discovered in the late 1960s by the US Vela satellites, which were built to detect nuclear tests in the Soviet Union
The rings of Uranus were discovered by astronomers James L. Elliot, Edward W. Dunham, and Douglas J. Mink on March 10, 1977. They planned to use the occultation of the star SAO 158687 by Uranus to study the planet's atmosphere, but found that the star disappeared briefly from view five times both before and after it was eclipsed by the planet. They deduced that a system of narrow rings was present.
Pluto's moon Charon was discovered by US astronomer James Christy in 1978. He was going to discard what he thought was a defective photographic plate of Pluto, when his Star Scan machine broke down. While it was being repaired he had time to study the plate again and discovered others in the archives with the same "defect" (a bulge in the planet's image which was actually a large moon).
High-temperature superconductivity was discovered serendipitously by physicists Johannes Georg Bednorz and Karl Alexander Mller, ironically when they were searching for a material that would be a perfect electrical insulator (nonconducting). They won the 1987 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Metallic hydrogen was found accidentally in March 1996 by a group of scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, after a 60-year search.
Inventions
Discovery of the principle behind inkjet printers by a Canon engineer. After putting his hot soldering iron by accident on his pen, ink was ejected from the pen's point a few moments later.
Vulcanization of rubber, by Charles Goodyear. He accidentally left a piece of rubber mixture with sulfur on a hot plate, and produced vulcanized rubber
Safety glass, by French scientist Edouard Benedictus. In 1903 he accidentally knocked a glass flask to the floor and observed that the broken pieces were held together by a liquid plastic that had evaporated and formed a thin film inside the flask.
Corn flakes and wheat flakes (Wheaties) were accidentally discovered by the Kelloggs brothers in 1898, when they left cooked wheat unattended for a day and tried to roll the mass, obtaining a flaky material instead of a sheet.
The microwave oven was invented by Percy Spencer while testing a magnetron for radar sets at Raytheon, he noticed that a peanut candy bar in his pocket had melted when exposed to radar waves.
Pyroceramic (used to make Corningware, among other things) was invented by S. Donald Stookey, a chemist working for the Corning company, who noticed crystallization in an improperly cooled batch of tinted glass.
The Slinky was invented by US Navy engineer Richard T. James after he accidentally knocked a torsion spring off his work table and observed its unique motion.
Arthur Fry happened to attend a 3M college's seminar on a new "low-tack" adhesive and, wanting to anchor his bookmarks in his hymnal at church, went on to invent Post-It Notes.
The chocolate chip cookie was invented through serendipity
Chocolate chip cookies were invented by Ruth Wakefield when she attempted to make chocolate drop cookies. She did not have the required chocolate so she broke up a candy bar and placed the chunks into the cookie mix. These chunks later morphed into what is now known as chocolate chip cookies.
Serendipitous ideas
Some ideas and concepts that came to scientists through accidents or even dreams are also considered a kind of serendipity. Some examples (coincidentally all are regarded with suspicion by science historians):
Isaac Newton's famed apple falling from a tree, leading to his musings about the nature of gravitation.
The German chemist Friedrich August Kekul von Stradonitz dreamed about Ourobouros, a snake running around and forming a circle, leading to his solution of the closed chemical structure of cyclic compounds, such as benzene.
Archimedes' prototypical cry of Eureka when he realised that his body displacing water in the bathtub allowed him to measure the weight:volume (ratio) of any irregular body, such as a gold crown etc.
Examples in exploration
Stories of accidental discovery in exploration abound, of course, because the aim of exploration is to find new things and places. The principle of serendipity applies here, however, when the explorer had one aim in mind and found another unexpectedly. In addition, discoveries have been made by people simply attempting to reach a known destination but who departed from the customary or intended route for a variety of reasons. Some classical cases were discoveries of the Americas by explorers with other aims.
The first European to see the coast of North America was reputedly Bjarni Herjlfsson, who was blown off course by a storm in 985 or 986 while trying to reach Greenland.
Christopher Columbus was looking for a new way to India in 1492 and wound up landing in The Americas. Native Americans were therefore called Indians.
Although the first European to see and step on South America was Christopher Columbus in Northeast Venezuela in 1498, Brazil was also discovered by accident, first by Spaniard Vicente Pinzon in 1499, who was only trying to explore the West Indies previously discovered by him and Columbus, and stumbled upon the Northeast of Brazil, in the region now known as Cabo de Santo Agostinho, in the state of Pernambuco. He also discovered the Amazon and Oiapoque rivers.
Pedro lvares Cabral, a Portuguese admiral, who was sailing with his fleet to India via the South African route discovered by Vasco da Gama, headed southwest to avoid the calms off the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, and so encountered the coast of Brazil in 1500.
This section requires expansion.
Uses of serendipity
Serendipity is used as a sociological method in Anselm L. Strauss' and Barney G. Glaser's Grounded Theory, building on ideas by sociologist Robert K. Merton, who in Social Theory and Social Structure (1949) referred to the "serendipity pattern" as the fairly common experience of observing an unanticipated, anomalous and strategic datum which becomes the occasion for developing a new theory or for extending an existing theory. Robert K. Merton also coauthored (with Elinor Barber) The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003), which traces the origins and uses of the word "serendipity" since it was coined. The book is "a study in sociological semantics and the sociology of science", as the subtitle of the book declares. It further develops the idea of serendipity as scientific "method" (as juxtaposed with purposeful discovery by experiment or retrospective prophecy).
Related terms
William Boyd coined the term zemblanity to mean somewhat the opposite of serendipity: "making unhappy, unlucky and expected discoveries occurring by design". It derives from Novaya Zemlya (or Nova Zembla), a cold, barren land with many features opposite to the lush Sri Lanka (Serendip). On this island Willem Barents and his crew were stranded while searching for a new route to the east.
Bahramdipity is derived directly from Bahram Gur as characterized in the "Three Princes of Serendip". It describes the suppression of serendipitous discoveries or research results by powerful individuals.
Bibliography
Theodore G. Remer, Ed.: Serendipity and the Three Princes, from the Peregrinaggio of 1557, Edited, with an Introduction and Notes, by Theodore G. Remer, Preface by W.S. Lewis. University of Oklahoma Press, 1965. LCC 65-10112
Robert K. Merton, Elinor Barber: The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity: A Study in Sociological Semantics and the Sociology of Science. Princeton University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-691-11754-3. (Manuscript written 1958).
Patrick J. Hannan: Serendipity, Luck and Wisdom in Research. iUniverse, 2006. ISBN 0-595-36551-5
Royston M. Roberts: Serendipity: Accidental Discoveries in Science. Wiley, 1989. ISBN 0-471-60203-5
Pek Van Andel: "Anatomy of the unsought finding : serendipity: origin, history, domains, traditions, appearances, patterns and programmability." British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 1994, 45(2), 631648.
See also
Synchronicity
Coincidence
Lateral thinking
Insight
References
^ "Words hardest to translate: Encyclopedia II Words hardest to translate The list by Today Translations." Global Oneness The meeting place for Cultural Creatives Articles, News, Community, Forums, Travel & Events and much more. 21 Apr. 2009 <http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Words_hardest_to_translate_-_The_list_by_Today_Translations/id/5596801>.
^ Italian Dictionary Hoepli, cfr.
^ OED, serendipity.
^ As given by W. S. Lewis, ed., Horace Walpole's Correspondence, Yale edition, in the book by Theodore G. Remer, ed.: Serendipity and the Three Princes, from the Peregrinaggio of 1557, Edited, with an Introduction and Notes, by Theodore G. Remer, Preface by W.S. Lewis. University of Oklahoma Press, 1965. LCC 65-10112
^ Observation and cogitation: how serendipity provid...[ILAR J. 2005] PubMed Result
^ Original French, as at Louis Pasteur: Dans les champs de l'observation le hasard ne favorise que les esprits prpars.
^ Accidental Discovery Produces Durable New Blue Pigment for Multiple Applications
^ Elliot, J.L.; Dunham, E. and Mink, D. (1977). "The rings of Uranus". Nature 267: 328330. doi:10.1038/267328a0. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v267/n5609/abs/267328a0.html.
^ Boyd, William. Armadillo, Chapter 12, Knopf, New York, 1998. ISBN 0-375-40223-3
^ (a) Sommer, Toby J. "'Bahramdipity' and Scientific Research", The Scientist, 1999, 13(3), 13.
(b) Sommer, Toby J. "Bahramdipity and Nulltiple Scientific Discoveries," Science and Engineering Ethicss, 2001, 7(1), 77104.
"The view from Serendip", by Arthur C. Clarke, Random House, 1977.
"Momentum and Serendipity: how acquired leaders create value in the integration of technology firms", by Melissa E. Graebner, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, U.S.A. 2004.
External links
Polymers & Serendipity: Case Studies rayon, nylon, and more examples in chemistry
Social Serendipity MIT Media Lab project using mobile phones for social matchmaking
The Three Princes of Serendip one version of the story.
Serendip a website continually evolving using the principles of serendipity
Serendipity and the Internet from Bill Thompson at the BBC
Accidental discoveries. PBS
Serendipity of Science a BBC 4 Radio series by Simon Singh
Top Ten: Accidental discoveries. Discovery Channel Explore your World.
ACM Paper on Creating serendipitous encounters in a geographically distributed community.
Serendipitous Information Retrieval : An Academic Research Publication by Elaine G. Toms
Programming for Serendipity - AAAI Technical Report FS-02-01
The Serendipity Equations
The lists in this article may contain items that are not notable, encyclopedic, or helpful. Please help out by removing such elements and incorporating appropriate items into the main body of the article. (January 2008)
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Voltage multiplier
China Product
Breakdown Voltage
While the multiplier can be used to produce thousands of volts of output, the individual components do not need to be rated to withstand the entire voltage range. Each component only needs to be concerned with the relative voltage differences directly across its own terminals and of the components immediately adjacent to it.
Typically a voltage multiplier will be physically arranged like a ladder, so that the progressively increasing voltage potential is not given the opportunity to arc across to the much lower potential sections of the circuit. hair dryer holder
Note that some safety margin is needed across the relative range of voltage differences in the multiplier, so that the ladder can survive the shorted failure of at least one diode or capacitor component. Otherwise a single-point shorting failure could successively over-voltage and destroy each next component in the multiplier, potentially destroying the entire multiplier chain. oven heating element
Other circuit topologies purse hangers
Two cascades driven by a single center-tapped transformer. This configuration provides full-wave rectification leading to less ripple.
Stacking
A second cascade stacked onto the first one driven by a high voltage isolated second secondary winding. The second winding is connected with 180 phase shift to get full wave rectification. The two windings need to be insulated against the large voltage between them.
A single secondary winding of a transformer driving two cascades of opposite polarities at the same time. Stacking the two cascades provides an output of twice the voltage but with better ripple and capacitor charging characteristics than would be achieved with a single long cascade of the same voltage.
An even number of diode-capacitor cells is used in any column so that the cascade ends on a smoothing cell. If it were odd and ended on a clamping cell the ripple voltage would be very large. Larger capacitors in the connecting column also reduce ripple but at the expense of charging time and increased diode current.
Applications
The high-voltage supplies for cathode ray tubes often use voltage multipliers with the final-stage smoothing capacitor formed by the interior and exterior aquadag coatings on the CRT itself.
A common type of voltage multiplier used in high-energy physics is the Cockcroftalton generator (which was designed by John Douglas Cockcroft and Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton for a particle accelerator, for use in research that won them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1951).
See also
Marx generator (a device that uses spark gaps instead of diodes as the switching elements and can deliver higher peak currents than diodes can)
Cockcroftalton generator
Rectifier
Charge pump
Voltage doubler
External links
Basic multiplier circuits
Cockcroft Walton multipliers
Schematic of Kadette brand (International Radio Corp.) model 1019. A 1937 radio with a vacuum tube (25Z5) voltage multiplier rectifier.
Categories: Electrical circuits | Electrical power conversion
Renault 5
China Product
First generation (19721984)
Renault 5 (first generation)
Production ntn ball bearings
1972 - 1984 (1983 For North America) ntn ball bearing
Assembly bulkhead fitting
Billancourt, France
Valladolid, Spain
Mariara, Venezuela
Tehran, Iran
Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Body style(s)
3-door hatchback
5-door hatchback
Layout
MF layout
Engine(s)
0.8 L I4
1.1 L C-Type I4
1.4 L C-Type I4
1.4 L C-Type I4 Turbo
Transmission(s)
5-speed manual
4-speed manual
3-speed automatic
Wheelbase
96 in (2,400 mm)
(approx average of l & r)
Length
138 in (3,500 mm)
Width
60 in (1,500 mm)
Height
55 in (1,400 mm)
Fuel capacity
41 L (10.8 US gal; 9.0 imp gal)
The Renault 5 was introduced in January 1972 as Renault's first supermini[citation needed]. Styled by Michel Boue, who died before the car's release, the R5 featured a steeply sloping rear hatchback and front dashboard. Boue had wanted the taillights to go all the way up from the bumper into the C-pillar, in the fashion of the much later Fiat Punto and Volvo 850 Estate / Wagon, but the lights remained at a more conventional level.
First generation, rear view
The R5 borrowed mechanicals from the Renault 4, using a longitudinally-mounted engine driving the front wheels with torsion bar suspension. OHV engines were borrowed from the Renault 4, Renault 8, and Renault 16, and ranged from 850 to 1400 cc.
Early R5s used a dashboard-mounted gearshift (the gearbox is in front of the engine) later replaced with a floor mounted shifter. Door handles were formed by a cut-out in the door panel and B-pillar. The R5 was one of the first cars produced with a plastic bumper bar or fascia that has become an industry standard.
The R5's engine was set well back in the engine bay, above and half behind the gear box, allowing the stowage of the spare wheel under the bonnet/hood, an arrangement freed more space for passengers and luggage within the cabin. The passenger compartment "is remarkably spacious" in comparison to other modern, small European cars. The Renault 5 body's drag coefficient was only 0.37 (with most European cars going up to 0.45).
Other versions of the first generation included the Renault 5 Alpine (Gordini in the United Kingdom), Alpine/Gordini Turbo, and a four-door sedan version called the Renault 7 and built by FASA-Renault of Spain.
Renault Le Car
"Le Car" version sold by AMC
The North American Renault 5 debuted in 1976 as the Le Car. American Motors (AMC) marketed it through its 1,300 dealers where it competed in the United States against such front-wheel-drive subcompacts as the Honda Civic and Volkswagen Rabbit. It was described as a "French Rabbit" that "is low on style, but high on personality and practicality".
The small Renault 5 was dubbed Le Car by AMC's ad agency and the new line was launched in the U.S. with a marketing campaign emphasizing that it was Europe's best selling automobile with millions of satisfied owners. It did not achieve such immediate success in the United States market even though the LeCar was praised in road tests comparing "super-economy" cars for its interior room and smooth ride, with an economical [35 mpg-US (6.7 L/100 km; 42 mpg-imp) highway and 28 mpg-US (8.4 L/100 km; 34 mpg-imp) city] as well as smooth-running engine.
The U.S. version featured a 1397 cc I4 engine that produced 55 hp (41 kW), and a more conventional floor-mounted shifter was substituted for the dash-mounted unit. In 1977 it dominated the Sports Car Club of America "Showroom Stock Class C" class.
The Le Car was offered in 3-door hatchback form from 1976-80. For the 1980 model year, the front end was updated to include a redesigned bumper and grille, as well as rectangular headlights. A 5-door hatchback body style was added for the 1981 model year. Imports continued through 1983, when the car was replaced by the Wisconsin-built Renault 11-based Renault Encore.
Chronology
January 1972: Introduction of the Renault 5 in L and TL forms. Both models had rear pull handles, a folding rear seat, grey bumpers, wind up front windows, and a dashboard-mounted gear shift lever. The TL was better equipped, and had a vanity mirror for the front seat passenger, three ashtrays (one in the driver's door armrest and two in the rear), two separate reclining front seats instead of one bench seat, front pull handles, and three stowage pockets.
1973: Gear lever moved from dashboard to floor, between front seats. TL gains heated rear window.
1974: Introduction of the R5 LS, same as R5 TL, plus floor-mounted gear shift lever, stylish wheels, H4 iodine headlights, electric windscreen washers, fully carpeted floor ahead of the front seats, carpeted rear parcel shelf, electronic rev counter, daily totalizer, two-speed ventilation system, illuminated ashtray with cigarette lighter.
March 1975: R5 LS renamed R5 TS. The TS had all features of the previous LS, plus new front seats with integrated head restraints, black bumpers, illuminated heater panel, front spoiler, rear wiper, clock, opening rear quarter lights and reversing lights.
February 1976: Introduction of the R5 GTL. It had the 1289 cc engine from the R5 TS (albeit with the power reduced to 42 bhp), the equipment specification of the R5 TL plus grey side protection strips and some features from the R5 TS such as the styled wheel rims, reversing lights, cigarette lighter, illuminated heater panel, electric windscreen washers.
1976: Introduction of the R5 Alpine, with 1397 cc engine with hemispherical combustion chambers, high compression ratio and & special 5-speed manual gearbox.
1977: R5 GTL gets opening rear quarter lights.
1977: R5 L gets new 845 cc engine.
1978: Introduction of the R5 Automatic, similar to R5 GTL, but with 1289 cc (55 bhp) engine, 3-speed automatic transmission, vinyl roof and front seats from TS.
1980: 5-door TL, GTL and Automatic models arrive.
1982: Introduction of the R5 TX.
1982: Introduction of the R5 Alpine Turbo, similar to the R5 Alpine, but with a Garrett T3 Turbo, new alloy wheels, stiffer suspension and disc brakes all-round.
Engines
B1B 0.8 L (845 cc/51.6 cu in) 8-valve I4; 36 PS (26 kW; 36 hp); top speed: 120 km/h (75 mph)
C1C (689) 1.0 L (956 cc/58.3 cu in) 8-valve I4; 42 PS (31 kW; 41 hp); top speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)
C1E (688) 1.1 L (1,108 cc/67.6 cu in) 8-valve I4; 45 PS (33 kW; 44 hp); top speed: 135 km/h (84 mph)
'The C1E is a carburettor (Solex) model with ignition coil, condenser, points and vacuum timing advance. Spark Gap 0.8 mm, Dwell angle 49 deg with points gap ~ 0.18 mm. This engine, thought a Renault 5 engine, was also put into early Clio Mk 1's for the initial production run. The wiki on the Clio (car) page does not list this engine as being in any Clio's but it was in early version. Being carburettor it is a non catalyst engine designed for unleaded fuel. Even with timing advance, the 95 RON octane fuel will cause knock at higher revs. 98 fuel will not knock so is preferable for motorway speeds, or use of octane booster (expansive per tank) or preferably 50 ml of acetone per tank of fuel. Economy is 35-50 mpg on 4 speed manual gearbox.'
810 1.3 L (1,289 cc/78.7 cu in) 8-valve I4; 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp); top speed: 140 km/h (87 mph) (automatic)
810 1.3 L (1,289 cc/78.7 cu in) 8-valve I4; 64 PS (47 kW; 63 hp); top speed: 151 km/h (94 mph)
C1J (847) 1.4 L (1,397 cc/85.3 cu in) 8-valve I4; 63 PS (46 kW; 62 hp); top speed: 142 km/h (88 mph) (automatic)
C2J 1.4 L (1,397 cc/85.3 cu in) turbo 8-valve I4; 110 PS (81 kW; 108 hp); top speed: 185 km/h (115 mph); 0100 km/h (62 mph): 9.1 s
Sporting versions
Renault 5 Turbo
The Renault 5 in its 1.4 litre Alpine version was raced in Group 2, its most notable result was a second and first in the 1977 Monte-Carlo rally despite a serious handicap in power against other works cars.
For 1978, a rally Group 4 (later Group B) version was introduced. It was named as the Renault 5 Turbo, but being mid-engined and rear wheel drive, this car bore little technical resemblance to the road-going version. Though retaining the shape and general look of the 5, only the door panels were shared with the standard version. Driven by Jean Ragnotti, this car won the Monte Carlo Rally for its first race in World Rally Championship. The 2WD R5 turbo soon had to face the competition of new 4WD cars that proved to be faster on dirt, however it remained among the fastest of its era on tarmac.
Renault 5 Turbo - The Renault 5 was radically modified by mounting a turbocharged engine behind the driver in what is normally the passenger compartment, creating a mid-engined rally car.
The Renault 5 Turbo was made in many guises, eventually culminating with the Renault 5 Maxi Turbo. This car had up to 400 bhp (298 kW; 406 PS), all produced from a slightly enlarged and highly modified version of the original 1397 cc Renault 5 engine.
Renault 5 Alpine (Renault 5 Gordini in the UK)
Renault 5 Alpine Turbo (Renault 5 Gordini Turbo in the UK)
Many confuse the different versions of the Renault 5 Turbo, often grouping them all under the common moniker "Renault 5 Turbo". The "Renault 5 Gordini Turbo", referenced above, is the front-engined predecessor to the "Renault 5 GT Turbo". The "Renault 5 Turbo", "Renault 5 Turbo 2" and variants are the mid-engined versions with the wide wheel-arches (which are so often copied with poor-quality bodykits on second-generation Renault 5s).
Production in Iran
The original Renault 5 continued in production in Iran by SAIPA and Pars Khodro, as the Sepand. In 2002, the Sepand was replaced by the P.K, a car that adopted a styling reminiscent of the second generation, but still using the slightly-modified original bodywork. The P.K has been replaced by the New P.K which is a little changed in body style.
Second generation (19851996)
Renault 5 (second generation) "Supercinq"
Production
19851996
Assembly
Billancourt, France
Palencia, Spain
Mariara, Venezuela
Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Body style(s)
3-door hatchback
5-door hatchback
Layout
FF layout
Engine(s)
1.0 L C-Type I4
1.1 L C-Type I4
1.4 L C-Type I4
1.4 L C-Type I4 Turbo
1.7 L F-Type I4
1.6 L F-Type diesel I4
Transmission(s)
3-speed automatic
4-speed manual
5-speed manual
The second generation Renault 5, often referred to as the Supercinq or Superfive, appeared in 1985. Although the bodyshell and chassis were completely new (the platform was based on that of the Renault 9/11), familiar 5 styling trademarks were retained; styling was the work of Marcello Gandini. The new body was wider and longer featuring 20 percent more glass area and more interior space, with a lower drag coefficient (0.35), as well as 57.4 mpg-US (4.10 L/100 km; 68.9 mpg-imp) at 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) in the economy models. The biggest change was the adoption of a transversely-mounted powertrain taken directly from the 9 and 11, plus a less sophisticated suspension design, which used MacPherson struts.
Second Generation Renault 5 with 5-doors
Second Generation Renault 5 with 3-doors
The Renault Express, a panel van version of the Second Generation Renault 5
The second-generation R5 also spawned a panel van version, known as the Renault Express. It was commercialised in some European countries as the Renault Extra (UK) or Renault Rapid (mainly German speaking countries). This car was intended to replace the R4 F6 panel van, production of which had ceased in 1986.
A "hot hatch" version, the GT Turbo, was a car beloved of boy racers through the 1980s and 1990s. Sporting 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp) in the Phase 1, the Phase 2 GT Turbo later brought 5 extra horsepower to the table, a slightly altered torque band and higher reliability. Coming from a simple 1397 cc OHV engine, this was considered quite a feat. Due to strict emission demands in certain European countries, the GT Turbo was not available everywhere. Because of this Renault decided to use the naturally aspirated 1.7 L from the Renault 19, which utilized multipoint fuel injection. Under the name GTE, it produced 95 PS (70 kW; 94 hp). Although not as fast as the turbo model, it featured the same interior and exterior appearance, as well as identical suspension and brakes.
The model was starting to show its age by 1990, when it was effectively replaced by the more modern and better-built Clio, which was an instant sales success across Europe. Production of the R5 was transferred to the Revoz factory in Slovenia when the Clio was launched, and it remained on sale as a budget choice called the Campus until the car's 24-year production run finally came to an end in 1996. The Campus name was revived in 2005 with the Renault Clio II. The Renault Clio II remains in production alongside the Renault Clio III, as the R5 did with the first Renault Clio.
Chronology
1985: Introduction of the second-generation Renault 5 3-door Hatchback range in TC, TL, GTL, Automatic, TS and TSE forms. The entry-level TC had the 956 cc engine (rated at 42 bhp), while the TL had the 1108 cc engine (rated at 47 bhp), and the GTL, Automatic, TS and TSE had the 1397 cc engine (rated at 60 PS (44 kW; 59 hp) for the GTL, 68 PS (50 kW; 67 hp) for the Automatic, and 72 PS (53 kW; 71 hp) for the TS and TSE). The TC and TL had a 4-speed manual gearbox, while the GTL, TS and TSE had a 5-speed manual gearbox (which was optional on the TL), and the Automatic had a 3-speed automatic gearbox.
1987: Introduction of 1721 cc F2N engine in the GTX, GTE (F3N) and Baccara.
With the launch of the Renault Clio, production of the Renault 5 was transferred to the Revoz factory in Slovenia, and it remained on sale as a budget car until the model's 24-year production run finally came to an end in 1996.
Engines
Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (July 2009)
C1C (689) 1.0 L (956 cc/58.3 cu in) 8-valve I4; 4242 PS (31 kW; 41 hp); top speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)
C1E 1.1 L (1,108 cc/67.6 cu in) 8-valve I4; 47 PS (35 kW; 46 hp); top speed: 135 km/h (84 mph)
The C1E is a carburettor (Solex) model with ignition coil, condenser, points and vacuum timing advance. Spark Gap 0.8 mm, Dwell angle 49 deg with points gap ~ 0.18 mm. This engine, thought a Renault 5 engine, was also put into early Clio Mk 1's for the initial production run. The wiki on the Clio (car) page does not list this engine as being in any Clio's but it was in early version. Being carburettor it is a non catalyst engine designed for unleaded fuel. Even with timing advance, the 95 RON octane fuel will cause knock at higher revs. 98 fuel will not knock so is preferable for motorway speeds, or use of octane booster (expansive per tank) or preferably 50 ml of acetone per tank of fuel. Economy is 35-50 mpg on 4 speed manual gearbox. It is an 8 valve chain cam driven petrol.
C1J (847) 1.4 L (1,397 cc/85.3 cu in) 8-valve I4; 63 bhp (46 kW); top speed: 142 km/h (88 mph) (automatic)
C1J (784-788) 1.4 L (1,397 cc/85.3 cu in) turbo 8-valve I4; 115-120 bhp (86 kW); top speed: 201 km/h (125 mph); 0100 km/h (62 mph): 7.9-7.5 seconds
F2N 1.7 L (1,721 cc/105.0 cu in) 8-valve I4; 90 bhp (67 kW); top speed: 185 km/h (115 mph); 0100 km/h (62 mph): 8.9 seconds
Collectibility
The Renault 5 has achieved, like the original Mini, a cult status. The "Renault Owners Club of North America" provides support, parts and various resources for Renault owners and enthusiasts.
References
Inline
^ Pleffer, Ashlee. "Renault 5: it french for good" Cars Guide (Australia) 10 March 2008, retrieved on 1 August 2008.
^ Daily Express Motor Show Review 1975 Cars: Page 41 (Renault 5TL). October 1974.
^ Daily Mail Motor Show Review 1972 on 1973 Cars (London: Associated Newspapers Group Ltd): Page 41 (Renault 5). October 1972.
^ Horbue, Jan P. (February 1975). "The new logic in small-car engineering". Popular Science 206 (2): 56-59. http://books.google.com/books?id=WwEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56&dq=%22Renault+5%22+road+test&lr=&ei=qflNS9uKDo-2M6uvpfMM&client=safari&cd=41#v=onepage&q=&f=false. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
^ Genta, Giancarlo; Morello, Lorenzo (2009). The Automotive Chassis: System design. Springer. p. 142. ISBN 9781402086731. http://books.google.com/books?id=XEGZIZ5zhy4C&pg=PA143&dq=Renault+5+drag+coefficient&lr=&ei=nAROS-KoEJ2sM6W7qIkN&client=safari&cd=8#v=onepage&q=Renault%205%20drag%20coefficient&f=false. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
^ Witzenburg, Gary (February 1982). "Imports '82". Popular Mechanics 155 (2): 120. http://books.google.com/books?id=HtUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA120&dq=Renault+5+Imports+82&lr=&ei=PwROS9jEGp6wNMvewY4N&client=safari&cd=1#v=onepage&q=Renault%205%20Imports%2082&f=false. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
^ Advertising techniques ADA Publishing, 1979, page 26-28, ISSN: 0001-0235
^ Dunne, Jim; Hill, Ray (November 1976). "Super-economy Cars". Popular Science 209 (5): 38-46. http://books.google.com/books?id=GgEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38&dq=Renault+5+Super-economy&lr=&ei=cQROS83fBp3WNN7RiZAN&client=safari&cd=1#v=onepage&q=Renault%205%20Super-economy&f=false. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
^ SportsCar Magazine by the Sports Car Club of America, 1977.
^ "Euro hatchback". Popular Science 206 (1): 36. January 1985. http://books.google.com/books?id=fgAAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36&dq=Renault+5+drag+coefficient&lr=&ei=nAROS-KoEJ2sM6W7qIkN&client=safari&cd=5#v=onepage&q=Renault%205%20drag%20coefficient&f=false. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
^ "Renault 5 GT Turbo" Modern Legends, konceptZERO, 30 November 2006, retrieved on 1 August 2008.
^ Sparrow, David (1992). Renault 5: Le Car. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855322301.
^ Renault Owners Club of North America official home page, retrieved on 14 April 2009.
General
Covello, Mike and Flammang, James M. (2002). Standard Catalog of Imported Cars 1946-2002. Kraus Publications. ISBN 9780873416054.
Sparrow, David (1992). Renault 5: 'Le Car'. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855322301.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Renault 5
"Road Test - Renault 5 GT Turbo" Autocar (UK) magazine, 26 March 1986, retrieved on 1 August 2008.
Renault 5 details (French)/(English)/(Spanish)
First-generation Renault 5s
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Dauphine
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Large family car
Juvaquatre
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21
Executive car
Frgate
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25
Gran Turismo
Torino
Coup
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Fuego
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Rodeo 4/6
Rodeo
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Clio III
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Mgane I
Mgane II
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Alliance
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Vel Satis
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Kangoo II
SUV
Koleos
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Modus
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Scnic I
Scnic II
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Espace II
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Fuego
Avantime
Laguna Coup
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Medalion
Categories: Renault vehicles | Subcompact cars | Front wheel drive vehicles | 1970s automobiles | 1980s automobiles | Hatchbacks | 1990s automobiles | Vehicles introduced in 1972Hidden categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from March 2008 | Articles to be expanded from July 2009 | All articles to be expanded