One of the main inventions of aviation - a parachute - appeared due to the determination and efforts of just one person - self-taught designer Gleb Kotelnikov. He had to not only solve many of the most complicated technical tasks for his time, but also to achieve the start of mass production of a life-saving kit for a long time.
early years
The future inventor of the parachute Gleb Kotelnikov was born on January 18 (30), 1872 in St. Petersburg. His father was a professor of higher mathematics at the capital's university. The whole family was fond of art: music, painting and theater. Amateur performances were often staged in the house. Therefore, it is not surprising that the inventor of the parachute, which had not yet taken place, dreamed of a stage in childhood.
The boy played great on the piano and some other musical instruments (balalaika, mandolin, violin). At the same time, all these hobbies did not prevent Gleb from keenly interested in technology. Having received gold hands from birth , he constantly made and assembled something (for example, at the age of 13 he managed to assemble a working camera).
Career
The future chosen by the inventor of the parachute was determined after the family tragedy. Gleb’s father died prematurely, and his son had to abandon his dreams of a conservatory. He went to the Kiev artillery school. The young man graduated in 1894 and thus became an officer. Then followed three years of military service. Having resigned, Kotelnikov became an official in the provincial excise department. In 1899, he married his childhood friend Julia Volkova.
In 1910, a family with three children moved to St. Petersburg. In the capital, the future inventor of the parachute became an actor in the People’s House, taking the pseudonym Glebov-Kotelnikov for the stage. St. Petersburg gave him new opportunities for the realization of inventive potential. All previous years, the nugget continued to engage in construction at an amateur level.
Passion for airplanes
At the beginning of the 20th century, the development of aviation began. In many cities of Russia, including St. Petersburg, demonstration flights began to be carried out, which keenly interested the public. In this way, the future inventor of the backpack parachute, Gleb Kotelnikov, became acquainted with aviation. Being all his life indifferent to technology, he could not help but catch up with interest in airplanes.
By a coincidence, Kotelnikov became an unwitting witness to the first death of a pilot in the history of Russian aviation. During a demonstration flight, pilot Matsievich fell off his seat and died, collapsing to the ground. Following him, a primitive and unstable plane crashed.
The need for a parachute
The crash involving Matsievich was a natural consequence of the insecurity of flying on the very first aircraft. If a person went into the air, he put his life at stake. This problem arose even before the advent of aircraft. In the 19th century, balloons suffered from a similar unresolved issue. In the event of a fire, people were trapped. They could not leave the vehicle in distress.
This dilemma could only be solved by the invention of a parachute. The first experiments on its production were carried out in the West. However, the task in terms of its technical features was extremely difficult for its time. Over the years, aircraft stomped on the spot. The inability to provide a life saving guarantee for pilots seriously hindered the development of the entire aeronautics industry. Only desperate daredevils walked into it.
Work on the invention
After a tragic episode in a demonstration flight, Gleb Kotelnikov (the one who invented the parachute) turned his apartment into a full-fledged workshop. The designer was obsessed with the idea of creating a rescue tool that would help pilots survive in the event of a plane crash. The most amazing thing was that the amateur actor set about alone on a technical task, over which many specialists from around the world had been struggling for many years to no avail.
The inventor of the parachute Kotelnikov conducted all his experiments at his own expense. Money was tight, often had to save on details. Rescue equipment instances were dropped from kites and Petersburg roofs. Kotelnikov got a pile of books on the history of flying. The experience passed one by one. Gradually, the inventor came to an approximate configuration of a future rescue vehicle. It was supposed to be a durable and lightweight parachute. Small and folding, he could always be with a person and help out at the most dangerous moment.
Technical Problem Solving
Using a parachute with an imperfect design was fraught with several serious flaws. First of all, this is a powerful jerk, which was waiting for the pilot during the opening of the dome. Therefore, Gleb Kotelnikov (the one who invented the parachute) devoted a lot of time to designing a suspension system. He also had to redo the mount several times. When using the wrong design of a life-saving tool, a person could rotate randomly in the air.
The inventor of an airborne backpack parachute tested his first models on dummy dolls. He used silk as a fabric. In order for this matter to be able to lower a person to earth at a safe speed, about 50 square meters of canvas were required. At first, Kotelnikov put the parachute in his head helmet, but so much silk could not fit in it. The inventor had to come up with an original solution for this problem.
Backpack idea
Perhaps the name of the inventor of the parachute would have been different if Gleb Kotelnikov had not guessed to solve the problem of folding the parachute with the help of a special satchel. In order to fit matter into it, I had to come up with an original drawing and intricate layout. Finally, the inventor set about creating the first prototype. In this matter, his wife helped him.
Soon, RK-1 (Russian - Kotelnikovsky) was ready. Inside the special metal satchel was a shelf and two coil springs. Kotelnikov made the design so that it could open as quickly as possible. For this, the pilot needed only to pull the special cord. The springs inside the knapsack opened the dome, and the fall became smooth.
Finishing touches
The parachute consisted of 24 canvases. Through the entire dome slings went, which were connected on hanging straps. They were fastened with hooks to the base worn on a person. It consisted of a dozen waist, shoulder and chest belts. Leg girths were also provided. The device of the parachute allowed the pilot to control it when descending to the ground.
When it became clear that the invention would be a breakthrough in aviation, Kotelnikov worried about copyright. He did not have a patent, and therefore any outsider who saw the parachute in action and understood the principle of its operation could steal the idea. These fears forced Gleb Evgenievich to transfer his trials to the remote Novgorod places, which the son of the inventor advised. It was there that the final version of the new rescue vehicle would be tested.
The fight for the patent
The amazing story of the invention of the parachute continued on August 10, 1911, when Kotelnikov wrote a detailed letter to the War Department. He described in detail the technical characteristics of the novelty and explained the importance of its implementation in the army and civil aviation. Indeed, the number of aircraft was only growing, and this threatened with new deaths of brave pilots.
However, the first letter of Kotelnikov was lost. It became clear that now the inventor has to deal with the terrible bureaucratic red tape. He began to pad the thresholds of the War Department and various commissions. In the end, Gleb Evgenievich broke into the committee on inventions. However, the functionaries of this department rejected the idea of the designer. They refused to grant a patent, considering the invention useless.
Confession
After the failure at home, Kotelnikov achieved the official registration of his invention in France. The long-awaited event took place on March 20, 1912. Then it was possible to organize a general test, which was attended by pilots and other persons involved in the young Russian aviation. They were held on June 6, 1912 in the village of Salyuzi near St. Petersburg. After the death of Gleb Evgenievich, this settlement was renamed Kotelnikovo.
On a June morning, in front of an amazed audience, a balloon pilot cut the end of the loop, and a specially prepared dummy began to fall to the ground. Spectators watched what was happening in the air with binoculars. After a few seconds, the mechanism worked, and the dome opened wide in the sky. There was no wind that day, because of which the mannequin landed right on its feet and, after standing for a few more seconds, fell. After this public test, it became known to the whole world who was the inventor of the airborne backpack parachute.
Mass production of parachutes
The first serial production of RK-1 began in France in 1913. Demand for parachutes has grown by an order of magnitude after World War I soon began. In Russia, rescue kits were necessary for pilots of Ilya Muromets aircraft. Then, for many years, the RK-1 remained indispensable in Soviet aviation.
Under the Bolshevik government, Kotelnikov continued to engage in modifications of his original invention. He worked a lot with Zhukovsky, who shared his own aerodynamic laboratory. Experienced jumps with trial models of parachutes turned into a mass spectacle - a huge number of spectators came to them. In 1923, the RK-2 model appeared. Gleb Kotelnikov provided her with a semi-soft satchel. Then a few more modifications followed. Parachutes became more convenient and practical.
At the same time as his inventive activity, Kotelnikov devoted a lot of time to helping flying clubs. He gave lectures, was a welcome guest in sports communities. At age 55, the inventor stopped experimenting due to age. He transferred all his legacy to the Soviet state. For numerous merits, Kotelnikov was awarded the Order of the Red Star.
Being retired, Kotelnikov continued to live in the Northern capital. He wrote books and textbooks. When the Great Patriotic War began, Gleb Evgenievich, already elderly and poorly seeing, nevertheless took an active part in organizing the air defense of Leningrad. The siege of winter and famine dealt a severe blow to his health. Kotelnikov managed to be evacuated to Moscow, where he died on November 22, 1944. The famous inventor was buried in the Novodevichy cemetery.