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While Daimler and Benz were experimenting with petrol engines, another German engineer had been working on an internal combustion engine which worked in an entirely different way. Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913) gave his name to the kind of engine fitted to trucks, buses and some cars.
Diesel\'s engine used an oil similar to paraffin instead of petrol. It drew air into the cylinder, where it was compressed by the piston. When this compressed air met the fuel which had been forced into the cylinder, the mixture ignited and there was an explosion, forcing the piston upwards.
Diesel patented his engine in 1892, but it was not until 1898 that he demonstrated it at an exhibition in Munich. It was an immediate success despite its size and weight, and was quickly adopted for use in factories. Later, lighter and more compact versions were developed for heavy road vehicles, tractors and eventually for cars.
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