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Amédée-Ernest Bollée (11 January 1844 – 20 January 1917) was a French bellfounder and inventor who specialized in steam cars. After 1867 he was known as "Amédée père" to distinguish him from his similarly named son, Amédée-Ernest-Marie Bollée (1867–1926).
Amédée père manufactured his first steam vehicle ''L'Obéissante'' (''The Obedient'') in 1873 and made the first road trip between Paris and Le Mans in 18 hours. The ''L'Obéissante'' carried 12 passengers and had a cruising speed of and a top speed of . It was driven by two V twin steam engines, one for each rear wheel. The original vehicle is preserved in the collection of the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris.
In 1878 Amédée père designed ''La Mancelle'', which is regarded as the first automobile to be put into series production, 50 being manufactured in all. It possessed such (for the period) advanced features as rear-wheel drive (via shaft to the differential and then via chain to the rear wheels) and independent suspension on all four wheels. The original vehicle is preserved in the collection of the Musée de l'Automobile de la Sarthe.
The public demonstrations of ''L'Obeissante'' and ''La Mancelle'' had secured orders for the Bollée factory, and Amédée père accepted an order for a road train which was completed in 1879. Developing 100 hp, ''La Marie-Anne'' had a three speed gearbox and was capable of towing 35 tons on a 6% slope.
''La Marie-Anne'' was of a similar design to ''La Mancelle'' with a vertical boiler mounted at the rear driving front mounted engines which transmitted their power to the rear wheels via driveshafts and chains. A Tender locomotive, tender carried coal and water reserves.
''La Rapide'' (''The Rapid'') was built in 1881 and was noted for achieving a speed of . ''La Rapide'' grouped the boiler, the engine and the controls at the front of the vehicle, thus making it possible for it to be driven by a single operator.
The Bollée family
In French:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bollee, Amedee 1844 births 1870s cars 1880s cars 1917 deaths 19th-century French inventors Carillon makers Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of France Foundrymen People from Le Mans Steam road vehicles
Amédée-Ernest Bollée (11 January 1844 – 20 January 1917) was a French bellfounder and inventor who specialized in steam cars. After 1867 he was known as "Amédée père" to distinguish him from his similarly named son, Amédée-Ernest-Marie Bollée (1867–1926).
Biography
Bollée was the eldest son of Ernest-Sylvain Bollée, a bellfounder and inventor who moved to Le Mans in 1842. He became seriously ill in the 1860s and was obliged to delegate the day-to-day running of his businesses to his three sons. Amédée-Ernest was given charge of the bell foundry, while Ernest-Jules (1846–1922) supervised the hydraulic ram business and the youngest son, Auguste-Sylvain Bollée (1847–1906) assumed control of the ''Éolienne Bollée'' wind-turbine factory.Steam vehicles
''L'Obéissante''
Amédée père manufactured his first steam vehicle ''L'Obéissante'' (''The Obedient'') in 1873 and made the first road trip between Paris and Le Mans in 18 hours. The ''L'Obéissante'' carried 12 passengers and had a cruising speed of and a top speed of . It was driven by two V twin steam engines, one for each rear wheel. The original vehicle is preserved in the collection of the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris.
''La Mancelle''
In 1878 Amédée père designed ''La Mancelle'', which is regarded as the first automobile to be put into series production, 50 being manufactured in all. It possessed such (for the period) advanced features as rear-wheel drive (via shaft to the differential and then via chain to the rear wheels) and independent suspension on all four wheels. The original vehicle is preserved in the collection of the Musée de l'Automobile de la Sarthe.
''La Marie-Anne''
The public demonstrations of ''L'Obeissante'' and ''La Mancelle'' had secured orders for the Bollée factory, and Amédée père accepted an order for a road train which was completed in 1879. Developing 100 hp, ''La Marie-Anne'' had a three speed gearbox and was capable of towing 35 tons on a 6% slope.
''La Marie-Anne'' was of a similar design to ''La Mancelle'' with a vertical boiler mounted at the rear driving front mounted engines which transmitted their power to the rear wheels via driveshafts and chains. A Tender locomotive, tender carried coal and water reserves.
''La Nouvelle''
Amédée père had derived from ''La Mancelle'' different vehicles that he delivered in a variety of styles of bodywork such as: limousine, coach, omnibus etc. The ''La Nouvelle'' was from this series and was completed in 1880. The rear of the vehicle was designed to receive the piston engine, this time rejected near the boiler in order to enlarge the passenger cabin.''La Rapide''
''La Rapide'' (''The Rapid'') was built in 1881 and was noted for achieving a speed of . ''La Rapide'' grouped the boiler, the engine and the controls at the front of the vehicle, thus making it possible for it to be driven by a single operator.
See also
*History of steam road vehiclesReferences
External links
The Bollée family
In French:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bollee, Amedee 1844 births 1870s cars 1880s cars 1917 deaths 19th-century French inventors Carillon makers Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of France Foundrymen People from Le Mans Steam road vehicles