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Benjamin Franklin Invention: Odometer. By Ben Stutzman. The Odometer. The Odometer is a device used to measure how far a car, carriage, or any other vehicle has travelled. It can be electronic or mechanical, or both.
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Benjamin FranklinInvention: Odometer By Ben Stutzman
The Odometer • The Odometer is a device used to measure how far a car, carriage, or any other vehicle has travelled. • It can be electronic or mechanical, or both. • Most modern cars also have a trip meter with their Odometer. It measures how far a vehicle has gone on a single trip, and can be reset.
The History of the Odometer • Archimedes of Syracuse may have invented the Odometer. • The first use of an odometer might have been by Pliny and Strabo, who have recorded the distances of the journeys of Alexander The Great. • Leonardo da Vinci tried to build it, using a description of the Odometer of Vitruvius.
Benjamin Franklin’s Odometer • Benjamin Franklin made up his own version of the odometer. It was a simple odometer for trips in his carriage, because he wanted to know how far and fast he was going. • He also wanted to analyze the best routes to deliver mail, as the Postmaster General in 1775. • In 1763, he used an odometer on a 5 month carriage tour, inspecting post offices.
Description of the Odometer • The distance travelled was recorded with a set of gears attached to the wheel of a carriage, and three circles with numbers printed on them. The wheel made the gears spin, which spun the circles, and the numbers would show the distance. • When the odometer was used with a carriage wheel with a circumference of 13.2 feet, a mile equaled 400 turns of the wheel.
Three most important details learned: • Ben did not invent the odometer, he only made up a new version. • Ben made his odometer to aid him in delivering mail. • Ben’s odometer was very accurate, and a clever design. FUN FACTS • Ben was a practical inventor. He invented many things that were designed to help with daily activities. • Ben didn’t patent his inventions, because he believed that everyone should have the right to use them.
Bibliography • Wikipedia.org • About.com • BenFranklin300.org • Famouspeoplebiographyguide.com Pictures: Benfranklin300.org Nndb.com Famouspeoplebiographyguide.com