José María Lanz
Encyclopedia
José María Lanz y Zaldívar (March 26, 1764–1839) was a Spanish-Mexican mathematician and engineer. Together with Agustín de Betancourt
, he developed the classification of mechanisms begun by Jean Nicolas Pierre Hachette
, and counts as one of the founders of industrial kinematics (machine construction).
His name is sometimes written as Philippe Louis Lanz.
He was born in Campeche
in the south-east of Mexico
, then a colony of Spain
, and studied at Instituto Campechano, where he was later also a teacher. He continued to study naval engineering in Spain. In 1781 he joined the Spanish Royal Navy at Cadiz
, working as a cartographer and lecturer in mathematics. In Yucatan
he studied the use of henequen
for making ropes and other naval utensils, and published a report on this in 1783, making him the first to write about the use of this plant. In 1789 he made a tour through Europe with Josef de Mendoza y Ríos
, visiting France, England, Germany, Sweden, Poland and Russia. In Paris he met Gaspard Monge
and Agustín de Betancourt
. Lanz left the navy in 1792, stayed in Paris and married there.
When Betancourt in 1802 founded the Engineering school for roads, canals and harbours (Escuela de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos), today a branch of the Technical University of Madrid
, Lanz became a professor there, and remained so until 1805.
Soon after the establishment in 1794 of École Polytechnique
in Paris, Monge had proposed a class on the analysis of mechanisms and described the subject to fellow teachers. When the class was first taught in 1806 by Hachette
, Lanz and Betancourt were among its students. Lanz revised his lecture notes and published them together with Betancourt as Essai sur la composition des machines (1808; 2nd ed. 1819; 3rd ed. 1840), encouraged to do so by Monge and Hachette. This textbook on machine design became widespread in European universities. It was translated to English as Analytical essay of the construction of machines (1820, published by Rudolph Ackermann
) and by Thomas Fenwick as Essays on practical mechanics (1822) and to German by Wilhelm Kreyher as Versuch über die Zusammensetzung der Maschinen (1829).
In the years 1805–1808, he led a Commission for science and art and 1808–1812 he worked for the ministry of the interior. In 1812 he went in exile to South America, and in 1816 became director for a school of mathematics in Buenos Aires
. From 1817 he worked in Paris as a translator and private instructor. Between 1822 and 1826, he worked for the military of the recently independent republic of Gran Colombia
as a cartographer, founder of schools, founder of a museum, and director of an observatory. Back in Paris, he lectured at a school of geography and collaborated with watchmaker Breguet. He died in 1839 in Paris.
Agustín de Betancourt
Agustín de Betancourt y Molina was a prominent Spanish-Canarian engineer, who worked in Spain, France and Russia. His work ranged from steam engines and balloons to structural engineering and urban planning...
, he developed the classification of mechanisms begun by Jean Nicolas Pierre Hachette
Jean Nicolas Pierre Hachette
Jean Nicolas Pierre Hachette , French mathematician, was born at Mézières, where his father was a bookseller.For his early education he proceeded first to the college of Charleville, and afterwards to that of Reims...
, and counts as one of the founders of industrial kinematics (machine construction).
His name is sometimes written as Philippe Louis Lanz.
He was born in Campeche
Campeche, Campeche
San Francisco de Campeche is the capital city of the Mexican state of Campeche, located at,...
in the south-east of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, then a colony of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and studied at Instituto Campechano, where he was later also a teacher. He continued to study naval engineering in Spain. In 1781 he joined the Spanish Royal Navy at Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, working as a cartographer and lecturer in mathematics. In Yucatan
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
he studied the use of henequen
Henequen
Henequen is an agave whose leaves yield a fiber also called henequen which is suitable for rope and twine, but not of as high a quality as sisal. Alternative spellings are Henequin and Heniquen. It is the major plantation fiber agave of eastern Mexico, being grown extensively in Yucatán,...
for making ropes and other naval utensils, and published a report on this in 1783, making him the first to write about the use of this plant. In 1789 he made a tour through Europe with Josef de Mendoza y Ríos
Josef de Mendoza y Ríos
Josef de Mendoza y Ríos was a Spanish astronomer and mathematician of the 18th century, famous for his work on navigation....
, visiting France, England, Germany, Sweden, Poland and Russia. In Paris he met Gaspard Monge
Gaspard Monge
Gaspard Monge, Comte de Péluse was a French mathematician, revolutionary, and was inventor of descriptive geometry. During the French Revolution, he was involved in the complete reorganization of the educational system, founding the École Polytechnique...
and Agustín de Betancourt
Agustín de Betancourt
Agustín de Betancourt y Molina was a prominent Spanish-Canarian engineer, who worked in Spain, France and Russia. His work ranged from steam engines and balloons to structural engineering and urban planning...
. Lanz left the navy in 1792, stayed in Paris and married there.
When Betancourt in 1802 founded the Engineering school for roads, canals and harbours (Escuela de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos), today a branch of the Technical University of Madrid
Technical University of Madrid
The Technical University of Madrid or sometimes called Polytechnic University of Madrid is a Spanish University, located in Madrid. It was founded in 1971 as the result of merging different Technical Schools of Engineering and Architecture, originated mainly in the 18th century...
, Lanz became a professor there, and remained so until 1805.
Soon after the establishment in 1794 of École Polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
in Paris, Monge had proposed a class on the analysis of mechanisms and described the subject to fellow teachers. When the class was first taught in 1806 by Hachette
Jean Nicolas Pierre Hachette
Jean Nicolas Pierre Hachette , French mathematician, was born at Mézières, where his father was a bookseller.For his early education he proceeded first to the college of Charleville, and afterwards to that of Reims...
, Lanz and Betancourt were among its students. Lanz revised his lecture notes and published them together with Betancourt as Essai sur la composition des machines (1808; 2nd ed. 1819; 3rd ed. 1840), encouraged to do so by Monge and Hachette. This textbook on machine design became widespread in European universities. It was translated to English as Analytical essay of the construction of machines (1820, published by Rudolph Ackermann
Rudolph Ackermann
Rudolph Ackermann was an Anglo-German bookseller, inventor, lithographer, publisher and businessman.- Biography :...
) and by Thomas Fenwick as Essays on practical mechanics (1822) and to German by Wilhelm Kreyher as Versuch über die Zusammensetzung der Maschinen (1829).
In the years 1805–1808, he led a Commission for science and art and 1808–1812 he worked for the ministry of the interior. In 1812 he went in exile to South America, and in 1816 became director for a school of mathematics in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. From 1817 he worked in Paris as a translator and private instructor. Between 1822 and 1826, he worked for the military of the recently independent republic of Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
as a cartographer, founder of schools, founder of a museum, and director of an observatory. Back in Paris, he lectured at a school of geography and collaborated with watchmaker Breguet. He died in 1839 in Paris.
External links
- The German "Digitale Mechanismen- und Getriebebibliothek" has digitized:
- Essai sur la composition des machines (2nd ed. 1819) metadata, fulltext viewer
- Versuch über die Zusammensetzung der Maschinen (1829) metadata, fulltext viewer