Various mechanisms
It was in the head of Leonardo da Vinci that the idea of a car was born. Unfortunately, the body drawings were not fully drawn out, because during the development of his project the master was very interested in the engine and chassis.
This famous drawing shows a prototype modern car. The self-propelled three-wheeled cart is propelled by a complex crossbow mechanism that transmits power to actuators connected to the steering wheel. Rear wheels have differentiated drives and can move independently. Except for the big one front wheel, there was another one - a small one, rotating, which was placed on a wooden lever. This vehicle was originally intended for the entertainment of the royal court and belonged to the range of self-propelled vehicles that were created by other engineers of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Leonardo depicted a pair of oxen pulling a geometrically increasing wheel. Thus, the force required to move the wheel decreases as its diameter increases.
The upper part of the figure shows the transmission of motion to the cart axis. The handle turns a gear, which drives a projector mechanism connected to the cart's axle, increasing its speed. The movement is transmitted to only one wheel, so that the others can move at different speeds. Nowadays, the differential serves the same purpose.
Shown here are two drives (bevel and spur) that transmit motion to gears of different diameters. Each has its own speed, equal to the time it takes to complete full turn. This system is based on the same principles as the speed selector in modern cars Oh. In Leonardo's time, such a device could be used to operate mills and various equipment.
This mechanism is designed to produce various speeds necessary for the operation of watches, machines and Vehicle. It relates to modern box transmission The three gears are rigidly connected to each other and lined up along the radius of the largest one, called the planetario. The central wheel is driven from the outside using a handle and transmits the momentum to the adjacent wheel. Only the middle wheel is independent of the “planetario”, the other two are rigidly connected to it. At the moment of transfer of movement from the central wheel to the outer one, the “planetario” turns, but at a speed less than the original one. Rotation outer wheel on its own axis relative to the “planetario” circle is called an “epicycloidal curve.”
In April 2004, Italian scientist Carlo Pedretti announced that he had discovered the secret of the springs that powered the "car" that was created by Leonardo da Vinci in 1478. Thus, after five centuries, scientists were finally able to understand the design of his self-propelled cart, build and launch it.
Leonardo da Vinci's self-propelled cart can be called a prototype of a car. The real car appeared only at the end of the 19th century, when two German residents Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz developed an engine internal combustion. Leonardo's "car" was not intended for mass production, it did not have a seat, the device was actually designed as a car for festivals: a kind of moving platform, its power reserve at full factory was only 40-50 meters.
Da Vinci was able to build a self-propelled cart only in 2004
And its size is clearly too small to transport people. So to speak of Leonardo’s “car” would be an exaggeration; some researchers have dubbed this device the “Leomobile”. The cart was wooden, three-wheeled, the rear wheels rotated independently of each other.
Da Vinci's self-propelled cart
However, like many other da Vinci projects, it haunted many generations of scientists, engineers and designers. Interest and enthusiasm were also fueled by the fact that all attempts to bring the legendary inventor’s plan into reality failed. This was due to the lack of clear instructions for Leonardo's sketches. Parts and details of the cart had to be thought out. There is an assumption that the body drawings were not drawn because the inventor was carried away by the mechanism itself.
Drawings for Da Vinci's "car"
The main problem for the designers was the question: what exactly drove this cart. Researchers initially believed that the two springs, bent as in the crossbow shown in the sketch in the Atlantic Codex, straightened out, were supposed to become this driving force. However, Italian professor Carlo Pedretti decided that the springs were not intended to move the car, but to control the engine mechanism. And the original engine was springs coiled in drums.
The springs were wound by a person who had to rotate two gears located in the upper front corners of the device. The length of each of these springs is seven meters, and the harder they are wound, the further the cart will travel.
To test the guess, it was decided to first create computer model device, which showed that the project is viable. After which they built a structure that was 1.68 meters long and 1.49 meters wide. Here, however, some enthusiasts were disappointed. Modern engineers considered this machine too dangerous and did not dare to test it.
Full-size Leomobile was found dangerous
"She could have collided with something and caused serious damage“,” Paolo Galluzzi, director of the Institute and Museum of the History of Science in Florence, told reporters. The question of why the landfill could not be used remains unanswered. As a result, a copy was built on a scale of one to three for testing and demonstration.
Painter, sculptor, architect, anatomist, natural scientist, inventor, engineer, writer, thinker, musician, poet. If you list only these areas of application of talent, without naming the name of the person to whom they relate, anyone will say: Leonardo da Vinci. We will consider only one of the facets of the personality of the “great Leonardo” and talk about his technical inventions.
Da Vinci was a famous figure of his time, but real fame came many centuries after his death. Only at the end of the 19th century were the scientist’s theoretical notes published for the first time. They contained descriptions of strange and mysterious devices for their time. During the Renaissance, da Vinci could hardly count on the quick implementation of all his inventions. The main obstacle to their implementation was insufficient technical level. But in the 20th century, almost all the devices described in his works became a reality. This suggests that the “Italian Faust” was not only a talented inventor, but also a person who was able to anticipate technological progress. Of course, this was facilitated by Leonardo's deep knowledge.
The scientist systematized his developments, creating so-called “codes” - books containing records about certain aspects of science and technology. There is, for example, "Leicester Code", in which you can find descriptions of various natural phenomena, as well as mathematical calculations.
It is noteworthy that da Vinci’s notes are made in the so-called “mirror” font. All letters are written from right to left and rotated vertically. They can only be read using a mirror. There are still ongoing debates about why the scientist needed to keep records in this way. Rumor has it that this is how he intended to keep his works secret.
Helicopter and hang glider
None technical invention does not cause such awe and admiration as a flying car. That is why da Vinci’s flying machines have always been riveted Special attention. The inventor always dreamed of the idea of aeronautics. Birds became the source of inspiration for the scientist. Leonardo tried to create a wing for an aircraft in the image and likeness of bird wings. One of the devices he developed was driven by movable wings, which were raised and lowered by the pilot's rotation of the pedals. The pilot himself was positioned horizontally (lying down).
Another version of the flying machine involved using not only the legs, but also the arms of the aeronaut for movement. Experiments with the “bird” wing did not have practical success, and soon the inventor moved on to the idea of gliding flight. This is how the hang glider prototype appeared. By the way, in 2002, British testers proved the correctness of the da Vinci hang glider concept. Using a device built according to the master’s drawings, world hang gliding champion Judy Liden was able to rise to a height of ten meters and stay in the air for seventeen seconds.
Of no less interest is the aircraft developed by da Vinci with a main rotor. Nowadays, many consider this machine to be the prototype of a modern helicopter. Although the device looks more like a gyroplane rather than a helicopter. The screw, made of fine flax, had to be driven by four people. The helicopter was one of the first flying machines proposed by da Vinci. Perhaps that's why he had whole line serious shortcomings, which would never have allowed him to take off. For example, the strength of four people was clearly not enough to create the thrust necessary for takeoff.
But the parachute was one of the simplest developments of the genius. But this does not at all detract from the significance of the invention. According to Leonardo's idea, the parachute was supposed to have a pyramidal shape, and its structure was supposed to be covered with fabric. In our time, testers have proven that da Vinci's parachute concept can be considered correct. In 2008, Swiss Olivier Tepp successfully landed using a pyramid-shaped tent. True, for this the parachute had to be made from modern materials.
Leonardo da Vinci was the illegitimate (illegitimate) son of the Tuscan notary Piero da Vinci. His mother was a simple peasant woman. Subsequently, Leonardo's father married a girl from a noble family. Since this marriage turned out to be childless, he soon took his son to him.
It is believed that da Vinci was a vegetarian. The following words are attributed to him: “If a person strives for freedom, why does he keep birds and animals in cages?.. Man is truly the king of animals, because he cruelly exterminates them. We live by killing others. We are walking cemeteries! I gave up meat at an early age.”
Automobile
When you get acquainted with the works of da Vinci, you begin to understand why small Italy became the birthplace of the legendary car brands. Back in the 15th century, an Italian inventor was able to sketch a “self-propelled carriage”, which became the prototype modern cars. The cart developed by Leonardo had no driver and was driven by a spring mechanism.
Although the latter is just an assumption of modern scientists. It is not known for certain how exactly the master intended to move his invention forward. We also don’t know what the first car should have looked like. Leonardo's main attention was not appearance designs, and technical specifications. The cart was three-wheeled, like a children's bicycle. The rear wheels rotated independently of each other.
In 2004, Italian researchers managed to not only build a car designed by da Vinci, but also make it move! Scientist Carlo Pedretti managed to unravel the main mystery of Leonardo da Vinci's carriage, namely the principle of movement. The researcher suggested that the car should have been driven not by springs, but by special springs, which were located at the bottom of the structure.
Tank
Bestialissima pazzia (translated from Italian as “animal madness”) - this is precisely the unflattering epithet that the “Titan of the Renaissance” awarded the war. In his notes, da Vinci mentioned that he hated war and killing machines. Paradoxically, this did not stop him from developing new military equipment.
We should not forget that Leonardo did not live in peacetime. Italian cities had a difficult relationship with each other, and there was also the threat of French intervention. By the end of the 15th century, da Vinci had become a famous and respected military specialist. He presented his numerous military developments in a letter written to the Duke of Sforza in Milan.
One of the scientist's most exciting ideas was... a tank. However, it would be much more correct to call Leonardo’s design a distant prototype of armored vehicles of the 20th century. This structure had a rounded shape and looked like a turtle, bristling with tools on all sides. The inventor hoped to solve the problem of movement with the help of horses. However, this idea was quickly abandoned: in a confined space the animals could become uncontrollable.
Instead, the “engine” of such a tank would have to be eight people who would turn levers connected to the wheels and thus move combat vehicle forward. Another crew member had to be at the top of the device and indicate the direction of movement. Interestingly, the design of the armored vehicle allowed it to move only forward. As you might guess, at that time the tank concept had little chance of being realized.
A tank will become a truly effective weapon only when it is possible to create suitable engine internal combustion. Da Vinci’s main merit was that he managed to lift the curtain of history and look many centuries ahead.
Leonardo da Vinci was a truly versatile person. The inventor played the lyre beautifully and appeared in the records of the Milan court as a musician. Da Vinci was also interested in cooking. For thirteen years, the organization of court feasts rested on his shoulders. He developed several useful devices especially for cooks.
Chariot - scythe
Another very original and at the same time creepy invention of the genius of the Renaissance dates back to 1485. It received the simple name “chariot-scythe”. This chariot was a horse cart equipped with rotating scythes. The design does not at all claim to be the invention of the century. This invention was also not destined to come to fruition. On the other side, war chariot demonstrates the breadth of thought of da Vinci as a military specialist.
Machine gun
One of da Vinci's most famous inventions, ahead of its time, is considered to be a machine gun. Although it would be more correct to call Leonardo’s design a multi-barreled gun. Da Vinci had several designs for multiple rocket launchers. His most famous invention in this field is the so-called “musket in the shape of an organ pipe.” The design had a rotating platform on which three rows of muskets (arquebuses) with eleven barrels were placed.
The da Vinci machine gun could fire only three shots without reloading, but they would be enough to kill large quantity enemy soldier. The main disadvantage of the design was that such a machine gun is extremely difficult to reload, especially in combat conditions. Another version of a multi-barreled gun involved the arrangement of a large number of muskets in a fan-like arrangement. The gun barrels were pointed at different sides, increasing the damage radius. Like the previous development, the “fan” gun was supposed to be equipped with wheels to increase mobility.
Cannonballs and "mobile" bridges
Perhaps da Vinci's most insightful invention was the keel-shaped cannonball. Such cannonballs were shaped like artillery shells of the 20th century. This development was many centuries ahead of its time. It demonstrates the scientist's deep understanding of the laws of aerodynamics.
An invention called the “rotating bridge” was of great value for its time. This bridge became the prototype of modern mobile mechanized bridges designed for quickly crossing troops from one bank to another. The Da Vinci Bridge was solid and attached to one bank. After installing the bridge, it was supposed to turn it to the opposite bank using ropes.
"Vitruvian Man" is one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous drawings. The drawing is notable for its detailed recreation of the proportions of the human body. It simultaneously arouses scientific and cultural interest. It is noteworthy that long before the image of the “Vitruvian Man” by da Vinci, a similar drawing was made by the Italian scientist Mariano Taccola. True, the image of Taccola was only an undeveloped sketch.
The Sforza dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Milan during the Renaissance. The first Duke of Milan was Francesco Sforza, who reigned until 1466. In 1480, the talented cultural figure Lodovico Sforza became Duke of Milan. During his reign, the most capable artists and scientists of their time were invited to the court. One of them was Leonardo da Vinci.
“Mona Lisa” (“La Gioconda”) is perhaps the most mysterious example of painting in the world. The picture still raises many questions. So, it is not known for certain who exactly da Vinci depicted on his canvas. It is believed that the painting depicts the noble Florentine Lisa Gherardini. One of the most incredible theories is that the painting is a self-portrait of da Vinci himself.
Diving suit
Yes, yes, its invention is also attributed to da Vinci. The diving suit was made of leather and equipped with glass lenses. The diver could breathe using reed tubes. The scientist proposed the concept of a diving suit to repel the threat posed by the Turkish fleet. According to the idea, the divers were supposed to dive to the bottom and wait for the arrival of enemy ships.
When enemy ships appeared above the water, the divers had to commit sabotage and send the ships to the bottom. It was not destined to prove the correctness of this concept. Venice was able to resist the Turkish fleet without the help of saboteurs. By the way, the world’s first squad of combat swimmers appeared in Italy, but this happened only in 1941. The very design of the spacesuit, presented by da Vinci, can be considered innovative.
Submarine, mine, gun parts
Leonardo da Vinci's recordings have survived to this day, in which one can clearly see the prototype of a submarine. But there is very little information about her. Most likely, on the surface the ship could move using sails. Underwater, the ship had to move using oar power.
To destroy enemy ships, da Vinci designed a special underwater mine. According to the inventor's plan, such a mine could be delivered to the side of an enemy ship by saboteur divers or a submarine. This idea was first realized only in the second half of the 19th century, during Civil War in USA.
Despite the abundance of inventions, only one of them brought da Vinci fame during his lifetime. We are talking about a wheel lock for a pistol. In the 16th century, this development gave rise to a real technological boom. The design turned out to be so successful that it was used until the 19th century.
All of the above is far from full list inventions of da Vinci. In addition to these developments, among the master’s ideas were: a bearing, a mechanical ladder, a rapid-fire crossbow, a steam weapon, a ship with a double bottom, and much more.
If history had taken a different path, the small Italian town of Vigevano near Milan could have become a real wonder of the world. It was there that Leonardo da Vinci intended to realize his most ambitious idea - the ideal city. Da Vinci's project is reminiscent of a high-tech city of the future from literary works of science fiction. Or a utopia generated by the wild imagination of a writer.
The main feature of such a city was that it consisted of several tiers connected by stairs and passages. As you might guess, the upper tier was intended for the upper strata of society. The lower one was allocated for trade and services. There were also located essential elements transport infrastructure. The city was to become not only the greatest architectural achievement of the time, but also to embody many technical innovation. However, the project should not be perceived as a manifestation of soulless technocracy. Da Vinci paid a lot of attention to the comfort of the city's inhabitants. Practicality and hygiene were paramount. The scientist decided to abandon narrow medieval streets in favor of spacious roads and squares.
One of the key aspects of the concept was the widespread use water channels. With the help of complex hydraulic system water had to flow into every city building. Da Vinci believed that in this way it would be possible to eliminate unsanitary conditions and reduce the spread of disease to a minimum.
Having familiarized himself with the scientist’s concept, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza considered the idea too adventurous. At the end of his life, Leonardo presented the same project to the French king Francis I. The scientist proposed to make the city the capital of the monarch, but the project remained on paper.
Genius or plagiarist?
As you know, history develops in a spiral. Many inventions were born long before their development was appropriated by other inventors. Probably Leonardo da Vinci is no exception either. We should not forget that da Vinci had access to the scientific heritage of ancient civilization. In addition, da Vinci lived surrounded by the best minds of his time. He had the opportunity to communicate with outstanding figures of science and culture. The scientist could adopt many ideas from his colleagues.
Artist and engineer Mariano Taccola is a forgotten genius of the Renaissance. He died in 1453 (da Vinci was born in 1452). Unlike da Vinci, Mariano Taccola did not receive recognition during his life and did not gain worldwide fame after it. Meanwhile, many of Taccola's developments were continued in the works of da Vinci. It is known that Leonardo was familiar with the works of Francesco di Giorgio, which, in turn, were based on the ideas of Taccola. For example, in di Giorgio's manuscripts da Vinci had the opportunity to become familiar with Taccola's concept of a diving suit.
It would be a mistake to consider da Vinci the inventor of flying machines. In the 11th century, the monk Aylmer of Malmesbury lived in England. Possessing a wide knowledge of mathematics, he built a primitive hang glider and even made a short flight on it. It is known that Aylmer managed to fly more than two hundred meters.
There is a high probability that Leonardo also borrowed the helicopter concept. But already from the Chinese. In the 15th century, traders from China brought toys that resembled mini-helicopters to Europe. A similar point of view is shared by the British historian Gavin Menzies, who believes that da Vinci adopted his most famous inventions from the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom. Menzies claims that in 1430 a Chinese delegation visited Venice, passing on to the Venetians many of the developments of Chinese scientists.
Be that as it may, Leonardo da Vinci always remains for us one of the greatest inventors of all times. Many ideas came to life thanks to Leonardo. The scientist improved various inventions and, more importantly, was able to make them visual. Do not forget that Leonardo da Vinci was a talented artist.
The master left many sketches for his developments. And even if the ideas attributed to da Vinci do not belong to him, it cannot be denied that the scientist was able to systematize a huge layer of knowledge, conveying this knowledge to his descendants.
Ingenious inventions of the Renaissance titan
Florence is a city full of secrets. The Titans of the Renaissance encrypted hidden meanings and signs in paintings, frescoes and sculptures, the solution of which not only idle lovers of codes and artifacts, but also employees of serious government agencies different countries. It’s enough to remember Dan Brown’s novels “The Da Vinci Code” and “Inferno”, as well as the film adaptations of these books starring Tom Hanks, to understand how much interesting things can be found in Florentine towers, palaces, cathedrals and monasteries.
But today we are not talking about da Vinci’s paintings, but about his brilliant inventions, in which Leonardo was several centuries ahead of his time. After all, it was he who, five hundred years ago, compiled detailed drawings of a scuba tank, a tank, a parachute, a helicopter, a hang glider and many other machines and mechanical structures, which are believed to have been invented much later.
Moreover, he protected his inventions with cunning techniques, introducing one or more errors into each drawing, each of which makes the invention unworkable. One would think that Leonardo actually missed something and made a mistake. However, a comparison of different drawings of the same mechanism invented by him shows that the errors in them differ, that is, the inventor has right decisions For all questions. Therefore, the changes were made intentionally.
From whom did Leonardo protect the machines he invented? From unscrupulous competitors who could use his drawings and make money on it? May be so. But something else is much more important. Da Vinci did not want machines and mechanisms that could influence the outcome of battles and wars to fall into the wrong hands.
This does not mean that the genius of the Renaissance did not sell his inventions. He built siege engines and other devices for warfare and by order of the Medici, who ruled in different years in Florence, and by order of the Sforzas, who ruled in Milan, and by order of the French king. As the hero of Günter Grass's novel sarcastically noted, the Titans of the Renaissance built siege engines when their beautiful madonnas were not in demand.
Today in Florence there is a special museum in which several dozen machines and mechanisms invented by Leonardo are recreated. When visiting Florence, be sure to bring your children, especially boys. But it’s also interesting for adults to look at all these prototypes of modern machines, which five hundred years ago seemed to contemporaries to be the fantastic delirium of a genius, but which the genius himself decided to hide from prying eyes.
The exhibition “Mechanisms of Leonardo da Vinci” ended in St. Petersburg the other day. The event is very interesting and entertaining. In general, this exhibition is held periodically in different cities. There, using the example of Leonardo da Vinci's sketches and notes, copies of his inventions were restored. Very informative.
The well-known artist Leonardo from the town of Vinci (near Florence) was, among other things, a respected scientist and naturalist, as well as an inventor. In general, it’s strange how one person managed creativity and the exact sciences. Usually, this is incompatible.
Leonardo is known as the designer of various aircraft, weaving machines, printing and woodworking machines, glass grinding devices, earthmoving machines. It is he who is considered the author of a number of hydraulic engineering projects and metallurgical furnace projects. Some of his drawings are also on display at the exhibition. 
Today it is believed that Leonardjo invented the following things and mechanisms (possibly some are stretched or attributed):
1. Parachute and aircrafts. The helicopter prototype turned out to be the most successful
Leonardo da Vinci was always interested in the problems of flight. In Milan, he made many drawings and studied the flight mechanism of birds of various breeds and bats. He generally began by studying the anatomy and flight system of the dragonfly. The first wing in the drawing resembles a dragonfly. Then he came up with the flapping wing.
Da Vinci flying machines: 
Then he came up with the idea of building such an apparatus to which a person should not be attached, but should maintain complete freedom in order to control it; the apparatus must set itself in motion own strength. This is essentially the idea of an airplane. Leonardo also worked on a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle.
2. Wheel lock for a pistol (started with a key).
This is his only invention that received recognition during his lifetime.
3. Bicycle
As well as a chariot and a “car” with dual controls. Fine examples of 15th century thought: 
4-5. Tank and catalpult
This is what is shown in the middle. This is a heavy van in the shape of a turtle, armed on all sides with cannons and shrouded in armor. They hoped to solve the problem of moving this platform with the help of sails, but instead Leonardo proposed placing 8 people inside the carriage, setting it in motion with the help of transmission mechanism connected to the wheels. But this invention was never made.
After observing battle scenes, Leonardo created a portable ladder, ideal for storming palaces and fortresses. One of her components was a “toothed screw” mechanism. He lengthened, shortened, raised and lowered the ladder. Nowadays this mechanism Finds application in rescuing people in fires.
More examples of military mechanisms. From a catapult and a cannon to a prototype machine gun. 
A simplified version of the machine gun, later he complicated it to speed up the reloading process: 
6. Lightweight portable bridges for the army. On the left in the photo is a hanging one. And on the right is a bridge built without a single nail. Such a bridge could be built without much difficulty from available materials (tree trunks), was easy to transport (using ropes) and was intended mainly for military purposes. Leonardo developed the laws of statics and resistance of materials and used them in the design of these bridges: 
7. Spotlight
The photo didn't work out, but the invention is funny
8. Robot
During his life, Leonardo da Vinci made thousands of notes and drawings dedicated to the anatomy and proportions of the human body. While dissecting the bodies of people and animals, he accurately conveyed the structure of the skeleton and internal organs, including small details. According to clinical anatomy professor Peter Abrams, scientific work da Vinci was 300 years ahead of her time and in many ways superior to the famous Gray's Anatomy. Leonardo realized that muscles move bones. After this, he decided that the same principle could form the basis of a machine. Unlike most of Da Vinci's inventions, Leonardo appears to have actually built a robot knight, but it was used primarily to entertain the parties of a generous patron, Lodovico Sforza. Da Vinci's robot has not survived, and no one knows exactly what he was capable of. But apparently, he walked, sat and even worked with his jaws. 
Vitruvian Man- a drawing created by Leonardo da Vinci around 1490-92 as an illustration for a book dedicated to the works of Vitruvius. It depicts the figure of a naked man in two superimposed positions: with arms and legs spread to the sides, inscribed in a circle; with arms apart and legs brought together, inscribed in a square. According to Leonardo's accompanying notes, it was created to determine the proportions of the (male) human body, as described in the treatise of the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius On Architecture (Book III, Chapter I):
the length from the tip of the longest to the lowest base of the four fingers is equal to the palm
the foot is four palms
a cubit is six palms
the height of a person is four cubits from the tips of the fingers (and accordingly 24 palms)
a step equals four palms
the span of human arms is equal to his height
the distance from the hairline to the chin is 1/10 of its height
the distance from the top of the head to the chin is 1/8 of its height
the distance from the top of the head to the nipples is 1/4 of its height
the length of the penis is 1/8 of its height
maximum shoulder width is 1/4 of its height
the distance from the elbow to the tip of the hand is 1/4 of its height
the distance from the elbow to the armpit is 1/8 of its height
arm length is 2/5 of its height
the distance from the chin to the nose is 1/3 of the length of his face
the distance from the hairline to the eyebrows is 1/3 of the length of his face
Ear length 1/3 face length
the navel is the center of the circle
The rediscovery of the mathematical proportions of the human body in the 15th century by da Vinci and other scientists was one of the great advances that preceded the Italian Renaissance.
9. Two-lens telescope
Was absent from the exhibition, or I missed it.
10. Diving suit. While living in Venice in the late 15th century, da Vinci developed the idea to repel invading ships. It was enough to send men to the bottom of the harbor in diving suits, and there they would simply open the bottoms of ships, like cans. Da Vinci's divers could breathe using an underwater bell filled with air and wore masks with glass holes through which they could see underwater. In another version of the concept, divers could breathe using wine bottles filled with air: 
11. Bearing and other measuring instruments:
Scales: 
Another invention - City of the Future
The black plague was raging in Europe. Cities suffered much more than countryside, and da Vinci theorized that there was something special about cities that made them vulnerable to the disease. This idea is surprisingly relatable, considering that germ theory was only developed in the early 20th century. Da Vinci set out to develop his own plan: a city, originally designed and created from scratch, that would be sanitary and habitable. The result was a triumph of urban planning that was never built. Da Vinci's “ideal city” was divided into several levels, each of which had minimal unsanitary conditions, and a network of canals facilitated the rapid removal of waste. Water was to be supplied to the buildings through a hydraulic system, which served as the prototype of the modern one. But this city was not built due to lack of resources: 
Other interesting mechanisms created from 15th century drawings: 
Overall, a lot of Leonardo's work was presented to the public too early. Evolution got to them only 300 years later. This proves the genius of the scientist. In general, many questions remain regarding his creativity and scientific achievements.
Well, I consider such exhibitions a must-see.
