Alphonse Eugène Beau de Rochas | |
|---|---|
) Alphonse Beau de Rochas | |
| Born | 9 April 1815 Digne-les-Bains, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence |
| Died | 27 March 1893 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Known for | Four-stroke internal-combustion engine |
Alphonse Eugène Beau de Rochas (9 April 1815, Digne-les-Bains, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence – 27 March 1893) was a French engineer who originated the principle of the four-stroke internal-combustion engine. His achievement lay partly in his emphasizing the previously unappreciated importance of compressing the fuel–air mixture before ignition. He published his results in 1861, a year after Christian Reithmann was granted a patent in Germany and 16 years before Nicolaus Otto obtained his patent.