Ernst Gundlach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ernst Gundlach
Gundlach in Camera Craft, July 1900
Born	1834 Pyritz, Prussia
Died	1908 Berlin, Germany
Nationality	German / American
Occupation	Optical instrument designer and entrepreneur

Ernst Gundlach (born 1834, died 1908) was a clever inventor from Germany who also lived in America. He was really good at designing special tools that use light, like parts for microscopes and cameras.

Ernst Gundlach's Amazing Journey

Ernst Gundlach was born in a place called Pyritz, in what was then East Prussia. When he was 15, he started learning a special skill. He became an apprentice to Carl Friedrich Lewert in Berlin. This meant he learned how to build optical instruments. These are tools that use lenses to help us see things better.

After four years of learning, Ernst worked in many different places. He traveled to workshops in Austria, France, and England. This helped him gain lots of experience.

Moving to America and Starting Companies

In 1876, Ernst Gundlach moved to the United States. He joined a famous company called Bausch & Lomb. There, he helped set up their microscope department.

Later, he decided to start his own businesses. His first company was the Gundlach Optical Company. It was located in Rochester, New York.

In 1895, he left that company to start a new one. This was called the Gundlach Photo-Optical Company. It later changed its name to Ernst Gundlach, Son, and Company. This company made special lenses for cameras.

By 1898, the Gundlach family left this company. It then became known as the Rochester Lens Company.

Returning Home

In 1904, Ernst Gundlach went back to Berlin, Germany. He started another business there. He continued his work designing optical tools until he passed away in 1908.

Ernst Gundlach's Clever Inventions

Ernst Gundlach was a true inventor. He received several patents for his ideas. A patent is like a special permission from the government. It means you are the only one who can make or sell your invention for a certain time. Here are some of his cool inventions:

• U.S. Patent 182,919  – Better Microscopes – 1876 – This patent was for new ways to focus a microscope. It made it easier to get a clear view of tiny things.
• U.S. Patent 198,607  – Improved Microscope Stages – 1877 – He designed a better stage for microscopes. This is the part where you place the object you want to look at. Many Bausch & Lomb microscopes used his sliding stage design.
• U.S. Patent 198,914  – Microscope Lenses – 1878 – This invention helped make microscope lenses even better. It included a way to fix problems caused by the cover slip, a tiny piece of glass placed over samples.
• U.S. Patent 211,507  – More Microscope Improvements – 1879 – He kept making microscopes better! This patent was for a new way to fine-tune the focus. It also included a glass stage plate and a detachable holder for objects.
• U.S. Patent 222,132  – Lenses for Telescopes and Microscopes – 1879 – This patent was for a special lens called a triplet correction lens. It helped improve the view in both eyepieces and main lenses of telescopes and microscopes.