RADINGER, Johann von

R. was the son of a trader. He studied at the Polytechnic Institute under Adam von Burg and was his assistant even before he finished studying (1863). During his studies, he pursued a profession at the Grafen Salm factory machinery in Blansko and at Cail & Derosne factory machinery in Paris. In addition he went on several study tours. In the years 1866/67 he was engaged in producing weapons in H. D. Schmid hardware factory in Vienna.
In 1867 R. was a temporary and from 1869 onwards a permanent constructor under Grimus von Grimburg at the newly established teacher chamber for mechanical engineering. From 1879 he worked as a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Technology in Vienna. From 1881 to 1885 he was the dean of the Faculty of mechanical engineering and in 1891 its rector. R. revolutionized mechanical engineering by properly understanding the dynamics of mechanical components i.e. mass function and developed his own graphic methods for the process. This way he did not only get accurate calculations of driving wheels in piston engines, but ultimately the construction of high-speed steam-engines in a minimum housing and with the highest impact. This was, inter alia, a precondition for the electrification, which started in the last few decades of the 19th century, as the steam turbine, as well as the construction of engines for aircraft and cars were not invented until the end of the century. R. was not engaged only in high-speed steam-engines, but was, as his teacher Burg, a commissioner for testing steam generators. He as well organized the design process and layout of many industrial enterprises of all types throughout Austria-Hungary. As a professor at the University of Technology he held very concise, clear and lively lectures, which were supported by his interest in the art of drawing. In addition to his theoretical, scientific and practical activity in the field of engineering, he worked as an official Austrian journalist, reporting from the World's fairs in Paris in 1867, Vienna in 1873 and Philadelphia in 1876. In 1892 he was elevated to knighthood and served as a court councillor. From 1895 to 1897 he was president of the Austrian engineering and architectural associations, as well as a correspondent member of the Vienna Academy of Sciences. In 1892 R. controlled the construction of court and state printing house, as well as design and layout of the main coin office, for which he received a noble title.