Smallest internal combustible engine invented

A draftsman by profession who works with Bajaj Auto, Karande has toiled for about a year-and-a-half and invested nearly Rs 65,000 for his dream machine weighing just 68 grams.

8220;I felt gratified when I actually ran 28 plastic wheels using my engine, a few months ago. They all revolved for about 40 seconds,8221; the inventor told The Indian Express

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The smallest available ICEs used by toy manufacturers are of 0.75 cccapacity. 8220;I tried with a 0.2 cc capacity engine. I did build it, but it never ran. So I went on adding on to the engine capacity and finally a 0.6 cc one proved to be a working ICE. So I can rightly claim that nothing smaller could work than my engine,8221; Karande said.

Hailing from Patwardhan Kuroli village in semi-parched Pandharpur taluka of western Maharashtra, Karande calls himself a Fascination for Machines Impersonated8217;. Even as a small child, he was attracted to anything that used to roll and move, especially steam railway locomotives.

During one of his annual pilgrimages to the temple-town of Pandharpur with his grandmother, Karande was exposed to a miniature version of a steam locomotive. The model played a catalyst for young Raghnath who was inspired to make a similar loco-model using tins, clay and a kerosene lamp, easily available to him. 8220;It was then a worker at the loco-shed told me how a engine works. It was my first exposure to the science behind something. He also taught me to usevernier calliper,8221; Karande recalled.

Karande8217;s ICE was tested by various institutions including the Automotive Research Association of India officials and other senior officials at the Ramp;D wings of different industries before it was sent to the Guinness publishers.

Karande, however, is still undecided on patenting his invention. 8220;I have made a few engines like that,8221; he said, adding he would rather not commercialise the invention for the time being.