flying machines-第21节

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The　main　beams　are　in　three　sections；　nearly　half　round

in　form；　and　joined　by　metal　sleeves。



There　is　a　two…surface　horizontal　rudder；　2x2x4　feet；

in　front。　This　is　pivoted　at　its　lateral　center　8　feet　from

the　front　edge　of　the　main　planes。　In　the　rear　is　another

two…surface　horizontal　rudder　2x2x2　1/2　feet；　pivoted

in　the　same　manner　as　the　front　one；　15　feet　from　the

rear　edges　of　the　main　planes。



Hinged　to　the　rear　central　strut　of　the　rear　rudder

is　a　vertical　rudder　2　feet　high　by　3　feet　in　length。



The　Method　of　Control。



In　the　operation　of　these　ruddersboth　front　and　rear

and　the　elevation　and　depression　of　the　main　planes；

the　Curtiss　system　is　employed。　Pushing　the　steering…

wheel　post　outward　depresses　the　front　edges　of　the

planes；　and　brings　the　machine　downward；　pulling　the

steering…wheel　post　inward　elevates　the　front　edges　of

the　planes　and　causes　the　machine　to　ascend。



Turning　the　steering　wheel　itself　to　the　right　swings

the　tail　rudder　to　the　left；　and　the　machine；　obeying　this

like　a　boat；　turns　in　the　same　direction　as　the　wheel

is　turned。　By　like　cause　turning　the　wheel　to　the　left

turns　the　machine　to　the　left。



Automatic　Control　of　Wings。



There　are　two　wing　tips；　each　of　6　feet　spread　（length）

and　2　feet　from　front　to　rear。　These　are　hinged　half

way　between　the　main　surfaces　to　the　two　outermost

rear　struts。　Cables　run　from　these　to　an　automatic

device　working　with　power　from　the　engine；　which　automatically

operates　the　tips　with　the　tilting　of　the

machine。　Normally　the　wing　tips　are　held　horizontal

by　stiff　springs　introduced　in　the　cables　outside　of　the

device。



It　was　the　successful　working　of　this　device　which

righted　the　Van　Anden　craft　when　it　was　overturned　in

the　squall　of　October　19th；　1909。　Previous　to　that

occurrence　Mr。　Van　Anden　had　looked　upon　the　device

as　purely　experimental；　and　had　admitted　that　he　had

grave　uncertainty　as　to　how　it　would　operate　in　time　of

emergency。　He　is　now　quoted　as　being　thoroughly　satisfied

with　its　practicability。　It　is　this　automatic　device

which　gives　the　Van　Anden　machine　at　least　one　distinctively

new　feature。



While　on　this　subject　it　will　not　be　amiss　to　add　that

Mr。　Curtiss　does　not　look　kindly　on　automatic　control。

〃I　would　rather　trust　to　my　own　action　than　that　of　a

machine；〃　he　says。　This　is　undoubtedly　good　logic　so

far　as　Mr。　Curtiss　is　concerned；　but　all　aviators　are　not

so　cool…headed　and　resourceful。



Motive　Power　of　Van　Anden。



A　50…horsepower　〃H…F〃　water　cooled　motor　drives　a

laminated　wood　propeller　6　feet　in　diameter；　with　a　17

degree　pitch　at　the　extremities；　increasing　toward　the

hub。　The　rear　end　of　the　motor　is　about　6　inches　back

from　the　rear　transverse　beam　and　the　engine　shaft　is

in　a　direct　line　with　the　axes　of　the　two　horizontal　rudders。

An　R。　I。　V。　ball　bearing　carries　the　shaft　at　this

point。　Flying；　the　motor　turns　at　about　800　revolutions

per　minute；　delivering　180　pounds　pull。　A　test　of　the

motor　running　at　1；200　showed　a　pull　of　250　pounds　on

the　scales。



Still　Another　New　Aeroplane。



Another　new　aeroplane　is　that　produced　by　A。　M。

Herring　（an　old…timer）　and　W。　S。　Burgess；　under　the

name　of　the　Herring…Burgess。　This　is　also　equipped

with　an　automatic　stability　device　for　maintaining　the

balance　transversely。　The　curvature　of　the　planes　is

also　laid　out　on　new　lines。　That　this　new　plan　is

effective　is　evidenced　by　the　fact　that　the　machine　has

been　elevated　to　an　altitude　of　40　feet　by　using　one…half

the　power　of　the　30…horsepower　motor。



The　system　of　rudder　and　elevation　control　is　very

simple。　The　aviator　sits　in　front　of　the　lower　plane；

and　extending　his　arms；　grasps　two　supports　which　extend

down　diagonally　in　front。　On　the　under　side　of

these　supports　just　beneath　his　fingers　are　the　controls

which　operate　the　vertical　rudder；　in　the　rear。　Thus；　if

he　wishes　to　turn　to　the　right；　he　presses　the　control

under　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand；　if　to　the　left；　that

under　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand。　The　elevating　rudder

is　operated　by　the　aviator's　right　foot；　the　control

being　placed　on　a　foot…rest。



Motor　Is　Extremely　Light。



Not　the　least　notable　feature　of　the　craft　is　its　motor。

Although　developing；　under　load；　30…horsepower；　or　that

of　an　ordinary　automobile；　it　weighs；　complete；　hardly

100　pounds。　Having　occasion　to　move　it　a　little　distance

for　inspection；　Mr。　Burgess　picked　it　up　and　walked

off　with　itcylinders；　pistons；　crankcase　and　all；　even

the　magneto；　being　attached。　There　are　not　many　30…

horsepower　engines　which　can　be　so　handled。　Everything

about　it　is　reduced　to　its　lowest　terms　of　simplicity；

and　hence；　of　weight。　A　single　camshaft　operates

not　only　all　of　the　inlet　and　exhaust　valves；　but　the　magneto

and　gear　water　pump；　as　well。　The　motor　is　placed

directly　behind　the　operator；　and　the　propeller　is　directly

mounted　on　the　crankshaft。



This　weight　of　less　than　100　pounds；　it　must　be

remembered；　is　not　for　the　motor　alone；　it　includes　the

entire　power　plant　equipment。



The　〃thrust〃　of　the　propeller　is　also　extraordinary；

being　between　250　and　260　pounds。　The　force　of　the

wind　displacement　is　strong　enough　to　knock　down　a

good…sized　boy　as　one　youngster　ascertained　when　he

got　behind　the　propeller　as　it　was　being　tested。　He

was　not　only　knocked　down　but　driven　for　some　distance

away　from　the　machine。　The　propeller　has　four

blades　which　are　but　little　wider　than　a　lath。



Machine　Built　by　Students。



Students　at　the　University　of　Pennsylvania；　headed　by

Laurence　J。　Lesh；　a　protege　of　Octave　Chanute；　have

constructed　a　practical　aeroplane　of　ordinary　maximum

size；　in　which　is　incorporated　many　new　ideas。　The

most　unique　of　these　is　to　be　found　in　the　steering　gear；

and　the　provision　made　for　the　accommodation　of　a

pupil　while　taking　lessons　under　an　experienced　aviator。



Immediately　back　of　the　aviator　is　an　extra　seat　and

an　extra　steering　wheel　which　works　in　tandem　style

with　the　front　wheel。　By　this　arrangement　a　beginner

may　be　easily　and　quickly　taught　to　have　perfect　control

of　the　machine。　These　tandem　wheels　are　also

handy　for　passengers　who　may　wish　to　operate　the　car

independently　of　one　another；　it　being　understood；　of

course；　that　there　will　be　no　conflict　of　action。



Frame　Size　and　Engine　Power。



The　frame　has　36　feet　spread　and　measures　35　feet

from　the　front　edge　to　the　end　of　the　tail　in　the　rear。　It

is　equipped　with　two　rear　propellers　operated　by　a　Ramsey

8…cylinder　motor　of　50　horsepower；　placed　horizontally

across　the　lower　plane；　with　the　crank　shaft　running

clear　through　the　engine。



The　〃Pennsylvania　I〃　is　the　first　two…propeller　biplane

chainless　car；　this　scheme　having　been　adopted　in　order

to　avoid　the　crossing　of　chains。　The　lateral　control　is

by　a　new　invention　by　Octave　Chanute　and　Laurence　J。

Lesh；　for　which　Lesh　is　now　applying　for　a　patent。　The

device　was　worked　out　before　the　Wright　brothers'　suit

was　begun；　and　is　said　to　be　superior　to　the　Wright

warping　or　the　Curtiss　ailerons。　The　landing　device　is

also　new　in　design。　This　aeroplane　will　weigh　about

1；500　pounds；　and　will　carry　fuel　for　a　flight　of　150　miles；

and　it　is　expected　to　attain　a　speed　of　at　least　45　miles

an　hour。



There　are　others；　lots　of　them；　too　numerous　in　fact

to　admit　of　mention　in　a　book　of　this　size。







CHAPTER　XVIII。



DEMAND　FOR　FLYING　MACHINES。



As　a　commercial　proposition　the　manufacture　and　sale

of　motor…equipped　aeroplanes　is　making　much　more

rapid　advance　than　at　first　obtained　in　the　similar

handling　of　the　automobile。　Great；　and　even　phenomenal；

as　was　the　commercial　development　of　the　motor

car；　that　of　the　flying　machine　is　even　greater。　This　is

a　startling　statement；　but　it　is　fully　warranted　by　the

facts。



It　is　barely　more　than　a　year　ago　（1909）　that　attention

was　seriously　attracted　to　the　motor…equipped　aeroplane

as　a　vehicle　possible　of　manipulation　by　others

than　professional　aviators。　Up　to　that　time　such　actual

flights　as　were　made　were　almost　exclusively　with　the

sole　purpose　of　demonstrating　the　practicability　of　the

machine；　and　the　merits　of　the　ideas　as　to　shape；　engine

power；　etc。；　of　the　various　producers。



Results　of　Bleriot's　Daring。



It　was　not　until　Bleriot　flew　across　the　straits　of

Dover　on　July　25th；　1909；　that　the　general　public　awoke

to　a　full　realization　of　the　fact　that　it　was　possible　for

others　than　professional　aviators　to　indulge　in　aviation。

Bleriot's　feat　was　accepted　as　proof　that　at　last　an

absolutely　new　means　of　sport；　pleasure　and　research；

had　been　practically　developed；　and　was　within　the

reach　of　all　who　had　the　inclination；　nerve　and　financial

means　to　adopt　it。



From　this　event　may　be　dated　the　birth　of　the　modern

flying　machine　into　the　wor