The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-06-26
A FLYING MACHINE.
Successful Experiments with a NewIy.In-
vented Air-Shfp.

flying machine, invented by Prof. @. f.
Ritchell, was given at Hartford recently
and proved a success. The following
description of the air ship, and account
of the second ascension, we find in the
New York Sun: The flying machine is
all clumsiness above, all lightness and
grace below. The lifting power is af-
forded by horizontally-pl cylinder
of "gossamer CLOTH" fine linen coated
with india rubber, twenty-five feet in
length and thirteen in diameter, weigh
ing only sixty-six pounds aud charged
with hydrogen gas, which is made by
the usual process from iron turnings
and sulphuric acid. Broad worsted
bands extend over that and down to a
rod of mandrel-drawn brass tubing,
nickel-plated, one and one half inches in
diamete-, and % feet long. From that
rod the machine is suspended by slender
cords. The after portion of the machine
is at the base a parallelogram of rods
two feet wide and five and one-half feet
long, from which rise, lengthwise,
curved rods eighteen inches high in the
center, and drawn near together at the
top. All these rods are in reality hollow
tubes of mandrel-drawn brass, light,
and very strong. Above the apex of this
form rises a cog-edged steel wheel,
eleven inches in diameter, with double
handles so geared to a four-bladed fan
moving horizontally, directly beneath,
that the operator can give the fan 1000
revolutions per minute. The four
blades of the fan are of white holly,
each having a superficial area of about
fifty square inches, and the extreme
diameter of this revolving fan is twenty
four inches. The blades are set at a
slight angle, like those OF the screw of a
propeller. Just behind the wheel is a
very small seat, upon which the operator
perches. His feet rest upon two light
treadles above and in front of the fan.
From the front of this form spring other
rods, carrying at their extremity verti-
cally-working revolving fan, like that
beneath the operators seat, except that
it is but twenty-five inches in diameter.
1t is so geared to the main or horizontal
fan that it may be operated or not at
the pleasure of the driver of the machine,
and can be made to turn from one side
to the other, so as to defect the course
of the machine in the air. This fan will
make $500 evolutions per minute when
the other is making 1000. All its move
ments are controlled by the operator 8
feet, When he presses the left treadle
he throws it into gear, when he presses
with the toe of his right foot it turns to
the left, and slight pressure of his
heel whirls it over to the right. He can
also reverse the action of his main fan,
so that when it whirls one way he goes
down, and when its course is reversed,
he mounts in the air.
That this is not merely claim. has
been clearly demonstrated. Then the
weight of the operator and machine, and
the lifting power of the gas cylinder
have been SO nicely adjusted that they
were exactly balanced, six pounds have
been added to the weight of the machine
and the working of the horizontal fan
has caused the apparatus to rise and con-
tinue to ascend as long as the lifting
power of the machinery was exerted.
The weight, normally of the machine,
aud the rod from which it is suspended, is
forty-eight pounds. This, then, gives
ia pounds as the weight of the entire
apparatus. The operator, Mark Quin-
Ian, who went up on Wednesday and
again on yesterday, weighs ninety six
pounds, and to balance him and the
dead weight against the lifting power OF
the gas, he had to carry along with him
about nine pounds of shot and stones.
The second exhibition was given in
the afternoon. The weather was far
from favorable. The wind came in
quite sharp gusts, and there were threat
enings of coming storm. Nevertheless,
the ascent was made. Little Quinlan,
even if he does only weigh ninety six
pounds, has confidence and nerve enough
to go up in gale. Some time was spent
in getting the weight and lifting power
SO neatly balanced as to show that the
machine could exert lifting power Of
his own. When this had been effected
to Prof. Ritchel's satisfaction, the ap-
paratus rested quietly on the grass, but
could be lifted or set back with the light
pressure of one finger. Then the word
was given to $50" Quinlan began
turning the wheel, the horizontal fan re-
volved with noise like buzz-saw, and
the machine darted up almost vertically
to height of about two hundred feet.
There strong, steady current of wind
setting toward the southwest was en-
countered, and the machine was swept
away by it. broadside on to the specta-
tors. Then the operator was seen throw
ing his vertical fan into gear, and by its
aid the aerial ship turned around, point
ing its head in whatever direction he
chose to give it. All this was the work
of but few seconds. Although Quin-
Ian could move the apparatus about, he
could not make any headway against the
strong wind. Reversing the motion Of
his horizontal fan, he descended ap-
parentIy about one hundred feet, to gel
out of the current, but, finding that i'm.
practicable, reascended to much great.
er height than he had first reached.
Still he was swept off toward New
Haven, and after little time went oui
of sight. He had vanished behind 9