Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1878-07-11
EsEtcheI's FLYING Machine.

the Operator Wis, and that aoiU
Sal IN any Darectioj5.
The first open-air exhibition OF
erof. Z. F. Ritchel's flying machine
was conducted at Hartford, Conn,
on Wednesday afternoon of last wick.
1t went up to height of fully two
hundred and fifty feet, and sailed over
the Connecticut River. the operator
meanwhile exhibiting his power to
change its altitude and direction ct
@il. When he assembled thbre was
but little wind blowing, and tie ma
chine appeared to be under perfect
control but gradually breeze snrang
up, and 1T was deemed safest TO make
2 speedy return, as there were indica-
tions IN lie sky Cfa gl,thc;ing storm.
/ he machine returned aud made its
way back in the teeth 0. the wind un-
I'll directly over the hall ground
whence it lad ascenled, and then
! alighted within few feet of the point
from which it had started
From this demonstration of IFS ca
facity it was generally conceived that
it could do much more than its med
est in;entor c aimed Tor it. He never
expected it to move against q wind of
any strength. and has not had the at
tainmcIt of that end in view in it's
construction as may readily be seen
by a glance at its proportions, but he
does Claim that it can be raised or
lowered at will to leave adverse cur
rents and enter favorable ones; that
! l,n do To
Il little headway even against Il breeze,
ana that in still atmosphere il can
he moved about as readily and per-
fecily at the will of the operator as a
boat can be moved upon quiet water.
Eli that, AMI even little more, there
is abundant eviGenc3 % lis haTinr
done on Wednesday.
Tie flying machine is all clumsi-
hess above, all lightness and grace
below. The lifting power is afforded
by horizontally placed cylinder Of
"gossamcr cloth" fine linen coateG
with india Rubber. twenty five feet in
length and thirteen in diameter,
Weighing only siXty-siN pounds and
CHARGED with hydrogen gas, which is
made 10y the itsnal process fro:a .ro!..
turniuss and suiphuric acid. Broad
woTstrd bands extend over that and
toNn 10 Il rod OF tHanGrel- drawn brass
In ine, nickel plated, l inches in di-
ameteI and % feet long. From that
20 tie machine is suspended Ey slen-
der cords. The after portion o. tie
machine Is ut the base Il Earailtlogram
OF rods , feet WIDE. 8! feet long, from
which rise, lengthwise, curved rods
IS inches high in the cent e. drawn
near t"gether ut the TOP. Ali these
mandrel drawn brass, light and very
stIohg. Above the apex pf this form
rises a cog-edged steel wheel. II
inches n diameter, witli double han
dies 50 gaarcd to q four bladed fau
moving horizontally, directly beneath,
that the operator can give tie faE
1000 revolutions per minute. The
four blades of the fan are of white
holly, each having a superficial a.ea
OF about 20 square inches, and the
extreme diameter of this revolving
fan is "a inches. The blades are set
at a slight angle, like those Of the
screw of a propeller. just hehind the
wheel is very small seat, upon which
| the operator perches. dis feet rest
upon two light treadles above and il
| front of the fan. From ,he front of
this form spring other rods, carrying
/ at th; il extremity q vertically working
revolving fan, like that beneath the
! operators seat, except that ii is but
- inches in diameter. 1t is so gear
ell 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 trCm enc
side TO the other, so as TO defect the
course of the machine in the air.
This fan will make , 800 revolutions
per minute when the other Is making
1000. All its movements are con
trolled by the operators feet. When
he presses The left treadIe he throws
It into gear. " hen he presses with the
toe of Uis right foot it tarns TO the
left, arc a slight pressure Of his heel
whlls it over to She righr. lie can
also reverse the action Of his maiI
fan. 50 ihat when it whirls one way
he goes down, and when its course is
reversed lie mounts in the air.
The second exhibition was giver
Thursday afternoon. The weather
VAS far fion favorable. The wine
cane in quite sharp gusts, and there
were threatenings of a coming storm
Nevcrth heles,, the ascent was made
Little Quinlan, even if he does only
weigh ninety six pounds, has conf
!, dencc and nerve enough to 90 up in ;
gale. Some time was spent it getting
the weight and lifting power SO neat,
t balanced rs to show that The mac!sin
could exert Il lifting power Of its own
j. " hen this had been effected to Prot
; RitcheFs satisfaction. the apparatu
. rested quietly on the grass, but eonl
: be lifted or set back with the ligll
pressure Of one finger. Then th
: word was given to Go" Qninia
began turl ing the wheel, the horizon
tai fan revelved with noise like
buzz saw. and the machine darted u
t almos' vertically to a height of a6ou
e :wn hundred feet There, a stron.
Ii steady current OF wind setting towar