The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-14
3F'Ac"(jn0 9egi5ter.
A FLYING MACHINE.
TO FDISOS'S TALK.
ING MACHINE.
The Capabilities OF Professor RitcH-
els Invention Exhibited
AZ The Big Show.
Philadelnhia Times.

AT The Big Show.
Philadelphia Times.
What is now and likely 10 DO for con-
siderable time the most attractive novelty
at the Permanent Exhibition Is 3 gen.
uine flying maChine-the only one, &C
cording to It's inventor, Mr.. Charles f.
n.tcnel, which has yet succeeded in do
ing any "Aying worth talking about"
A private exhibition OF the machine and
its capabilities was given yesterday after
noon In the Main Building, which for
some days has been Temporarily closed 10
the public for the purpose OF
allowing preparations for to-morrow's
opening ceremonies to so on
without interruption. The exhibition was
witnessed by about one hundred gentle
men, who had been invited TO attend, in
GLIDING representatives. OF the Franklin
Institute, with other prominent scien-
tIlic and professional individuals, and
gave general satisfaction, the machine
performing ali that had been claimed for
it. But whether the thing would work
equally well IN the open, SURFING slr Is
question yet to be decided.
The name "Flying Machine" does not
convey so correct an idea OF what the
invention is as does the statement that it
is a form Of balloon which can be guided
by the aeronaut. First, there is 3 cylin-
der Of oiled canvass containing about 8. 200
cubic feet Of hydrogen gas. This is hor-
izontal, twenty five feet long and twelve
feet in diameter. The cylinder is bound
lengthwise by stout woven band, and
transversely by nine or ten similar
bands. These bands are fastened to 8
hollow. brszen rod, as long IS the cylin-
der and hanging parallel to it, q foot or
two below. Suspended from this is n
framework, manly OF steel and brass
rods and somewhat resembling the skel-
eton Of boat. This is ABOUT hs.fss long
as the cylinder. Upon it the &eronsut
sits as upon q ve!ocipede. With his
bands he turns double crank which
sets in revolution four-paddled wheel,
resembling the propeller Of 3 steamship,
and fixed horizontally beneath the seat.
When the crank Is turned forward this
wheel gives upward motion to the ma
chine, and when reversed causes descent.
The purpose Of the cylindrical case Of ny
drogen is not to directly cause ascent for
his IL effected by the wheel, but to give
the entire machine specific gravity very
little greater than thu: Of air, so that
when loosed from the earth it will re-
main IN 8 condition Of almost equjpolse.
not rising until the wheel hiss begun to
turn.
For the purpose Of propoiliag The ne.
chine in still air, ana shaping lis course
whenever necessary, there Is o second
wheel, similar TO the other. IL IS fixed
vertically at tho forward end OF the
framework, and has two motions, one on
its axle for the purpose Of Propolllng Snd
another in horizontal are described by
q short rod to which 1t Is fixed. by
means of this second movement the ac-
ronaut is enabled to turn and guide the
machine. The wheel, II order that 1t
may have as much power as possible, Is
eight or ten feet distant from him
nearly as far as point directly under
the end Of the cylinder. But he governs
1t easily by the means Of pedals, which
work like that of q sewing machine.
The weight of the entire machine Is lO3
pounds. the cylinder weighing 55 and the
remainder IS. Hydrogen gas, although
far more costly than the Illuminating gas
ordinarily used il balloons, Is adopted
Tor this machine in order to avoid the
gresler bulk, which, by Offering moro re
-is.ence TO the air, would, proper
.ionatc,y counteract the power Of the
elevator aud propeller. Professor King,
he bal.oonist, who was one OF the spec
.ators Yesterday, said that 7,OOO cable feet !
IF the Illuminating gas would be required !
o accomplish the results effected by the |
!, 200 cubic feet Of hydrogen. But, be |
added, while the former would cost only |
about So per thousand the latter could |
rot be obtained Tor much less than $50 !
Der thousand.
A lad named futile, weighing III |
POUNDS, who had been trained to operate
he machine did the aerCnautIc work OF
he day. When he first straddled the
framework Professor RitChel asCertalned |
With steelyard that the machine was
en- pounds above an equiPolse. lie SAID
nat gas had escaped and the thing would
lot 20 up with so heavy an operator, 80
lad of SO pounds was substituted, but
yantlDg experience, the best he could do
vas to ascend, which he did, encouraged
v applause. Reversing the crank be
escended upon an immence showcase
nd rebounded like an Iudlg-rubDer bali,
susing great laughter. More hydrogen
eng put into the cylinder the export
Dung futile again strsddled and this
.me flew" rising almost to the roof OF
he building a. It's highest point the
entire, descending, going forward, turn
lg and moving generally as he pleased
n the still air, spplauded from below.
he motion, however, was always slow,
OF more rapid than would be the moYe-. I
lent of thIstle-down or the lghtest OF
gathers in the same atmosphere.
Professor Ritchel is native Of Maine
a rather large, Intelligent and seTlous-
boxing Yankee, with sandy beard. he
An old friend oil Eiison's and like
hat wonderful Individual, has for many
ears been given to experimenting IN
.bor saving machinery. He has taken
ut thirty-seyen patents in the United
tstes, four in Great British and three
q Canada, many of them being for ma
ninery to make brushes and to inlay
rood. Nearly all OF last winter be was
ngaged in experimenting with and In
rowing the present machine at Bridge
ort. Connecticut, whore an ascension
-. made with it to q height OF one
bousand feet. He is confident Of being
BILE to construct flying machine
hitch, operated by steam engine aud
manned By = crew of two or three men
perhaps more-:ako,ng with them Pre-
.i!ions and general supplies, Will succeed
n crossing the Atlantic ocean, AID even
accomplishing an serial circumnavig&-
ION of the globe. The machine is to re-
main on exhibition q, the big show until
perhaps the latter part of June, when
he professor proposes to .ly' with it
rom the United States into Canada over