The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-07-11

Far Made-An Apparatus Subject q
the Will Of she Conductor, Rising d
Failing, OF Goieg with OF Agains
the Wind ~ Destred-lnfancy Of 9
New Epoch In Travel.
New York sun, Isl
The first open-air exhibition of Prof.
F. Ritchell's flying machine was conducte,
at Hartford, Conn on Wednesday after
noon last 1t went up TO height of full,
two hundred and fifty feet, past the spire o
the Colt Memorial Church, and sailed OF
until over the Connecticut river, the opera
tor meanwhile exhibiting his power L
change its altitude and direction at will
When he ascended there was but little vino
blowing, and the machine appeared to b.
under perfect control; but gradually q
breeze sprang up, and it was deemed safes
to make speedy return, as there were in
dications in the sky Of gathering storm
The machine turned and made its way bach
in the teeth of the wind until directly ovel
the ball ground whence it had assembled
and then alighted within few feet of the
point from which it had started.
From this demonstration Of its capacity
it wssIgenerally conceived that it could dc
for it. He never expected it TO move against
a wind of any strength, and has not had the
attainment Of that end in view in its con-
struction, 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 currents and enter favorable
ones that it may be made to tack 80 as to
effect little headway even against breeze,
and that in still atmosphere it can be
moved about as readily and perfectly at the
will of the operator as a boat can be moved
upon quiet water. All that, and even lit
tie more, there is abundant evidence Of its
having done on Wednesday.
The inventor, Mr.. Ritchell, is Maine
man, but has, during several years past,
lived at Cory, Pa. The project of con-
structing q flying machine has been favor
ite subject for contemplation with him
during nearly ten years past, and for the
last seven of that time he and his friend,
Mr.. W. H. Lyman, of Cory, Pa, have in
cubated this idea together. In November,
1876, they went to Bridgeport, Conn, to put
their plans into execution, as they believed
they could there obtain most readily Just
the peculiar materials they required, and
have them put together in the most perfect
manner. Their confidence in Yankee re-
sources and skill was not misplaced, but
their crude ideas were not Immediately
crystalized into a pefect machine, neverthe-
less.
In the first apparatus which they con-
some parts were too heavy, others
too large, and there was an ineffective ap-
plication OF power. Then a second was
built, that now upon exhibition, and though
it cannot be said to be so far perfected as to
be capable of application of practical ser
vice, such as serving a mail route, or even
as popular vehicle for travel, it is still Of
very great importance rs proving the cor
rectness Of the theories upon which it was
based. Mr.. Ritchell took it to the Perma-
nent exhibition at Philadelphia, May 10,
1877, and SO succeeded in effectually con-
cealing it from public knowledge for long
time. Now he has put 1t in the proper course
for either securing its development or max
ing it worthy pioneer for other inventors
in this branch Of science.
The flying machine is all clumsiness
above, all lightness and grace below. The
lifting power is afforded by horizontally
placed cylinder OF "gossamer CLOTH"
fine linen coated with India rubber, twenty
five feet in length and thirteen in diameter,
weighing only sixty six pounds and charged
with hydrogen gas, which is made by the
usual process from iron turnings and sui
phuric acid. Broad worsted bands extend
over that and down to q rod of mandrel-
drawn brass tubing, nickelplated, IA in
ches in diameter and % feet long. From
that rod the machine is suspended by slen-
der cords. The after portion Of the ma
ceine is at the parallelogram of rods two
feet wide and 5! feet long, from which rise,
lengthwise, curved rods IL inches high in
he 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, IL inches in |
with double handles 20 geared to |
, four bladed fan moving horizontally, di-
'ectly beneath, that the operator can give the |
an 1000 revolutions per minute. The four |
blades of the fan are Of white holly, each |
having a superficial era Of about 50 square
inches, and the extreme diameter of
his revolving fan is "a inches.
The blades are set at slight |
lngle, like those of the screw of q propel-
er. Just behind the wheel is q very small
eat, upon which the operator perches. His
eet rest upon two light treadles above and
n front of the fan. From the front of this
orm spring other rods, carrying at their
. vertically -working revolving
an, like that beneath the operators seat
kept that it is but twenty-five inches in
Iiameter. 1t is 30 geared to the main or
horizontal fan that it may be operated or
lot at the pleasure of the driver Of the ma
hine, and be made to turn from one side
o the other 20 - to defect the course OF
be machine in the ar. This fan will
,ake $500 evolutions per minute when the
ther is making 1000. All its movements are
BY the operators feet When Re
reases the left treadle he throws il into
ear, when he presses with the toe of his
ight foot it turns to the left, and . slight
ressure of his heel whirls it over to tSe
ight. He can also reverse the main action
{ his main fan, 20 that when it vhirls one
'ay be goes down, and when it course il
.vezsed he mounts in the air.
Thst this i neI nesely claim, has been
early denonshs1ea Th0 tie weight of {.
V operator Of IL AaeAine, nd tie lift {,