The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-08
NIyIG.iTTON ~ me AIR.
A Flying Machine In which the Hon. y. Il.
Barnun IL Interested.

Mr. C. T. Ritchcl If Cory has been per-
fetlng ilyin- machine on n new plan in the
Riverside lIotcl, East bridgeport; The. machine
stands in the hall nearly completed II consists
of u black silk cylinder twcnty-four feet long
and twelve feet In diameter. holding 5000 feet
of gas. ana u ear suspended from the SILK cyln-
der by cords and rods This car IL of slender
brass rods aud extends the whole length Of the
cvlndcr. tHpcrlng To- point nj each end In
the centre II u platform upon which IN e occupant
sits In front OF the seat are two crankS attached
to 4 wheel, which IN turn Is connected with an
upright shaft. ut the lower end OF which IA
II fan similar to the screw Of a pro-
pcllcr This ian l. about level with the bot
OF ,nc p%otR e 2nq rs end o az the i tas
car IL another brass fan which If SO constructed
that IT can b" turned in any direction 10y the
feet o. the occupant Of the car, while the centre
fan il nj the same time worked 10y his hands
handles NJ the rate ~ 100 minute which gives
the fan $500 revolutions. The silk cylinder.
filed with hydrogen gns. which il the lghtest
that can be uscd, IL To- sustain al but a ira.uun
Is expected 20 lit the rest 10y n pressure upon
the air similar To- that which n propeller wheel
has upon the water The air being much less
dense.thc fan or aerial screw i given rnpidity
Of motion sufficient TO partially overcome this
difference. by ing the motion Of the fan
the power j. SO cxcrted IA 10 raise or lower the
machine ut will, The fan at tho end Of
the framework is also rcvovcd with great
t raa straight aheaI OF on either " side.
working on plan similar e. that of the
Fowler steering propc Ter. by the nee Of
this fan the machine can be- strcrcd like a shin.
and the inventor expects that aerial navigation
will be- accomplished in the same manner that
the ocean II traycrsrd by shiI- the gas filled
cylinder serving the purpose Of sail. and the
fans guiding the machine through the air.
Mr.. L. T. Barnum. who is Interested IN the in
ycntion. was present al yesterdays tesl There
was a flaw in tliH Storage apparatus by which
the fan WAS caught and broken; nevertheless
the machin. raised rs high as the ceiling. and
Informed that the machine was tested day or
! two ago in the presence # an expert from New
York. aud that II worked perfectly. sailing
about the room and all the time. under the per-
| feet control of the operator Mr.. Ritchel has
| been working upon the invention sine. 1871
| and Is confident he has found the much sought
for principle 70 bc safely applied in aerial navi-
| cation. He has applied for Il patent in the
! United States Canada. Great Britain. and
| France. He expects that u larger machine
| capable OF carrying several men, would work
| being tested. rs more power could be employed
| and he even has hopes Of u still larger one. IN
| which the motive power will be furnished by q
small engine. He Informed US that the mode
| Of his invention had been shown 10 the editor
| OF the Scientific american. who said thnt he be-
! lievcd II might be made SO successful that
trip could be taken TO the North Pole IL
! il. Mr.. Rtchel Ii very intelligent
looking gentleman. apparently about 81
years u age. He claims that all other in
| yentors have failed with their flying machine,
because they have trusted entirely 10 the liftinl
capacity OF tho balloon appendage. ris Ing By
throwing out ballast and ialling by letting gu
gas. Another defect has been the placing o
tho steering apparatus in the centre. whore
| only a comparatively small amount Of pOwc
| could be exercised.