The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-06
TO INITIATE THE BIRD.
The Wonderful Invention of Mr..
H. H. Maxim, the Electri-
clan and Gunmaker.
u,
How 1t Differs From Other Flying
Machines That Have Been
Recently Tried.
The Inventor Describes His Machine
and the Principles On Which He
Has Built 1t.

NEW YORK, June 5.-The Sun recently
had a three-column story that Hiram II.
Maxim. the inventor, the head of the great
gunmaking house of Maxim q N~ordenfeldt,
the electrician, etc, had invented a wonder
full machine. Mr.. Maxim was seen in his
hotel by a sun reporter, to whom he gave
the details of his invention, and according
to the reporter Mr.. Maxim said:
II began two years ago to experiment TO-
the production of a flying machine. | hired
i didn't buy-a large park at Begley and
Kent. 1t is called Baldwin's park, n its
lease being in my hands l have become lord
of the manor. | put up an enormous wooden
shed and provided myself with every re-
qulrement for conducting experiments.
These were rot III the realm of b%allooning,
but were on an %aeroplane system, to propel
a plane set at an angle SO as to ride upon
the nir rs fast as the mir Yields,
and so keep up an approximately level
course. l put up q steel column, like an
upright post, with a long wooden arm,
arranged to rotate on the top of the column,
simply to swing. and long enough TO de-
scribe a circle exactly | Zoo feet in circum-
ference. This arm was stayed in every
direction, SO rs to be perfectly stiff, and it
was sharp ms a knife, SO as to offer very lit
tie resistance to the air.
ITO the end of this arm l attached what
might be called a small flying machine, ar
ranged in such a manner that Iower could
be transmitted to the machine through the
post and arm. The machine and steel shaft
could be rotated at any speed, and was also
provided with a d|ynamplneter air ,nst,u-
ment for measu ing force. 70 this shaft of
the flying inachine were attached various
Einds of propellet screws, which | caused to
to lotated at various speeds.
.lhe apparatus when complete was ar
Hnced to correctly indicate the number of
III per minute, actual push or propelling
.urce of the screw. and the ship of the
rev.. When the arm was allowed to 90
ee, and the screw rotated at a high speed
20 flying machine would travel around tao
ircle at from thirty to ninety miles an
.our. The machine was also provided with
levers similar to those used in ordinary
druggists scales, and to those were at
tached planes generally made of wood. and
ranged i'll such u manner that they could
lie placed at any angleIabova the horizontal
by n pully measuring the power required by
a certain speed without any plane attached,
and then attaching the plane and running
machine Mt exactly the same speed. Tho
Inference i'll force required for both opera-
ions indicated the actual force required to
Itopel the plane.
''ilv largo APPARATUS Mr.. Maxim con-
nued, "is provided with n plane ITO feet
pnu and forty feet wide, made of u frame
# steele tube, covered with silk. The other
mailer planes attached to thia make Il sur
ace of $1,000 square feet. There is one
tHt central plane, and to this are hinged
vlrious other planes, very much smaller,
Which are used Tor keeping tho equilibrium
cor cot and for keeping the flying machine
I a i1es angle in the mir.
Everything il remarkably light. 40 re-
msrkably light that one great bar III the