The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-29
lost heart and died at less than thirty

lost heart and died at less than thirty
years of age.
Another Frenchman named Pinchan-
court continued to manufacture models
of Penaud's inventions, which he sold to
physicists. These were the devices
which Professor Langley imported ana
studied at the beginning Of his devo-
ton to the subject, often improving
them. IenaUd had conceived the idea
OF utilizing the energy stored In twisted
rubber bands or strings. The earliest
OF his inventions bought by the profess
sor was a light wooden frame. or axle,
with u crescent-shaDed wing at either
end. These wings were made of double
thicknesses Of silk cut to form triansies
and fastened with tie corresponding
points overlapping. to give q spiral ef-
feet.
Many rubber strings inside the frame
were previously twisted. AS they un-
wousd the wings revoived in opposite
directions. Prof. Langley altered this
device until he succeeded In making II
tscrrd IN high Us tho Smithsonian
builGsng. Another o. penaud's invsn-
tons was rod twenty inches long.
supporting q rubber motor. Near the
eentor and at right angles was = bow
shaped rod. C1yc.sd with silk and
measuring fif.cer inches srcm tip TO tip.
IN the rear was {. screw propeller of two
paddles, Eet"een this and the baw-
aeroI!ans vas & nG.t .-ade Of an oval
:tGnc. covered with silk. having a fin
rising OF f.EEt angieg, In a vertical
plane. With this additional fliShtS weIo
made and further lessons learned.
a MECHANICAL BIRD.
In 1889 Pinchancourt had improved
upon the inventions of Penaud by con-
structing q mechanical bird, with a
strong rubber motor revolving triple
eccentric. This eccentric moved three
sets of levers, each fastened to differ
ent part of the wings. Professor Lang
ley purchased one of these. 1t meas
ured fourteen and one-half inches IN
length and sixteen and onehalf inches
from tip to tip OF wings, weighing about
one and one-half ounces. A similar
one, had previously flown seventy feet
in France against the wind. Expert
ments with this added to the fas. in
creasing knowledge OF the laws or
flight
Further studies were devoted to the
StrinRfellow airhsip. which hangs
above the historic John Bull train in the
National museum. In 1868 this had been
awarded the prize of $500 at the Crystal
pe!tsCc. Leo.Ioun. Ii tnen had the light
est steam engine In proportion to Its
power, ever made. 1t consists of three
aeroDlancs. one above the other, and
tail. the whole weighing but twelve
pounds. with 1uel and water 1t flew,
suspended on q wire. but never inde-
pendently
Combining the Lessons demonstrated
by these machines. as we'll as by the
whirling- table. Secretary Langley,
about the year 1892. built for himself an
original model. differing from any other
which had previouly navigated the air.
This is direct ancestor Of the last
aerodronc. and It's relationship may be
| counted within n few generations. 1t
measured Il inches IN greatest length,
81 inches from tip to tip OF widest wings.
II had two aerOplanes cf thin silk, one
above the other, and G long and slender
! tail. tipped with 4 sail os paper. made
| Of thrae tr!nngles. totrcd.
| The mafu trarce ccsi5ted OF Two par
! cllcl RODS Oe barnboo, between the
| aeroplares. held together with cross
| wires. Eacn rcd corIGired inside 4
long skein OF rubber strtGc1 which,
when twisted and released, set In mo-
ton q pair of double-paddle propeilGrs
| Of thick paper- THIS roe flew further
than any Of its pred. cg-sHra- On cne
eventful day It pruF9tLaed itself N
free air. over the picturesque towerS
OF the Smithsonian Its r1hhes" ncIDcor
| Is eaid to bave created more motive
| power per ounce than any Ctne- E1ct.r
ever before invented.
The difficult proEIsm TOW t. ha eSa!Ned.
was the construction Of a aUtfcientiy
| light and compact steam Gr9ine, to re-
| place the rubber strings
About this time an American inVcn-'
| tor named Copeland had begun to Guc-
ceed in building steam engines eXcell-'
| ing ell others in comrActness. one H.
nally built weighed bass than ten
pounds to one horse poWCr. Win THIS
| the secretary dGE'G.---tratcd that such
| an engine would Euppd-t weight OF
over 200 pounds in the air at hori-
Zontal velocity Of about fcrty-flNe
miles Der hour and stiIl more at q
higher velocity, the aurface of TIE
aeroplanes being a0Huprtately in
creased in area or number 1t was l.Gs
until the eventful 9th day OF The present
month that one of these compact stcI:n
engines was arranged upon the aero
drome successfully.
II is reasonably certain that aerial
flight, by mechanical Ieans. will be
practically successful within few
years after Prof. Langley lays bare all
of the details Of his wonderful aero
drome There are many engineers in
this and foreign countries who after
some practice will be competent to build
a giant aOrodrome when given small
model to fashion after. The hiEhe st All
thorities on aerodynamics agree that
the first practical adoption of the We
hicle will be as means OF warfare.
ATTACKED ROM ABOVE.
Fortifications for which Uncle Sam
now proposes to eXpend millions would
be useless wrecks If attacked by such
vessels fashioned to drop explosives
aloft. Battleships would likewise be
to hit an aerodrome In this manner than
twinkling Of an eye. Batter es on land
would have to he devised for shooting
vertically, as birds are shot on the
wing. 1t would be much more difficult
TO hit on aerodrome In this manner than
a balloon, on account of the formers $
much smaller surface and much greater
| velocity.
A well-informeda daerodynamist VIII cX-
pressed this view to the writer gave 1t
az his further belief that the speed of
aerodromes will some day reach as higi,
as 200 miles an hour. 1t would be very
difficult to hit one while In motion, and
If struck the chances are that projec-
tile would pass through 1t without i'm
pairing it's fight. Aerodromes, he says
will not carry guns Of present design
heavier than sixty to seventy pounds.
A successful aerodrome will doubtless
be able to run all day without renewing
fuel or water. If sufficiently light con-
denser can be perfected. Other mill
g h. fIAip