The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-16
HERE'S TRUE GENIUS.
A Scientific Washington Boy Builds
a Model Ailship.
Langley Thinks IL VIII Come Near
Solving the Question.

native talonts have already brought him
wonderful SUCCESS In the construction OF
aerial machines and which promise very
great practical benefit This young man
Is Royce Arnold NolSes, who resides at 400
Maine avenue, southwest, with his moth
er, the widow Of ex- Police Sergeant Nokcs.
Heis but 10 years Of age and has received
no especial training In mechanics CT aero
nautics beyond the experiments suggested
by his own original mind
Young Nokes has q hobby 70 build an
airship. His progress so far has resulted
In a model Of an air iiier which Professor
Langley Of the Smithsonian institute
pronounces marvellous invention, en-
bodying principles likely TO be sound and
serviccable In air navigation. Professor
Langley has spent much time studying
the models.
A penchant for the flying machine idea
has been characteristic Of young Mr..
Nokes from earliest childhood, and he has
INDUCED and cultivated IL to great pur-
pose AS little boy he was an adept in
tho construction of sailboats and later
much occupied himself in kite flying.
Finally he began To make flying machines
In good earnest. He Is very .observent and
thoughtful and never fails to improve a
hint Rolling some cambria In his hand
one day into the rough shape Of bird, he
accidentally dropped 1t and was surprised
TO sec it gracefully and steadily soar about
the room before falling slowly to the floor.
This little thing suggested the formation
of the wings of his airship.
The model as at present constructed COW
ers a maximum plane area OF 40 or 90
square feet, and with It's large, graceful
mense bird, though the construction Of
the under parts, with keel and rudder,
shows that the inventor had the ship idea
In mind In the construction of the ma
chine Indeed, the two ideas of the soar
Ing bird and the keeled and ruddered ship
naturally associate themselves In aerial
navigation. The air Is considered by this
young aeronaut as feasible transporta-
tion medium, very like water, in which
the keel and rudder are TO be brought into
practical use for speed and guidance,
while the whole machine is upheld BY the
buoyancy afforded by the birdlike wings
The framework of the model Is con-
structod Of very thin, light rattan, the ribs
thus made being covered with sllkoline,
vanished to cause rigidity and impervious-
ness to the air. Beginning at the under
side Of the airship, there Is keel about a
feet high, feet long at the bottom and
shaped vertically like the PROV of n modern
steamship. 1t has no side bulge or sloping
like ship, however. but Is upright and
only the width Of the ribs throughout.
Back of the keel are the rudder, similar TO
an ordinary ships rudder and propeller
In embryo, but intended TO be built Of
aluminium or other light substance, rather
after the manner Of the wings in the COM
mon electric fan. Power may be furnish
cd by n small steam engine located above
the keel near it's tail" or stern" its po-
sition determined with view TO bringing
the center of gravity as low as possible.
The prospective passenger would find his
quarters at this place
Attached to the keel are two aerial
planes, of the highest Importance In the
construction Of the machine One, termed
the "pilot plane" Is fan shaped, about 2
feet across, attached to the upper front
part Of the keel and perpendicular to it.
The upward and downward movements Of
this plane are free and are regulated by
cords from the vicinity Of the rudder. The
movements Of the ship are guided by this
planes exposure OF Its surface TO the wind.
Ii 1t bc desired to raise the ship, the outer
rim Is raised, exposing it's full area to the
air and bringing itself into direct line with
the second aerial plane Of similar SHAPE,
double the size, whose location Is station
airy, being affixed horizontally perpendicu-
lar to the surface Of the keel and mt an
angle Of about 45 degrees to Its bottom
rim. II the airship Is desired TO descend,
the outer rim Of the pilot plane is pulled
downward by the cords, so that IL rolls or
folds itself under, exposing less surface 10
the air and thus inducing q fall. This
plane can be variously worked so as TO
take the wind to advantage Just baok of
the pilot plane Is constructed deck, I"
Perhaps 10 feet in area This gives buoy
Gncy
When tho ship is little further perfect
ed, it will be given "A series Of experiments.
Great results are expected OF IT, About
two months ago young Nokes and n friend
made an experiment little way down the
Potomac with model essentially like the
one here described. The motive power for
the propeller was Furnished by tightly
wound cable of rubber, which, uncoiling,
acted like a powerful spring. From an
elevation about 10 feet above the surface
Of the ground this model was set free, and
IL gracefully rose In the air, carrying eight
pounds Of iron weights. It sailed several
hundred feet, then gently and steadily de-
scended to the earth
With a larger ship and more power the
inventor believes satisfactory results will
be obtained. He maintains that the weight
Of the machine Is not Of so much account
as n large surface OF exposure 10 the air
and great propulsive power.
He has IN mind improvements on the
propeller whereby by simple mechanism
the paddle mny be made tc fold up on tho
forward stroke, Offering little or no coun-
tor resistance 20 the air. The equilibrium
Of the machine has been we'll tested by at
taching n rope to It and flying IL like n
kito None Of the characteristic pulling
and lodging Of tho kite was experienced,
showing that IL was possible 20 make It
travel against the wind, "a great odvaatsg go
over flying machines built on the balloon
plan. The wings and aerial planes nro so
constructed and have boon so operated in
experimentation as 20 leave little doubt In
the minds Of thoughtful Gcronauts regard
ing the safety Of the ship in case tho raa-
chinery should give out. Experience has
~ a. n