The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-05
KITE AIR SHIP ON TRIAL
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS BY An
OTHER YANKEE INVENTOR.
Flying Machine That Carried a Man
with Ease, and Needs Only
Propeller to Be Perfect.
Portland OIe) Dispatch in New York

Charles H. Lamson. a Portland inventor.
has been putting in his spare time for some
months in the construction of an air ship.
whose successful ascension was described
in a recent issue of the Herald. His first
experiment was with Lilienthal kites.
which We're given impetus by the operator
running down a hill or leaping from an ele-
walton. Their operation was not altogether
a success but Mr.. Lamson through those
experiments became intensely interested in
the subject of aerial navigation. and has
since built many kites of his own designing
and experimental with numerous others
During the New England fair at Rigby,
last fall, he sent up a monster kite, in
which it was intended to make an ascent
when conditions were favorable, but dur
ing the experimental operation, with a life
size dummy on the operators seat one
of the cords parted, and in coming down the
aerial craft was considerably damaged. Its
descent was gradual, but the treetops raised
havoc with its wings. Had it carried liv-
ing operator its course might have been
directed and a landing made in perfect
safety.
Mr.. Lamson's latest air ship is twenty
six feet in length and has about that width
of spread of wings. Its aggregate lifting
surface is about 600 feet. The framework is
Of American spruce, straight grained, and
without doubt the strongest available wood
in proportion to its weight. The fabric is
a closely woven Berkeley cambria. The
frame is strengthened by the use of piano
wire. The ship carries four pairs of sails,
rugged fore and aft, and superposed in
pairs, with vertical keeis at each end.
It's general appearance somewhat resem-
bles that of the Hargrave kite invented by
Lawrence Hargrave of Australia who first
gave to the public the simple double box
Kite Mr.. Lamson has added to this plan
and modified it by raising the forward part
of the sustaining surfaces, so that the kite
VIII ride on an even keel when in the air
instead or at q forty-tiVe degree angle as is
the case with the ordinary kite The sails
are held in place by eight arms. twenty
ICur ribs and twenty-four vertical struts.
us total weight is 100 pounds The pas
senger sits on a swinging seat supported
by boatlike under framework.
Beneath the framework is a pair of pneu-
natc tired bicycle wheels connected bv an
axle -FOUR and half feet in length, and at
tached TO the frame by two INTERSECTIONS of
hickory wheel rim These wheels are used
IN starting the air ship and to assist in
transporting il. the whole structure being
so constructed that it can be folded, and
by the aid of the wheels one man can east
~ trundle 1t across level ground.
AIN FIRST TRIAL.
In most of his experiments with it Mr.
Lamson has used four or five guy lines to
steady the kite. but these have been found
unnecessary, except as a precaution for
safely landing it, The kite is not yet per-
fected. 1t is the intention of its inventor
10 nave the bow line so connected by a
pulley that the operator on the seat will
De able to raise or lower the kite at his
pleasure. A pull of a few pounds on the
DOW line will materially decrease the lift
ing force. The first trial of this air shin
was made at Falmouth Foreside on May
~. With the aid of a single cord it was
sent to height of one thousand feet It
a a,1S maJesucally, without any swaying
ana with no weights or bow line attached
Inc trlal was made for the purpose of test
ing the strength of the aerial sailer. The
Soru uSSq was tften-thread manila bolt
rope. Ihls was found stronger than was
necessary, as the pull was much less than
was anticipated. About the strongest pull
1 me KITE made was two hundred pounds.
Inc velocity OF the wind at the time was
ABOUT eighteen miles hour. There was
no apparent difficulty in its handling from
an ia an with light engine and pro-
peller 1t would be, in Mr.. Lamson's opinion,
a very effective flying machine.
alter leaVlng 1t up for some time he at
tempted 10 pull 1t In to try some more ex-
perlnents, and the several men assisting
MN began 10 haul rapidly on the rope The
struts that separated the upper and lower
surfaces proved insufficient to withstand the
stfain, ana one of them broke, allowing one
OF the lower wings to crowd against the
upper section and causing the kite to make
a rapid descent But there was sufficient
resistance in The remaining sails to cause
the kite to come down softly and the only
damage resulting from It's contact with the
1drtn was the breaking of the tip of one
wing. Mr.. LamSon is of the opinion that
even this accident to the kite would not
nave been fatal to a passenger, had one
been aboard
The vertical struts were replaced with
others of four times the strength of the
ORIGINAL ones. Then the kite was tested
Dy resting the tips on supports twenty feet
apart: Inc weight of man at the center
was found to produce no material defec-
et1n showing that the kite was amply
would be in the air. to carry up several
hundred pounds. Volunteer Adventures
We're plenty, but Mr.. Lamson did not deem
first trial
On June Mr. Lamson made the first as
cent, going up about fifty feet, without the
aid of guy ropes. There was very little
wind. hardly enough to keep the kite sun
ported. However, its inventor was well
satisfied with the test. Rainy weather pre-
vented any further trials until last Satur-
day. On that day his experiments with the
new air ship were witnessed by Mr. A Law
renee Rotch. founder and director OF the
Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, at
Milton. Mass, and his two assistant scient-
lists. Messrs. II. H. Clayton and S. 2. Fer
guSOn.
SENT UP HIS ASSISTANT
The wind being comparatively light, it
was decided to send up the lightest man in
the party Mr. Fred w. Bickford, Mr. Lam
sons assistant, whose weight is 100 pounds
He was anxious to make the ascent, and
he so thoroughly enjoyed his aerial trip
that he is impatiently awaiting a repetition
of the exhilarating experience. While
fifty feet in the air he removed his hands
from the stays, swung his cap and in
dulged in other evidences of delight He
went up three or fo9T times He says he
entertained no sensation of fear, the struct-
ure being so large, and it never once ex-
hibited tendency to dive.
The guy ropes were suspended under the
kite at different points to make expert
mental tests of its lifting force Mr. Bick-
ford made one ascent on a seat attached to
two swinging ropes, 100 feet in length, but
rapidly rotate. and as he is not at all
versed in trapeZe work he was glad TO be
promptly lowered to earth.
A kite similar TO this latest Lamson in
vention has been ordered for use at Rigby
Park as an attraction for the New England
fair in August.
While Messrs. Maxim and Langley have
been devOting their time to the study OF
and Messrs. Octave Chanute and A. NJ. Her
ring, of Chicago, have been experimenting
with kites with a view 10 finding the most
stable form of supporting aeroplanes. They
have been seeking 10 devise surfaces that
can be driven through the air at a rapid but
uniform speed. and can be so manipulated
as to insure safety in alighting, even in case
the machinery should be out of working
order.
On a recent trip from Portland to New
York by boat Mr.. Lamson took with hin
one of his rectangular box kites and ex
perimented with it while the steamer was
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