The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-02

wonderful powers. 1t furnishes power
for the engines; It reduces TO a liquid the
buoyant gases that are the initial lifting
power of the machine; it supplies fresh
air for the ear at all times, and 1t is an
eVer-ready refrigerator to preserve fresh
meats and other food products that may
be wanted on a long voyage. A limited
quantity of this valuable element is. stor-
ed in tanks under the floor of the car.
LIQUID AIR AIDS.
The recent inventions of Charles e.
Tripler have made 1t possible to operate
d twenty horse power engine and perform
all the other services that are required Of
It, while at the same time reproducing it.
self in sufficient quantities to increase
rather than decrease its bulk and power.
The large engine which furnishes the mo-
tive power for the aerodrome Is one of
the most delicate pieces of mechanism
ever constructed. 1t is made Of alumni
mum and steel. and will develop twenty
horse power although it's total weight Is
only a fraction over fOrty-seven pounds
The engine also operates, when required,
a small dynamo to which 1t can be gear
ed. The current from this dynamo sup
plies the few lamps that are required; IS
used for signal purposes; for cooking,
and, by means of a simple cOntrivance, it
rapidly reduces to a gaseous form those
in order to transfer lighting power into
weight
Hydrogen is the gas that has been used
heretofore, but Prof. Langley believes
that If coronium can be made available,
double the lifting power can be had with
half the amount of gas, thus materially
reducing the wind strain on the machine.
The process is a simple one to relate, but
in practice many serious difficulties are
met with. In rising from the earth all the
lifting power is called into action, but
| as surrounding distractions are passed
and the engines of the aerodrome are
started the machine becomes self-sup-
porting, and the best results are only OBJ
tanned when the greater part of the
weight of the machine is thrown upon
the flying machine. The lifting power of
| the gas consequently is reduced by lique-
faction or condensation. This is accom-
| plished by subjecting the gas to intense
cold, or Iiquef1ed air, which contracts the
gas until it assumes its liquid form.
This main engine also supplies the
! power needed to maintain the supply OF
| liquid air, and is indeed the sole power
producer of the air ship. The dynamo is
a model of neatness and compactness, as
| is every article aboard the ship.
Back of the engine room and at the ex-
| IRENE rear of the "engine runner Is the
storage room, with ample space for all
! that might be required on a long voyage
and with a carrying capacity of some ad-
| ditional freight. The pilot house occu-
pies the forward end, next adjoining the
main or entrance room. On the outside
| of the aerodrOme and slightly abaft of
! midships are to be found on either side
the paddle wheels that at 1900 revolutions
a minute are calculated to produce a
! speed Of more than 100 miles an hour.
! This speed, it Is believed, can be main
| foIro MI
! wheels are five feet six inches in diameter
| and are made of aluminium with steel
| braces.
LIKE THE WINGS OF A BIRD.
Above these wheels and extending from
| end to end Of the flying machine in a
curve slightly dropping toward the rear
are the wings, or sails. Each sail extends
! twenty-four feet from the side of the
car, and considering the width of the
car, six feet, the total width Of the aero
drome from tip to tip Of its wings is fifty
four feet. The wings Of the albatros
! have been taken as the model for the
wings of the aerodrome, as it has been
| found by experiment that this form gives
lifting power nearly three times as
great as that Of the plain surface.
This marks one Of the most Important
improvements over the original machine
| which was the first one to fly In the
stern is mounted a double rudder one
operating to raise or lower the air vessel
and the other to steer 1t to the right OF
left The most prominent feature of the
machine is the gas bag or balloon that is
mounted to the center of the car, to which
1: is connected by the usual network OF
ropes, substantially as is found in the
ordinary balloon and its wicker basket.
The present aerodrome Prof Langley
has constructed can carry five or six PEG
PIE with ease, and 1t is only matter OF
building a sufficiently large one to sus-
tain any given weight. The possible
limit Of carrying capacity is yet to be de-
termined. The working crew Of the pres
/ ent vessel consists of two men, one to care