Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-05-31
KITE IS A SUCCESS.
DEMONSTRATES THE BASIS FOR
AERIAL SAILING.
Invention of Prof. Bell Step Nearer
Solution of Air Navigation Prob
len-Is Different from
Langley Plan.

To height of 1,100 feet Prof. Alex
ander Graham Bell, of Washington, has
sent one of his tetrahedral kites capa-
BILE of lifting Is pounds. Members Of
the National geographical society, OF
which Prof. Bell was the founder,
looked on in wonderment while the
principle in which he believes lies the
solution of the problem of aerial nayi-
cation was demonstrated. Much has
been written about Prof. Bells tetra-
hedral kites, but the recent public ex-
hibition gave the first opportunity to
see the wingless and gasless airship in
operation. The kites were sent up on
plateau on the Virginia side of the
Potomac river. in sight of Washington.
The wind was light and variable, and
while the experiments were not so sue
cessful as some made in private, three
of the kites were flown to heights
above 400 feet.
Prof. Bell has made study of aerial
navigation for several years along
lines entirely different from those of
Prof. Langley, who would build ma
chine patterned after bird, or of 9TH
er scientists, who would attach pro-
peller and rudder to a gas balloon.
Prof Bell explained that in previous
experiments with other forms Of kites
it had been demonstrated that when
kite was made large enough to sustain
the weight of man to steer and an
engine to propel it the structure was
too heavy to fly. The ratio Of weight
to size had increased For several
years the scientific world had believed
a kite large enough to lift man and
an engine was too heavy to fly in an
ordinary breeze. The fallacy Of this.
Prof. Bell said, he had demonstrated
in his tetrathedral formation.
He said that those who expected to
see a flying machine would be disap-
pointed; he had not reached that stage,
but he had designed the framework Of
kite which presented large surface
the framework of which combined the
maximum strength with the minimum
of weight, and which could be enlarged
practically without limit and still
maintain the ratio of weight to that Of
size and strength.
said, could be solved. If kite could
be built sufficiently large to support
| weight equivalent to that of man and
! an engine in 12-mile breeze, 1t could
be made to fly IL miles an hour, if arti-
| fetal means Of propulsion were pro-
vided He had succeeded in making
| tetrahedral kite that would sustain the
| required weight.
A tetrahedral is space comprehend
ed by four planes, or. simply speaking,
a triangular pyramid. Six sticks
bound tightly together form the frame
work of the tetrahedron, making a
structure of great strength On two
of the sides is placed silk, paper or any
other material from which the kite Is
to be made, and this makes the one
| celled tetrahedfal kite. Cells can be
multiplied almost without limit, and a
I 16-cell tetIahedral kite presents IS
times the wing surface of a single wing
cell kite. and the ratio Of weight to
| wing surface remains the same. This
is accomplished by using portions Of
each tetrahedral frame to support one
that it added, and the addition does not
1 weaken the framework.