Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-29
SECRET OF AEROPLANE
Description of the Famous
Wright Brothers Airship.
so SIMPLE IN CONCEPTION
Exploitation of the Latest Wonder
in Air Flights.
TOLD BY THE INVENTORS
Great Difficulty of Maintaining the
Equilibrium Apparently
Overcome.

NEW YORK. May 29.-The hitherto
well-kept secret of the mechanical con-
struction that made possible the success
full flights of Orville and Wilbur Wright
| is the subject of an elaborate article in
the New York Herald today which de-
clares that. like many other great inven-
tons. the essential feature of the Wright
aeroplane is mechanically so simple In its
conception and construction that scientific
men who for years worked along more or
less similar lines doubtless will wonder
that they had not hit upon the same de-
vice.
Reasons which for years have caused
the Wright brothers to guard so jealousy
the mysteries of their aeroplanes are no
longer SO compelling as they once were
Their rights, due to priority of invention.
in SO far as they can be legally guarded
are now fairly we'll protected by letters
patent issued in France January % last
which protect them in this country for a
period of two years. Before the expra-
ton of the time they expect to be in a
position to take out later patents cover
ing further improvements.
Down to certain point aeroplanes that
have met with any degree of practical
success have not been materially dissim-
liar. For years gliding machines heavier
weights have been successfully supported
upon steady atmospheric currents. But
the seemingly insuperabie difficulty lay in
perfecting some device that would enable
the operator to maintain his machine in
stable equilibrium when subject to the
toss and strain of evershiftng air cur
rents of varying direction and strength
In this has laid the crux of the whole
puzzle. and it is in the apparent solution
OF this riddle that the enterprising Amer
lean brothers have taken long step for
ward.
Official Description.
There is practically nothing in the mere
device itself which might not be dupli-
Gated in crude but effective form by any
boy endowed with sufficient mechanical
ingenuity to construct big kite or bob
sled According to the official descrip-
ton the Wright flying machine lis com
posed of thin surfaces or aeroplanes su-
perposed. There can be one or several of
these. but the Wright machine as built
at present, Is made of two" Scientifically
expressed. 1.-THE lateral extremities of
the| planes may receive. at the will of
the operator. changes which modify the
angle of incidence under which each If
them is presented to the atmosphere"
In palmer terms. while these planes re-
main always parallel. they may be curved
by the action of the operator so thar tha
twin surfaces change their angle to the
wind. The planes are a structure of
strong wood or metal, covered with linen
These planes are to move in the direction
of their broader sides-that is. broadside
to the atmosphere. The two planes are
separated by uprights or stanchions.
which are rigid fro none end to the other
They are fastened to thu planes at their
upper and lower extremitias by universal
joints. SO while they keep the planes
parallel at all times. they do not prevent
them being twisted spirally in unison At
the front OF the machine are reinforcing
cross wires. which. with the stanchions
hold the front part of the machine per
fectly rigid. The front of the wings is
Intended to be held unchanged at all
times. The desired f1exibility of the wings
Is confined to the rear. where 1t is con-
trolled by very ingenious mechanism
Wings Flexible at Rear.
At the middle of the machine are fore
and aft wires which keep the whole of the
center of the structure rigid. But be-
tween the stanchions which separate the
wings at the rear there are no Stiffening