Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-31
Nh INNS Explain aou L.
eAlae 5 Constructed.
FIin SIMPLE n CONCEPTION
crest Difficulty Of Maintaining the
goui.gbrium Apparently Overcome.
/ Machine 10 Rigid. but the Rear
Svinas Are Said to be Flexible.

s NEW YORK. May 30.-The hitherto
wcIl.kept secret Of the mechanical
construction that made possible the
1,sccessfui flights Of Orville and VIII
bi1r wright has been barred 70 the
world.
Reasons which for years have caus
ed the Wright brothers to guard sol
jealously the mysteries Of their aero
planes are not longer SO compelling as
they once were. Their rights. due
10 priority Of invention. in so far as
they can be legally guarded, are now
fAiriy well protected by letters pat
ent issued In France, January q tn
last, which protect them In this coun'
ny Tor period Of two years. Be-
fore the expiration of the time they
expect to be in a position to take on.
later patents covering further i'm
psogements. .s-.. .... %.4 4
Like many other great inventions.
the Essential feature OF the Wright
usrOpsane Is mechanically so simple
In its conception and construction
that scientific men who for years
worked along more or less similar /
Hines doubtless will wonder that they
md not hit upon the same device.
Down to a certain point aeroplanes
that have met with any degree OF
practical success have not been ma
4crialiy dissimilar For years glid-
Ing machines heavier than air and
carrying considerable weight have.
been successfully supported upon
steady atmospheric currents. But
the seemingly insuRerahie difficnlty
lay In perfecting some device that
you'd enable the operator to maintain
Ms machine in stable equilibrium
when subject to the toss and strain
~ every shifting air currents of every
direction and strength. In this has
laid the "crux OF the whole puzzle. and
e b In the apparent solution of this;
riddle that the enterprising American
brothers have taken a long step for;
ward. a
There is practically nothing in the
Mere device itself which might not
~ duplicated In crude but effective
Sotm BY any boy endowed with SUI.
ACfent mechanical ingenuity TO con-
atruct q big kite or bodsled. Ac-
eprding to the Official description, the
wright flying machine lis composed
- thin surfaces or acroplancs super
posed. There can be one or several
~ these. but the Wright machine, as
uuilt at present, Is made o: two
scientifically expressed. the lateral
extremitfes Of these planes may re-
cetve. At the will of the operator.
cnan9ss which modify the angle of
thcidence under which each of them
y presented to the atmosphere"
- palmer terms. while these planes
ecnsm always parallel. they may be.
carved by the action of the opcrator
- that the twin surfaces change their
tnSle to the wind. The planes are a
structure OF strong wood or metal.
covered with linen. These planes
ere 20 move in the direction Of their
tfoader sides-,hat is. hroadside to
ehe atmosphere. The two planes are
eeparated by uprights or stanchions,.
yAsch are rigid from one end 10 the
qeher- They are fastened to the
esanes at their upper and lower ex.
Qemities by universal. joints. So;
While they Keep the planes parallel at
m times. hey do not prevent them
eeing twisted spiraliy in unison. At
Ne front Of the machine are rciuforcl
mE cross wires. which. with the
sfanchicns. hold the front part Of the.
machine perfectly rigid The front
O led to the rea..
whe3 IL is controlled by very In,
Gentus mechanism.
Wtn0s Flexible A. The Rear. "a
AZ the middle OF the machine are
sore and aft wires which keep the
vAc3e o! the center of the structure
SeG1d. But between the stanchions
which sscparatc the wing a, the roar