Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-09
TO ENDFAVOR TO
FLY WITH WINGS
PROFESSOR WORKING ALONG
ORIGINAL LINES
NEW KIND OF oRTHoPTER is
NEARLY COMPLETE
Polytechnic Instructor Evolves APP
paratus from Exhaustive Study of
Birds in Moton-To Test
Machine This Week

Original ideas embodying the pIinci-
pie of bird-flight for a man-power fly
ing machine are being worked out by
Prof. H. La V. Twining, instructor in
engineering and electricity at the Poly
technc high school, He has an or
thopter, or bird-flight, machine nearly
completed at the airship factory of
the Pacific Equipment company, 1919
Leoti street. and expects to make tests
with it toward the end of this week
In a number of ways the Twining
orthopter embodies ideas radically diff
ferent from any so far announced by
present-day aeronautical eXperimenters.
They are protected by patent, which
Mr.. Twining holds. The orthopter'
success is dependent entirely on the
practical working of one principle
which is conclusively proved theoretic-
ally, but which Mr.. Twining says, You
can't tell about till you try it." The two
wings may be worked by hand and
foot power or with a ten-horse power
motor, but the inventors aim is to
build an aeronef which will be work
able solely by the power exerted by
the passenger.
Studies Birds in Flight
To accomplish this he made exhaus-
tive studies of flying birds and the
wind action of wings, SO that he is
able to chart the action of the bird
wing when tapping the air with
demonstration that will prove sur
prise to most aerialists. From the eX-
periments he found that serious mis-
take made by nearly all inventors IN.
clining to the tapping wing type OF
machine lies in attaching the wing
all along the edge nearest the ma
chine.
"There are two essentials involved in
the secret of bird flight said Mr..
Twining yesterday. zone is the at
tachment of the front edge OF the
wings forward and above the center t,l Gl
gravity, and the other is to attach
the power very close to the wing IL
self. You see this prominently Illus
trated in the buzZard's wing
The wings of the Twining orthopter
are built of maple, trussed piano wire
and will be covered with cambric. Ihey
are twelve feet long and four teet
wide, giving forty-elght SQUARE leva 49, oI
surface. Their pull is offset with strong
springs. so that they will be perfectly
balanced to give the best possible ap-
plication of the operator strength OF
weight The force eXerted is increased
five to one so that seVenty-hVe pouhdS
nut on the lever will give $50 pounds
on the wing itself
To Start from Ground
Unless Mr.. Twinings theory as to
the position of the fulcrum is lncor-
rect he believes the orthopter VIII run
forward on its wheels and that TWO
sweeps of the wing will be sufnciehl 20
stort II off the ground. If the theory
fails Mr.. Twining says he will be
satisfied, as he will have demonstrated
its failure and will know Just why IL
did not work. IT,.
The line on which he is working is
for a one-man. easily worked, ineXpen-
sive flying machine. which is radlcally
Ie tt,e wriphts and others who have
worked on heavier-than-air craft.
Al smith completed the repairs on
his aeroplane yesterday and expects TO
have it completely reassembled Win VIII.
The motor in place for trial at ny
ing at Ascot park next Sunday.