Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-18
Local Inventor Attracts Attention of Authorities by
His Radical Departure from Customary Ideas.
Declares 1t Is Simply a Question
of Mathematics

The Sirch transport will also be diff
ferent from most other flying ma
chimes, and especially all dirgibles, in
that 1t will have no wood, silk or rub
Der anywhere. The sections of the en-
velope will be made of different mate
rails. according to strength required.
Canvas and muslin will be fireproofed
and treated with a solution of gelatin
and ammonium bichromate, which, as
photographers know, becomes hard and
impervious when exposed to the light.
The metal used will be principally a
magnesium aluminium alloy.
while all materials which will be
used have been subjected to a temper
ature of 440 degrees, at which air has
approximately the same buoyancy as
hydrogen gas, and no damage has re-
suited" says Mr.. Sirch, "it is designed
to raise the temperature of the air
contained only about 100 degrees over
atmosphere. There will be no difficult
ty in maintaining the air in the en-
velope hot enough to give the lifting
power desired, and all aeronautical au-
thorities agree that If that can be done
the transport is certain to be success
full"
Mechanically, most interesting
feature of Mr.. Sirch's patents is the
framework, which very ingeniously
comDlneS great strength with eAtteiiS
lightness. He describes this as fol-
lows; Running in longitudinal seams
sewn In the canvas envelope are wires
of great tensile strength trussed out
ward and gripped every twenty-five
feet by small castings, termed hang
ers, into which the extremities of the
truss rods are bolted, making a rigid
envelope. Extending through the cen
ter of the envelope Is spine made up
of 41k-inch tubing sections, each TWEEN
ty-two feet long, connected by. cast
couplings, which also serve as hubs, to
which are bolted the inner extremities
of the truss rods like spokes.
Central Tube
"At the fore and aft ends of the en-
velope the central tube projects, and
to it's ends the wires are secured by
turnbuckles. This hub also forms
means of suspension for the direct con-
nected propeller motors at the ex-
tremities of the bag, thus achieving
what all designers have found desira-
BILE. The engines are two-cycle and re-
versible; each Is inclosed in a small
cab containing room for the engineer.
A small companionway extends from
end to end beneath the bag. Situated
almost midway between the ends OF
the ship are two large metal frames
containing reefable aeroplanes manlp-
ulated from the large metal pilot
house Is also a bench containing levers
for operating the valves and burners
in all compartments. There is also a
centrifugal air compressor which is
connected with the large central tube
in the envelope so that by pulling a
wire a blast of cold air can be admit
ted into any compartment through
valve In the hub.
I'm maneuvering with the transport
1t is necessary only to heat the air sur
ficiently to rise above distractions.
Either end can be elevated or lowered
by warming or cooling the air in the
compartments situated there. The pro-
pellers, located fore and aft, of winch
one draws and the other drives the
apparatus, are smaller and travel at
higher rate of speed than any hereto
fore employed. The engines are built
up of a system of units of six horse
power each, so that more cylinders can
be added as required. The engine
cabins are connected to the pilot house
by telephone and the craft will be fur
Their equipped with incandescent and
searchlights and with wireless equip
ment."
The Sirch transport which the in
ventor will commence assembling this
summer is to have a total weight of
but 1850 pounds and should carry sixty
or more passengers one day or two
passengers twenty days with the fuel
ii can take on. Having a rigid en-
velope and reefable planes, it can soar
or make Roadway without using the
propellers and rise or drop without
ballast