The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-07-17
Massachusetts Congressman
Submits Working Model Of
Air Craft That Meets With
Approval in the Department
GYROSCOPES TAKE
PLACE OF WINGS
Working Plan Has No Propel-
lers-G Government Intends
X to Make Exhaustive Tests
Late in the Present Month.
az JONATHAN WINFIELD.

90 JONAiUNN WtNrSG6Os
Washington, July 16.--An entirely
new idea in aeroplanes has been sub
mitted to the navy department off.
cials for examinations and experimen.
tai purposes in connection with fitting
out an aerial naval fleet. The plane
is constructed on lines In many ways
different from the generally accepted
idea that has been adopted by aviatora
who have made wonderful spectacular
cruises between the cities and be-
fore large crowds.
This new plane. for which the navy
department will lend Its assistance In
trying out, is the invention of Com
gressman Butler Ames of Massachus-
etts. It is without propeller Of any
kind and In lieu OF wings, series OF
horoscopes are added. The body OF
the plane does not differ essentially
from the late models OF airships, but
its appearance in the air Is entirely
different. Mr.. Ames claims that his
age and will do everything that II En-
pected OF 1t.
The first real trying out will BE-
in Annapolis where series OF ex-
periments have been mapped out BY
Mr.. Ames and some officials OF the
navy department who are especially
interested In aeronautics. The ms
chine will be tested in lifting heavy
weights from the ground and from,
shipboard. In this respect, Mr.. Ames
states his machine will be found to.
be especially fitted The parads
ground in the academy will be used
for some OF the experiments, its large
and flat surface being an ideal ono
for airship stunts" Right off shore.
the torpedo boat Bageley will be moor
ed ready to follow the airship In
whatever bay manoeuvers may be Do
termined upon. Heavy weights Will
be placed on the deck Of the Bageley
to which the airship will be fastened.
BY the aid of the gyroscopes and spec
tally constructed lifting cylinders on
the airship. the plane will endeayor to
drag the weights off the ship and land
them on the parade ground. A great
deal Of dependence Is necessarily pl&c-
ed in the gyroscopes. which. when
sent shirring in rotary fashion, viii
give the machine tremendous HITTING
power as well as driving momentum.
inventor 10 sanouine.
In speaking of the new plane. Mr.
Ames appeared very enthusiastic and
confident that II would meet with tho
unqualified support OF the naval ex-
perts.
Il came across the idea for this
plane from very simple yet strikine
discovery. One day while sitting 81
the library of my home, / idlely t1ro
a thin strip Of paper from Z tablet
and letting 1t fall from my hand, dis-
covered that 1t invariably dropped to
the floor In the opposite direction
from that in which it was held. Fol.
lowing out the idea with gyr0scope,
set vertically found that tremendous
power was generated when set IA mo-
ton with the aid OF gasoline engine.
On my plane gyroscope viii be 10.
Gated on each end Of the machinA,
maybe two on each end. To the unin.
itiated observer, these scopes will 70
semble spiral stairway. small at thu
end nearest the machine and gradual.
ly widening towards the top. A. they
revolye. the machine. win ascend, the
faster the engines are driven. the fast.
er the machine win go.
/ With this machine II will not b
necessary to have a runway upon
which the ship depends for its start
All that will be necessary win be "a
crank the engine, throw tho power
into the gyroscopes and then you M
off. The entire control Of the machine
will be with the operator at all times
In descending the plane. think vii
be a great Improvement over Other
types, as It will settle earthward much
In the same manner az . parachute
does after leaving balloon"
Il Experiments This Month.
H The experiments IN Annapolis wfll
be conducted in the latter part Of Jul1
under the auspices Of the navy depart
ment and It is not unlikely tha4 otlsl
av1ators will be asked to participote
No definite arrangements. however
have been scheduled by those who m
! ii charge of experiments II b likelJ
" that Glenn Curtiss. the aviator Wiz
made the spectacular flight betweo1
Albany, N r., and New York CITY;
| George Hamilton, who made = mos
IIremarkable flight from New York 4
Philadelphia and other man-hfrdA
| f(snrtfn,,xaA N Page Esnnr.l 97E11s7