The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-06-30

/ FeCIlOn everything that could be de-
sired, q weakness developed In the
longitudinal direction. This was
remedied by the adoption OF q tstra-
nedral mode Of construction In which
the triangular principle was carried
out in the longitudinal as well as the
lateral direction, each unit cell hav-
ing the form Of tetrahedron."
Patent Experts EnthusIastie.
Rexford N. Smith, an examiner at
the Patent Office since the outbreak
OF the war, who formerly was en-
gagged in aeronautical and particular
ly air-cell problems, after investfRa-
ton Of Colonel Eggleston's appIica-
ton for a patent OF his air-eeIl de-
sign, said:
Il am satisfied that Colonel EgEIes-
ton has made a decided and important
step forward in the solution Of a
problem that has been and Is being
considered by some OF the best inven-
tive minds OF the day.
I'm my opinion he has solved the
most difficult phase OF the whole
problem. that is, Increasing the a.
mansions and lifting properties Of air
planes by the addition Of cellular
units, each self-bracing and also mu-
tually bracing in relation to adjacent
units, and this without the necessity
OF increasing the dimensions and
weight Of the fuselage and other
main frame members OF the airplane
structure.
Cellular Unit Practical
Il am also convinced by actual
demonstrate nthat the triangular
form Of cellular unit presenting
dihedral sides or surfaces to the
action OF air currents results IN a
desired increase In the lifting eject
OF an airplane as compared with an
ordinary biplane structure without
such dihedral surfaces.
The system OF elamping, locking.
and relatively bracing the surfaces OF
each cellular unit and the units In
relation to each other is unique and
practical, and have no doubt such
system will prove satisfactory"
Among more than nifty pilots Of the
Aerial Mail and Army Air Services
who have examined the plans there
are men who have been engaged IN
nying and construction Of aircraft
for years.
Leon D. Smith, aerial mail pilot.
veteran airman and instructor OF n.y.
ing cadets on many Of Uncle Sans
Greatest Advancement.
AFTER inspecting the model and
carefully going over the drawings Of
the air cell airplane it il my frank
opinion that it is the greatest ad-
Vancement in the line Of aeronauticS
In years. The possibilities OF Il are
almost too great to comprehend.
have flown for over six years aIuoat
and have been dying al
most every type Of machine, but can
hardly realize a plane Of such huge
dimensions.
The wing construction used By
Colonel Eggleston is by far the
ever SEEN Another great adaVntage
OF this wing construction is that ft
cuts head resistance down to a min
imum, as no struts are used"
In the air cell mode OF construction
the space between the upper ana
lower wings would be divided into
triangles by nat plates Of metal or
composition material. cut to the width
or the wings and placed lengthWise
or the ship. The plates would be
bound at the top and side angles by
new and improved form OF lock.
somewhat the dovetail
tighter together as the air pressure
resulting from movement through the
air was increased.
Uses Special Plates.
Colonel Eggleston proposes to
build these plates for the sides Of his
cells from a special substance which
he inevnted several years ago. This
substance is made from cotton and
a A.
luired thickness under tremendous
pressure, and impregnated with q
chemical which binds IL into a strong.
1brous material which is practically
This material has been tested BY
chemists and engineering experts IN
der all manner OF stresses and con-
1itions and has behaved Ia . remark
able manner. It is very light. Is
1re-proof. acid-proof, and water
proof, and is practically unbreakable.
It is Of a beautiful, dark gray color
md takes high polish.
Colonel Eggleston plans 70 build bis
.ells Of plates twenty-five feet and
OF an inch thick The
,nly resistance offered to the air
would be by the leading edge. which
will be sharpened like a knife These
plates would do away with struts and
/ large amount OF the guy wires used
IN the present plane.
Big Struts OneF ReaIstanee.
The disadvantage OF the strut con-
Itruction is that the weight and head
resistance increases much more
apidly than the size OF the plane,
n the larger planes, such as the
the Caproni, and the
&c planes, the struts are about six
inches thick and are tremendously
leavy to give the necessary strength,
reside Offering great head resistance.
Colonel EgglestOn will place his
our motors in the mouths Of the
ellis, forcing q yeritable cyclone Of
ir through the cell. A small, wind
riyen propeller in the rear end Of
he cell tunnel would drive the dyna-
nos for generating electric current
or lighting, wireless, and the motors
The colonel is preparing to build q
arge factory in either Mississippi, his
ONE State, or Oklahoma, to turn out
he cotton and linen composition ma
erial for his plane.
He has but one million dollars cap
tai to put into the construction OF the
lane.
at I don't succeed at hrst," he said.
l will the second time, though I
an see no reason for failure. The
ir-cell systems seems to me to be the