The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-11-27
Oxygen Machine Helps
Break World Record
For Airplane Flight

limitF the further heights to which
] aviatora may soar
Or. Sanford A. Moss. who de-
signed the General Electric utpcr-
charger. has made the APPARATUS
work by means ~ complete cycle
/ or operations. The rcd-ho exhaust
gases from the alrpllne engine.
which formerly passed or into tho
air as wasted energy. are now made
TO discharge against a small turbine
wheel causing it 10 revolVc AT be-
tween twenty thousand revolutions
and 10000 revolutions per minute.
The turbine drives ccntrifugal
air compressor, which Comprosses
tho small percentage Of oxygen Ia
the rnrefied air 90 sea level density
and Feeds II into the rarburetors
of che engine. That enables the en-
ginc to continue running at mu
power 60 continue driving the pro-
pellor. Of the airshlp and to con-
tinue discharging exhaust gases.
which, IN turn. continue 10 operate
the turbine wheel
the romance OF achievement. is
the story OF the supercharger. II
vas several years in the dcvclopiuE
The original, somewhat crude ap-
paratus was little more than an eX-
pertinent
II was first tried out at sea level
Then II was desired 20 give it an
altitude test, yet the machine was
not yet ready to be mounted on an
airplane. So the whole outfit was
shipped out 20 Colorado and taken
up over the 2S miles Of winding
auto highway &c the summit uf
Pixies peak. an altitude OF li.1OO
feet
There, for nearly three months.
tests were conducted and improve
ments made In an atmosphere that
contains only 60 per cent as much
oxygen as is found at sea level
The improved supercharger re-
sulting from this work was that
with which Major Schroeder flew
up to $3.50 feet The supercharg-
er with which Lieutenant Macready
flew even higher was still further
improved machine, and was built
by the turbine department Of the
General Electric company's Lynn
works.
The new Caldwell type OF air
plane propeller. which shared with
the supercharger in the triumph OF
this flight is itself valuable in
vcntlon Having a very high pitch
and II great diameter and length.
faster the higher the plane flies. AZ
the very highest attitudes. 1t attains
is very greatest efficiency.
Both Of these products Of sclen-
tific research Joined with sheer hui
man courage TO conquer the hitherto
unconquerable.
Macrcady. piercing the tracklcss
atmosphere, was clothed so that no
part of his body was exposed TO
the air over his military uniform
he wore a heavy suit Of wooden un-
derSear, and over this a leather
covered suit heavily padded with
down and feathers.
lie had fleece-lined mocCasins on
his feet. fur-lined gloves on his
hands. and on his hear a leather
helmet, also lined with fur, to which
was attached his oxygen mask. A
gelatin compound covered his gog-
giles, to prevent ice from forming on
the inside of the goggles.
Notwithstanding this 'armor.'
when he began to descend. the sud
den drop to lower level made Il
so cold In the cockpit that ice Inn
mediately coated his goggles, making
him almost blind. This was because
the engine and radiator cooled so
quickly that the radiator pipes. run
ming through the cockpit to warm
the pilot, became entirely cold.
Gradually, as his descent con-
tinued. warmth returned and his
condition returned to normal. lie
got back TO earth without further
adventure to find that the "boys'
at the flying field had been having
guessing contest as TO the height
he would attain.
Tho poarcE. porrcgt oungs NYog
that Of Doctor Moss, inventor OF the
superCharger. who predicted Mac
ready would make 41.0OO feet