Improvements in Flying and Soaring Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1896
Comp ete Specification Left, 22nd Jan.. 1897-Accepted, 6th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flying and Soaring Machines.
I PERCY SINCLAIR PILCHER of Artillery Mansions Victoria Street
London S.W. Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The invention refers to improved soaring and flying machines which are
intended to carry one aeronaut, and particularly to the provisions made for
keeping the wings rigid, and for enabling them to be folded up and to the means
of supporting the aeronaut in the machine.
The soaring machine consists of two wings, a rudder and frame work for holding
the above, two wheels with springs may be attached for the machine to run on
when on the ground, and for taking any jar there may be on alighting. The flying
machine is similar to the soaring machine, but has an oil, spirit, or other engine
attached to the frame-work and connected to drive one or two screw propellers
working in the air placed preferably just above the front of the machine, or two
screw-propellers one placed under each wing. The main frame consists of two
masts placed from about 6 to 10 ft. apart according to size of machine and each
having a total height of about 6 to 8 ft. and standing vertical or approximately
vertical when the wings are horizontal; these are connected to each other by an
upper cross-bar at or near the top of the masts and again another cross-bar pre-
ferably curved down slightly in the middle at or near the centre of the masts.
There are also wires from the lower cross-bar to the bottom of the masts and to
the upper cross-bar at or near its junctions to the masts.
There is a fore and aft body piece composed of two pieces of bamboo, wood or
steel tube, connected together at the ends by being held in suitable castings or by
other means.
The aeronaut takes up his position in the body piece the width of which is about
20 inches for an ordinary sized man but may be more or less according to his size,
one of the bamboos passing on either side of him; to each of the bamboos there is
a vertical handle attached, which the aeronaut holds in his hands, about a foot
abaft which are two straps or tubes which are padded and through which his fore-
arms pass so that when carrying the machine he takes the weight chiefly by means
of the straps and is able to tilt it as he wishes by means of the handles; when he
is resting on the machine his weight is taken on the padding under the straps, or
on the body-piece, and holding tightly on to the handles he is able to move the
weight of his body forwards and backwards so as to balance the machine in a fore
and aft direction when it is supported in the air.
This body piece rests on the lower cross-bar of the main frame and is held to it
by lashings or by other means. From the ends of this body piece wires are
attached the tops and bottoms of the masts and keep them from moving in a fore
aud aft direction. The wings are stiffened by means of a series of spokes radiating
from the mast just above the junction with the lower cross-piece. These spokes
are made preferably of bamboo though other materials such as straight grained
wood or steel tube may be substituted.
These spokes are stayed or braced by means of wires leading to the tops and
bottoms of the masts or to some suitable connection made to the tops and bottoms
of the masta.
There are preferably two wires from the shorter of the spokes to the top

page_text: and two wires to the bottom of each mast but in the case of the longer spokes
there are three wires to the top and three to the bottom of the mast from each
spoke, but there may be more or less.
The connection of each spoke to the mast is made by having a metal piece
rigidly attached to the spoke and passing completely round the mast but allowing
sufficient freedom for the spoke to be revolved round the mast. In each wing
there are about 8 or 9 spokes which or some of which pass through pockets sewn on
to the under side of the sails confining the sails to the spokes and keeping the spokes
from bending sideways. The sail is attached to the end of each spoke by means of
a lashing made between an eye in the end of the spoke and loops made of tape in
suitable positions on the sail, but this may be effected by other means.
As the spokes pass through the pockets under the sail the wires from the spokes
to the tops of the masts must necessarily pass through the sail. In order th it the
wires shall not tear the sail where they pass through a hole 1 to 2 inches in diameter
is cut through the sail for each wire. Round the edge of each of these holes is
glued a patch of sail cloth or other material, which is afterwards varnished over,
so as to keep the wire from tearing the sail.
The sails are made of closely woven cotton or other similar material, but gold-
beater's skin may be used.
The width over the wing tips of the whole machine is from about twenty to
thirty feet and the length fore and aft over wings from about seven to 12 feet.
These sizes will vary with the weight of the aeronaut, the amount of wind, in the
case of soaring machines; and the speed at which it is intended to drive in the
case of flying machines having motive power.
The front of the body-piece extends a foot or so in front of the forward edge of
the wings, so that it will receive the blow in the event of the machine striking
anything end on, and also to give the wires from the forward end of the body
piece to the masts a better lead, as the main frame is in front of the centre of the
body piece.
The sails are laced to the body piece; there is a division in each sail from the
mast to the hody piece and to the inner edge of the sail in line with the main frame
which is laced up when the sail is set. So that having all these details as described
if these lacings are cast off the whole of the spokes and sails are free to revolve
round the mast and thus the wings are furled.
The wings are slightly curved both fore and aft and transversely, concave on the
lower side. The fore and aft curvature is given because at small angles to the wind
the lifting power is greater for the same resistance to forward motion, and the
longitudinal balance can be easily controlled because the longitudinal shift of
the centre of lift is less in the case of a suitably curved surface than of a plain.
The transverse curvature of the sails is such that the body piece is lowest; each
sail rises towards its centre and drops again towards its tip, the tip being preferably
about 6 inches or a foot above the body piece.
The rudder has preferably transverse surface only but it may have vertical
surface also; the transverse surface is slightly inclined to the wing surface, being
raised at the after edge.
The surface of the transverse rudder is about one tenth of the area of the surface
of the wing that is to say if the wing area is 170 sq. ft. the transverse rudder
surface will be about 17 sq. ft., this may be modified in particular machines in
order to counteract a bad distribution of the weight in a fore and aft direction.
The rudder is attached to the after end of the body piece and is connected in
such a way that it may be raised but it can not be depressed relatively to the wings
so that on alighting if the rudder be struck it will simply lift and take no shock
and in the air it will enable the aeronaut by throwing his weight back on the
machine to throw the machine up in front more quickly than would be the case if
the rudder were not free to lift; but as the rudder cannot be depressed the
transverse surface will keep the machine from taking a sudden pitch forward.
The rudder is kept from moving sideways by means of lines going to the

page_text: extremities of the spokes in the after sides of the sails and from depressing by lines
attached to the tops of the masts on the upper cross-piece.
The wheels are attached by means of suitable arrangements to the bottoms of the
masts and the lower cross-bar, this latter connection containing a spring, and their
motion in a fore and aft direction is constrained by wires to the end of the body
piece.
Dated this 30th day of April 1896
Improvements in Flying and Soaring Machines.
I, PERCY SINCLAIR PILCHER of Artillery Mansions, Victoria Street,
London S.W. Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention refers to improved soaring and flying machines which are
intended to carry an aëronaut, and it refers particularly to the means for keeping
the wings rigid and for enabling them to be folded up, and to the means for
supporting the aëronaut in or on the said machines.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a soaring machine in longitudinal
elevation constructed according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, with the wings removed, of a flying machine which is
constructed practically in the same manner as a soaring machine except that it is
provided with means for propelling.
Fig. 3 is a part front or end elevation of same and
Fig. 4 is a plan.
The soaring machine consists of two wings A made of light fabric or the like
a rudder or tail B and a frame work for holding same. Two wheels 3 mounted
freely on shafts 2 may be attached to the machine to run on the ground, and for
neutralizing to a great extent any jar there may be on alighting the inner ends of
the shafts 2 are pivoted to the bottoms S¹ of the masts, and the other ends of the
shafts are connected by a rod 4 to a tube 5 containing a helical spring not shown.
The lines or wires 1 serve to limit the outward motion of the rods 4 in the tubes 5
and also to limit the movement of the wheels in a fore and aft direction. The
flying machine is similar to the soaring machine, but has an oil, spirit, or other
engine U attached to the framework preferably just above the machine and
connected to drive a screw propeller W working in the air. Or the engine may
be behind and the propeller in front or there may be two propellers, one under
each wing connected for instance to the motor by shafting and bevel gearing or in
any other convenient manner. Or if convenient the engine and the propeller
may be in close proximity. Although I have shown the engine and the propeller
with their axes in the same plane, this is not essential as the axes may be in
different planes and motion may be transmitted from the engine as aforesaid by
means of bevel or other gearing. The main frame consists of two masts C placed
from about 6 to 10 feet apart according to the size of the machine, each having a
total height of about 6 to 8 feet and standing vertical or approximately vertical
when the wings are horizontal. The said masts C are connected to each other by
an upper cross bar E at or near the top and below at or near the middle by a
lower cross bar D preferably curved down slightly in the middle but if desired it
may be made straight.
The junction between the masts may conveniently be effected by a metal jointing
piece or double socket T.
There are also wires or rods 10 from the lower cross bar D to the bottom of the

page_text: masts C and wires 9 to the upper cross bar E at or near its junctions with the
masts which wires are best seen in Fig. 3. There may also be wires 12 from
the centre of the cross bar E to the tops of the masts.
There is a fore and aft body piece FF composed of two pieces of bamboo,
wood or steel tube, connected together at the ends by being held in suitable cast
sockets I and J or in any other convenient manner.
The nöronaut takes up his position in the body piece F F, the width of which
is about 20 inches for an ordinary sized man but may be more or less according to
his size, one of the bamboos F being on each side. To each of these bamboos F
there is attached a vertical handle G which the aëronaut holds in his hands and
about a foot abaft of these handles are two straps, loops or tubes H which are
padded and through which his fore arms pass so that when carrying the machine
he takes the weight chiefly by means of the straps H and is able to tilt it as he
wishes by means of the handles G. When he is resting on the machine his weight
is taken on the padding under the straps, or on the body piece and holding tightly
on to the handles he is able to move the weight of his body forwards and back-
wards so as to balance the machine in a fore and aft direction when it is supported
in the air. In order to prevent the straps from bending outwards they are suitably
provided with a lashing or support H' see Figures 3 and 4.
The body piece FF rests on the lower cross bar D of the main frame and is
held to it by lashings or by other means. From the ends of this body piece
wires 11 are attached to the tops and bottoms of the masts and keep them from
moving in a fore and aft direction. The wings A are stiffened by means of a
number of spokes K radiating from each of the masts C just above the junction
with the lower cross piece. These spokes are made preferably of bamboo but
other materials such as straight grained wood or steel tubing may be substituted.
These spokes K are stayed or braced by means of wires Y leading to the tops
of the masts and wires Z leading to the bottoms of the masts or to some suitable
connections at or near the tops S and bottoms S¹ of the masts.
There are preferably two wires from the shorter of the spokes to the top and
two wires to the bottoin of each mast but in the case of the longer spokes there
are three wires to the top and three to the bottom of the mast from each spoke K,
but there may be more or less.
The connection of each spoke to the mast is made by a metal piece not shown
in the form of a loop or eye attached to the spoke and passing completely round
the mast but allowing sufficient freedom for the spoke to be revolved round the
mast. The spokes are kept in position on the mast by their loops resting on the
top of the socket T and are lashed down by lashings. Or the spokes may be
mounted in a bracket parallel with the mast..
In each wing there are 8 or 9 spokes which or some of which pass through
pockets M (see Figure 4) sewn on to the underside of the wing confining it to the
spokes and keeping the latter from being bent or sprung sideways. The wing is
attached to the end of each spoke K by means of a lashing V made between an
eye K' in the end of the spoke and loops made of tape in suitable positions
wings but these connections may also be effected in any other convenient
manner.
The sail is preferably strengthened by tapes or other material and patches L
where the loops are made.
As the spokes pass through the pockets M under the wings, the wires Y from
the spokes K to the tops S of the masts must necessarily pass through the wings.
In order that the said wires shall not tear the wings wlan they pass through, a
hole one to three inches in diameter is cut through the wings for each wire, and the
holes are strengthened by cementing a patch of sail .cloth or other material ll
round same so as to keep the wires from tearing the wings. The patch may be
varuished over afterwards if desired.
The wings are made of closely woven cotton or other similar material but gold-
beaters' skin may be used.

page_text: The width over the wing tips of the whole machine is from about twenty to
thirty feet and the length fore and aft over wings from about seven to twelve feet.
These sizes will vary with the weight of the nöronaut the amount of wind in
the case of soaring machines, and the speed at which it is intended to drive in
the case of flying machines having motive power.
The front of the body piece FF extends a foot or so in front of the forward
edge of the wings so that it will receive the blow in the event of th: machine
striking anything end on and also to form a sort of bowsprit to give the wires 11
from the forward end of the body piece F F to the mast heals Sa better lead, as
the main frame is in front of the centre of the body piece.
The wings A are laced to the body piece F F as shown only on the right hand
side of Figure 4 and each sail is divided from the mast to the body piece and the
two edges are laced with a lacing a when the wing is extended or set. But if the
lacings X and X' are cast off the whole of the spokes K and the wings are free to
revolve round the masts and to be furled. The wings are slightly curved both
fore and aft and transversely and so as to be concave on the lower side. The fore
and aft curvature is given because at small angles to the wind the lifting power is
greater for the same resistance to forward motion, and the longitudinal balance can
be more easily controlled for the longitudinal shift of the centre of lift is less in
the case of a suitably curved surface than it is in the case of a plane or flat
surface.
The transverse curvature of the wings is such that the body piece is lowest;
each wing rises towards its centre and drops again towards its tip, the tip being
preferably about six inches to a foot above the body piece F F.
The rudder B has preferably transverse surface only as shewn, but it may have
a vertical surface or blade also. The transverse surface of the rudder is slightly
inclined to the wing surface as shewn on Figs. 1 and 2.
The surface of the transverse rudder is about one tenth of the area of the surface
of the wings, that is to say, if the wing area is 170 square feet, the transverse
rudder surface will be about 17 square feet. These proportions however may be
modified in particular machines in order to counteract a particular distribution of
weight in a fore and aft direction.
The rudder B is attached to the after end of the body piece F F by means of a
shaft O which is pivoted for instance to the socket or part 1 in such manner that
it cannot be depressed relatively to the wings and so that on alighting, if the
part Q of the rudder strike the ground or other obstacle it will simply move on its
pivot and take no great shock and when the machine is in the air it will enable
the aëronnut by throwing his weight back on the machine to cause the latter to
rise in front or tilt up more quickly than would be the case if the rudder were not
free to move. The rudder cannot be depressed and therefore the transverse
surface will keep the machine from pitching suddenly forward.
The rudder is kept from moving sideways by means of lines 7, 7, shown only on
the left hand side of Figure 4 going from the extremities of two of the spokes Kin
the after sides of the wings and from depression by lines 6, 6, attached to the
mast Cor cross bar E. The rudder is further stayed or distended by being made
on a light frame P, Q and R.
The rteering is effected by inclining the weight of the body to the right or left
respectively if one desires to turn to the right or left.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A soaring machine consisting of a body piece with loops H and handles G
cross bars D E and masts C on which are mounted wings A stiffened by spokes K
with wires for giving rigidity and a pivoted rudder or tail B substantially as
described and shewn.
2. A flying machine consisting of a body piece with loops H and handles G,

page_text: cross bars DE and masts C on which are mounted wings A stiffened by spokes K
with wires for giving rigidity, a pivoted rudder or tail B, and an engine or motor
driving a propeller substantially as described and shewn.
3. In a flying or soaring machine the construction of wings A mounted on
spokes K and stayed by wires Y and Z substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a flying or soaring machine the construction of wings A mounted on
spokes K capable of revolving on the masts C to permit of furling the wings said
wings being stayed by wires Y and Z substantially as described and shewn.
5. In a flying or soaring machine the construction of wings A having pockets M
for the purpose of confirming the wings to the spokes and preventing the latter
from bending substantially as described and shewn.
6. In a flying or soaring machine the employment of travelling wheels 3 adapted
to yield perpendicularly and to a slight extent in the fore and aft direction in the
event of their striking the earth or an obstacle in order to lessen the jar to the
machine substantially as described and shewn.
7. The constructions of soaring and flying machines shown on the drawings.
Dated: T
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.