Improvements in Tailless Kites.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tailless Kites.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Fellow
of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (which has been communicated to me from abroad by the
Zimmerman Flying Machine Company (a Firm composed of Charles Zimmerman,
Harry Zimmerman and George Zimmerman), domiciled in the City of Frederiek,
County of Frederick, and State of Maryland. U.S.A.. and doing business at the
corner of East and Second Streets in said city) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
It is
This invention is designed to provide a kite of novel character which can be
flown without a tail, and which is so constructed as to secure automatic equili-
brium in all directions and stable flight under varying conditions of wind.
also designed to provide a kite of this character which can be folded or rolled
in a small compact bundle for purposes of shipment or for storage when not
in use.
With these objects in view, the invention broadly considered consists in a
kite having a number of wings arranged in different planes which intersect each
other at the axis of the kite. The invention also consists in the novel construc-
tion and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the
appended claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Fig. is a perspective view of the kite: Fig. 2 is a front view; Fig. 3 is a
perspective view of a kite provided with a pocket; Fig. t a perspective view of
a kite provided with stay cords for the wings; Fig. 5a perspective view of a
kite having stiffening arms at each end and the edges reinforced or bound, this
view representing the usual position of the kite in flying. Fig. 6 is a perspective
view showing a kite as when made of cloth, the longitudinal arm being removed:
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the same with the longitudinal stiffening strip
in place; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the kite, with the wings cut away
centrally: Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the kite with loop. G. attached to one
wing of the kite only: Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the kite as rolled
up for shipment: Fig. 11 is a front view of a kite having three wings; Fig. 12
is a front view of a kite having six wings; and Fig. B is a perspective view
Showing a portion of a kite having edges bound with cord.
In the preferred form of the kite four wings are employed, arranged in two
planes which intersect each other at the axis. In the construction shown in
Fig. 1 of the drawings, which is that employed for smaller kites made of paper.
these wings are stiffened by two arms. A, which are placed near the upper or
front end of the kite, each arm extending from the tip of one wing to the tip
of the opposite wing, and crossing the other arm at the center. These armis
may consist of small sticks or light wires. and are conveniently secured in place
by having paper strips. B. pasted thereover, these paper strips stiffened by the

page_text: paste employed, or by starching, also aiding in giving stiffness and support to
the wings. If desired, however, each arm, A. may be formed in two sections.
one for each wing, as shown in Fig. 4, and the sections connected at their inner
ends by means of suitable hinges, b. In this construction it is necessary to
connect the several wings by brace cords, 6, which extend across the angles
between the wings. A simple way in which to construct the kite is to take two
sheets of paper, cut to the desired shape, and bent along their longitudinal
centers, so that each will form two wings, as shown in Fig. 2. The two sheets
are then placed against each other and secured by means of pasted strips, (,
said strips also serving to stiffen and reinforce the kite axially and longitudinally.
In the larger sizes of kites, such as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and S. it is desir
able to employ the stiffening arms. A, at both end portions of the kite, na
shown, and when the construction is of cloth the kite should be stiffened longi-
tudinally at its axis by means of a suitable stick, wire or tubing. D. placed in
the apex of the angle between two of the wings, preferably the upper ones,
as shown in Fig. 7. This stick is preferably removable, and is held in place by
means of loops, d, on the kite, which are engaged with the end portions of said
stick or by any other suitable means, so that it can be readily detached and the
kite rolled or folded about it in the manner hereinafter described.
In the cloth kites it is also advisable to connect the arms at the point of inter-
crossing by means of a pin h (see Fig. 6) which will prevent the arins from push-
ing or moving in an endwise direction.
The larger sizes of paper kites may be reinforced at the outer edge portions
of the wings to prevent their tearing easily, by a suitable binding or stiffening. E.
while the cloth kites may be reinforced at the edges by cords, "E', the arms, A.
being notched or grooved at the ends to receive the same. The wings may also
when desired be cut away at their central portions, as shown at F. in Fig. 8,
to form a kite having eight wings, four at each end.
The kites constructed as above described may be flown in two different posi-
tions, that is to say, with the wings crossing each other in oblique planes, in
the form of the letter X, the top and bottom angles being acute, or with the
wings in planes perpendicular to each other, or in the form of an upright cross.
In the former case (which is preferred) the retaining cord. G. is connected to a
short cord. H. which forms a loop across the lower angle of the kite, its ends
being connected to the arms. A, at points about midway between the axis of the
kite and the tips of the wings. If the ends of this cord, G. are attached too near
the axis, the wings will tend to close upon each other horizontally in flight,
while if attached too far from the axis, the wings will tend to close vertically
upon each other. for the reason that in the first place the air pressure will raise
the tip portions of the lower wings and depress the upper wings, while in the
second case the air pressure will raise the axial portion of the kite, and the res
sulting tension on the retaining cord will tend to pull the wings together to-
wards a vertical plane. For the larger kites the retaining cord may be attached
to similar loops. H. at each end portion of the kite, as shown in Fig. 8. but is
preferably attached at one end only.
"
When town in this position, ie, with the wings in oblique planes, these planes
are, as will be readily understood, mutually opposed to each other in such a
manner as to prevent the kite sliding in the wind to either side but it must go
ahead, and by reason of the flexibility of the wings upon both sides of the arms, A,
and the angle formed, the kite is prevented from taking a "header" or cropper
or diving forward. The wind pressure upon the kite, it will be seen, tends
constantly to close the wings horizontally upon each other, while the tension on
the retaining cord when properly attached tends to prevent such action. Con-
sequently, in flight, the wings are more or less in vibration, as the pressure of
the wind varies.
When the kite is flown in position with its wings in vertical and horizontal
planes, and the horizontal wings acting as a supporting plane, the lower vertical

page_text: wing acts as a keel, and the upper vertical wing as a fin, the retaining cord, G,
being connected to the arm. A. of the lower vertical wing, as shown in Fig. 9.
To further guard against any tendency of the kite to take a header, a pocket. I.
may be formed in its lower angle, as shown in Fig. 3. This, however, is not
necessary, as without it the kites will ordinarily fly steadily.
The arrangement of the wings it will be seen gives the kite considerable stiff-
ness both transversely and axially, although for larger kites made of cloth, an
axial strip should be employed, as above stated, to prevent any tendency of the
kite to double up longitudinally.
For purposes of shipment, or for storage when not in use. the wings can be
folded Hat upon each other, and the kite then folded or rolled up from end to end
into a small compact package.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents. I declare that what is claimed is:
A tailless kite comprising a plurality of isometric wings meeting at the longi-
tudinal axis of the kite and with or without stiffening arms or pocket, con-
structed, arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the pur-
pose set forth in the above specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.