AN IMPROVED KITE OR ARIAL APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND PURPOSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
OTHER
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED KITE OR ARIAL APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND
PURPOSES." -A communication from abroad by Ferdinand Charles
Honoré Philippe d'Esterno, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 2nd July 1875, and dated the 15th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th January 1875.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 63, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED KITE OR ÆRIAL APPARATUS FOR MILITARY
AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention relates to a kind of kite or trial apparatus to be used
for military and other purposes, its chief object being to raise to the
desired height in the air, and to support in a sufficiently tranquil position
for reconnoitring a scout, look out man, or sentry.

page_text: The apparatus which is represented in the accompanying Drawing
consists of a sail or cloth of any suitable form attached to a frame
or not which is presented at a suitable angle to the action of the wind
according to its force, and held extended by tension in three or more
opposite directions by means of ropes held by men on the ground. The
area of the sail or canvas should be such that the power of the wind may
be sufficient to raise not only the sail or canvas and the ropes by which
it is held captive, but also an additional weight suspended by cords
beneath equal to that of a man, together with that of a parachute
provided for use to avoid accident arising from the sudden dropping of
the wind or from violent gusts, or the failure of any part of the
apparatus.
The apparatus may also be used for signalling or for the purposes of
amusement ΔΝΟΠΛΙΝΑ AN Auhibition
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special licence
that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED KITE OR ERIAL APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER
PURPOSES," a communication to me from abroad by Ferdinand Charles

page_text: Honoré Philippe d'Esterno, of Paris, France,
upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the two accom-
panying Sheets of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):
This Invention relates to a kind of kite or ærial apparatus to be used
for military and other purposes, its chief object being to raise to the
desired height in the air, and to support in a sufficiently tranquil
position for reconnoitring a scout, look out man, or sentry.
The apparatus consists of a sail or canvas of any suitable form
(attached to a frame or not) which is presented at a suitable angle to
the action of the wind according to its force, and held extended by
tension in three or more opposite directions by means of ropes held by
men on the ground. The area of the sail or canvas should be such that
the power of the wind may be sufficient to raise not only the sail and the
ropes by which it is held captive, but also an additional weight suspended
by cords beneath equal to that of a man, together with that of a
parachute provided for use in case of the sudden dropping of the wind or
violent gusts, or the failure of any part of the apparatus.
The apparatus may also be arranged to act as a parachute itself in
case of need by attaching the ropes to a car.
The apparatus may also be used for other purposes besides that of
raising a man to a height in the air, such for instance as a means of
amusement, exercise, or exhibition, or for signalling purposes.
I have mentioned above that the apparatus is retained by three ropes,
but it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this number, as
the Invention consists in the application of tension in any number of

page_text: divergent directions for the purpose of holding the kite, in contra-
distinction to the method adopted with ordinary kites which are held by
a single cord.
The sail may be made of various forms, including that of a hollow
cylinder or cone, or otherwise.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I have
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings two examples of the improved
kite applicable for the purposes above-mentioned.
Figure 1 shows an elevation of the apparatus, and Figure 2 a plan of
the same.
In these two Figures a, b, c, d, represent the outlines of the sail which
is attached to a frame; e, e, are ropes secured to each corner of the sail
and each held by a man upon the ground; f, f, ropes attached to the
same rings as ropes e to sustain the weight 9 raised by the kite.
g
Figure 3 shows a section of the kite a, b, c, d, as inclined to the wind,
the direction of which is indicated by the arrow; e, e, ropes held by
men on the ground; g, rope connecting the hinder edge of the sail with
the head rope.
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the apparatus raised in the air as
employed for watching an enemy's movements in the field.
Figures 5 and 6 show elevations taken at right angles of another
arrangement of the apparatus, and Figure 7 a plan of the same, while
Figure 8 shows on an enlarged scale the mode of attaching the sails
and ropes to their supports. In these Figures the same letters of
reference indicate the same parts. a mast or upright, and b cross
bar composing the frame on which the sail c is distended. The corners
of the sail are attached to a and b by means of rings & hooking into
spring catches e on the frame as shown in the detached view Figure 8.
f ropes attached to mast a uniting at point g and continued by a single
rope h of suitable length. line carried along rope h and one of the
ropes f for setting the sail at the desired angle to the direction of the
wind. j ropes firmly attached to the ends of the cross bar for main-
taining the equilibrium of and raising and lowering the kite.
The ropes may also be arranged as shown in dotted lines in Figures 6
and 7, the line j' being made in three parts attached to the ends of the

page_text: cross bar, and to the top and bottom of the mast respectively. k, k, small
additional spars attached to the top and bottom of the mast a by arms 2
to which are secured by means of rings and catches two small sails or
bonnets m for deflecting the wind beneath the large sail. The bonnets
m are simply united to the large sail by lacing or other means, which
will permit of their ready detachment when not required for use.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
-
A kite or ærial apparatus retained by tension in a number of divergent
directions (in contradistinction to a kite held by a single cord as usual),
whatever may be the form and arrangement of the sail constituting the
kite proper, substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
fire
A. M. CLARK. (L.B.)