Improvements in Flying Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
Improvements in Flying Apparatus.
I, THOMAS MACDONALD of Monument Buildings Monument Square in the
City of London Bank Note Engraver 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 :-
The invention consists in a machine, composed of a frame placed on the shoulders
of a man, being strapped round the waist from supports at his back, breast,
shoulders and middle.
The front and back of the frame consisting of upright guides, through slots in
which the ends of a cross-head project and slide.
The upright guides, have also two other slots, at right angles to the cross-head
slots, through which two double ended rocking link levers work, swinging at their
middle on each end of the cross-head.
Below the slots on the upright guides, and exactly under the cross-head at each
end, are centers on which swing two upright bars, the top ends of which are
made the fulcrums, of the double ended rocking link levers, and on which they
rock from side to side.
The double ended rocking link levers, have each a link at both ends, to which
are attached ropes or cords, and have slots in them, placed equally between the
two links, in a curved form under the cross-head centers, and the length of half
the distance between the two links, both slots having another slot into it, from
underneath with the alternating fulcrums working in the slots.
When the double ended rocking link levers are pulled down, on one side, the
fulerums slip along their slots, and through the slots of the upright guides, to the
other ends of the double ended rocking link levers' slots, ready for the other sides
of the double ended rocking link levers, to be pulled down, which will first cause
the cross-head centers to rise, until the angle of the slots, in the double ended
rocking link levers, are in such a position, as to allow the fulcrums to slip, when
the cross-head can be pulled down until the fulcrums reach the ends of the slots
again, and so repeat the movements.
The step and tread of the man's feet and legs, are communicated to the double
ended rocking link levers, by two ropes or cords, one attached to the right hand
sides of both double ended rocking link levers, and attached to underneath the
man's right boot, with pulleys, the other from the left hand sides, attached to under
the left boot, in the same way.
The step and tread of the man's feet and legs, makes the double ended rocking
link levers, rock, and the fulcrums to alternate in the slots, giving the man his
utmost strength, with which to force down the cross-bead.
On each side of the cross-head in the center, and right angles to it, are two
swinging brackets, and between them at the lower ends, directly under the cross-
head, is a tilting guide link or slide, through which passes a cross-rod, held by
the swinging brackets, at right angles to the cross-head.
The tilting guide link or slide, has a connecting piece attached to it, at the top,
and to the front of the frame, and one at the bottom connecting it to a cranked
lever, by which it can be tilted more or less, and be free to swing on the two
connecting rods.
The swing of the tilting guide link or slide, is limited by a check, with a slot,
and stud, the stud being fixed on the connecting rod, at the top of the

page_text: tilting guide link or slide, the slot being on a swinging check piece attached to
the frame.
The tilting guide link or slide having a limited swing, (or rise and fall) less than
the rise and fall of the cross-head, so that, when the cross-head and cross-rod
rises higher than that limit, the cross-rod will slide in a diagonal direction forward
at the top of its upward stroke, and in a diagonal direction backwards, at the bottom
of its downward stroke.
The rise and fall, with the forward and backward movements are communicated
to the wing socket pieces, (on which wings can be fixed) by each side, having a
horizontal bracket, swinging on the ends of the cross-rod each jointed to a vertical
bracket, having twist joints in their middle, and again jointed to the wing socket
pieces a short distance from their socket joints.
The sockets of the wing socket pieces are fixed by universal joints, to the upright
ends of two levers, having their fulcrums jointed to the frame of the machine, with
their long ends connected to the arms of a man.
The rising of the arm lever on either side, reduces the stroke of the wing on the
opposite side, to that of the arm lever raised.
The accompanying drawings shew the various parts for construction and the
applying of the said machine.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation.
Fig. 2 a front elevation.
Fig. 3 a top view.
Fig. 4 & 5 are front elevations of the double ended rocking link levers, with
their fulcrums.
Fig. 4 left foot down. Fig. 5 right foot down.
Fig. 6 & 7 are side elevations of the tilting guide link or slide, with the swinging
rise and fall check and tilting lever.
Fig. 8 is a full figure, showing the arm lever action and the rope or cord
connections.
As shown in these several figures above enumerated, the machine comprises a
frame . Fig. 1 & Fig. 2. at front and back of which are slotted upright
guides . . in which the double ended rocking link levers a. a. work, with their
fulcrums d. d. having both another slot facing each other, through which the
cross-head projects at both ends, and slides.
On the double ended rocking link levers a. a. are two swinging links y. y. to which
are fastened cords or ropes e. e. passing down to the boots of the man and round
pulleys fixed to his boots Fig. 8. the step of each foot causes the rocking link
levers a. a. to rise the cross-head b. and then slips the alternating fulcrums d. d. to
the other ends of the curved slots e. c. while it allows the cross-head to be pulled
down ready for the step of the other foot the alternating fulerums, swinging on
their centers :. .
On the cross-head in the middle swings a pair of brackets i. i. one on each side
of the cross-head 6, between the brackets . i. swings the tilting guide link or slidej.
connected to the frame on the upright guide h, at the front, by the connecting
piece 7. on the top and a connecting piece m. at the bottom, attached to a cranked
Jever o attached to the frame y. the connecting piece 1. has a stud passing through a
cheek piece (with a slot) n. and swinging on the frame 9.
Through the swinging brackets i. i. and the tilting guide link or slide a cross-
rod passes, projecting at each end, and at right angles to the cross-head . having
horizontal swinging brackets on each end, to which, are jointed to, two upright
brackets g. y. with twist joints in their middle, the lower pieces of the twist joints r. r.
being again jointed to the wing socket pieces. s. a short distance from their
sockets t. t. which sockets are again jointed to the arm levers p. p. by the joint
pieces u. u. the arm levers p. p. being jointed to the frame g at the centers .. ..
The cranked lever o is connected with a stud on the breast frame 7. by the rod r.
having holes at r. to fit stud and to regulate the angle of the tilting guide link or
slide j.

page_text: The distance of the wings' sockets tt to the joints ŕ . vary to suit men of
different strengths.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to he performed, I declare that what
I claim, is
1. A man power machine consisting of two double ended rocking link levers,
swinging on their centers, one on each end of a cross-head and working in slots, in
upright guides, on a frame, attached to the shoulders of a man, the upright guides
having also other slots, through which the cuds of the cross-head project and slide,
the double ended rocking link levers both having links at each end, to which ropes
or cords are attached, and each having a slot placed equally between the two links,
in a curved form under the cross-head centers, and the length of half the distance
between the two links, each slot having another slot into it from underneath, with
the alternating fulcrums working in the slots, and the cross slots of the upright
guides on each end of the frame, the alternating fulcrums swinging on their centers,
below the slots in the upright guides, and held in position by the frame and the
duble ended rocking link levers' slots, the cord or rope fastened to the right side
of the front double ended rocking link lever, passing round pulleys on the boot of
the man's right foot, to the right side of the back double ended rocking link lever,
with the cord or rope on the left front, passing round pulleys on the left boot and
to the left back, in the same manner, giving the motion to the cross-head, of both
rise and fall, from the tread of one foot only, and repeating the same at every
single tread the machines' application to give motion and power to wings in
flying, and as a man power machine, for other purposes of a man motive power
Fig. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. & 8.
2. In a flying machine, a means of gaining and controlling, the forward flight, by
a combination of two swinging brackets, jointed, one on each side of a cross-head
(which rises up and down) and having a tilting guide link or slide between them,
and a cross-rod passing through all three, at right angles to the cross-head with
the tilting guide link or slide held by a connecting rod jointed at the top, to the
upright guide or frame, and another at the bottom jointed to a cranked lever,
swinging on the frame, by which the angle of the tilting guide link or slide is
changed, with a check piece jointed to the frame, having a slot in which a stud
on the connecting rod, at top of the tilting guide link or slide works, giving a
limit to the rise and fall, of the tilting guide link or slide, that limit, being less
than the rise and fall of the cross-rod, causes the cross-rod to complete its upward
stroke in a diagonal direction forward, and the remainder of its downward stroke
in a diagonal direction backwards, which motion being communicated to the wings,
by the various jointed brackets, jointed to the ends of the cross-rod, gives the
forward fight, the degree of which is regulated by the cranked lever before
mentioned as shown in Fig. 6 & 7.
3. In a flying machine, a means of control of balance from side to side, by the
autaching of the wings socket pieces, to arm levers, on the short upright ends of
the levers by universal joints, and the fulcruins of the levers, jointed to the frame
of the flying machine, with the long ends of the levers attached to the man's arms,
the moving arms causing the wings' sockets to move and change the angles, and
positions of the centers, through which the strokes of the cross-head are communi-
cated to the wings socket pieces, thus altering the length of stroke and controlling
balance as shown in Fig. 8.
4. The double movements of the rise and fall of a center, by the single movement
of one end, of a double ended rocking link lever, for any purpose; by means of a
double ended rocking link lever, having a link at each end to which ropes or cords
can be attached, and a slot placed equally between the two links, in a curved form
under the center, and the length of half the distance between the two links, with
another slot into it from underneath, with an alternating fulcrum working in the
slots, and through slots in an upright guide, the alternating fuleru.n swinging on a

page_text: center, under the upright guide held by a frame, the upright guide having a cross
slot through which a cross-head or center piece projects, that passes through the
center of the double ended rocking link lever and on which it gives the double
movement, by pulling down one side only, as shown in Fig. 4 & 5.
Dated this 26th day of February 1895.
THOMAS MACDONALD.