Year: 1888

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 12th day of November 1889, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
I, HENRY MIDDLETON, of 3 Wellesley Villas, Wellington Street, Slough, in the
County of Buckingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
I employ wings similar to those of birds for propelling & sustaining my machine,
the guiding thereof being chiefly accomplished by a rudder having somewhat the
form & functions of the tail of a bird. The wings are made to work by suitable
mechanism, in a manner similar to those of a bird; that is to say, they can be made
to Hap vertically up & down, or they can be so turned as to imitate closely the motion
of a bird's wing when the bird wishes to ascend, or descend &c. &c. Further:-These
wings are constructed of either of two types, to wit:-they are either concave on
the under surface, & convex on the upper, & more flexible downwards or when
pressed by the air when the wing moves upwards-than upwards or when pressed
by the air when the wing moves downwards; or they are flat surfaces, & equally―
or nearly equally-flexible in both directions. The first type resembling as
nearly as possible the form & functions of the wings of birds, & the second those of
insects.
I usually attach the midrib of these wings directly to the piston rod of a cylinder,
in which the gas, produced & prepared in the generator, is expanded for the purpose
of performing work. In other instances rackwork & cogwheels are used to connect
the piston rod & wing midrihs together; while occasionally linkwork (or a set of
pieces acting as struts & ties alternately) is used to give the necessary reciprocating
motion to the wings.
In some of my types of engines for flying machines, the cylinder & wings
as a whole rotate about trunnions so that the wings can be flapped in a
direction oblique to the vertical, but in some other patterns of the many
forms I have invented the wing system alone is movable, the cylinder being
stationary.
•

page_text: of
In order to generate a sufficient mass of heated gas under the requisite conditions
pressure & volume with a speed sufficient for attaining flight by mechanism; I use
a slow burning & non-explosive gunpowder, which I free of the solid residuo of com-
bustion by passing the burnt products through asbestos, either dry, or moistened by
water, or other chemical solution, whereby the solid residue spoken of is more
or less completely arrested, & the permanently gaseous, or temporarily gaseous
products alone allowed to enter the cylinder, or other arrangement of the engine
used for the purpose of expanding the heated gas, & converting its heat into
mechanical work.
In other cases when convenient I use one of tho liquifiable gases whereon work has
been done in condensing the same, with the abstraction of heat, & on again com-
municating more or less heat to the same with permitted expansion I develop power
to work my flying engine.
Lastly in still a third type of machine I overcome the difficulty of transferring or
communicating the state or condition called heat across the walls of the containing
vessel by introducing an explosive compound of either vapour or vapours, gas or
gases, or even an explosive in the solid or liquid form, within the cylinder itself & by
the ignition of such explosive produce the energy sought for the purpose specified.
However--this third type of engine is sometimes modified by having the cylinder
connected with a chamber or vessel where the explosions take place, in lieu of the
cylinder itself.
The valve motions for controlling the ingress & egress of gases from the working
cylinder differ in many ways in the several types of engine I employ from those
commonly used in steam engines. Thus I sometimes employ a toggle joint & spring
to give suddenness to the motion of a slide valve, & further improve the rapidity
with which the working fluid enters or leaves the cylinder by allowing it to pass
therefrom through a central opening in the piston rod. And sometimes this arrange-
ment is made only for the purpose of quickening the discharge of the exhaust.
Again I keep the steam & exhaust valves at times entirely separate using lubes on
opposite sides of the working cylinder to contain the same. & in this case the valves
are what may be called piston valves, & their opening & closing is worked more or
less directly by the wings.
In order to give more steady & uniform motion to the wings, I apply springs to
pull the same back from their extreme positions or ends of their stroke & thus to
modify the effects of the inertin of heavy wings that I can work them with great
rapidity when necessary-without damage to the machine.
Dated this Fourth day of July 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Flying Machines and in Apparatus for Propelling
the same.
I, HENRY MIDDLETON, of No. 3 Wellesley Villas, Wellington Street, Slough, in the
County of Buckingham, Engineer, 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:-
According to this invention I employ wings which flap to and fro similar to those
of birds for propelling and sustaining my machine; the guiding thereof being chiefly
accomplished bya rudder having something what the form and functions of the tail of a
bird, but capable of being turned with its plane vertical as well as horizontal and of
taking any intermediate positions. The wings I use are more or less flexible & are
concave on their under surface and convex on the upper. Usually they are made of
a figure whose horizontal projection resembles a semi parabola the axis of which is
placed near the front edge and the curved perimeter forming the posterior edge.
Down the wing runs a midrib, or sustaining beam but such midrib does not divide
the plane of the wing into two equal parts but is much nearer the anterior than the
posterior edge. This midrib is usually rigid and straight but in some cases I construct
it to bend downwards during the upstroke of the wing, so that the convexity of the
upper surface of thewing is still further increased and its resistance diminished during
the upstroke: while during the downstroke the wing slightly flattens out presenting
great resistance to motion through the air or great sustaining power. However it is
Chiefly to the curvature and flexibility of the wing (in plane parallel to the machine's
axis or ordinary line of motion) that I depend for propelling and sustaining the
machine by the wings encountering less resistance and a different direction of thrust
when the wing is moved upwards, to that which it experiences when it is moved
downwards. Further the amount of concavity and convexity which the wing requires.
in other words the shape of its sectional figure; is attained by attaching elastic ribs
of some light substance to the midrib. And such arrangement not only enables the
curvature of the wings to be increased during the upward stroke but confers upon it a
considerable amount of rigidity when the wing is moved downwards. But still another
device is used to enable the wing to more completely fill its many functions. This
device consists in allowing the wing to change its plane by turning slightly on its
axis in passing from the downward to the upward stroke & rice versa. Of course this
change of plane is not only to make the same wing have a smaller area of projection
(when such is supposed to be made on a plane normal to its line of motion) in the
case of the wing making its upstroke. as compared with the same when making the
downstroke; and thus the resistance which is a function of such area is proportionally
diminished and the direction of the thrust made also different in the two strokes.
The wings then being constructed for such purposes as described are attached in
various ways to the piston rod of an engine cylinder," or sometimes two or even
three cylinders are used to give motion to the wings, in preference to one. The valve

page_text: motion of the cylinders constitute their chief peculiarities. With regard then to these
valves sometimes employ an ordinary slide valve and eccentric but more usually a
slide valve moved by a triangular cam: while occasionally 1 make use of the piston
head or rod to act as steam, or vapour, channel or passage, controlled by proper
valves, and further at times supplement this system by adding thereto the slide valve
arrangements before spoken of. And generally cause the cylinder or cylinders to
rotate about trunnions with a view to enable the wings better to perform their
functions: though occasionally I keep the cylinder fixed and move only the wing
system when it is desired to change the inclination of the plane in which the flapping
takes place.
In order to generate a sufficient amount of heated gas under the requisite conditions
of pressure and volume with a speed sufficient for attaining fight by mechanism, I
use a slow-burnng and non-explosive gunpowder which I free of the solid residue of
combustion by passing the burnt products through asbestos either dry or moistened
by water or other chemical solution, whereby the solid residue spoken of is more or
less completely arrested and the permanently gaseous or temporarily gaseous products
alone allowed to enter the cylinder or other arrangement of the engine used for
the purpose of expanding the heated gas and converting its heat info mechanical
work.
In other cases when convenient I use one of the liquefiable gases whereon work has
been done in condensing the same with the abstraction of heat; and on again com-
municating more or less heat to the same with permitted expansion, I develope power
to work my flying machine. With a view of diminishing the weight of the boiler
I only inject or pump into it as much of the liquid under pressure as can be
ovaporated in the time that one stroke or one revolution of the engine occupies.
And in so doing I also diminish greatly the danger of explosions, increase the rapidity
of evaporation, and prevent the sudden transference of bodies of liquid from one part
of the boiler to another which is most deleterious to the stability of the machine.
For such is prevented within the tank by a piston resting on and compressing the
fluid therein contained.
Lastly in still a third type of machine I overcome the difficulty of transferring
or communicating the state or condition called heat across the walls of the con-
taining vessel by introducing an explosive compound of either vapour or vapours
gas or gases, or even an explosive in the solid or liquid form within the cylinder
itself and by the ignition of such explosive, produce the energy sought for the
purpose specified.
However--this--third--type--of--engine--is--sometimes--modified--by
having
the-cylinder--connected--with-a-chamber--or-vessel-where-the--explosions--take
place-in-lien-of-the-cylinder-itself.
In order that my said invention may he most fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed,
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1. 2 & 3 represent different views of one form of the flying machine I have
invented. a and a represent the wing levers attached to the piston rod b in the
minnner shown. d is a small cylinder attached to the larger one for the purpose of
moving the crank of the large cylinder past its dead point. The cranks of the two
cylinders being at right angles to each other. 1 is a cam used to move the slide valve
of the cylinder e by means of the rod r. lever f &c. &c. g is the steam chest of
the large cylinder and & steam pipes leading to the two cylinders. r, a is
the arrangement whereby the wings are allowed to slightly change their plane
on the upstroke being brought back by the springs suitably attached. & are
pieces of framing supporting the trunnions on which the whole machine turns.
& also serve to unite the cylinder with the "boiler" or generator.
Figs. 45 & 6 represent different views of another form of my flying machine.
Here as before a & a are the wing levers. the piston rod, e the cylinder &c. &c.
Because there is no second cylinder used I have devised the arrangement shown in

page_text: Figs. 4, 5 & 6 for causing the crank to pass its dead point. In this arrangement i & i
are two ends of a beam capable of being adjusted and fixed in any convenient position,
to the elongated pedestal block j. & are two springs in which one end of cach is
attached to the ends of the beam i, and the other to hooks and rings passing over
the journal of a crank arm m and act in such manner that they pull the crank k past
its dead point. Fig. 7 is a section of the cylinder, piston head &c. &c. and also shows
the valve & within the cylinder whereby the exhaust gas or steam is passed down
the hollow piston rod.
I'
Fig. 8. 9 and 10 represents a third form of machine the same letters being used to
denote the parts here. in common to the other machines I have described. In this
form I have suppressed the steam chest and placed the valves u & ' for the live
steam and & for the exhaust steam within the piston head. The hollow piston rod
works here through one or more stuffing boxes and is divided into two portions, one
communicating with the "live" steam from the "boiler" or generator. the other
with the exhaust. The piston head is likewise diametially diametrically divided by the
partition . and two or four springs y & y hold the valves in the position they
were last put by the motion of the piston head bringing them into contact with the
ends of the cylinder.
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
1st. Propellors and Supporters for flying machines consisting of curved flexible
wings with ribs &e & placed on opposite sides of the mid rib as described, and which
moreover are so constructed that their posterior edges are more easily bent downwards
than upwards.
2nd. Apparatus whereby the wings are caused by the action of the air to so change
theirplanes as to takepositions suitable for maintaining a flying machine in the air and
producing progress therein substantially as described.
3rd. The engine and connections for working such wings substantially as described
and shown in Figs. 1. 2. & 3 of the drawings.
4th. The engine and connections for working such wings substantially as described
and shown in Figs. 4. 5, 6. & 7.
5th. The engine and connections for working such wings substantially as described
and shown in Figs. 8. 9. & 10.
6th. Moto
of generation
products
fying machines. wherein the difficultyof securing the requisiterapidity
heated gas is overcome by using a slow burning powder whose solid
bustion are removed substantially as described.
7th. Motors ur flving machines wherein the size of the "hoiler or generator is
diminished by only injecting therein enough fluid to work the engine one complete
stroke or revolution, as convenient: and further the use of gases compressed to
the liquid state, or volatile liquids whose rate of evaporation is sufficient for
purposes stated.
8th. The method and mechanism invented for carrying the crank of a steam
or other engine past its "dead point" substantially as described and shown in
Fies. 4. 5 & 6.
9th. The combination of hollow piston head & valves with the hollow piston rod
substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 7.
10th. The combination of hollow piston head & valves with the hollow piston rod
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 9 & 10.
D
" 1000
HENRY MIDDLETON.

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 25th May, 1889
I, HENRY MIDDLETON of 3 Wellesley Villas, Wellington Street Slough, in the
County of Buckingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:―
I employ wings similar to those of birds for propelling & sustaining my machine,
the guiding thereof being chiefly accomplished by a rudder having somewhat the
form & functions of the tail of a bird. The wings are made to work by suitable
mechanism, in a manner similar to those of a bird; that is to say, they can be made
to flap vertically up & down, or they can be so turned as to imitate closely the motion
of a bird's wing when the bird wishes to ascend, or descend &c. &c. Further :-These
wings are constructed of either of two types, to wit:-they are either concave on
the under surface, & convex on the upper, & more flexible downwards or when
pressed by the air when the wing moves upwards-than upwards or when pressed
by the air when the wing moves downwards; or they are flat surfaces, & equally-
or nearly equally-flexible in both directions. The first type resembling as
pearly as possible the form & functions of the wings of birds, & the second those of
insects.
I usually attach the midrib of these wings directly to the piston rod of a cylinder,
in which the gas, produced & prepared in the generator, is expanded for the purpose
of performing work. In other instances rackwork & cogwheels are used to connect
the piston rod & wing midribs together; while occasionally linkwork (or a set of
pieces acting as struts & ties alternately) is used to give the necessary reciprocating
motion to the wings.
In some of my types of engines for flying machines, the cylinder & wings
as a whole rotate about trunnions so that the wings can be flapped in a
direction oblique to the vertical, but in some other patterns of the many
forms I have invented the wing system alone is movable, the cylinder being
stationary.

page_text: us
In order to generate a sufficient mass of heated gas under the requisito conditions
of pressure & volume with a speed sufficient for attaining flight by mechanism;
a slow burning & non-explosive gunpowder, which I free of the solid residue of com-
bustion by passing the burnt products through asbestos, either dry, or moistened by
water, or other chemical solution, whereby the solid residue spoken of is more
or less completely arrested, & the permanently gaseous, or temporarily gnsuous
products alone allowed to enter the cylinder, or other arrangement of the engine
used for the purpose of expanding the heated gas, & converting its heat into
mechanical work.
In other cases when convenient 1 use one of the liquifiablo gasas whereon work has
been done in condensing the same, with tho abstraction of heat, & on again com-
municating more or less beat to the same with permitted expansion 1 develop power
to work my flying engine.
Lastly in still a third type of machine overcome the difficulty of transferring or
communicating the state or condition called heat across the walls of the containing
vessel by introducing an explosive compound of either vapour or vapours, gas or
gases, or even an explosive in the solid or liquid form, within the cylinder itself & by
the ignition of such explosive produce the energy sought for the purpose specifical.
However this third type of engine is sometimes modified by having the cylinder
connected with a chamber or vessel where the explosions take place, in lieu of the
cylinder itself.
The valve motions for controlling the ingress & egress of gases from the working
cylinder differ in many ways in the several types of engine I employ from those
commonly used in steam engines. Thus I sometimes employ a toggle joint & spring
to give suddenness to the motion of a slide valve, & further improve the rapidity
with which the working fluid enters or leaves the cylinder by allowing it to pass
therefrom through a central opening in the piston rod. And sometimes this arrange-
ment is made only for the purpose of quickoning the discharge of the exhaust.
Aguin-l keep the steam & exhaust valves at times entirely seperata using tubes on
opposite sides of the working cylinder to contain the same, & in this case the valvos
are what may be called piston valves, & their opening & closing is worked more or
less directly by the wings.
In order to give more steady & uniform motion to the wings, 1 apply springs to
pull the same back from their extreme positions or ends of their stroke & thus to
modify the effects of the inertin of heavy wings that I can work them with great
rapidity when necessary--without damage to the machine.

page_text: I, HENRY MIDDLETON of No. 3 Wellesley Villas. Wellington Street Slough in the
County of Buckingham, Engineer, 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 :-
According to this invention I employ wings which flap to and fro similar to those
of iris for propelling and sustaining my machine; the guiding thereof being chiefly
accomplished by a rudder having something the form and functions of the tail of a
bird, but capable of being turned with its plane vertical as well as horizontal and of
taking any intermediate positions. The wings I use are more or less flexible & are
concave on their under surface and convex on the upper. Usually they are made of
a figure whose horizontal projection resembles a seini parabola the axis of which is
placed near the front edge and the curved perimeter forming the posterior edge.
Down the wing runs a mid-rib, or sustaining beam but such midrib does not divide
the plane of the wing into two equal parts but is much nearer the anterior than the
posterior edge. This midrib is usually rigid and straight but in some cases I construct
it to bend downwards during the upstroke of the wing, so that the convexity of the
upper surface of the wing is still further increased and its resistance diminished during
the upstroke; while during the downstroke the wing slightly flattens out presenting
great resistance to motion through the air or great sustaining power. However it is
chiefly to the curvature and flexibility of the wing (in plane parallel to the machine's
axis or ordinary line of motion) that I depend for propelling and sustaining the
machine by the wings encountering less resistance and a different direction of thrust
when the wing is moved upwards, to that which it experiences when it is moved
downwards. Further the amount of concavity and convexity which the wing requires,
in other words the shape of its sectional figure; is attained by attaching elastic ribs
of some light substance to the mid rib. And such arrangement not only enables the
curvature of the wings to be increased during the upward stroke but confers upon it. a
considerable amount of rigidity when the wing is moved downwards. But still another
device is used to enable the wing to more completely fill its many functions. This
device consists in allowing the wing to change its plane by turning slightly on its
axis in passing from the downward to the upward stroke & vice versa.
Of course this
change of plane is not only to make the same wing have a smaller area of projection
(when such is supposed to be made on a plane normal to its line of motion) in the
case of the wing making its upstroke, as compared with the same when making the
downstroke; and thus the resistance which is a function of such area is proportionally
diminished and the direction of the thrust made also different in the two strokes.
The wings then being constructed for such purposes as described are attached in
various ways to the piston rod of an engine cylinder," or sometimes two or even
three cylinders are used to give motion to the wings, in preference to one.
The valve

page_text: motion of the cylinders constitute their chief pecularities. With regard then to these
valves I sometimes employ an ordinary slide valve and eccentric but moro usually a
slide valve moved by a triangular cam: while occasionally I make use of the piston
hoad or rod to act as steam or vapour, channel or passage, controlled by proper
valves, and further at times supplement this system by adding thereto the slide valve
arrangements before spoken of. And generally I cause the cylinder or cylinders to
rotate about trunnions with a view to enable the wings better to perform their
functions; though occasionally I keep the cylindor fixed and move only the wing
system when it is desired to change the inclination of the plane in which the flapping
takes place.
In order to generate a sufficient amount of heated gas under the requisite conditions
of pressure and volume with a speed sufficient for attaining flight by mechanism, I
use a slow-burning and non-explosive gunpowder which 1 free of the solid residue of
combustion by passing the burnt products through asbestos either dry or moistened
by water or other chemical solution, whereby the solid residue spoken of is more or
less completely arrested and the permanently gaseons or temporarily gaseous products
alone allowed to enter the cylinder or other arrangement of the engine used for
the purpose of expanding the heated gas and converting its heat into mechanical
work.
:
In other onses when convenient I use one of the liquefiable gases whereon work has
been done in condensing the same with the abstraction of heat and on again com-
municating more or less heat to the same with permitted expansion, I develops power
of work to my flying machine. With a view of diminishing the weight of the boiler
I only inject or pump into it as much of the liquid under pressure as can be
evaporated in the time that one stroke or one revolution of the engine occupies.
And in so doing I also diminish greatly the danger of explosions, increase the rapidity
of evaporation, and prevent the sudden transference of bodies of liquid from one part
of the boiler to another which is most deleterious to the stability of the machine.
For such is prevented within the tank by a piston rosting on anil compressing the
fluid therein contained.
Lastly in still a third type of machine I overcome the difficulty of transferring
or communicating the state or condition called heat across the walls of the con-
taining vessel by introducing an explosive compound of either vapour or vapours
gas or gases, or even an explosive in the solid or liquid form within the cylinder
itself and by the ignition of such explosive, produce the energy sought for the
purpose specified. However-this third type of engine is sometimes modified by
having the cylinder connected with a chamber or vessel where the explosions take
place, in lieu of the cylinder itself.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood, and readily
carried into affect, I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1, 2 & 3 represent differont views of one form of the flying machine I have
invented. a and a represent the wing levers attached to the piston rod b in the
manner shown. d is a small cylinder attached to the larger one for the purpose of
moving the crank k of the large cylinder past its dead point. The cranks of the two
cylinders being at right angles to each other e is a cam used to move the slide valve
of the cylinder c by means of the rod r, lever f&c. &c. g is the steam chest of
the large cylinder and s&s steam pipos leading to the two cylinders. .c, is
the arrangement whereby the wings are allowed to slightly change their plane
on the upstroke being brought back by the springs suitably attached. & are
pieces of framing supporting the trunnions on which the whole machine turi:s.
& also serve to unite the cylinders with the "boiler " or generator.
Figs. 4, 5 & 6 represent different views of another form of my flying machine.
Here as before a & a are the wing levers. the piston rod, e the cylinder &c. &c.
Because there is no second cylinder used I have devised the arrangemont shown in

page_text: Figs. 4, 5 & 6 for causing the crank k to pass its dead point. In this arrangement i&i
are two ends of a beam capable of being adjusted and fixed in any convenient position,
to the elongated pedestal block j. & are two springs in which one end of each is
attached to the ends of the beam i, and the other to hooks and rings passing over
the journal of a crank arm m and act in such manner that they pull the crank k past
its dead point.
Fig. 7 is a section of the cylinder, piston head &c. &c. and also shows
the valves & within the cylinder whereby the exhaust steam is passed down the
hollow piston rod.
Fig. 8, 9 and 10 represents a third form of machine the same letters being used to
denote the parts hero, in common to the other machines I have described. In this
form I have suppressed the steam chest and placed the valves u & u¹ for the live
steam and & for the exhaust steam within the piston head. The hollow piston rod
works here through one or more stuffing boxes and is divided into two portions, one
communicating with the "live" steam from the "boilor" or generator, the other
with the exhaust. The piston head is likewise diametially divided by the partition p, p³;
and two or four springs y & y' hold the valves in the position they were last put
by the motion of the piston head bringing them into contact with the ends of the
cylinder.
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 :-
1st. Propellers and Supporters for flying machines consisting of curved flexible
wings with ribs &c. &c., as described, and which moreover are so constructed that
their posterior edges are more easily bent downwards than upwards.
2nd. Apparatus whereby the wings are caused by the action of the air to so change
their planes as to take positions suitable for maintaining a flying machine in the air and
producing progress therein.
3rd. The engine and connections for working such wings substantially as described
and shown in Figs. 1, 2, & 3 of the drawings.
4th. The engine and connections for working such wings substantially as described
and shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, & 7.
5th. The engine and connections for working such wings substantially as described
and shown in Figs. 8, 9, & 10.
6th. Motors for flying machines, wherein the requisite rapidity of generation of
heated gas is overcome by using a slow burning powder whose solid products of
combustion are removed substantially as described.
7th. Motors for flying machines wherein the size of the "boiler or generator is
diminished by only injecting therein enough fluid to work the engine one complete
stroke or revolution, as convenient; and further the use of gases compressed to
the liquid state, or volatile liquids whose rate of evaporation is sufficient for
purposes stated.
8th. The method and mechanism invented for carrying the crank of a steam
or other engine past its "dead point" substantially as described and shown in
Figs. 4, 5 & 6.
9th. The combination of hollow piston head & valves with the hollow piston rod
substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 7.
10th. The combination of hollow piston head & valves with the hollow piston rod
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 9 & 10.
.י.
1.°
1
11000