flying machines-第23章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



weight　of　462。97　pounds；　which　is　a　lift　of　5。21　pounds

to　the　square　foot。　This　is　a　better　result　than　those

published　by　the　Wright　brothers；　the　best　noted　being

4。25　pounds　per　square　foot。



Other　Aviators　at　Work。



The　Wrights；　however；　are　not　alone　in　their　efforts

to　promote　the　efficiency　of　the　flying　machine。　Other

competent　inventive　aviators；　notably　Curtiss；　Voisin；

Bleriot　and　Farman；　are　close　after　them。　The　Wrights；

as　stated；　have　a　marked　advantage　in　the　possession　of

patents　covering　surface　plane　devices　which　have　thus

far　been　found　indispensable　in　flying　machine　construction。

Numerous　law　suits　growing　out　of　alleged　infringements

of　these　patents　have　been　started；　and

others　are　threatened。　What　effect　these　actions　will

have　in　deterring　aviators　in　general　from　proceeding

with　their　experiments　remains　to　be　seen。



In　the　meantime　the　four　men　namedCurtiss；　Voisin；

Bleriot　and　Farmanare　going　ahead　regardless　of

consequences；　and　the　inventive　genius　of　each　is　so　strong

that　it　is　reasonable　to　expect　some　remarkable　developments

in　the　near　future。



Smallest　of　Flying　Machines。



To　Santos　Dumont　must　be　given　the　credit　of　producing

the　smallest　practical　flying　machine　yet　constructed。

True；　he　has　done　nothing　remarkable　with　it

in　the　line　of　speed；　but　he　has　demonstrated　the　fact

that　a　large　supporting　surface　is　not　an　essential　feature。



This　machine　is　named　〃La　Demoiselle。〃　It　is　a　monoplane

of　the　dihedral　type；　with　a　main　plane　on　each

side　of　the　center。　These　main　planes　are　of　18　foot

spread；　and　nearly　6　1/2　feet　in　depth；　giving　approximately

115　feet　of　surface　area。　The　total　weight　is　242　pounds；

which　is　358　pounds　less　than　any　other　machine　which

has　been　successfully　used。　The　total　depth　from　front

to　rear　is　26　feet。



The　framework　is　of　bamboo；　strengthened　and　held

taut　with　wire　guys。



Have　One　Rule　in　Mind。



In　this　struggle　for　mastery　in　flying　machine　efficiency

all　the　contestants　keep　one　rule　in　mind；　and　this

is：



〃The　carrying　capacity　of　an　aeroplane　is　governed

by　the　peripheral　curve　of　its　carrying　surfaces；　plus　the

speed；　and　the　speed　is　governed　by　the　thrust　of　the

propellers；　less　the　'head…on'　resistance。〃



Their　ideas　as　to　the　proper　means　of　approaching

the　proposition　may；　and　undoubtedly　are；　at　variance；

but　the　one　rule　in　solving　the　problem　of　obtaining　the

greatest　carrying　capacity　combined　with　the　greatest

speed；　obtains　in　all　instances。







CHAPTER　XVII。



SOME　OF　THE　NEW　DESIGNS。



Spurred　on　by　the　success　attained　by　the　more　experienced

and　better　known　aviators　numerous　inventors

of　lesser　fame　are　almost　daily　producing　practical　flying

machines　varying　radically　in　construction　from

those　now　in　general　use。



One　of　these　comparatively　new　designs　is　the　Van

Anden　biplane；　made　by　Frank　Van　Anden　of　Islip；

Long　Island；　a　member　of　the　New　York　Aeronautic

Society。　While　his　machine　is　wholly　experimental；

many　successful　short　flights　were　made　with　it　last　fall

（1909）。　One　flight；　made　October　19th；　1909；　is　of　particular

interest　as　showing　the　practicability　of　an　automatic

stabilizing　device　installed　by　the　inventor。　The

machine　was　caught　in　a　sudden　severe　gust　of　wind

and　keeled　over；　but　almost　immediately　righted　itself；

thus　demonstrating　in　a　most　satisfactory　manner　the

value　of　one　new　attachment。



Features　of　Van　Anden　Model。



In　size　the　surfaces　of　the　main　biplane　are　26　feet

in　spread；　and　4　feet　in　depth　from　front　to　rear。　The

upper　and　lower　planes　are　4　feet　apart。　Silkolene

coated　with　varnish　is　used　for　the　coverings。　Ribs

（spruce）　are　curved　one　inch　to　the　foot；　the　deepest

part　of　the　curve　（4　inches）　being　one　foot　back　from　the

front　edge　of　the　horizontal　beam。　Struts　（also　of

spruce；　as　is　all　the　framework）　are　elliptical　in　shape。

The　main　beams　are　in　three　sections；　nearly　half　round

in　form；　and　joined　by　metal　sleeves。



There　is　a　two…surface　horizontal　rudder；　2x2x4　feet；

in　front。　This　is　pivoted　at　its　lateral　center　8　feet　from

the　front　edge　of　the　main　planes。　In　the　rear　is　another

two…surface　horizontal　rudder　2x2x2　1/2　feet；　pivoted

in　the　same　manner　as　the　front　one；　15　feet　from　the

rear　edges　of　the　main　planes。



Hinged　to　the　rear　central　strut　of　the　rear　rudder

is　a　vertical　rudder　2　feet　high　by　3　feet　in　length。



The　Method　of　Control。



In　the　operation　of　these　ruddersboth　front　and　rear

and　the　elevation　and　depression　of　the　main　planes；

the　Curtiss　system　is　employed。　Pushing　the　steering…

wheel　post　outward　depresses　the　front　edges　of　the

planes；　and　brings　the　machine　downward；　pulling　the

steering…wheel　post　inward　elevates　the　front　edges　of

the　planes　and　causes　the　machine　to　ascend。



Turning　the　steering　wheel　itself　to　the　right　swings

the　tail　rudder　to　the　left；　and　the　machine；　obeying　this

like　a　boat；　turns　in　the　same　direction　as　the　wheel

is　turned。　By　like　cause　turning　the　wheel　to　the　left

turns　the　machine　to　the　left。



Automatic　Control　of　Wings。



There　are　two　wing　tips；　each　of　6　feet　spread　（length）

and　2　feet　from　front　to　rear。　These　are　hinged　half

way　between　the　main　surfaces　to　the　two　outermost

rear　struts。　Cables　run　from　these　to　an　automatic

device　working　with　power　from　the　engine；　which　automatically

operates　the　tips　with　the　tilting　of　the

machine。　Normally　the　wing　tips　are　held　horizontal

by　stiff　springs　introduced　in　the　cables　outside　of　the

device。



It　was　the　successful　working　of　this　device　which

righted　the　Van　Anden　craft　when　it　was　overturned　in

the　squall　of　October　19th；　1909。　Previous　to　that

occurrence　Mr。　Van　Anden　had　looked　upon　the　device

as　purely　experimental；　and　had　admitted　that　he　had

grave　uncertainty　as　to　how　it　would　operate　in　time　of

emergency。　He　is　now　quoted　as　being　thoroughly　satisfied

with　its　practicability。　It　is　this　automatic　device

which　gives　the　Van　Anden　machine　at　least　one　distinctively

new　feature。



While　on　this　subject　it　will　not　be　amiss　to　add　that

Mr。　Curtiss　does　not　look　kindly　on　automatic　control。

〃I　would　rather　trust　to　my　own　action　than　that　of　a

machine；〃　he　says。　This　is　undoubtedly　good　logic　so

far　as　Mr。　Curtiss　is　concerned；　but　all　aviators　are　not

so　cool…headed　and　resourceful。



Motive　Power　of　Van　Anden。



A　50…horsepower　〃H…F〃　water　cooled　motor　drives　a

laminated　wood　propeller　6　feet　in　diameter；　with　a　17

degree　pitch　at　the　extremities；　increasing　toward　the

hub。　The　rear　end　of　the　motor　is　about　6　inches　back

from　the　rear　transverse　beam　and　the　engine　shaft　is

in　a　direct　line　with　the　axes　of　the　two　horizontal　rudders。

An　R。　I。　V。　ball　bearing　carries　the　shaft　at　this

point。　Flying；　the　motor　turns　at　about　800　revolutions

per　minute；　delivering　180　pounds　pull。　A　test　of　the

motor　running　at　1；200　showed　a　pull　of　250　pounds　on

the　scales。



Still　Another　New　Aeroplane。



Another　new　aeroplane　is　that　produced　by　A。　M。

Herring　（an　old…timer）　and　W。　S。　Burgess；　under　the

name　of　the　Herring…Burgess。　This　is　also　equipped

with　an　automatic　stability　device　for　maintaining　the

balance　transversely。　The　curvature　of　the　planes　is

also　laid　out　on　new　lines。　That　this　new　plan　is

effective　is　evidenced　by　the　fact　that　the　machine　has

been　elevated　to　an　altitude　of　40　feet　by　using　one…half

the　power　of　the　30…horsepower　motor。



The　system　of　rudder　and　elevation　control　is　very

simple。　The　aviator　sits　in　front　of　the　lower　plane；

and　extending　his　arms；　grasps　two　supports　which　extend

down　diagonally　in　front。　On　the　under　side　of

these　supports　just　beneath　his　fingers　are　the　controls

which　operate　the　vertical　rudder；　in　the　rear。　Thus；　if

he　wishes　to　turn　to　the　right；　he　presses　the　control