Identifier: scientific-american-1894-10-06 (find matches)
Title: Scientific American Volume 71 Number 14 (October 1894)
Year: 1894 (1890s)
Authors:
Subjects: scientific munn american tion machine stars cents apparatus scientific american iron storage battery hot water purchasing power years ago fort wayne torpedo boat cast iron cotton seed good roads
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d which he seeks. I venture this opinion after pretty careful study of the flight of various orders of insects and ofbirds, and after following pretty closely the mechanical experiments of the last thirty years. Mr. Maxim, by his wonderfully ingenious boiler and motor, has solved the chief difficulty as to power, and ascertained many other important facts as to form of propeller, etc. Let him now perfect an adjustable and reversible screw, to be applied at first on the horizontal plane for lifting and then gradually to be brought to an oblique angle for propelling forward, and the next great problem is solved. Laterial dirigibility is easily controlled by cuneiform rudders foreand aft; while soaring power could be gained whenonce in the air by long aeroplanes of relatively narrow dimensions in the line of direction, to be held vertically in ascent and brought to the horizontal position during forward movement. Safe descent under such conditions will be far more thoroughly within control, and
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MR. MAXIMS FLYING MACHINE. cording devices, in fact, everything about the mechanism has been beautifully done and represents great originality and inventive power. The two dynagraphs are good illustrations in point. One of them indicated the lift off the hind axletree,the platform of the machine being so attached to the axletrees as to constitute a sort of weighing machine,and any change of weight resting on the axletrees being shown on the cylinder, which turns once round in 1,700 feet. The other not only recorded the lift on the forward axletree, but made a diagram which recorded the speed with which the machine was passing through the air. It must not be forgotten that the mechanism in all its parts had been repeatedly tested at various steam pressures, and that the casualty of July 31 was really due to its almost unanticipated lifting power under high pressure. Most of the test trips had been made with a lifting effort of not more than 3,000 pounds, a steam pressure of not more than 200 poun

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