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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 1145.PDF
DECEMBER 7, 1912. experiment, up-and-down oscillation was very noticeable, but after the tail (shown in the illustration) was fitted, the up-and-down oscillations were largely diminished, and practically steady flight accomplished. The best results were obtained when the estimated power applied to the wings was TVh.p., and the number of flaps per minute was from 350 to 400. The maximum lift under these condiiions was found to be 5 lbs., so that the ratio of horse-power to lift under the circumstances was i-h.p. to 50 lbs. The apparatus weighed about 27 lbs. and its speed was equivalent to about 4 or 5 miles per hour. After making these experiments with the goose's wings and tail worked by an electric motor, the experimenters proceeded to con struct a large pair of wings covered with feathers, resembling as far as possible the actual pair of wings employed by a bird. These are shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and •the wings were designed for up-and-down flapping flight. They were mounted on a -vertical car, which was adjusted to show both the lift and the forward movement, and was designed to run on a track of special con struction. The total stretch of the wings was about 20 ft , and they were constructed with artificial feathers arranged so as to resemble the actual feathers in a bird's wing. The total area of the wings was as near as possible twenty times that of the first model referred to above, i.e., about 60 sq. ft., and the wings were flapped up and •down by a nominal 3~3i-h.p. petrol motor. The transmission was by cone-friction-clutch [/ycHf to store up energy on the up stroke and so tend to steady the load on the engine. The crank-throw and position of crank-t-halt were adjustable (or altering the direction Fig. 3. Fig. 4.—The artificial feathered wings viewed from the testing the lifting power. and chain to connecting-rods working the wings. Elastic bands—" pectoral cords "—were attached to the brackets, •which will be noticed below the wings, their object being The same mechanism seen from the side, giving a clearer view of the structure of one 0f the feathered wings. and angle of the flap. The trans mission mechanism for the large wings, comprising the friction- clutch, chain, and connecting-rods is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The results of this flapping flight with the large machine were, according to the experimenters, very promising. The machine, which was susceptible of consider able lightening, weighed 232 lbs., and, on the downward stroke of the wings, was lifted bodily up in the air and pushed forward. It rose about 2 ft. at each stroke and looked like a gigantic bird trying to fly under similar con ditions. At the down strokes, the suspending rope left the vertical position and became markedly inclined forward, thus indicating, on a large scale, the principle which the inventors had established on a small one, namely,that up-and-down flapping flight with suitably-shaped wings produces, or tends to produce, forward movement. Under these circumstances, it appeared that the wings were capable (at 100 flaps per min.) of evoking about 100 lbs. lift each, and of raising the whole machine (weighing 232 lbs.)about front, with experimenter II45
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