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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0425.PDF
JUNE II, 1915. Edited by V, E A Wireless-Controlled Model Dirigible. By P. HASKLOCK. IN view of the queries which have recently appeared in FLIGHT re the wireless control of aeroplanes, I thought the particulars of a wireless-controlled dirigible given below might be of interest Fig. 1.—A. Antennae. E1 and E-. Cords to control move s'a*' of I!50001, P* rP^ntT upon which bo°m swings. R.M. Right motor. L.M. Left motor. Dotted lines show position of boom when turning to right. Fig. I, which shows the nacelie of the dirigible in plan form, gives only a_ genera! idea of the arrangement of the motors. The front boom is pivoted at the point, P, so that in order to turn to the right (the position shown being the "forward" position) the right motor is stopped and the left motor allowed to swing in the direction of the arrow to the full extent of the cord, E1. The cords, when the boom Stop. Lower. foriuar. Ri^hC. To Accumulator Fig. 2 (pawl omitted from plan for sake of clearness). is in the "forward " position, hang loose. In its new position the tractor is acting at an angle to the forward line of flight. Similarly the right-hand tractor will turn the machine to the left. The two motors, M1 and M2, which are fixed on the underside of the nacelle at about one-third of the entire length from either end, revolve in a horizontal plane in order to lower the dirigible. Now comes the brain of the machine. This consists of a rim of wood, into which is fixed six segments of metal. These metal seg ments are connected up with the motors and the bomb-dropping trap. A metal spindle, B (Fig. 2), carries an arm of metal, C ; also a ratchet wheel with six teeth. This spindle is made to revolve upon JOHNSON. M.A. its bearings by elastic wound upon ft wooden drum, K. This move ment is controlled by a pawl which is kept against the ratchet l.v means of a small spiral spring. An electro-magnet, C (Fig. 3/, actuates the pawl, the wires passing to the coherei, I), and accumu lator, E. A set of wires runs from another accumulator to all four motors; also to the electro-magnet which controls the bomb trap. Spiral Spring. c Fig. 3. As will be seen from the above, the circuit is completed via the metal arm and whatever segment is engaged by fame. The " forward " terminal is a joint one, and connects the two motors fixed to the boom. The working of the apparatus is as follows 1—When the tapping key of the sending station is depressed, the waves collected by the antenn.v magnetise the filings in the coherer, and so allow the current from the accumulator to pass through and attract the pawl. This allows the ratchet wheel to revolve slightly. The pawl when attracted by the magnet taps the coherer, and so disarranges the filings. This breaks the circuit, therefore the pawl spring forces the pawl onto the ratchet wheel, which completes its first movement, the pawl now engaging another tooth. The metal arm within the wooden hoop now makes a contact with another metal segment. We will suppose the arm is in contact with the segment marked " stop." Now if the tapping key is depressed the arm moves to tin- " forward " terminal. Another depression and it will connect the terminal marked "right," which It connected with the left motor, and causes the dirigible to turn to the right. If the arm i( in the " forward " position, and the operator wishes the machine to turn to the left, one depression of the key brings (he arm to the " right " position, but this is not the one required, therefore another depres sion is necessary t>efore the position is obtained. With reference to the wireless control of aeroplanes, I might lay that about eighteen months ago I commenced experimenting with an apparatus intended to be fitted into a model aeroplane. Experi ments with this apparatus) even though not s<> successful as 1 hoped, have shown me that it is possible, if one has enough time and money, to control models by wireless. I am hoping, when the war is over, to build a machine fitted with apparatus of improved design, which, perhaps, will achieve the success required. [The foregoing will, we are sure, be read with the greatest interest by our model readers, and should be of great a*si stance to those thinking of experimenting in this direction. Especial notice should be taken of the fact that more than one depression, or in some cases more than two, of the " tapping key " may lie necessary to bring the controlling mechanism to the correct position. In the case of a model aeroplane, lightness would have, of course, to be the especial feature of the apparatus.] The Stony Stratford Model Aeroplane Club. " Herewith I enclose a photo, of a group of regular flying members and friends taken on May 22nd," writes Mr. O. Hamilton, jun., "and hope it will be of use, especially as this is the first occasion we have had a snap. " In the photo, the machines seen are, from left to right, 3 ft. 425
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