Aeroplanes Part 5

_Fig. 15. Utilizing Momentum._

CUTTING OFF THE POWER.--This curve, A, may reach that point where momentum has ceased as a forwardly-propelling factor, and the machine now begins to travel rearwardly. (Fig. 16.) It has still the entire supporting surfaces of the planes. It cannot loop-the-loop, as in the instance where the planes are fixed immovably to the body.

Carefully study the foregoing arrangement, and it will be seen that it is more nearly in accord with the true flying principle as given by nature than the vaunted theories and practices now indulged in and so persistently adhered to.

The body of a flying machine should not be oscillated like a lever. The support of the aeroplane should never be taken from it. While it may be impossible to prevent a machine from coming down, it can be prevented from overturning, and this can be done without in the least detracting from it structurally.

_Fig. 16. Reversing Motion._

The plan suggested has one great fault, however.

It will be impossible with such a structure to cause it to fly upside down. It does not present any means whereby dare-devil stunts can be performed to edify the grandstand. In this respect it is not in the same cla.s.s with the present types.

THE STARTING MOVEMENT.--Examine this plan from the position of starting, and see the advantages it possesses. In these ill.u.s.trations we have used, for convenience only, the monoplane type, and it is obvious that the same remarks apply to the bi-plane.

Fig. 17 shows the starting position of the stock monoplane, in position 1, while it is being initially run over the ground, preparatory to launching.

Position 2 represents the negative angle at which the tail is thrown, which movement depresses the rear end of the frame and thus gives the supporting planes the proper angle to raise the machine, through a positive angle of incidence, of the plane.

_Fig. 17. Showing changing angle of body._

THE SUGGESTED TYPE.--In Fig. 18 the suggested type is shown with the body normally in a horizontal position, and the planes in a neutral position, as represented in position 1. When sufficient speed had been attained both planes are turned to the same angle, as in position 2, and flight is initiated without the abnormal oscillating motion of the body.

But now let us see what takes place the moment the present type is launched. If, by any error on the part of the aviator, he should fail to readjust the tail to a neutral or to a proper angle of incidence, after leaving the ground, the machine would try to perform an over-head loop.

The suggested plan does not require this caution.

The machine may rise too rapidly, or its planes may be at too great an angle for the power or the speed, or the planes may be at too small an angle, but in either case, neglect would not turn the machine to a dangerous position.

These suggestions are offered to the novice, because they go to the very foundation of a correct understanding of the principles involved in the building and in the manipulation of flying machines and while they are counter to the beliefs of aviators, as is shown by the persistency in adhering to the old methods, are believed to be mechanically correct, and worthy of consideration.

THE LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY.--But we have still to examine another feature which shows the wrong principle in the fixed planes. The question is often asked, why do the builders of aeroplanes place most of the weight up close to the planes?

It must be obvious to the novice that the lower the weight the less liability of overturning.

FORE AND AFT OSCILLATIONS.--The answer is, that when the weight is placed below the planes it acts like a pendulum. When the machine is traveling forward, and the propeller ceases its motion, as it usually does instantaneously, the weight, being below, and having a certain momentum, continues to move on, and the plane surface meeting the resistance just the same, and having no means to push it forward, a greater angle of resistance is formed.

In Fig. 19 this action of the two forces is ill.u.s.trated. The plane at the speed of 30 miles is at an angle of 15 degrees, the body B of the machine being horizontal, and the weight C suspended directly below the supporting surfaces.

The moment the power ceases the weight continues moving forwardly, and it swings the forward end of the frame upwardly, Fig. 20, and we now have, as in the second figure, a new angle of incidence, which is 30 degrees, instead of 12. It will be understood that in order to effect a change in the position of the machine, the forward end ascends, as shown by the dotted line A.

_Fig. 20. Action when Propeller ceases to pull._

The weight a having now ascended as far as possible forward in its swing, and its motion checked by the banking action of the plan it will again swing back, and again carry with it the frame, thus setting up an oscillation, which is extremely dangerous.

The tail E, with its unchanged angle, does not, in any degree, aid in maintaining the frame on an even keel. Being nearly horizontal while in flight, if not at a negative angle, it actually a.s.sists the forward end of the frame to ascend.

APPLICATION OF THE NEW PRINCIPLE.--Extending the application of the suggested form, let us see wherein it will prevent this pendulous motion at the moment the power ceases to exert a forwardly- propelling force.

_Fig. 21. Synchronously moving Planes._

In Fig. 21 the body A is shown to be equipped with the supporting plane B and the tail a, so they are adjustable simultaneously at the same angle, and the weight D is placed below, similar to the other structure.

At every moment during the forward movement of this type of structure, the rear end of the machine has a tendency to move upwardly, the same as the forward end, hence, when the weight seeks, in this case to go on, it acts on the rear plane, or tail, and causes that end to raise, and thus by mutual action, prevents any pendulous swing.

LOW WEIGHT NOT NECESSARY WITH SYNCHRONOUSLY-MOVING WINGS.

--A little reflection will convince any one that if the two wings move in harmony, the weight does not have to be placed low, and thus still further aid in making a compact machine. By increasing the area of the tail, and making that a true supporting surface, instead of a mere idler, the weight can be moved further back, the distance transversely across the planes may be shortened, and in that way still further increase the lateral stability.

CHAPTER V

DIFFERENT MACHINE TYPES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS

THERE are three distinct types of heavier-than- air machines, which are widely separated in all their characteristics, so that there is scarcely a single feature in common.

Two of them, the aeroplane, and the orthopter, have prototypes in nature, and are distinguished by their respective similarities to the soaring birds, and those with flapping wings.

The Helicopter, on the other hand, has no antecedent type, but is dependent for its raising powers on the pull of a propeller, or a plurality of them, constructed, as will be pointed out hereinafter.

AEROPLANES.--The only form which has met with any success is the aeroplane, which, in practice, is made in two distinct forms, one with a single set of supporting planes, in imitation of birds, and called a monoplane; and the other having two wings, one above the other, and called the bi-plane, or two-planes.

All machines now on the market which do not depend on wing oscillations come under those types.

THE MONOPLANE.--The single plane type has some strong claims for support. First of these is the comparatively small head resistance, due to the entire absence of vertical supporting posts, which latter are necessary with the biplane type.

The bracing supports which hold the outer ends of the planes are composed of wires, which offer but little resistance, comparatively, in flight.

ITS ADVANTAGES.--Then the vertical height of the machine is much less than in the biplane. As a result the weight, which is farther below the supporting surface than in the biplane, aids in maintaining the lateral stability, particularly since the supporting frame is higher.

Usually, for the same wing spread, the monoplane is narrower, laterally, which is a further aid to prevent tilting.

ITS DISADVANTAGES.--But it also has disadvantages which must be apparent from its structure.

As all the supporting surface is concentrated in half the number of planes, they must be made of greater width fore and aft, and this, as we shall see, later on, proves to be a disadvantage.

It is also doubted whether the monoplane can be made as strong structurally as the other form, owing to the lack of the truss formation which is the strong point with the superposed frame. A truss is a form of construction where braces can be used from one member to the next, so as to brace and stiffen the whole.

THE BIPLANE.--Nature does not furnish a type of creature which has superposed wings. In this particular the inventor surely did not follow nature.

The reasons which led man to employ this type may be summarized as follows:

In experimenting with planes it is found that a broad fore and aft surface will not lift as much as a narrow plane. This subject is fully explained in the chapter on The Lifting Surfaces of Planes. In view of that the technical descriptions of the operation will not be touched upon at this place, except so far as it may be necessary to set forth the present subject.

This peculiarity is due to the acc.u.mulation of a ma.s.s of moving air at the rear end of the plane, which detracts from its lifting power. As it would be a point of structural weakness to make the wings narrow and very long, Wenham many years ago suggested the idea of placing one plane above the other, and later on Chanute, an engineer, used that form almost exclusively, in experimenting with his gliders.

It was due to his influence that the Wrights adopted that form in their gliding experiments, and later on constructed their successful flyers in that manner. Originally the monoplane was the type generally employed by experimenters, such as Lilienthal, and others.

STABILITY IN BIPLANES.--Biplanes are not naturally as stable laterally as the monoplane.

The reason is, that a downward tilt has the benefit of only a narrow surface, comparable with the monoplane, which has broadness of wing.

To ill.u.s.trate this, let us a.s.sume that we have a biplane with planes five feet from front to rear, and thirty-six feet in length. This would give two planes with a sustaining surface of 360 square feet. The monoplane would, probably, divide this area into one plane eight and a half feet from front to rear, and 42 feet in length.

In the monoplane each wing would project out about three feet more on each side, but it would have eight and a half feet fore and aft spread to the biplane's five feet, and thus act as a greater support.