2. 'It would seem to me that if M. Ader thought that his rear wheels
were off the ground he should have used his canvas rudder in order to
regain his proper course; this was the best way of causing the machine
to rotate, since it would have given an angular motion to the front
axle.'
Answer.--I state in my report that the canvas rudder whose object was
the manoeuvre of the apparatus in the air could have no effect on the
apparatus on the ground, and to convince oneself of this point it is
only necessary to consider the small surface of this canvas rudder
compared with the mass to be handled on the ground, a weight of
approximately 400 kg. According to my idea, and as I have stated in my
report, M. Ader should have steered by increasing the speed on one of
his propellers and slowing down the other. He admitted afterward that
this remark was well founded, but that he did not have time to think of
it owing to the suddenness of the accident.
3. 'When the apparatus fell on its side it was under the sole influence
of the wind, since M. Ader had stopped the machine. Have we not a result
here which will always be the same when the machine comes to the ground,
since the engines will always have to be stopped or slowed down when
coming to the ground? Here seems to be a bad defect of the apparatus
under trial.'
Answer.--I believe that the apparatus fell on its side after coming to
a stop, not on account of the wind, but because the semicircle described
was on rough ground and one of the wheels had collapsed.
Mensier.
October 27th, 1897.
APPENDIX B
Specification and Claims of Wright Patent, No. 821393. Filed March 23rd,
1903. Issued May 22nd, 1906. Expires May 22nd, 1923.
To all whom it may concern.
Be it known that we, Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright, citizens of the
United States, residing in the city of Dayton, county of Montgomery,
and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in
Flying Machines, of which the following is a specification.
Our invention relates to that class of flying-machines in which
the weight is sustained by the reactions resulting when one or more
aeroplanes are moved through the air edgewise at a small angle of
incidence, either by the application of mechanical power or by the
utilisation of the force of gravity.
The objects of our invention are to provide means for maintaining
or restoring the equilibrium or lateral balance of the apparatus, to
provide means for guiding the machine both vertically and horizontally,
and to provide a structure combining lightness, strength, convenience of
construction and certain other advantages which will hereinafter appear.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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