Artificial and Natural FlightMaxim, Hiram S. (Hiram Stevens)
Science
Artificial and Natural Flight
Maxim, Hiram S. (Hiram Stevens)
Aeronautics; Airplanes; Flight
species of link motion, as shown. The piston-rod extends to each end of
the cylinder, and regulates the rudders by pulling a small wire rope,
the travel of the piston being about 8 feet. At the end of the cylinder
(not shown) the piston-rod is provided with an arm and a nut which
engages the small top tube--this tube being provided with a long
spiral--so that, as the piston moves, the top tube is rotated, and
thereby slides the gyroscope’s support, and changes its position as
relates to the piston valve. It will, therefore, be seen that the action
is the same as with the common steam steering gear used on shipboard. A
little adjusting screw at the right hand of the print is shown. The
upward projecting arm of the bell crank lever is for the purpose of
attaching the wooden handle, making it possible to move the
connecting-rod instantly into a position where the steam piston will
move the rudders into the position shown (Fig. 56).
I copy the following from a description which I wrote of this apparatus
at the time:--
“GYROSCOPE APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY STEERING MACHINE IN A VERTICAL
DIRECTION.
“This apparatus consists of a long steam cylinder which is provided with
a piston, the piston-rod extending beyond the cylinder at each end; the
ropes working the fore and aft rudders are attached to the ends of this
piston-rod, and steam is supplied through an equilibrium valve. The
gyroscope is contained in a gunmetal case, and is driven by a jet of
steam entering through the trunnions. When the gyroscope is spinning at
a high velocity, the casing holding it becomes very rigid and is not
easily moved from its vertical position. If the machine rears or
pitches, the cylinder and valve are moved with the machine while the
gyroscope remains in a vertical position. This causes the steam valve to
be moved so as to admit steam into the cylinder and move the piston in
the proper direction to instantly bring the machine back into its normal
position. As the fore and aft rudders are moved, the long tubular shaft
immediately over the steam cylinder is rotated in such a manner as to
move the whole gyroscope in the proper direction to close off the steam.
The apparatus may be made to regulate at any angle by adjusting the
screw which regulates the position of the tubular shaft. The link that
suspends the end of the steam valve connecting-rod is supported by a
bell crank lever, and while the machine is moving ahead, the lever
occupies the position shown in the photograph (Fig. 52); but if the
machinery and engine stop, the bell crank lever may be moved so as to
throw the connecting-rod below the centre, when the steam will move the
piston in the proper direction to throw both the rudders into the
falling position, as shown in Fig. 56.”
[Illustration: Fig. 52.--Gyroscope, used for the control of the fore and
aft horizontal rudders, thus keeping the machine on an even keel while
in the air.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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