Posted by jerry on February 7th, 2007 — Posted in History, Journal, Steam, Technology, Travel
Another exhibit in the Musee des Artes et Metiers is that of a long forgotten French Aviation pioneer, Clement Ader (click on ‘NoFlashMuseum’ then Transports’ then ‘1850-1950’ and finally the last small image on the right.
Again, I had no idea before going there that this pioneer aircraft had been preserved for posterity – one of the great ‘almost made it’s among the early aviators. Like the Wright brothers, he was a bicycle designer.
Ader was born in 1841 at Muret in Haute-Garonne. He was multi-talented and was awarded numerous patents during his lifetime, including a ralway system and telephone. But he had a lifelong fascination with flying – inspired by birds and bats, using the latter as a model for his aircraft design. Ader built kites and small-scale gliders and measured the forces needed to keep them flying, using dynamometers. He was the first engineer to know the value of lift and thrust needed for flying.
Clement Ader’s Avion III
He built his first machine between 1882 and 1889, known as the Eole I which reportedly made a low-level hop on 9 October 1890 at an altitude of about 30cm for about 50 metres. Ader was credited with introducing the French word for aircraft – avion – into the French language.
His second machine, Eole II was damaged during trials in 1891. Avion III was built with the help of the Defence Ministry and was completed in 1897. It had a wingspan of 16 metres and had a tricycle undercarriage. It weighed a mere 258kg unladen, and less than 400kg with pilot. It was powered by two lightweight 20hp steam engines designed by Ader, which independently drove two contra-rotating four-bladed propellers. The two motors shared a single flash steam boiler and condenser. The wings were made from bamboo covered with lightweight fabric.
Ader’s steam engine for Avion III
Flash Steam Boiler for Avion III
This plane made one flight attempt at the French Army’s Satory proving ground on 14 October 1897 – without success.
But later in life Ader claimed success for both the Eole and the Avion III. Irrespective of his success or failure – he was far-thinking in terms of his innovative design – the enclosed body, the tricycle undercarriage and the power-to-weight ratio commensurate with the scale of the wings.
His big failure was in not making any provision for control once airborne. But his was a big step on the way towards successful heavier than air flight.
Avion III
This plane was certainly the inspiration for a number of steampunk fanciful depictions of the future of flight – including this automaton ๐
Avion III
There is a good summary of his achievement at this US Air Force site.
Close, as they say, but no cigar. An elegant design though ๐
Cheers
Jerry
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Posted by jerry on February 6th, 2007 — Posted in History, Journal, Steam, Technology
One of my favourite museums in Paris is the Musee des Artes et Metiers – home of the surviving second Cugnot steam wagon (fardier a vapeur). But it is also home to much more as I found when I started to look more closely at the photos I brought back from there last year.
One of the exhibits, not far from Cugnot’s wagon is another remarkable survivor from the pioneering days of self-propelled road vehicles.
Serpollet-Peugeot steam tricar (1889)
Leon Serpollet – largely credited with inventing the flash steam boiler (by which steam is generated almost instantaneously as needed rather than by the slower process of boiling in a pressurised vessel). It is said that he came up with the idea when watching his father quench newly-forged horseshoes in his blacksmiths shop. It’s as good a tale as that of James Watt and the kettle!
After a couple of lightweight ‘test-bed’ three-wheelers based on pedal vehicle, in 1889, in conjunction with Armand Peugeot, he built a much heavier more business-like tricar.
In the book Steam Cars 1770-1970
Lord Montagu of Beauleiu and Antony Bird describe this tricar as follows:
… a large three-wheeled carriage.. it ran on wooden spoked wheels with a cricket seat above the single front wheel and a more comfortable bench for two, just ahead of the back axle with the engine concealed beneath it. The Serpollet hopper-fed coke-burning flash boiler, with a downtake flue, was hung behind the back axle on which the wheels were driven by side chains from a differential countershaft connected to the two-cylinder engine by spur gears. Unlike the contemporary Benz petrol tricars, which it otherwise resembled, the Serpollet-Peugeot had the front wheel fork curved to provide castor action. The fork itself was unsprung, but leaf springs were interposed between the mounting of the fork and the chassis frame.
Serpollet-Peugeot steam tricar 1889
I knew from the description that I had stumbled across the exact vehicle being described.
After it was shown at the Paris Exposition in Autumn 1889, the carriage was driven from Paris to Lyon – a journey of around 300 miles (480km) – a journey which took, on various accounts, between ten and fourteen days. It was not a blessed journey and showed the tenacity required of a motoring pioneer:
[during this journey]… almost everything which could break or fall off did so, including the steering arm, the brake, the back axle and a wheel. The engine and boiler gave relatively little trouble except that a piston rod gland nut worked loose and was mangled by the connecting-rod before the engine could be stopped, and the door of the ash-pan fell off allowing too much draft through the fire which overheated and melted two grate bars.
After this journey from hell, Peugeot decided to explore petrol engines and another marque was launched.
Nevertheless, the few Serpollet carriages were known for their outstanding turn of speed – even on hills and were known to achieve 12-14 mph (19.3-22.5kph). And the flash boiler meant that steam could be raised in a couple of minutes, rather than the half hour or more for standard boilers.
Be warned though, the Musee des artes et Metiers website is not easy to navigate!
But the buildings are delightful ๐
Cheers
Jerry
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Posted by jerry on February 5th, 2007 — Posted in History, Journal, Music
Now here’s a gem – one of the pieces in the Future Museum of South West Scotland is a sheet of parchment comprising part of a medieval music manuscript found reused as the cover for a book of records from Stranraer.
The museum covers key people, key industries, social history and arts and crafts and the site is well worth a visit. Thanks to Linn Skinner of ‘The Embroidress’ for pointing it out ๐
Cheers
Jerry
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Posted by jerry on February 4th, 2007 — Posted in Journal, Music
It might be hard to imagine a small wooden box with a handle on it being worth AUS$10million – but when it’s a Guarneri violin the sound is priceless. The un-named benefactor of the Australian Chamber Orchestra obviously knows a thing or two about violins. They have to be played in order to keep their tone and suppleness. So rather than just keep it in a museum, the mystery buyer of this wonderful instrument has decided to share it with the world. And if it hasn’t been played for fifty years, its tone will just get better over the next several months as Richard Tognetti – lead violinist of the Australian Chamber Orchestra gives it a thorough workout on a tour starting next week. The Australian Chamber Orchestra is playing in Canberra on 10 Feb.
| The instrument was made in 1743 by Guiseppe (Joseph) Guarneri (1698-1744) – known as del Gesu as he signed his violins with a cross and the initials IHS – the Greek abbreviation for Jesus. |
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The “Carrodus” violin – named for one of its owners, 19th century British violinist John Tiplady Carrodus (1836-1895) was one of the last of around 250 violins known by this maker. Around 100 of these violins survive today. Interestingly the Carrodus violin was made from timber from the same tree as another authenticated Guarneri violin known as ‘the canon’ for its big sound.
Guiseppe was the grandson of Andrea Guarneri who, like Antonio Stradivari had trained under Amati, and the two rival families had workshops just a street away from each other in Cremona, Italy – both families making superb instruments, each as good as each other. The Guarneri style stayed more true to the Amati design than did Stradivarius, and the Guarneri violins tended to be less refined in appearance, but richer in tone using a soft oil varnish.
What struck me when Tognetti played a little on ABC TV was the depth of tone in the lower strings, when compared with his own $300,000 instrument. There was really no comparison.
Here is another image of a Guarneri violin, similar to the Carrodus violin.
The thought of this instrument being played again is indeed a rare treat!
Cheers
Jerry
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Posted by jerry on February 3rd, 2007 — Posted in Journal, Travel
One of the surprising things about Tokyo is how easy it is to get away from the hustle and bustle of 12 million people. You can walk along the Sumida Gawa canal and check out the canal boats
But when you see the water, it’s actually not too inviting!
Far better to find one of the many restful parks, like Shiba-Koen park not far from Tokyo Tower. This is just up the road from a wonderful street full of small noodle houses – so you can buy a tasty snack and eat it in the park. But follow the local practice and find a bin for the rubbish.
If this is winter – imagine what it will be like in Spring – Cherry-blossom weather!
As if this were not enough, just nearby was a working Buddhist temple – Zojoji Temple gardens are just the place for some quiet contemplation or a prayer whatever your faith. It is calming simply to walk through this delightful garden. Zojoji Temple is he main temple of the Jodo (pure land) Buddhist sect originally founded in 1393. Zojoji was founded as an orthodox and fundamental nembutsu seminary for Jodo-shu in the Kanto (east Japan) region. It moved its main site to Tokyo in 1598, and has been here ever since.
The Himalayan cedar tree just inside the gate was planted by General Grant, 18th President of the United States, when he visited Zojoji Temple as a national guest in 1879 – according to a small sign next to the tree. Interestingly, though, there seemed to have been some confusion over the year, as this was affixed separately over what was written beneath.
The tree now towers over the Sanmon gate house which was built in 1605. It is constructed in the Chinese Tang Dynasty styleย and is a rare example of early Edo-period architecture.
People have built all manner of shrines over the years, but one really caught my eye – It comprised about a hundred stone effigees about two feet tall, each with its personal crocheted hat and tiny clothes. The statues are of jizobosatusu, the protector of the souls of still-born children. Mothers of still-born children often dedicate an image of the deity and decorate it with baby clothes and toys.
Here’s one close up
And the Daibonsho bell is quite a sight. It was completed in 1673, and has a diameter of 1.76 metres, a height of 3.33 metres and weighs 15 tonnes. It is noted as one of the Big Three bells of the Edo period.
This was a wonderful place to conclude my all-too-brief stay in Tokyo.
Cheers
Jerry
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