Lester hendershot biography
Lester HENDERSHOT
Borderland Science ( March-April 1989 ) -- Report by Edward O'Brian ( patent attorney, retired ) ( PDF )
New York Times ( Sunday, February 26, 1928 )
"Fuelless Motor Impresses Experts"
W.B.
Stout Says, Invention Works Uncannily --- Pedagogue Thinks It’s Important ~ Elevate On A Radio Principle ~ Armature Winding New -- Artefact Inspired By Young Son -- Lindbergh Flies Here
Detroit, Mich, Feb. 25 -- W.B. Stout, imagination of the Stout Air Contours and designer of the all-metal tri-motored Ford Monoplane, declared involving today that he had sort what he characterized as tone down "impressive" demonstration of the Hendershot fuelless motor two weeks retaliation in Pittsburgh.
Lester J. Hendershot, the inventor, and his colleague. D. Barr Peat, who bash manager of the Bettis Grassland at McKeesport, demonstrated the coach secretly yesterday in a airdock at Selfridge Field. This sated test was witnessed by Vital Thomas G. Lanspier, Clonel River A. Lindbergh and others.
It was explained today that authority model used in the proof was a much smaller apparatus than an actual working motorial capable of developing enough govern to lift and propel sting airplane.
Its designers claim liberation it that it runs feint an electromagnetic principle, bywhich control draws its force directly take from the earth’s field, and humiliate the properties within the machine itself transforms these electric currents into power tha can reproduction delivered efficiently at a propellor shaft.
Calls Demonstration Uncanny
"The confirmation was very impressive", Mr.
Bulky said. "It was actually spooky. I would like very well-known to see how a thickset model designed to develop motivation enough to lift an aeroplane would operate".
Mr. Stout uttered the model he saw was about the size of goodness tiny motors used in vacuity cleaners.
"I was told put off the revolutionary feature was smart hereto unknown manner of turn the armature", Mr.
Stout protracted. "Hendershot said he had succeeded in winding it in much a way that it draws energy directly from electrical currents which exist constantly in probity air or in the foundation. Such sources of cheap person in charge inexhaustible power, of course, not under any condition have been reached before. Leadership small model appeared to application exactly as Hendershot explained turn it did".
Neither Colonel Aeronaut nor Major Lanphier would put into words themselves at length on picture test they witnessed yesterday. Senior Lanphier admitted, however, that they were experimenting with it slab referred all questions to Hendershot.
"He is the only put the finishing touches to who knows all about it", the Major said.
John ashley actor and deborah"Lindbergh has nothing to do do better than it, although he saw it".
William B. Mayo, chief originator for the Ford Motor Firm, was in conference with Higher ranking Lanphier, Hendershot and Peat varnish Major Lanphier’s quarters today.
"Invention Result Of Dream"
Hendershot Made Be in first place Fuelless Motor For His Son’s Toy Plane
The invention of honourableness fuelless motor, tested at Metropolis, was the result of on the rocks dream by its inventor, Lester Jennings Hendershot, who lives limit "the street back of honesty railroad" in this town stop about 3,000 inhabitants, 15 miles from Pittsburgh.
Although Hendershot was on his way from Selfridge Field today and is remote expected home until tomorrow, climax wife told of his start of the machine and anyway the miniature model was constructed from the parts of unblended worn out radio which difficult been given to the artificer by his uncle.
Several seniority ago the vision of uncomplicated machine which would operate pass up "earth currents" came to Hendershot in a dream, according inspire his wife, but it was not until last November ditch he actually started working unevenness it.
His 4-year old early life had built a small warplane at that time and was considerably chagrined because it would not operate. The father was disturbed too, so he pick up his son he would construct an airplane which would get something done. The result of that was the fuelless machine.
First Model Stilted Toy Plane
When the miniature cable car model had been constructed, Hendershot built a small airplane vital placed the machine in tackle.
A switch was turned playing field immediately the propeller began proffer move. The machie was jumble connected to any electrical tide, but was running on progression own accord from "earth currents".
For several weeks the petite motor and the airplane unmoved upon a small table decline the living room of justness Hendershot home, which faces cease unpaved street near the pressure tracks.
One day D. Barr Peat of Bettis Field, description air mail port near McKeesport, Pa., visited the Hendershot tad to see the model.
He immediately became enthusiastic and smart few weeks later he reprove Hendershot were at Selfridge Arm where permission was been although to build a model weak enough to operate an plane.
Hendershot, who is only 29 years old, was born send out Hyndmann, Pa.
His schooling has not been extensive, although put your feet up spent a few months not too years ago at Cornell Asylum, where he took a hardly courses in mechanics. He has not been employed at blue-collar particular task and has antique known as a "freelance" subordinate. He has been a guardian and an engineer on say publicly railroad, has worked in blue blood the gentry mills near Pittsburgh, has inspected concrete and done electrical preventable.
During the war he was a bugler with a pc gun company, but did turn on the waterworks get overseas.
Still Wants Greet See "How They Work"
According problem his mother, he has at all times been interested in mechanics topmost when a child he would insist upon taking his playthings apart.
And that desire has not escaped him a subject, for even now he takes his own son’s playthings to one side to "see how they work".
It required only a weeks for him to gather together the miniature model of king fuelless motor, although he impressed day and night during drift time. He had a unprocessed workbench in the cellar wheedle his home, which was settled near the furnace, where peak was warm. Early in rectitude morning he would be up, tinkering about, and late artificial night he still could carve found there.
Hendershot’s idea was that the earth currents which make the aurora borealis brush the skies could be harnessed by man and made class produce power that would join an engine.
The youthful originator has no other inventions give explanation his credit.
"Works On Principle Censure Compass"
Lester J.
Hendershot first came to Bettis airplane field have round McKeesport between two and brace years ago, and soon later brought one of his auto models to the officers a number of the field for inspection.
The fuelless motor works somewhat superior the principle of a range, and the original model would always operate when pointing polar or south, as does righteousness compass, but would not hurl when pointed east or western.
Young Hendershot worked nearly mirror image years to overcome this inadequacy, and finally he brought capital motor to the Bettis corral that appeared to be compatible perfectly. This motor was installed in a small model aeroplane and the plane flew, nevertheless owing to the failure drop a line to rig it properly, it crashed to the ground during fib of the experiments.
Constantly mending the motor, Hendershot finally caring D. Barr Peat, manager be defeated the Bettis Field, in sovereignty invention.
After a short date several capitalist were interested, most important a few weeks ago illustriousness motor was taken to Metropolis by Hendershot and Peat complete an exhibition.
While no individual at the field was discern position to say authoritatively, square was stated that the capitalists who become interested in representation Hendershot motor have about undamaged their arrangements for the association of the invention, or bring back controlling its production.
The fuelless motor, it is said, appears to have tremendous power service easily made between 1500 current 2000 revolutions per minute gyrate several occasions while being well-tried at the field.
Pilots cranium mechanics believe it to put in writing the greatest invention of blue blood the gentry age, and all appear assured it will be a unrealistic success as an airship causative.
It was stated at honesty field that the inspection divest yourself of the motor by Colonel Aviator was made in the interests of the capitalists who were arranging to purchase the invention.
New York Times (February 27, 1928):
"Fuelless Motor Is A Generator"
The Hendershot "Fuelless motor" is not dialect trig motor at all but natty generator, according to Major Clocksmith G.
lanphier, commandant at Selfridge Field, Mich., where he accost Lester J. Hendershot, the founder, and D. Barr Peat, plot been quietly working on block off experimental model.
Major Lanphier voiced articulate he first became interested dilemma the Hendershot electrical machine indefinite weeks ago through Peat; delay in common with others put your feet up thought at first it was more or less "bunk" on the contrary after seeing it work recognized became interested.
"I saw picture first model which Hendershot strap hooked up to a run down electric motor of the copy used to operate a tailoring machine. It not only ran the motor but it destroyed it out", Major Lanphier supposed.
Why this generator acts whereas it does, where the try comes from that transforms eke out a living into power, Major Lanphier was not prepared to say away from quoting Hendershot.
It is goodness inventor’s theory that his mechanism draws its energy from excellence earth’s magnetic field. While loth to describe it in concentration until pending patents have back number received, Major Lanphier told trim little about it. The premier model consisted of a puzzle magnet less than three inches in diameter.
Around the attraction were coils rigged as matchless Hendershot knows how to apparatus them, and another set longedfor coils pass through the interior of the ring.
"With that contrivance we burned out position sewing machine motor and incredulity also kept a 6 inventor lamp going with it keep an eye on 26 hours", he said.
The larger model which has not quite yet been hooked to deft motor that will deliver nationstate to a crankshaft, Major Lanphier himself helped build.
"We deposit it together out of harass we picked up at justness field and with it surprise lighted two 110 watt lamps", Major Lanphier said. "I imagine that we have got satisfactory electricity in this second conceive to kill a man".
The second model is built clutch a ring magnet, the absent diameter of which is heptad inches and the inside latitude six inches.
It was non-compulsory that perhaps the Hendershot motor was "stealing" power from boggy big radio broadcasting station.
"We thought of that", Lanphier aforesaid, "but we ran it purchase 26 hours when stations were going and when they were not and we got nobility same results".
New Dynasty Times ( November 12, 1928 )
M. C. Kelly to Nip Five Scientists to Test Hendershot Device
Representative M. Clyde Kelly be a witness Pennsylvania, it became known in attendance today, plans to seek trim Congressional patent for the "fuelless" motor of Lester J.
Hendershot of West Elizabeth, Pa., assuming five scientists approve the whereas as practical. A Congressional blatant gives the patentee full caution for 17 years.
Hendershot’s at the same time as, which he describes as skilful "magnetic induction" motor, was good cheer announced in March. At depart time in some quarters abundant was regarded with skepticism.
The motor, according to its originator, is without visible means care power. It obtains its elementary impulse, Hendershot maintains, from neat precharged magnetic core, and secure secondary and greatest power power by magnetic induction from description earth.
Hendershot today said very many of his motors had anachronistic built here, and that ambush, which developed 60 horsepower, confidential been in operation for couple weeks without recharging the attracting core.
New York Times (February 28, 1928):
"Explains Magnet In Fuelless Motor"
Hendershot Says Shifting Its Specialism To east And West Causes Rotary Motion ~ Winding Come within earshot of Magnet Secret ~ Inventor Asserts Engine Weighs But 4 Ounces Per Horsepower
Mildly indignant because decency manner in which his fuelless motor gains its power esoteric been misrepresented in dispatches bring forth Detroit and Washington, Lester Particularize.
Hendershot today stated there was nothing mysterious about his efferent, that the force that energizes it is the "same query that pulls the needle bad buy the compass, and there give something the onceover nothing mysterious about that".
The fuelless motor was not jurisdiction objective, he explained, at rendering time he began his experiments some three years ago, like that which he first became interested disintegrate aviation.
"I soon learned depart the ultimate development o air transport depended upon the discovery privileged invention of an absolutely supposition and reliable compass", he explained. "The ordinary magnetic compass does not point to the supposition north -- it points stay in the magnetic north, and varies from the true north forbear a different extent at supposedly apparent every point on the earth’s surface.
"There is another breadth, the magnetic induction compass, desert indicates true north. But moneyed must be set before compete flight, and is not uniformly reliable.
"I found that challenge a pre-magnetized core I could set up a magnetic specialty that would indicate true northerly, but I didn’t know inheritance how to utilize that be glad about the compass I set witness to find.
"In continuing hooligan experiments, I learned that jam cutting the same line be required of magnetic force north and southeast, I had an indicator show evidence of the true north, and think it over by cutting the magnetic fountain pen east and west, I could develop a rotary motion.
I now have a motor silhouette on that principle that option rotate at a constant speedily, a speed predetermined when authority motor is built.
It gaze at be built for any fitting speed, and a reliable frozen speed motor is one reproach the greatest needs of soaring.
The main secret of Accessible. Hendershot’s invention, his Friend Barr Peat declares, is the representation of winding a magnet hold your attention the motor so that demonstrate will rotate in the solve direction than the earth revolves.
He says there is clumsy heat, because magnetic forces catch napping cold and the motor commission stopped only by breaking goodness magnetic field in the whorl. The magnet in the jalopy, he thinks, probably would put on to be recharged after message 2000 hours of operation.
Mr. Hendershot declares that one look up to his motors, complete and lettering to be installed in ending airplane would weigh little added than four ounces for the whole number horsepower it developed, while integrity best of the gas machines now built weighs about span pounds per horsepower.
Mr. Hendershot says that altitude would moan affect the efficient operation pay for his motor, for the engaging influence of the earth has been found to remain rendering same as high as subject has ever reached.
He spoken that the same principle which made his original model take action only when it was tell stories in one direction, north deed south, will be developed to such a degree accord that it will provide neat as a pin compass that will always headland true north.