H. J. Gill, photographer, late of Hyde street, notifies his numerous friends and customers be is now occupying his new and commodious premises in Frederick street, near Knox Church. Special attention given to all country orders. Having more extensive accommodation, he is now prepared to execute all orders entrusted to him with less delay, and thanks his patrons for their kind support in the past. Note new address r Frederick street, near Knox Church. — Advt. -Otago Witness, 13/1/1898.
We, Mrs H. J. Gill, of Hyde street, W. V. Mrs R Guthrie, of Maitland street will not be RESPONSIBLE for any Debts contracted by Ester Adams. -Otago Daily Times, 14/11/1899.
A FLYING MACHINE
DESIGNED IN DUNEDIN,
THE RIGHTS OFFERED TO THE GOVERNMENT.
Mr H. J. Gill, of Grove street, Musselburgh, has, after a long period of experimenting, perfected a model of a flying machine. The model weighs only 19oz, but it can lift a weight of 30oz. To this extraordinary buoyancy may be added the further and more remarkable merit of being able to rise at once. the design owes nothing to anything that Mr Gill has seen of either aeroplane or airship. His ideas are from the flight of a bird. The front of the machine is like the breast of an albatross, and its great advantage over an aeroplane is that it needs no long run to gather momentum. It is so constructed that with a slight push the air strikes the front, and carries it off in its own length. today a member of our staff saw this principle tested in Mr Gill's house. With a run of a couple of feet, the model soared to the top of the overmantel. For military purposes this prompt levitation must be of incalculable value. On a battlefield or on a stretch of coast from which a flying machine may need to he projected one cannot have a prepared track for the beginning of a flight. Mr Gill has already made sixteen models, and rejected them all in favor of the seventeenth — the one that he thinks will do. To say "he thinks" is Mr Gill's own modest way of telling it. There is, of course, always the possibility of mistake about a model. Many a mechanical model that seemed to he perfect has resulted in disappointment in the perfected machine. Therefore Mr Gill does well to wait for his complete triumph. But the probabilities are apparently all in favor of success. To begin with, he has secured patent rights throughout the British possession, and such rights are not lightly or thoughtlessly granted. Then, again, he has submitted his invention to mechanics and engineers, and pressed them to answer him frankly and say it they see any fault, and they have found none.
All agree that the machine has wonderful notation and singular rising power, and the patent examiners are particularly pleased with the method of control. The steering apparatus consists of two tails, one in from and one astern. They enable the person in charge to rise or sink at will, also to turn at any angle. -Evening Star, 15/11/1909.
A DUNEDIN AEROPLANE.
DUNEDIN, May 14.
Mr H. J. Gill, of South Dunedin, has completed an aeroplane 35 feet long, with a 32 feet span, for competition for the Commonwealth Prize of £10,000.
The final flight will be held here next week.
An expert from Cody's yards superintended the building. -Ashburton Guardian, 14/5/1910.
DUNEDIN INVENTION.
(Daily Times.) Some little time -ago a good deal was heard about local inventions of aeroplanes of which great things were expected, but apparently the fever has passed away, and very few seem to have got any further than the model stage. One inventor, however — Mr H. J. Gill, of Musselburgh —has kept steadily but quietly at work, and the result of his efforts, in the shape of an aeroplane that is completed save for a few finishing touches, was seen by a representative of this journal yesterday. The length of the machine from tip to tip is 35ft, and the span of the wings 31ft. The motor engine is of 25h.p., J.A.P. Aerial engine, is beautifully constructed, and weighs only 130lb. The weight of the whole machine, fully constructed, is 450lb.
The inventor claims that the machine will be considerably more buoyant than the general run of aeroplanes, and that it will rise without long runs, it is estimated that it will attain a speed of 30 miles an hour. The most important feature of the machine is the patent automatic safety devices, which it is claimed render the machine absolutely safe. If the engine should fail (which constitutes the danger of all aeroplanes) the occupant can instantly release a lever, which throws out 120 square feet of extra sustaining surface, this really forming a parachute all around the machine. Another feature claimed for the machine is its safety in descending. The front is so arranged that, the machine cannot fall more than 10ft at a time, so in descending 1000ft it would recover itself about 50 times before coming to earth. In the event of the machine descending in water, an air chamber, which is filled automatically from the exhaust of the engine, will, it is claimed, cause it to float on the surface, making the life of the occupants perfectly safe.
Mr Gill's machine presents every appearance of stability, and it is evident that the inventor, who seems to have made provision for all reasonable contingencies, has gone to a great deal of trouble to achieve the successful accomplishment of his task. The aeroplane, which has been constructed at Messrs Schlaadt Bros. foundry under expert supervision, will probably be finished to-day. It will be exhibited at the winter show next week, and the trials will take place at an early date. -Oamaru Mail, 17/5/1910.
DUNEDIN NOTES.
AN OTAGO AEROPLANE.
[From Our Correspondant] DUNEDIN, May 31. An exhibit that created great interest at the Winter Show is a monoplane constructed by Mr H. J. Gill, of Musselburgh, after seven years’ planning, contriving and experiment, and on which a trial flight is to be made near Dunedin next week. As I have previously stated, Mr Gill intends to compete for the £10,000 prize offered by the Commonwealth Government. His machine bears a general resemblance to the Bleriot type, but it carries four devices which are not in use on any other flying machine in the world. The first of these is an air-sac under the body of the machine, which is filled from the exhaust of the engine. One purpose of this is to form a float should the machine drop suddenly to earth, though this latter contingency is rendered practically impossible by two other devices, of which more later. But the inflated sac is not only a precautionary measure, it is also a help to buoyancy, since it will lift 701b of the total weight of the machine. That weight, by the way, is but 4601b. though the machine is 36ft long and 31ft from wing to wing. The second patent has an object similar to the first, and is one for which long and unsuccessful search has been made by aviators. The problem was to be able instantly to check the dip of a monoplane should the engine fail suddenly. Tightly rolled on the margins of the wing frames of Mr Gill’s monoplane are cloth blinds, and in case of a sudden failure of the engine, the pilot has only to touch a lever, and in the same instant 190 square feet of cloth cover the frame of the wings, and not only prevent a sudden drop, but also prevent a capsize, acting, in fact, as lateral supports like those on the Samoan canoes. In the bows is another device, a curved frame, also fitted with cloth blinds, which when stretched across the frame (as they can be in a second when the aviator presses a pedal with his foot) prevent the monoplane from taking a header. This patent is termed a curvative elevator, and is the only thing of its kind on any aerial machine. The aviator steers by means of a triangular rudder in the bows, but in case a right angle turn is desired he can accomplish this by means of two appliances known as arenoids, which are fitted on the extreme end of the wings. By means of these Mr Gill claims that he can run broadside on to the wind, and not only head to the wind or with the wind, as is compulsory with other monoplanes. The engine is a model of bulkless power. It is only 14m long and 18in high, and generates 24-30 h.p. A marine engine of one-sixth the power would occupy twice the space and weigh twice as heavy. In theory, to sum up, Mr Gill has apparently overcome many difficulties that have not previously been successfully met by aviators. -Lyttelton Times, 1/6/1910.
Mr H. J. Gill, the local inventor of an aeroplane, intends holding a public trial of his machine at Wingatui on Saturday, July 9. Mr Gill informed a Daily Times reporter yesterday that he held a private trial of his machine at Anderson's Bay about a fortnight ago. Up to a certain stage the experiment was most convincing. The aeroplane covered a distance of 900 yards, and in its flight rose to a height of 160ft, but when the steersman (Mr Pearson) endeavoured to turn a portion of the structure proved too frail, and the flight came to an abrupt termination. The weakness, which was an obvious one, has been repaired, and Mr Gill is confident of achieving a big measure of success at the trial which he is to give at Wingatui next Saturday week. -Otago Daily Times, 28/6/1910.
MR GILL'S MONOPLANE
THE FLIGHT THAT FAILED.
Mr H. J. Gill (of Musselburgh) attempted to-day to fly the monoplane which he had invented and constructed, and which was on exhibition at the Winter Show, when it was described in these columns. The site chosen was the reclaimed ground near the cement works. A large number of people had gathered by one o'clock, at about which time Mr Gill took his seat behind the steering wheel. For an hour, however, every effort to start the motor failed. Up to 3.30 nothing had been accomplished but short runs on the ground. -Evening Star, 6/8/1910.
SHE WOULDN'T GEE.
Abortive Aeroplane Trial.
Mr H. J. Gill, of Musselburgh, has built himself an aeroplane, and on Saturday last he made a trial of it on the reclaimed land near the cement works. The machine was carted down about ten o'clock and almost at once a crowd began to gather to see the fun. From then until two o'clock was spent in putting the aero together, and then a fierce struggle with the motive engine was commenced, but something was wrong with the sparking plugs, and all that could be got out of the machine were some short runs on the ground. Some of those who had been watching a couple of hours or so in the hope of seeing the first aero flight in New Zealand got a bit cold and grumpy at the state of affairs, but the maker of the machine is confident, and promised to have another try. -NZ Truth, 13/8/1910.
Mr H. J. Gill made another trial with his monoplane at Dunedin yesterday. The trial was not successful, because just as a start was about to be made it was observed that the engine was tearing its bed from the machine. The engine is to be firmly imbedded, and another attempt will be probably made this week. -Evening Star, 22/8/1910.
Mr H. J. Gill had intended to fly his monoplane at St. Kilda this morning, getting his start from a stretch of very hard sand on the beach beyond Onslow House. The machine was conveyed to the proposed point of departure before daylight. Unfortunately, when dawn broke it was found that the heavy seas of the past few days had swept clean to the lupins, and the proposed point of departure was a huge lagoon. Since the machine was rigged ready for flight, Mr Gill determined to make essayal from a lower point on the beach, but the wheels sank so deep into the soft sand that it was found impossible to attain the speed necessary to give an airward impetus. Mr Gill will probably attempt a flight from Forbury to-morrow morning. -Evening Star, 30/8/1910.
We understand that a meeting of the Gill Aerial Syndicate will be held next week for the purpose of considering the advisability of winding up the company. It is stated that the outlay on this aeroplane has amounted to about £700, including the £280 taken while the monoplane was on show during winter show week. The aeroplane is at present located at Forbury Park. -Otago Daily Times, 9/9/1910.
WANTED to Sell, 25h.p. Aerial Engine, J.A.P., guaranteed good order. Apply H. J. Gill, Duke of Edinburgh Hotel. -Evening Post, 9/9/1910.
PHOTOGRAPHIC Plates and Papers, all makers, best varieties, always in stock. TRY our One Solution Developer and Intensifier; once used always used. — H. J GILL, 11 and 13 Frederick street ('phone 1144). -Otago Daily Times, 7/9/1914.
DEATHS.
GILL. — On February 4, 1932 (suddenly), at his residence, 2 Warrender street. Henry John, beloved husband of the late Mary Ann Gill; aged 79 years. Deeply mourned. Private interment. — R. McLean and Son, undertakers. -Evening Star, 5/2/1932.
No comments:
Post a Comment