Mystery machine

[aerohydro]

Hello All

This image is a collage created by John Coulthart for the publication Steampunk: Life in the New Century!.

I recognize the 1860s Ponton D'Amecourt helicopter as forming part of the picture, but the 4-wing metallic ornithopter that's at the center of the image is a mystery to me. Can anyone identify it?

I did ask the artist, if he knew, but he doesn't. He did remember that it came, probably, from a bound volume of magazines dating from the late Victorian era.

Cheers,
Paul

[Varese2002]

Just a try for this difficult one .....

In 1877 Mr. M.H. Murrell patented an apparatus consisting of a pair of pivoted side wings and a tail, to be (also) operated by man power. The wings were furnished with slats similar to those of a Venetian blind to close on the down stroke, and open when going up. An investigation of what others had attempted would probably have saved the inventor some misspent time and ingenuity.

Source: Chanute, Octave (1894). Progress in flying machines, page 33.

Unfortunately no drawing is provided. More unfortunate is that US Patent 194,104 here the invention of Melville M. Murrell, patented August 14, 1877. Surely it is not the machine on the picture

Well, I think this one will (also) be very difficult to identify.

Cheers

Kees

[aerohydro]

This is what the Murrell ornithopter looked like. The wings from the original 1877 machine are hanging on the wall, and a recently-built 1/4 scale model is positioned in front of them. More photos can be found at the Kids Online website.

[Varese2002]

Thanks Paul for the link. I did not realize that the machine was built and that an original wing even has survived. Miraculously some old pieces remain!

Cheers

Kees