Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/327

 �How to Make a

Toy Zeppelin

��Four rubber balloons in a rattan frame, make a Zeppelin which will actually fly

A TOY Zeppelin is not a difficult or expensive thing to make in the home workshop. All that one needs at the outset is three or four toy balloons and some rattan strips. The first operation is to cut two conical pieces A A ' out of cork. These are ^i in. in diameter at the base, and^g in. at the apex, the body being ^4 'i- long. This has four deep longi- tudinal grooves i, and a shallow circumferential groove 2, mid- way belween its ends.

Four lengths of round rattan, 3, 4, 5, 6, are then pro\ ided, each being 3/16 in. in diameter. This can be obtained anywhere, and is the lightest material for the purpose. The ends of these four pieces are attached to one of the conically-formed corks, as shown, after they are dipped in glue, and a string 7 used to hold them in place within the groove 2. The ribs thus secured together arc ready to receive the l)allooneltes 8. The rattan ribs are brought toward each other, and the first balloonette placed in. A fine cotton thread 9 is then tied to

��By J. S. Zerbe

��one of the rattan ribs, and carried down to the next rib and thus secured to the four ribs in such a manner that the ribs are parallel with each other. The three other balloonettes are then placed be- tween the ribs and threads 9 used between the adjacent balloonettes to hold the ribs in alinement. The ends of the rattan ribs are then brought to- gether and secured to a cork A^, similar to cork A.

The cork and rattan frame are so light that the balloonettes readily lift the structure. For that purpose two bent pieces of rattan 10, 10' are used, placing one at each end of the frame, so that they embrace the upper and lower ribs4,6,towhich they are firmly attached by threads. The lower or looped ends are some distance below the frame. The propeller is attached to the forward loop 10. It is made of firm cardboard, first steamed, after which the tips are twisted, and after being dried are fixed to the small end of a shoe eye 12. This serves as a

���Details of the toy Zeppelin

bearing for the propeller. A wire 11, passing through the eye has a hook at its rear end, to which a rubber band 13 can be attached.

The other end of the rubber band is attached to a hook on the end of a wire

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