truts 29 serve to brace the upper portion of the main
frame and resist its tendency to move forward after the lower aeroplane
has been stopped by its contact with the earth, thereby relieving the
rope 19 from undue strain, for it will be understood that when the
machine comes into contact with the earth, further forward movement of
the lower portion thereof being suddenly arrested, the inertia of the
upper portion would tend to cause it to continue to move forward if
not prevented by the struts 29, and this forward movement of the upper
portion would bring a very violent strain upon the rope 19, since it
is fastened to the upper portion at both of its ends, while its lower
portion is connected by the guides 20 to the lower portion. The struts
28 and 29 also serve to support the front or horizontal rudder, the
construction of which we will now proceed to describe.

The front rudder 31 is a horizontal rudder having a flexible body, the
same consisting of three stiff crosspieces or sticks 32, 33, and 34, and
the flexible ribs 35, connecting said cross-pieces and extending from
front to rear. The frame thus provided is covered by a suitable fabric
stretched over the same to form the body of the rudder. The rudder is
supported from the struts 29 by means of the intermediate cross-piece
32, which is located near the centre of pressure slightly in front of
a line equidistant between the front and rear edges of the rudder,
the cross-piece 32 forming the pivotal axis of the rudder, so as to
constitute a balanced rudder. To the front edge of the rudder there are
connected springs 36 which springs are connected to the upturned ends 30
of the struts 28, the construction being such that said springs tend to
resist any movement either upward or downward of the front edge of the
horizontal rudder. The rear edge of the rudder lies immediately in front
of the operator and may be operated by him in any suitable manner. We
have shown a mechanism for this purpose comprising a roller or shaft 37,
which may be grasped by the operator so as to turn the same in either
direction. Bands 38 extend from the roller 37 forward to and around a
similar roller or shaft 39, both rollers or shafts being supported in
suitable bearings on the struts 28. The forward roller or shaft has
rearwardly-extending arms 40, which are connected by links 41 with the
rear edge of the rudder 31. The normal position of the rudder 31 is
neutral or substantially parallel wi