Aerial Screw

This invention most likely would never have flown; however, its principles are sound, and are the very principles which today’s helicopters use. It was designed to have a diameter of 16 feet, and made of reed, linen cloth and wire. It required four men on the central platform at the base to push the bars in front of them and turn the shaft to make the machine work. As the linen-covered blades spun around, an upward push would be created.