US2071807A

US2071807A - Kite

Info

Publication number: US2071807A
Application number: US664322A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wolff Ivan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-04-04
Filing date: 1933-04-04
Publication date: 1937-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 1954-02-23

Description

Feb. 23, 1937-. 1 W 2,071,

' KITE.

Original Filed April 4, 1953 WITNESS! erse various other desired :Patented Feb. 23, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,071,807 KITE Ivan Wolfl, New York, N. Y., assignor to Arthur A. Johnson, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application April 4', 1933, Serial No. 664,322 Renewed July 14, 1936 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to kites.

It is an object of the invention to provide a kite: which may be so controlled in flight that it may be caused to traverse the air in different directions 5 at the will of the operator.

This object of the invention is attained by providing a kite which, while tailless in the sense that it is self-complete without an elongated flexible tail, includes a main portion and a tail portion together establishing a kite substantially uniplanar except during flight; in which kite, however, said elements are combined in such a way that during flying of the kite the same can be rearranged in the air, and solely by deliberate manipulation of the flying cord by the kite flyer, thereby to cause the kite to rotate about the flying cord as a center, and also to swoop in a desired direction, that is, to rise or descend vertically, to move to the right or left horizontally, or to trav- Various other objects and advantages of the I invention will be hereinafter pointed out or become apparent, and the invention itself will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

in this drawing, which shows an illustrative embodiment of the invention as at present pre- 30 ferred,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of said embodiment, showing the kite in flight,

Figure '2 is a view in rear elevation of the kite, 'the'vie'w being on an enlarged scale,

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the kite on a still further enlarged scale, the view being taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, but showing the kite somewhat bellied out toward the flyer, that is, in flight, as in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the kite frame,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section, showing certain of the parts as seen in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view on a reduced scale, the view beingtaken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating a detail of construction of the kite.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the kite is designated A. It includes a frame which in the present embodiment of the invention comprises two members it and i2.

These members are secured together as at 53 with the member I2 55 crossing the ii ea ts a sr ther paths, at the will of of and these two members I and I2 will be hereinafter referred to, respectively, as the spine member and the bow member.

Both the spine member and the bow memberare formed from material having an appreciable degree of flexibility and in actual practice I have found split bamboo a very satisfactory material from which to construct these members.

The bow member I2 is secured to the spine member H) as by a cord binding [4, a reinforcing 10 or holding element I5 being also employed. In securing the members l0 and I2 together, the bow member 12 is bowed. downwardly so that its ends occupy a position below its point of juncture with the spine member ll], said bow member be- 15 coming bowed rearwardly when in flight, that with the convexity of such bowing facing the kite string or flying cord, as illustrated in Figure 3. The spine member) is also similarly bowed when in flight as illustrated in Figure 3. Then, as shown, the kite when in flight is of substantially concave-convex form, with its convex sideopposite the kite string. The side of the kite facing the flying cord will hereinafter be called the front of the kite, and the other side of the kite therear thereof. When not in flight, however, the kite is substantially flat.

Extending around the frame members there is a cord or suitably flexible member l8 which is connected to the upper end of the spine member 3 l 0, to the opposite ends of the bow member l2, and again to the spine member if) at a point slightly spaced from the lower end thereof as indicated at l 9 in Figure 5 of the drawing.

- As the kite is shown, this cord l8 forms the" defining edge of the kite all over except near the kite bottom; and also serves as a means by which the cover of the kite assumes and retains its proper shape relative to the kite frame.

The cover of the kite is designated by the refer- 40 ence numeral 29. This cover is formed from a relatively light thin material, one good example of which is a specially treated tissue paper readily obtainable upon the open market.

The cover is cut to proper shape and of a size 5 slightly larger than the finished kite in order to provide a marginal portion 22 to be inturned or folded inwardly about the cord l8 and secured to the rear of the kite by a suitable adhesive materialsuch as glue, paste or the like in the manner illustrated in Figure 7.

The lower end of the cover 20 terminates in a straight horizontal edge 30, as distinguished from the upp r end thereof, which terminates in. a cori i, the upper side edges of the kite upwardly This five-sided figure may be said to define the outline of the kite proper, or main kite portion.-

The marginal portion 22 of the kite cover 20, provided only for this kite portion, is coextensive with all the bounding edges thereof-except the edge 30. The four edges of the main body of the kite above the edge 30, which are marked 32, 33, 32' and 33 and hereinafter called the main edges, should all be rather strong yet not stiff; while the edges 32' and 33 should be very freely flexiblealong their entire lengths.

Cord IB, as aforesaid running all around the .five founding .edges of the main portion of the A to prevent injury thereto and tearing of the kite ..cover, and at the same time allows the edges 32 kite, acts as a reinforcing means for said edges,

and 33' to have a high degree of flexibility.

.Referring now to the tail portion of the kite,

. at its .bottom portion the kite is provided with a member .34 which is substantially triangular in shape. This member is preferably formed from ,suitable adhesive.

the same material from which the face is formed and may be secured to the rear of the face by In securing this member 34 v ,to the kite, it is so positioned that its lower portion extends to a pointbelow the straight edge -30 as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, thus providing a frustotriangular .tail portion 35.

Means is employed to provide a degree of rigidity to, the tail portion 35 of the kite and in the present illustration of theinvention, this means comprises a pair of elongate flexible vanes or bracesv 36, say strips of bamboo, which extend from apo-int closely adjacent the lower edge .38

,of the memberi34 and thence upwardly convergingly as shown, into the body of the kite.

Asbest illustrated in Figure 3, the member 34 comprises two thicknesses of material, preferably formed byfoldirrg a single piece of material upon itself to formthe lower edge 33 of the tail portion [35. In securing the vanes or braces 36 in position, their lower ends are pasted in between the two thicknesses of the material from which the member- 34 is formed, their upper ends being pasted in between one of the thicknesses of material forming the member 34 and the cover of the .kite, preferably at the rear thereof.

The bridle consists of two lengths of silk thread or other suitable material, the members being ,designated40 and 4| and the cord 42, which is also preferably of light silk and forms the means by which the kite is flown, is attached to the bridle as at 43. The member 40 of the bridle is attached to the kite frame at the junction of the ,bowand spine, the member 4| being attached to the spine at a po-intslightly below the midway point between the juncture of the bow and spine and the lower end of the spine. -70

At various points, other holding elements as shown at 45 may be employed, the holding elements l and 45 being preferably in the form of small pieces of suitable material pasted to the face ofthe kite and securing the spine and bow thereto.

While the kite is aloft, it is maintained, by the wind which sustains its flight, in a very different condition from that uniplanar one it is in normally or when not in flight. All the time the kite is flying, certain valley-like depressions are formed in the front of the kite cover, and at the same time, certain bowings of the spine and bow members, are effected.v In order more conveniently to describe these depressions and bowings, assume that the kite is so flying that, as in Figure 1, its spine member ID is in a vertical plane.

" There is a compound bowing of the bow member [2, a bowing of the spine member ID, and because of these bowings a considerable slackening of the stretches of the cord l8 along the kite edges 32'-and33', and very little if any slackening of the stretches of said cord along the

kite edges

32 and 33.

The bowing of said bow member I2 is called a compound one, because said member is now not only-downwardly bowed as it is in thekite normally, but also-rearwardly bowed; that is, thetwo downwardly arched terminal portions of said bow member at opposite sides of the spine member are now not only so arched but also curvilinearly trail the point of intersection of these two members.

Thespine member ID, although unbowed in the kite normally, is now bowed in such manner that the terminal portions thereof above and below the bow member rearwardly curvilinearly trail said-point of intersection.-

The fact that the stretches of the cord l8 along the

kite edges

32 and 33 are not slackened as are the stretches of said cord along the kite edges 32 and 33', follows from the fact that by far the greater length of the spine member ID is below said point of intersection between said spine member and the'bow member. In other Words, the wind, while it acts on the kite cover in a manner to urge both terminal portions of both said members to flex rearwardly of the kite, gives by far the greatest rearward flexure to that length of the spine member ID below said point of intersectionso muchso that the edges 32' and 33' of the kite are allowed to belly rearwardly of the kite even though the terminal portions of the bow member [2 are by the same wind being arched so far below and to the rear of said intersection point that, instead of any slackening of the

kite edges

32 and 33, there is perhaps even a tendency to tauten these edges. In order to attain a proper such bellying of said edges 32' and 33, said point of intersection must always be above the midpoint of the spine member if and probably if not certainly well above said midpoint, where the spine member is of the same degree of flexibility from end to end thereof. On the other hand, said intersection point must of course be a suflicient distance below the top of the spine member to allow of some rearward flexure of the portion thereof above said point; as otherwise the bow member will be so restrained by the stretches of the cord l8 along the kite edges 32 and '33 as to prevent arching of the bow member as last-described.

Said bellyings of the kite edges 32 and 33' are necessary to insure that the valley like depressions aforesaid can form in the kite cover; and such depressions are important operative features.

These valley like depressions exist during flying of the kite as downwardly diverging elongate hollows in the front of the kite cover. They start imperceptibly at their upper ends, at points oppositely offset from the spine member and somewhat below the intersection of that member with the bow member I2, and then run down obliquely of the face of the kite from said points to the kite edges 32' and 33', becoming of greater and greater cross-section as they descend. These valleys, as they will hereinafter be called, are

alike in length and in cross-sectional area at if not all of the wind gathered into and sweeping downward along the lengths of said valleys.

Although including these two main valleys, the kite at its front nevertheless presents a general rotundity, both vertical and horizontal, with the center of such rotundity well above the midpoint along the length of the spine member It and not far from the upper ends of the main valleys.

As to the frusto-triangular tail portion 35, this, during flight of the kite, is literally merely a tail portion or part; as, due to the braces 36, the complete working tail includes, in addition to said portion 35, the lower central part of the main portion of the kite above the edge 30 thereof which is substantially coextensive with that part of the member 34 above said edge 30. The com plete tail may be defined as that portion of the entire kite which acts as a rudder in holding the kite to a predetermined direction of straight-line swoop when, as hereinafter explained, the kite has been started on sucha swoop with the corner 3| foremost. Such complete tail will be hereinafter referred to as the rudder tail. This rudder tail, extending up into the main portion of the kite as just explained, has downwardly diverging upper limits a little below the lower ends of the downwardly diverging lower sides of the two main valleys in the front of the kite cover; and should excess wind spill sidewisely from the lower ends of said valleys, this wind will sweep downward over the rudder tail and will if anything assist in the behavior of the kite however held or maneuvered according to the invention.

The purpose of the braces 36 is to provide a means for insuring that the rudder tail will always be so disposed that the two substantially and desirably if not essentially identical halves thereof, one on each side of the spine member I0, will each remain substantially uniplanar over practically its entire surface at all times, and even when, due to heavy wind pressure on the kite, said halves diverge rearwardly 6f the spine member to form two substantially flat leaves, so that in horizontal section the rudder tail is V-shaped. While the new kite is an easy and fast flyer without the braces 36 and even without the member 34, and can be rotated about the flying cord as a center according to the invention as hereinafter described whether or not the rudder tail of the invention is incorporated, said rudder tall or an equivalent is of assistance in holding the kite in normal flying position, and is apparently essential, if not in starting the kite to swoop in a desired direction, at least in holding it to straight-line continuation of that swoop. Asalready stated, any swoop of the kite is per formed with its corner 3! foremost; that is, with the spine member l 6 lengthwisely travelling along the line of swoop as an arrow travels. Then the rudder tail acts, in keeping the kite to a swoop in the same direction in which said swoop was initiated, as do the feather flumes on the butt of the arrow, These swoops are performed at high speed; and then, due to the pressure from the relative wind, the two leaves of the rudder tail are considerably angularly offset relative to each other. I

Having described a preferred form of my kite,- I will now describe the manner in which the kite is flown and operated to vary its direction of flight as aforesaid. v

The kite is sent up in the usual way; being held to haveit front face the wind, with its corner 3| uppermost, and then allowed to rise to Once the kite is well aloft, and in normal flying position, the kite remains in that position, that is, with its spine member it in a vertical plane as aforesaid, but with the spine member inclined in that plane, so that the corner 3! at the top of the kite is more or less in front of the bottom of the kite according to the difference in length between the bridle members 40 and ll and the angle of inclination of the flying cord i? to the horizontal.

When the kite is in its normal flying position, it maintains that position, in any ordinary wind, as long as the flying cord is held steady, or substantially smoothly payed out, or substantially smoothly pulled in. The rudder tail of the kite now being vertically below its two main valleys, such tail lends to ride straight up on the wind, with its two halves on opposite sides of its spine member Hi equally yieldingto the wind so as .to be equally diverged toward the rear of the kite from a vertical plane including said spine memher; and the rudder tail thus holds the main valleys also evenly in the wind, so that the cord joining the ends of the bow member 52 is kept horizontal. Due to the action of the rudder tail, said chord is not allowed in any ordinary wind to depart from the horizontal sufiiciently and for a long enough period by any sudden wind gust to permit either one of said main valleys to become so much more advanced into the wind than the other that the two valleys can begin to act as propelling vanes to start rotation of the kite. If, in a very violent and uneven wind, such kite rotation should start, it will be merely a fractional one, extending through somewhat less than 45. At the conclusion of such fractional rotation, if while the same was proceeding the flying cord was held steady, the kite will reverse its direction of rotation and return to normal flying posii tion. The performance of said fractional rotation is apparently due to the fact that a sudden wind gust has jolted thekite toward the fiyer, much as it is jolted by a deliberate flick or jerk of the flying cord as below explained, so that the kite drops back into the wind with said chord canted from the horizontal and consequently so that said main. valleys are inclined in the wind to act as propelling vanes for the kite; and due to the fact that, with the flying cord held steady after such a canting of said chord, a certain time interval must elapse before the wind is enabled, through its action on the kite, and probably primarily on the rudder tail, to swing said chord back to the horizontal. The next ensuing reverse rotation of the back to normal flying position is apparent ly caused by the fact that the just'referred to swinging back of the kite, aimed to restore said chord to the horizontal, actually results in a lateral throw-over of the kite such that the main valley previously more advanced into the wind is now less advanced therein than the other valley. But said reverse rotation of the kite is slower than the rotation thereof in the first-mentioned direction away from normal flying position, and so as the kite comes back into normal flying position, with the rudder tail vertically below the main valleys, the aforesaid tendency of the rudder tail then. to ride straight up on the wind halts the kite and holds it in normal flying position.

During the first part of the ascent of the kite, there is sometimes, although not always, a slow rotation thereof in one direction or the other about a point on the kite at which the flying cord if prolonged to the kite would pass through the same. This rotation is caused by the advancing of one valley more into the wind than the other, as the result of an accidental lateral tilting of the kite. No particular attention need be paid to this; as continued letting out of the flying cord in any case allows the kite to ascend to the height desired, and, at any instant desired, a steadying of the flying cord, that is a steady holding of the cord against being further payed out, will immediately bring the kite to normal flying position, with its corner 3| uppermost and its spine in a vertical plane.

With the kite flying in normal position, it is held in that position, and at the same time altitude is gained, very rapidly or comparatively slowly, by pulling in the flying cord, very rapidly or comparatively slowly; while distance is gained in the usual way, that is, by paying out the flying cord. The gain of altitude just referred to is by a swoop of the kite vertically upward; a swoop in any direction being attained by pulling in the flying cord after the kite has beenrotated about such cord topoint its corner 3| in the direction of swoop intended. As will become clear in a moment, it is important, in the paying out or pulling in of the flying cord as just mentioned, to avoid jerking the cord.

When. it is desired torotatethe kite, as to point it for a swoop in a predetermined direction, such rotation is commenced by giving a definite flick to the flying cord so as suddenly to jerk the kite toward the flyer. The amount of jerk required depends on the size of the kite, its angular mounting on its bridle, and the strength of the wind. Following such jerk, which always jolts the kite in such manner that one of its main valleys will be thrown further into the wind than the other, so that both valleys are now set to act as wind-operated propelling vanes to rotate the kite, the kite will start rotating in one direction or the other according to whether it is one or the other of said valleys which is most thrown into the wind, and apparently in the direction which will allow the valley nearer to the kite flyer to lead the other valley as the kite rotates.

To summarize the more important maneuvers of the kite, and how the kite is controlled to obtain them:

First.-Variously to rotate the kite (A) To start the kite rotating, the flying cord is given a definite flick or sudden jerk; whereupon (a) If the flying cord is thereafter held steady, the kite, in whichever direction it happens to start to rotate, will perform a fractional rotation, usually somewhat less than 45, and hereinafter called the initial fractional rotation, and then halt and reverse its direction ofrotation to return to normal flying position; or

(b) If the flying cord is thereafter payed out substantially smoothly, the kite will continue its rotation in the same direction as that in which it started to rotate, completing any fractional part of a complete revolution desired or performing several successive revolutionsand repeating these as long as the fllying cord is continued to be payed out.

(B) To reverse the direction of rotation of the kite after it has been caused to continue rotation in that direction beyond the initial fractional rotation, the flying cord is given a second sudden jerk; whereupon V (a) If the flying cord is thereafter held steady, reverse rotation of the kite will result in the kite returning to and remaining in normal flying position, the kite either coming to a halt in normal flying position when first arriving there or following a number of diminishing oscillations about such position; or

(b) If the flying cord is thereafter payed out substantially smoothly, the kite will reversely rotate to and past its normal flying position and then continue on in that direction of rotation, completing any fractional part of a complete revolution desired or performing several successive revolutionsand repeating these as long as the flying cord is continued to be paid out. 7

Second.To cause the kite to swoop (A) If the direction of swoop is to be other than vertically upward, the kite is rotated as above until its vertical center-line is pointed in the intended direction of swoop, and at the instant of such pointing the flying cord is rapidly pulled in.

(B) If the direction of swoop is to be vertically upward, as to gain altitude to a point where the kite is to be rotated as above and then swooped downward either vertically or at some special angle to the vertical, the gaining of altitude to that point is accomplished merely by pulling in the flying cord rapidly while the kite is in normal flying position.

(C) If after a downward swoop the kite is immediately thereafter to perform an upward swoop, it is unnecessary, after halting the kite at the end of said downward swoop, to jerk the flying cord to start rotation of the kite to prepare for said upward swoop, as promptly on halting said downward swoop the kite will start rotating in one direction or the other to return to normal flying position-and when the kite has thus rotated so as to be pointed at its corner 3| for said upward swoop, it is merely necessary again to pull in the flying cord rapidly.

A swoop in any direction is halted immediately pulling in of the flying cord is stopped.

A swoop in any direction is started immediately rapid pulling in of the flying cord is commenced; and such swoop is continued in the same direction as long as pulling in of the flying cord is continued.

A swoop in any direction is performed at an astonishingly high rate of speed in comparison with the rate of speed at which the flying cord is pulled in. During an ordinarily rapid hand over hand pulling in of such cord, the kite appears to dart across the sky like a fast flying bird, and. there is heard plainly, if the kite is not too high, a roaring hum, apparently from flutterings of the kite cover at or near the lower or wind-spilling ends of the two main valleys. Nevertheless, these flutterings, if they actually do occur to must? cause the hum mentioned, are harmlessly withinto a cross-section which is V-shaped across the line of swoop of the kite, which holds the kite-to its appointed line of swoop, even though other than a vertically upwardone, and even though the flying cord be given such an unintended jerk as would start the kite rotating were it in normal flying position.

To take in the kite, as to terminate the flying thereof, the flying cord is merely pulled in fairly slowly, however jerkily, or as rapidly as desired; if it is unimportant, as it often is, whether or not the kite rotate'or perform various swoops during the taking in of the same. If the flying cord is pulled in fairly slowly and without any sudden jerks the kite will be drawn in straight 'to the flyer while holding its normal flying position. i

Whatever be the actual explanationsof the behavior of the kite in response to various manipulations of the flying cord as 'described'above, the probable explanations must include the following: (1) Once the kite has been jolted from its normal flying position by the proper jerk to incline its main valleys to the wind, to arrange them as propelling vanes for rotating the kite, the wind will so act on said vanes to hold them as such and thereby rotate the kite, even with the flying cord held steady, through a rotation of the kite from its normal flying position to say about at 45 inclination therefrom. Such a fractional rotation of the kite has hereinabove been called the initial fractional rotation thereof. There is, however, a tendency of the wind to swing the main valleys back to the position where they will again both be equally advanced into the wind, and the wind will gradually act on the kite, thus to redispose said valleys 'at the end of said initial fractional rotation of the kite, if the wind action on thekite is not meanwhile relieved by paying out the flying cord; whereas if such relief is afforded before said initial fractional rotation is completed, the kite will keep its main valleys advanced different amounts into the wind, and the wind will act on said valleys as propellingvanes to rotate the kite, through one or more complete revolutions if desired, as long as the relief is continued by continually paying out the flying cord. It should be recalled in this connection that it has already been said that if while the kite is in normal flying position it is started to rotate therefrom in one direction or other by being jerked, the kite will continue that rotation through an arc of about 45 from normal flying position, even with the flying cord held steady after such jerk, and then the kite will automatically reverse its direction of rotation to return to normal position. (2) With the kite rotating because its main valleys are advanced different amounts into the wind, the second jerk which causes the kite to reverse its direction of rotation accomplishes this by re tating the kite about the chord joining the ends of the spine member ID to an extent to cause the kite to pass through and beyond normal flying position, thereby again to advance said valleys dilferent amounts into the wind but now with the valley which was previously more advanced into the wind the valley which is the one which is less advanced into the wind. (3) If said second jerk is given while the kite is still performing said initial fractional rotation thereof, said second jerk is effected by an actual jerk on the flying cord (and necessarily so, otherwise the kite will have to: complete said initial fractional rotation); but if said second jerk is given after the kite has completed said initial fractional rotation, that is, while the flying cord is being substantially smoothly payed out (this last being required, as aforesaid, to have the kite rotation continue beyond the end of said initial fractional rotation), said second jerk is given to the kite the instant such. paying out of the flying cord is ceased, that is, actually as the result of the aforesaid steadying of the flying cord.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a new and improved kite, and one in which directional flight may be obtained at the will of the operator.

While the invention has been herein illustrated in its pr ferred form, it is to be understood that it is not to be-limited to the specific construction herein described and that it may be practised other forms without departing from the spirit thereof and within the scope of the appended claims;

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is; r 1. In a kite, a coversubstantially as flexible as ordinary tissue paper, and a frame for said cover including a spine member and a bow member, said kite being normally substantiallyuniplanar with said bow member being downwardly arched at its opposite ends, said -kite having substantially the outline of a diamond with one of its diagonals vertical, said spine member extending along said diagonal, said bow member at substantially its midpoint crossing the spine member at a point considerably above its midpoint, said spine member being so flexible along its main length below such crossing that such length curvilinearly trails the normal uniplanar front of the kite from wind pressure thereon while the kite is in flight, the kite edges which downwardly converge from the bow member toward the bottom of the spine member being also highly flexible and there being highly flexible reinforcing means such as ordinary cotton thread along said kite edges whereby the wind pressure on the face of the kite acts through said cover to arch said kite edges to provide valley-like depressions in the face of the kite on opposite sides of the spine member wholly below the bow member.

2. A kite which has a main body having the outline substantially of an upright diamond truncated below its two side points, a tail having the outline of a triangle having its base lowermost and at its top overlying the bottom portion of said main body; the entirety of the tail of the kite being provided by such triangle; said kite having a flexible covering for said tail and for the main body of the kite thereabove, and a frame for said covering including a spine member and a bow member; said spine member extending from the top of the diamond to the bottom of said tail, and said bow member at substantially the midpoint thereof crossing said spine member at a point between the top of the diamond and the two side points thereof; on opposite sides of such. crossing said bow member being downwardly arched to extend its ends to said side points; said frame coacting with said covering to hold the entire kite normally substantially uniplanar, but said spine member below such crossing being sufficiently flexible to trail curvilinearly rearwardly of the kite in response to wind pressure thereon while the kite is flying.

3. The kite defined in claim 2, wherein the downwardly arched portions of the bow member are sufficiently flexible to trail curvilinearly rearwardly of the kite in response to such wind pressure.

4. The kite defined in claim 2, wherein threadlike flexible elements run marginally of the kite to tie the top of the spine member to the ends of the bow member. I

5. The kite defined in claim 2, wherein highly flexible thread-like elements running marginally of the kite tie the ends of the bow member to points near the mergings of the main kite body with the tail.

6.' The kite defined in claim 2, wherein elongate flexible elements run marginally of the kite to tie the top of the spine member to the ends of the bow member and also marginally of the kite from said bow member ends to points on the main kite body near the tail and also across the tail to join the points last-mentioned.

'7. The kite defined in claim 2, wherein threadlike flexible elements run marginally of the kite to tie the top of the spine member to the ends of the bow member and also marginally of the kite from said bow member ends to marginal points on the main kite body near the tail and across the tail to tie said points to the spine member.

8.The kite defined in claim 2,'wherein said tail sufficiently flexible to bend along the lower length of the spine member into two tail portions trailing rearwardly of the kite, there being stifiening means incorporated in said tail portions 'to hold each of them substantialy-uniplanar at all times.

9. The kite defined in claim 2, wherein said tail is sufficiently flexible to bend along the lower length of the spine member into two tail portions trailing rearwardly of the kite, there being upwardly extending elongate braces incorporated in said tail portions.

10. The kite defined in claim 2, wherein said tail is sufficiently flexible to bend along the lower length of the spine member into two tail portions trailing rearwardly of thekite, there being strips of stiffening material in said tail portions,

said strips running marginally of said tail portions.

11. The kite defined in claim 2, wherein said tail is sufiiciently flexible to bend along the lower length of the spine member into two tail portions trailing rearwardly of the kite, said tail being locally stiffened along lines substantially parallel to its side edges.

IVAN WOLFF.