George Pocock (inventor)
George Pocock (1774–1843) was an English schoolteacher, the founder of Tent Methodism[1] and an inventor, particularly known for having invented the 'Charvolant,' a kite-drawn carriage.
George was born in
Having concluded that kites were capable of lifting humans, he turned again to experimenting with them as a way of pulling loads, this time as a method of pulling vehicles. Using kites in various arrangements he determined that a small number of large kites were capable of pulling a carriage with passengers.
In 1826, he patented the design of his "Charvolant" buggy. This used two kites on single line 1,500 to 1,800 feet (457–459 m) long to provide enough power to draw along a buggy carrying several passengers at considerable speed, similar to the modern sport of
Four control lines to the kite provided a method of steering; these lines were paid out or drawn in from large spools mounted on the front of the carriage. Large wheels allowed the carriage to utilise the power from the kites effectively. In addition to controlling the kites, the driver had to steer the carriage by means of a T-bar which controlled the direction of the front wheels, and was responsible for the brake, an iron bar mounted on the carriage which dug into the road when the lever was pulled. Controlling the Charvolant was difficult, and this may have been why it never became successful commercially, even though it escaped the tolls levied on the roads for horse-drawn carriages: tolls were applied according to the number of horses and since the Charvolant had none it incurred no charge.
Pocock advocated other uses for kites in his book, including auxiliary sail power for ships (similar to modern
He died of bronchitis at his home in Bristol on 9 November 1843.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Lander, John (2000). "Tent Methodism: 1814 - 1832 'one soweth, and another reapeth'" (PDF). PhD thesis. The Open University. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- "Special Collections: Book of the Month: The Aeropleustic Art or Navigation in the Air by the use of Kites, or Buoyant Sails". University of Glasgow. March 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2007.
- Bob White. "Kite History 101". Archived from the original on 31 October 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2007.
- Joseph J. Cornish, III (April 1957). "Go Fly a Kite". Natural History Magazine. Retrieved 2 January 2007.