PARACHUTE, (Fr. parachute, from ML. parare, to guard against, prevent, Lat. parare, to prepare + Fr. chute, fall. OF. citrate, chcoile. it. calluta, fall, from Lat. cadere, to fall). A device for the purpose of diminishing the veloc ity of a falling body and used by aeronauts as a means of descending from balloons. Time parachute generally takes the form of a large umbrella. Its invention is accredited to Sebastian Lenormaml, and the device was used by him in 1784 in mak ing a descent from an upper window of a house in Lyons. The first descent from a balloon was made by Garnerin in Paris in 1797, in which parachute 23 feet in diameter, composed of a number of gores of canvas, was employed. In this parachute a wicker basket was suspended from a hoop S feet in diameter somewhat below top of the umbrella-shaped surface. In its usual form, the parachute is made of canvas, being attached to the balloon so as to hang loose dining the ascent, and to si»vail out and offer a resisting surface as soon as it is separated from the balloon and begins to fall. For a weight of
11220 poimils, which includes that of the passenger as well as of the apparatus. it is necessary to have a surface about 40 feet in diameter in order to reduce the velocity to a rate of about feet 'per second. the pressure of the air such a surface would become concave and would meas ure about. 35 feet across. The ear or basket is supported by cords attached to the edge of the canvas, and sometimes there is a heavier cord or girth which passes over the top of the parachute and carries the larger part of the weight. There is generally a small opening at the top to allow some of the air to pass out, and this serves to keep the parachute steady in its proper position and prevent swinging. The concave surface has also been divided into compartments with trans verse partitions for this same purpose, and each has a small opening to permit of the escape of the air.