Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN
Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
ROTARY ENGINE
ROTARY ENGINE. Revolutionary advancement in automotive engineering. The ADAMS COMPANY built a successful rotary engine. The design was originated by Fay Oliver FARWELL in 1896.
Designed and built by the Adams Company of Dubuque, Iowa, in 1907, this engine powered three, man-lifting experimental helicopters. Two of these helicopters were designed by Emile Berliner and flown in 1909 and 1910. The third was designed by J. Newton Williams and flown in 1909.
The engine was extremely light, and was ideal for vertical flight experiments