Abstract:
A hot air balloon with an adjustable deflation port at its upper end which can be selectively opened and closed on the ground and during flight. The positive control of the port by the operator of the balloon in the basket allows the deflation port to be adjusted at any position from full open to fully closed or held in intermediate positions as desired.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates in general to hot air balloons. The invention in particular relates to an improved venting process for the hot air used to control vertical ascent, descents and deflation of hot air balloons. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     As hot air balloons have become more and more popular, they have been constructed with heaters beneath their lower opening so as to heat the air within the balloon envelope. It is necessary and desirable when the balloon lands to rapidly deflate the balloon so that the envelope will collapse, thus preventing it from being blown across the ground by the wind. It is also desirable to have a maneuvering vent for performing both vertical ascents and descents of the craft while in the air. 
     Prior art deflation ports provided openings which releases hot air from the top of the balloon envelope to deflate and/or maneuver the balloon vertically. Such deflation port systems which are used more than all others are called the “parachute” deflation port and vent systems. The parachute deflation port design consists of a circular opening located at the top or apes of the balloon envelope. In the deflation port opening are a plurality of load tapes which extend from the envelope gores over the center of the deflation port opening. A parachute is a circular piece of material which is made from the same fabric as the balloon envelope. The parachute is larger in diameter than the deflation port opening. The parachute is held in the envelope by a plurality of centering lines which are attached about the outer edge of the parachute. The opposite ends of the plurality of centering lines are attached to the envelope gore seams. When the balloon is inflated, with air, the internal air pressure pushes the parachute against the apex webbing so that the parachute seals the envelope about the edges of the deflation port opening. The parachute also has a plurality of shroud lines that are attached about the outer edges of the parachute at the same locations as the plurality of centering lines. The shroud lines do not attach to the balloon envelope. They extend down inside the envelope meeting directly below the parachute, where they are joined together and a pulley is attached to the shroud lines. A parachute deflation line has one end attached to an inside gore seam near the bottom of the balloon envelope and passes through the pulley. The other end of the deflation line extends downward passing through a second pulley. This is attached to the balloon envelope at a location which is opposite to the location of the deflation line termination point. The deflation line passes through the pulley and then extends down the balloon envelope and to the basket. 
     In operation, when the balloon is inflated, the internal pressure inside of the envelope pushes the parachute fabric against the apex webbing, thus sealing the deflation port opening. To release air for venting and/or deflation purposes the pilot in the basket pulls down on the deflation line, which pulls the deflation valve down and away from the apex webbing thus allowing air to escape the envelope. When the pilot releases the deflation port line, the internal pressure inside the envelope pushes the parachute up resealing the deflation port. Thus vertical control of the balloon in flight is accomplished. To terminate the flight, the pilot pulls down on the deflation port line holding it until the envelope deflates. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hot air balloon having a deflation port that can also be used as a maneuvering vent. That can be selectively opened or closed and adjusted to varying positions from the basket of the balloon while in flight, as well as, when the balloon is on the ground. The deflation port comprises a circular deflation valve with its center point attached to the center of the apex webbing at the deflation port opening. The deflation valve has two pluralities of shroud lines. The first plurality of shroud lines control the deflating and venting of the balloon. The second plurality of shroud lines reseal the deflation valve once its open. The deflation shroud&#39;s plurality of shroud lines are attached to the outer edge of the deflation valve and extend to a shroud load assembly located below the center of the deflation valve. The deflation lines go through a plurality of pulleys mounted on the shroud load assembly and are then connected together. 
     The plurality of resealing shroud lines are attached to the outer edges of deflation valve. Each pass through another plurality of pulleys which are located on the inside envelope gore seams a short distance from the deflation port opening. The resealing lines then pass down into the envelope and are connected together at a distance below the plurality of deflation shroud line. A deflation line is attached to the plurality of deflation shroud lines and extends down to the basket. A reseal control line is attached to the plurality of reseal shroud lines and extend down to the basket. When the pilot pulls the deflation control line, the deflation valve&#39;s outer edges are pulled inwardly and down away from the deflation port edge which allows air to escape from the envelope. To close the deflation valve, the pilot releases the deflation control line and pulls down on the reseal control line which pulls the outer edges of the deflation valve up and back into the deflation port opening. The internal air pressure in the envelope pushes the deflation valve against the apex webbing. Thus resealing the deflation valve back into the deflation port opening. This invention allows for venting by peeling back the outside edges of the deflation valve moving it away from the apex webbing and down from the deflation port opening. This “peel back” action has three advantages to this invention over present design: 1) the ease of operation. The deflation valve is pulled inward and down from the apex webbing and deflation port. The amount of force required to activate the deflation line is substantially less than a free floating parachute design. 2) By peeling back and pulling the deflation valve inward and down, the air exits from the envelope faster than in prior art because the air does not have to travel around a parachute. 3) By looking up into the envelope while venting the pilot can see the size of the vent opening and can better determine the vent times for maneuvers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic cross-section view of a typical hot air balloon including a standard parachute vent. The parachute is shown in the open or deflating position. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-section view of the hot air balloon envelope incorporating the venting design of the present invention with the vent in the closed position. 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed cutaway view of the hot air balloon envelope incorporating the venting design of the present invention with the vent in the closed position. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of the hot air balloon envelope incorporating the venting design of the present invention with the vent in the open position. 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed cutaway view of the hot air balloon envelope incorporating the venting design of the present invention with the vent in the open position. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged cross-section of the upper envelope venting system showing the vent in the closed position. 
         FIG. 7A  is an enlarged cross-section of the upper envelope deflation system showing the deflation valve in a peel away venting position with a downward exerting force on the deflation shroud line allowing air to be vented. 
         FIG. 7B  is an enlarged cross-section of the upper envelope deflation system showing the deflation valve in a peel away venting position. The downward force on the reseal shroud line exerts an up and outward force on the deflation valve&#39;s outer edges starting the resealing of the deflation valve back into the deflation port opening. 
       FIG. SA, is an enlarged cross-section of the upper envelope deflation system showing the deflation valve in the open position with the force on the deflation shroud line in the downward direction to hold the deflation valve open. 
         FIG. 8B  is an enlarged cross-section of the upper envelope deflation system showing the deflation valve in the open position. The downward force on the reseal shroud line exerts an up and outward force on the deflation valve&#39;s outer edges starting the resealing of the deflation valve back into the deflation port opening. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the Center shroud load assembly. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows the prior art parachute vent deflation port system. 
     A hot air balloon  10  consisting of an envelope  11  comprising a plurality of gores and has a deflation port  13  at the upper end and a basket  12  at the lower end where the pilot or operator rides. The deflation port  13  is opened and closed by means of a circular parachute valve  14  located beneath the apex webbing  15  which is located in the deflation port opening. Centering lines  18  keep the parachute  14  positioned under the apex webbing  15  and allow a range of movement of the valve from pressing up against the apex webbing to dropping directly down in the envelope  11 . By opening the deflation port the parachute  14  allows the air from inside the envelope  11  to escape around the parachute  14  and out the deflation port opening. The centering lines  18  have fixed ends attached about the parachute&#39;s outer edges, their other ends are attached to the envelope&#39;s gore seams  16  about the opening and a substantial distance from the opening. The shroud lines  21  descend downward from the outer edges of the parachute  14  and are connected to a pulley assembly  27  located directly below the center of the parachute  14 . The parachute deflation line  30  passes through a pulley of assembly  27  and one end of the line is attached to the envelope bridle assembly  31  and other end passes through a bridle pulley assembly  32  which is located on the other side of the inner envelope. To operate the deflation system, the pilot or operator pulls downwardly on the deflation line  30  which in turn pulls down on the plurality of shroud lines  21  which pulls the parachute  14  away from the apex webbing  15  and allows air to escape round the parachute&#39;s outer edge to exit the envelope through the deflation port opening  13 . The pilot uses a pull on the deflation line  30  to vent air from the envelope. To close or reseal the parachute  14  the pilot releases the deflation line  30  and the internal air pressure pushes the parachute  14  up against the apex webbing  15  sealing it back into the deflation port opening. If the pilot wants to terminate the flight, a hard hand over hand pull is required with the pilot holding onto the deflation line  30  until the envelope is deflated. 
       FIGS. 2 through 9  shows preferred embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a balloon  10  of the invention comprising an envelope  11  and a basket  12  supported therefrom with an adjustable deflation port  13 . A deflation valve  17  is mounted in the upper end of the balloon.  FIG. 2  shows the deflation valve  17  closed. The deflation port system comprises a deflation valve  17  which has its center  9  connected to the center point of the apex webbing  15  in the vent opening. The connection of the deflation valve  17  to the apex webbing  15  results in that the deflation valve  17  is not free floating. The deflation valve  17  is connected to two pluralities of shroud lines. One plurality of shroud lines are short and are deflation shroud lines  21   a - 21   j  which descend down to a shroud load assembly  24  shown in detail in  FIG. 9  located directly below the deflation valve  17 . The shroud load assembly  24  is a fabric disk with a plurality of pulleys  23   a - 23   j  as shown in  FIG. 9 . Attachment points  25   a - 25   j  are sewn around its perimeter between pulleys  23   a - 23   j . The pulleys  23  and attachment points  25  generally correspond to the number of gores in the envelope. A plurality of centering lines  26   a - 26   j  are attached to the shroud load assembly  24  and to the inside gore seams  25  so as to suspend the shroud load assembly  24  in the center of the envelope directly below the deflation valve. The deflation valve shroud lines  21   a - 21   j  run through pulleys  23   a - 23   j  on the shroud load assembly  24  and are joined together. A jumper line  29  is attached to the shroud line  21   a - 21   j  and has pulley  27  at its lower end extending toward the basket. A deflation line  30  runs through pulley  27  and one end of line  30  is attached to a bridle assembly  31  located near the mouth of the envelope. The other end of the deflation line  30  goes through the bridle pulley assembly  32  located on the opposite side of the envelope and extends down to the basket  12  where it is attached at a suitable location so that wherein it can be easily reached by the pilot of the balloon for operation. 
     The second plurality of shroud lines, are called the resealing shrouds,  22   a - 22   j  extend from the deflation valve&#39;s outer edges down inside the envelope  11  to pulleys  23   a - 23   j  sewn to each gore seam. (See  FIGS. 6 ,  7 A,  7 B,  8  &amp;  8 A) The lines  22  pass through the pulleys  23  and descend downward and are joined together just above pulley  27  mounted on the jumper rope  29 . A second pulley  27  is attached to the shroud group. A resealing line  28  runs through pulley  27  and one is end attached to a bridle assembly  31  located up from the mouth of the envelope. The other end to resealing line  28  goes down the opposite side of the envelope and runs through a bridle pulley assembly  32  and continues down the envelope into the basket  12  where it is tied off at a second suitable location wherein it can be easily reached by the pilot of the balloon. 
     The deflation port operates in the following manner. The pilot pulls down on the deflation line  30  which causes the plurality of shroud lines  21  to pull the deflation valve&#39;s  17  outer edge down to peel it away from the apex webbing  15  and deflation port  13  which releases air through the deflation port of the envelope  11 . (See  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  7 A,  7 B,  8 A &amp;  8 B) Both plurality of shroud lines are attached to the deflation valve&#39;s outer edges, when the deflation valve  17  is peeled away and pulled down. The resealing lines  22  along with the resealing line  28  are pulled up into the envelope. (See  FIGS. 3 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 A &amp;  8 A) To reseal the deflation valve  17  back into the deflation port opening  13 , the pilot releases deflation line  30  and pulls down on the resealing line  28 . Pulling down on the resealing line  28  reverses the deflation process by pulling deflation line  30 , shroud lines  21  and deflation valve  17  up. This repositions the deflation valve  17  back against the apex webbing  15  where the internal air pressure seals it into the deflation port opening  13 . (See  FIGS. 7B &amp; 8B ) 
     Thus, it is seen that the present invention provides novel deflation and venting of the envelope through the valve which when activated is peeled away from the deflation port opening. This peeling action changes the valve&#39;s shape from a flat disk to a shape more like a jelly fish. This peeling action and the changing of its shape lowers the amount of force placed upon the valve by the balloon envelope&#39;s internal air pressure allowing the valve to be operated much easier than prior art parachute deflation systems. The present invention can be selectively operated so as to either open or close or hold in intermediate positions as desired. 
     Although the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it is not to be limited as changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope as defined by the appended claims. 
     LEGEND FOR FIGS.  1  THRU  9 —PAGES 1/9 THRU 9/9 
     
         
           9 .—Location where Deflation Valve is attached to center point of Apex Webbing 
           10 .—Balloon 
           11 .—Envelope 
           12 .—Basket 
           13 .—Deflation port 
           14 .—Parachute 
           15 .—Apex Webbing 
           16 .—Parachute attachment point prior art 
           17 .—Deflation Valve 
           18 .—Parachute Centering Line 
           19 .—Deflation Port Edge 
           20 .—Edge of the Deflation Valve 
           21   a  thru  21   j .—Deflation Shroud Line 
           22   a  thru  22   j .—Reseating Shroud Line 
           23   a  thru  23   j .—Shroud Pulley 
           24 .—Shroud Load Assembly 
           25   a  thru  25   j —Load Assembly Line Attachment Points 
           26   a  thru  26   j —Load Assembly Centering Line 
           27 .—Deflation Line Pulley 
           28 .—Reseating Line 
           29 .—Jumper Line 
           30 .—Deflation Line 
           31 .—Bridle Assembly 
           32 .—Bridle Pulley Assembly.