Patent GB-190820433-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Air Ships.
Inventor: SILVERSTON ANTHONY RUDOLPH
Filed: 1908-09-29
Granted: 1909-04-01
Abstract: 20,433. Silverston, A. R. Sept. 29. Aerial machines without aerostats; aeroplanes; framework; propelling, steering, and balancing.-An airship comprises a tubular propeller casing with steering-devices and with pivoted self-adjusting aeroplanes. The frame of the casing is formed of spaced rings 20, Fig. 9, made up of sections 21, Fig. 14, of channel shape fastened end to end, and each ring has a continuous projection 24. The body portion 25 of the casing is preferably made up of sections of light material secured together. This material is disposed between the rings 20 to abut against the ribs 24 and is bolted to the rings forming a complete tubular casing between certain of the rings, and an open canopy at one or both ends. The rings 20 may be connected by tie-rods 27, 28, 29 having guy rods 30 and supports 31 to prevent them from buckling. The casing may be strengthened by clamping additional bands around it. Within the tubular portion at the centre of each ring 20 is a bearing supported by brace rods, and journaled in these bearings is a shaft 37 which carries the two propellers 38, 38<a>. The main propeller 38 extends across the casing and preferably comprises two blades. The auxiliary propeller 38<a>, placed a little to the rear of the main propeller 38, has two blades of about half the length of and at right-angles to the blades of the propeller 38 and serves to overcome eddy currents. The shaft 37 is driven from an explosion or other motor 39 supplied with fuel from tanks 62. The steering-device, preferably located at the forward end, comprise horizontally and vertically swinging rudders carried by a frame connected to the front ring of the tubular casing. An upright shaft 47 to which the horizontally-swinging rudders 43 are secured, is journaled in the frame. Braces 48 carry bearings for an horizontal shaft 50 extending beyond the sides of the casing and carrying vertically-swinging rudders 51, 52, the inner rudder 51 having an enlarged opening through which the shaft 47 passes. The shafts 47, 50 carry arms 53, 57, secured to which are flexible members 54, 58 respectively passing around suitable drums from which they may be independently operated. Above the casing and supported by rods 66 are bearings 65 in which is journaled a shaft 67 which supports transverse aeroplanes 68, 69, Fig. 5. These aeroplanes comprise spaced arched arms 70, preferably tubular, with cross-rods 74, each opposite pair of arms 70 being secured to a separate support 71 on the shaft 67. The body of the aeroplanes is preferably of fabric 73 formed with a hem into which the arms 70 are inserted as shown in Fig. 8, the fabric and the cross-rods 74 being secured by clips 75 on the arms 70. The arms 70 are preferably arranged so that the body portion of the planes slopes downwardly towards the rear as shown in Fig. 5. The free ends of the aeroplanes are supported by tie-rods 76, 79 extending from supports 80, 77. Secured to one of the members 71 of each aeroplane are arms 81 extending downwardly in an inclined direction on each side and carrying weights 82 to counterbalance the aeroplanes. The arms 81 are further connected to the arms 70 by brace rods 83 and guy rods 86 The two arms 81 are connected by a flexible member 84 passing around a drum 85 which moves freely on its supporting-shaft or it may be locked thereon in any desired position. A second flexible member 87 may connect the extremities of the arms 81. In a modification, the arms 81 project laterally from the member 71 and carry pivoted weighted arms at their extremities. In another modification, Fig. 17, the shaft 67 with its attached aeroplanes is supported upon a ring 89 surrounding the casing adjacent to one of the rings 20 with antifriction devices 91 so that there is a pivotal movement about the axis of the casing. In a further modification, the bars 70 and the supports 77 are secured directly to the ring 89.