Patent GB-190300878-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Air-ships.
Inventor: LEBAUDY PAUL
Filed: 1903-01-13
Granted: 1903-11-05
Abstract: 878. Lebaudy, P., and Lebaudy, P. Jan. 13. Aerial machines with aÙrostats; cars; shock of landing, deadening.-An air ship is fitted with fixed and movable planes which keep it steady and enable it to be steered, raised, or lowered, and with screw propellers which are driven by bevel, friction, or toothed gearing arranged so that the direction of the thrust may be altered during the voyage. The envelope of the balloon is made, as shown in Fig. 1, with an outline, which, in its upper part, is as flat as possible, and with a flattened belly, which is fitted into the meshes of an elliptical frame of steel tubes and wires. The front part a, b of the frame is horizontal, and the rear part b, c is inclined downwards so as to cause the machine to rise. Between the envelope and the frame is fitted a sheet of fabric, preferably non-inflammable, strengthened where the tubes and wires intersect, and another sheet is placed beneath the frame to render the surface smooth. The frame supports an auxiliary air-charged balloon, which isolates the balloon proper from the heat of the motor. In the plane of the axis of the balloon is placed a fixed vertical plane b<1> made by stretching a non-inflammable fabric over a frame of tubes &c. The frame is attached to the frame a, b, c, and forms a girder for strengthening it and for the attachment of the car. The rear of the frame a, b, c is formed by a tube e, to which is hinged a frame j, consisting of a horizontal and a vertical frame, both covered by canvas and forming extensions of the horizontal and vertical frames attached to the belly. The frame serves to prevent the rear of the balloon from rising, and is connected to the car by cables which may be adjusted before the run. A trapezium-shaped frame f<1> is also hinged to the tube e, and may be adjusted during the run by cables connecting it to the car. When it is desired to rise quickly, a canvas g is unfurled along a series of inclined tubes h, A rudder k is hinged to the frame j, and is operated by cords attached to the ends of a tube running through the rudder at right-angles to it. The cords are connected to a chain passing round a toothed wheel controlled by a hand-wheel and locked by a ratchet and pawls. The screw propellers are placed, as shown in Fig. 3, between the car and the balloon, and near the middle of it. The blades 2, Fig. 5, of the propellers are mounted in bosses 3 on T-shaped spindles 4, which are pivoted in a bracket 5. The boss 3 is driven by friction cones 16, 17, which are rotated by a cone 15 on the driving-shaft 14. The propellers are disengaged by drawing back the rod 20, which compresses the spring 19 and separates the cone 15 from the cones 16, 17. They may be turned in any direction by worm gears 10, 13 rotating the spindle 4 and the tube 6 supporting the bracket 5. The cones may be made of metal, or may have friction surfaces of leather, paper, &c. They may be replaced by bevel-wheels, the intermediate wheels being made of raw hide to prevent noise. The car, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, has curved sides and pointed ends, and is stiffened by a pointed frame which supports the motors. When landing, the frame touches the ground first, and preserves the screws from damage. It may be provided with a spring buffer at its lower end. The car is connected to the frame a, b, c by fan-like fields of six cables each, one of which fields may be replaced by a similar field of tubular struts for transmitting a push to the balloon. To maintain the equilibrium during flight, metal reservoirs q<1>, Fig. 1, of petroleum, water, &c. are placed at each end, and their contents are pumped to and fro, as required, by hand or motor-driven centrifugal pump, the flow being regulated by stop valves r, r and drain cocks r', r'.