Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-11-17
A New AR Ship.

of aerial navigation shown in recent
invention consist in the method OF pro-
pulsion employed. the power for this
purpose being affored by the discharges
of small and readily regulated quantl-
ties of high explosive. of which a very
considerable amount can be carried
witht u adding greatly 10 the weight
of the whole apparatus. The balloon
portion of this air ship is of cigar
shaped model. having homework OF
aluminium. covered with oiled silk or
other suitable fabric. or with thin
envelope of aluminium. and Is of suffl-
cient size to afford, when filled with
a light gas, lifting power correspond
ing with the weight of the car and the
load it is proposed to carry, all of the
apparatus and fittings being of the
lightest possible construction consistent
with the necessary strength. AT each
side of the body are wings or side
planes. to guide the air ship up or
down, according to the inclination Civ
en- them, these vanes turning on Il hOr-
izontal axis, consisting of an aluminium
tube extending through the center of
the body. Wire ropes or cables from
these side vanes extend over pull9ys
with gear wheel connections within
the ear, so that the operator, by the
movement of IL lever. can regulate to
a nicely the inclination of the vanes.
The prOpelling apparatus, in which
the main novelty of this invention lies,
is supported upon hinged arm at the
rear. 1t consists, practically, of a hori.
zontally arranged mOrtar-like tube,
forming the end of the arm, and above
this tube, is tubular magazine con-
tanning globular or pellet-like charges
of high explosive, with the mechanism
for regulating their supply to the sup
ply tube The explosions, as they
take place in this tube, exert power
full backward pressure upon the air,
which may be more or less nearly con-
tinuOus, according to the power to be
applied to the propulsion and the rate
of speed sought to be attained. an air
cushion back of the explosive chamber
protecting the machine from shock,
The rate of discharge may be controll-
ed through a wire extending within
easy reach of the operator within the
car, while light wire cables extend
from the discharge tube over pulleys
to a gear wheel steering apparatus IN
the car, the arrangement being such
that the tube may be readily swung to
one side or to the other as desired. the
direction of the ship in the air being
thus cOnviently thus controlled. The
discharge tube thus at the same time
supplies the motive force and cOnsti-
tutes the rudder. The charges are fed
automatically to the point of discharge,
the pellets dropping into shallow
cup or basin, which is made by the
contact to complete an electric circuit,
whereby the firing is effected, each
pellet completing the circuit for its
own explosion and at once breaking
the circuit.
1t is the belief of the inventor that
with one of these machines, possessing
minimum of weight, owing to the
absence of machinery and the use OF
the framework and all the working
parts. and provided with the maximum
of power. due to the nature of the force
employed, a speed can be attained ex-
ceeding bird flight. The car may
be gradually reduced in width fore and
aft to a sharp vertical edge at each
end, offering the least possible resist
ance to motion, and it is suspended by
aluminium wires and cords from the en-
tire length of the body. it is designed
also that machines of this type may be
used for carrying freight and for regu-
lar passenger service, and their
value will be obvious for such purposes
as military observations, carrying of
mails and dispatches, etc. This new
air ship has been patented in the
United States and the principal Europe
an countries by DR.. S. B. Battey, of
No. 80 West Twenty-seventh street,
New York City.