Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-01-25
LAND AND SKY CRAFT
H. B. Schiller Hopes to Soar In
An Aero Auto Boat.
WATER is USED AS BALLAST.

Both Balloon and AeropIane Principles
Included In Philadelphia Inventors
ship-Power Driven Propeller Is to
Make II Travel-WiIl Enter Graft In
Government Composition.
Harry B. Schiller of Philadelphia is
an inventor Of airships and of one in
particular, which he calls an aero auto
boat. Such interest has this "boat'
aroused that Mr.. Schiller has been
asked by the government to enter a
competition for aerial craft to be held
at Washington on Jan. Is. The most
practicable Of the plans submitted in
this competition will be carried out at
government expense, and several air
ships will be built for series Of
trials to be held at Fort Meade, Vir-
ginia.
In describing his aero auto car Mr.
Schiller said recently to a representa-
tive Of the Philadelphia Public Ledger:
II have held, with many other aero
nauts, that no successful airship could
be built lighter than air. therefore
do not depend on the balloon to carry
me through the air. At the same time
l cannot see how an aeroplane will
ever be serviceable as a passenger car
rier. l have therefore combined the
two principles, the aeroplane and the
balloon, in my ship. Beneath a V
shaped deck or aeroplane two balloons
are fastened. They are cigar shaped
and are connected so that, when one
loses gas, gas from the other can flow
into 1t, thus keeping the balloon of the
same size. The balloons are attached
to the deck or aeroplane by Alumni
um rigging Halfway down the side
Of each balloon another deck or aero
plane extends.
THE balloons are only large enough
to counteract gravity, so that the ship
can be raised from the ground by ones
hands, The decks or aeroplanes can
be extended three times their width.
In case the balloons should lose all
their gas the aeroplanes would be able
to support the ship with the aid of the
propeller.
1.-THE propeller Is, of course, at the
rear Of the ship and extends from a
cabin underneath the balloon. Upon
1t | depend for the motive power Of
the ship. With the aid of a rudder
which is able to move up and down
as well as sideways the propeller can
force the ship through the air in any
direction. whether up or down or star
board or port The rudder is placed
directly above the propeller
''The cabin just referred to is box
lying directly below the balloons. 1t is
large enough to hold an engine room
and leave space for several men. 1t is
entirely air tight. This will enable as
cents into higher regions of the air.
where the cold and rarity Of the at
mosphere would be too much for the
occupants Of an open basket Four
wheels are attached to the bottom Of
this cabin, and thus the whole boat
can be moved on the ground as an au-
tomobile. These wheels are also to
ease the force of the descent.
II have invented several little things
which add to the serviceability OF the
aero auto boat. Inside each balloon
have placed a smaller bag filed with
air. As the gas In the balloon expands
the air is driven out of these little air
bags and the gas takes up the room &C.
cupied by the air. This prevents the
loss of gas. which always Is necessitat.
ed in ordinary balloons when a high
altitude Is reached. My ballast is wa.
ter and Is contained in four aluminium
tubes which support the cabin OF the
boat. These tubes are connected so
that the level Of the water remains the
same In all.
''The dimensions Of the balloon / am |
planning for the competition at Wash.
tngton are as follows: Height OF bal |
loon. 20 feet; height OF cabin. 10 feet; |
total height Of aero auto car, 80 feet;
total length. 90 feet. The rudder win |
be about one-third the total length Of
the ship.
THE whole thing is very simple.
Underneath the aeroplane or deck are
the two balloons resting side by side,
and attached to the balloons is the box
or cab"
Mr.. Schiller is globe trotter, having
been around the world three times. He
was born In 1865 In Allentown and
moved to Germany with his parents
at the age OF five. When seventeen
years old he returned to the United
States. He served in the Spanish
American war in the quartermaster's
department Of the army. While on
board the ship Port Victor, now the