IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Hime, of the Junior United Service
Club, in the County of Middlesex, Major of the Royal Engineers,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
AERIAL NAVIGATION."
Scaled the 9th March 1875, and dated the 17th September 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Hime at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th September 1874.
I, FREDERICK HIME, of the Junior United Service Club, in the
County of Middlesex, Major of the Royal Engincers, do hereby declare.
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION," to be as follows:-

page_text: Numerous attempts have been made to effect the horizontal propulsion
of balloons, but all have signally failed, owing to what has hitherto been
found the impossibility of placing the horizontal motor in such a position
that it shall exercise a direct thrust through the centre of resistance of
the balloon
the balloon.
As a necessary consequence all attempts to steer balloons by
mechanical means have also failed, since of course it is impossible to
steer without first obtaining steerage way.
-A
I purpose to overcome these difficulties by the following means :—
balloon is constructed in the form of a prolate spheroid, and is placed
with its longer axis horizontal, or other forms may be adopted for the
balloon, such as the "cigar shape," that is, a figure generated by the
revolution of a segment of a circle round its chord, or a cylinder with
circular, conical, or elliptical ends. At each end of the balloon is a neck
of silk shaped like the neck of a flask. These necks are turned into the
body of the balloon, thus forming bell-mouthed openings. A hollow
steel bar about 3 inches in diameter passes horizontally through
these openings and through the body of the balloon, and projects about
four feet beyond it at each end. The narrow parts of the openings in
the silk just fit the bar, and are tied round it so as to prevent any escape
of gas. The bar is coincident with the longer axis of the balloon. It
rests at each end in a ring fixed to the bar, and connected by light
radii or spokes with a larger concentric ring, to which netting is attached
enveloping the balloon. The rings may be made of steel or other
suitable metal.
To prevent the bar from "sagging" it is supported in the middle by
a light rope connecting it with a ring in the netting at the top of the
balloon. The rope passes through a bell-mouthed opening in the silk,
which is tied round the rope in the same way as it is tied round the bar.
Thus when the balloon is inflated the netting being drawn taut sustains
the bar both at the the ends and in the middle, while the bell-mouthed
openings prevent the bar from causing any direct strain upon the silk.
Its weight is distributed by the netting over the whole upper surface of
the balloon.
Three cars are attached to the balloon, one suspended from each

page_text: projecting end of the bar, and the third suspended by the netting in the
usual place below the balloon. One of the upper cars carries a light
spur wheel in gear with a smaller spur wheel on the axle of a screw fan,.
which revolves on the end of the bar. The large spur wheel is driven.
by a man in the car by means of a crank on the axle. The other upper
car at the front of the balloon carries a rudder hinged on a vertical
shaft, and worked by a second man by means of a tiller. The third car
below the balloon balances the whole machine, and carries a screw fan
on a vertical axis. This fan is worked by a third man in a similar
manner to the horizontal frame by means of bevel gear.
furma antored
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Hime in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th March 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
HIME, of the Junior United Service Club, in. the County of Middlesex,
Major of the Royal Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Hime, Her
special licence that I, the said Frederick Hime, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick Hime, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS AND APPAratus for Aërial Navigation,” upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Frederick Hime, my executors or administrators,

page_text: by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said 5
Letters Patent.
-

page_text: rods or spokes. One of the small rings is at the apex of the cone (which
is slightly truncated); the other in the centre of the base, and the large
ring at the circumference of the base. To the latter is attached the
netting, which envelopes the balloon. The bar rests in the two small
rings which form its bearings at each end.
To prevent the bar from sagging in the middle it is supported at
equidistant intervals by two or more light ropes connecting it with the
netting at the top of the balloon. Each rope passes through a bell-
shaped opening in the silk, which is tied round the rope in the same
way as it is tied round the bar. Thus when the balloon is inflated the
netting being drawn taut sustains the bar both at the ends and in the
middle, while the bell-shaped openings prevent the bar from causing any
direct strain upon the silk. Its weight is distributed by the netting over
the whole upper surface of the balloon.
Three cars are attached to the balloon in the manner shewn in the
accompanying Drawings. One is directly connected by a rigid metal or
wooden frame with each end of the bar, and the third is suspended in
the usual place below the balloon by means of wire ropes, the upper
ends of which are attached to an eye on the frame of cach upper car
at its point of connection with the bar. These wire ropes not only
sustain the lower car, but also serve as stays for the two upper cars.
In order to prevent the lower car from swinging it is connected by
light cords with the netting, as shewn on the Drawings, but its weight
rests mainly on the wire ropes which are thus drawn taut, and keep the
two upper cars in position. On one end of the bar, as an axle, there is
placed a screw fan, on the boss of which there is keyed a V pulley. An
endless rope passes over this pulley, and round a grooved wheel keyed
on a horizontal axle passing through the upper car. The grooved wheel
is driven by a man in the car. by means of a crank on the axle, and thus
the fan is set in motion. Instead of the V pulley and rope cog wheels
may be used, but I prefer the former. At the other end of the balloon
(that is, at the front or bow) there is a rudder hinged on a vertical shaft
attached to the front car, and worked by a second man by means of a
tiller.
The fan and rudder may each consist of a light steel or wooden frame

page_text: direct thrust through the centre of resistance, while the latter occupies
the most favourable position for effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Hime, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
SYDNEY G. SMITH,
Lieut., R.N.,
Hoole Lodge,
Chester.
F. HIME. (L.S.)
Major, Rl. Engrs.