TRAVELLING BY AIR, OR
Year: 1885

page_text: the Atmosphere.
HENRY BATE, 1 Ocean Place Carr Lane, Hull, Yorkshire Surgeon I do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for TRAVELLING BY AIR, OR IMPROVEMENTS
IN AERIAL NAVIGATION RELATES TO THE NAVIGATION OF BALLOONS BY MEANS OF
WHICH THEY ARE MADE TO TRAVEL FROM ONE GIVEN PLACE TO ANOTHER WITH
SAFETY AND GREAT RAPIDITY, to be as follows:-
To accomplish this I construct the Balloon of a ship shape sharpened at both
extremities the length being parallel to the earth's surface, having a car or cars
attached beneath as usual.
For the purpose of securing locomotion I provide an endless rope of iron, hemp,
gut, or other suitably strong material and length, which is made to travel on two
sets of wheels an upper and a lower set, affixed to upright poles placed at equal
distances along the route over which the Balloon has to travel.
At the extreme points of arrival and departure a steam engine is placed for the
purpose of working a large wheel round the circumference of which the rope
travels in two or three turns or circumvolutions to prevent slipping, and by the
rotation of which the endless rope therefore is compelled to travel with a rapidity
proportioned to the velocity and diameter of the wheel referred to.
To the endless chain or rope in its upper division the Balloon and car are
attached and are of course drawn through the air by the action of the distant
engine wheel on the rope itself.
Proper means are taken to secure the endless rope in relation with the carrying
wheels over which it travels by placing it deep in a V shaped cavity as well as by
limiting its length or curtailing its 'slack,' or other suitable means.
The car will be provided with cases of compressed hydrogen or other light gas to
keep the Balloon buoyant.
The above description will I trust convey to the mind the modus operandi and
principle of the entire arrangement and I claim protection for the said arrange-
ment or arrangements in their combined relationships and entirety to accomplish
the object specified above.
HENRY BATE,
Hull, Yorks.

page_text: .
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Travelling through
the Atmosphere.
I, HENRY BATE, of 115 Cleethorpe Road Grimsby in the County of Lincoln,
Surgeon, formerly of No 1 Ocean Place Hull in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My improvements relate to a system of aerial travelling by means of Balloons
attached to an endless rope whereby the said Balloons may be made to travel from
one place. to another with safety and great rapidity.
To accomplish this I construct my aerial machine nearly of the shape of an egg,
but having the extremities pointed, the length being kept parallel with the surface
of the earth, and having beneath a long boat-shaped car attached. While preferring
the above shape I do not however restrict myself to this particular configuration.
The Balloon and car are attached to an endless rope composed of steel wire, or to
an endless iron chain, or to some other rope or chain of suitable strength, in such a
way, that they can be partly or entirely detached when desired.
The endless rope or chain is carried in large pulley wheels with concave or
V shaped rims, and having also if necessary projecting guide rods, of sufficient
length to prevent the balloons from lifting or dragging the said rope or chain out of
the rim of the pulley.
In order to cause the said rope or chain to travel rapidly on the said pullies,
Steam or other power is applied thereto, at some part of its length, by means of a
revolving drum or in some other suitable way.
The balloon being provided with reservoirs of compressed gas will necessarily be
buoyant and be easily moved in the direction travelled by the chain or rope.
The endless rope or chain may be carried at some distance from the ground, the
pullies being in that case fixed on posts or supports, or the said pullies may when
preferred be mounted on blocks of stone placed on the ground itself.
The effect of the foregoing arrangements is that rivers and valleys may be easily
crossed, and mountains ascended or descended, with ease and safety, without having
recourse to costly bridges or viaducts. Where long trains are necessary, several of
the balloons and cars can be attached to each other end to end.
By running cars or trains of similar size in opposite directions at the same time,
not only is a double traffic carried on, but the effect of adverse winds is neutralized,
since what one train loses the other gains.
To reduce the power of the wind to a minimum I construct the cars with sloping
sides, and also adopt such shape of roof as will offer little resistance to the air
currents..
In double lines where sufficient distance cannot be conveniently secured, between
the two ropes, as for instance in traversing narrow valleys, or passing through
Towns, I prefer to construct one of the said lines higher than the other to lessen
the risk of collision.

page_text: Stay rods or ropes with guide ropes attached to the balloon can be employed
during heavy gales, such rods being fixed on brackets of suitable shape and placed
parallel to the endless rope-These would be disconnected in fine weather, being
only required to prevent lateral displacement by winds blowing at right angles or
nearly so to the line of route.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows an endless rope with balloons travelling in opposite directions.