Improvements in Aerial Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Aerial Apparatus.
ARTHUR HENRY PHILIP BLUNT, of No. 166, Stanhope Street, St. Pancras,
London, N.W., Civil Engineer and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is a means by which anybody may be raised from the earth
and held above it by wind pressure and the nature of it is contained in and
may be understood from the following description of it, that is to say, a kite
which is made to fly and a number of aeroplanes made of canvas or other
suitable material with stiffened or framed sides or edges and which are pivotted
to carriages which run on rollers on and along the kite cord towards the kite
by the pressure of the wind acting on the underneath sides of the aeroplanes.
These aeroplanes are sent up one behind another and when they have arrived
at their destination sufficient distance remains between any two of them and
between the kite and the aeroplane next to it for the wind to act fully on each
one.
The aeroplanes may be adjusted on the pivots and held by cords or
other suitable contrivance to any angle required with the direction of the wind
as will best suit the pressure of the wind. The number of aeroplanes required
to be sent up depends on the strength of the wind but a number must be sent
up which together effect a lifting pressure greater than the weight of the
aeronaut to be raised. Each aeroplane may have a separate cord and when
a number of them sufficient for effecting the required lifting pressure has been
sent up then one or more other similar aeroplanes pivotted to roller carriages
may be sent up together in like manner by the pressure of the wind and raising
the aeronaut with them. The roller carriages of these aeroplanes rest on and
roll on all the cords of both the kite and roller carriages of the first number
of aeroplanes sent up. The aeroplanes are kept at the necessary distances
apart by the roller carriages which abut against one another but to prevent
shock or sudden stoppage when they come against one another each carriage
is furnished with a buffer which prevents the full pressure taking place in too
short a time. The aeronaut to be raised is suspended in a car from a roller
carriage resting on the cords of both the kite and of the aeroplanes in front
of the aeroplanes which are to raise the aeronaut who is pushed along by their
united pressure. To effect descent means is provided for altering the angle
of inclination of those aeroplanes which raise the aeronaut with the direction
of wind so as to diminish the resultant lifting pressure of the wind to less
than the weight of the aeronaut when descent will take place. These means
consist of a connection of the front and rear sides or edges of the aeroplanes
which raise the aeronaut with a cord or the like which passes round two pullies
the one pully at the front of the first roller carriage and the other at the
rear of the last one of them the ends of the cord terminating at the car carrying
the aeronaut so that the aeronaut may by pulling the one end alter the inclina-
tion of all the aeroplanes on their pivots one way or the opposite way by
pulling the other end of the cord. The angle of these aeroplanes with the

page_text: direction of the wind also is adjusted by this means. Each aeroplane may
be furnished with a vertical vane for effecting steadiness. I also provide
suitable means for unwinding and winding up the cords of the kite and first
aeroplanes sent up for the purpose of allowing them to ascend easily and
rapidly or for easily and rapidly lowering them. These means consist of
rollers or drums round which the cords are wound held in frames which may
be pegged or otherwise fastened or held to the ground. On one end of the
axle of the roller or drum is a small pully round which a belt passes which
belt passes round another larger winch wheel which when turned makes for
each revolution of itself a number of revolutions of the smaller pully and roller.
Dated this Seventeenth day of February 1899.
Improvements in Aerial Apparatus.
I, ARTHUR HENRY PHILIP BLUNT, of No. 42, Albert Street, Regent's Park,
London, N.W., late of No. 166, Stanhope Street, St. Pancras, N.W., Civil
Engineer and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is a means for raising a body from the earth and holding it
above it by wind pressure. According to my invention I propose to raise a
body from the earth by means of one or more aeroplanes pivotted to roller
carriages one behind another the rollers resting on the cord of a soaring or
flying kite and also when necessary on the cords of one or more similar aeroplanes
which are propelled upwards along the kite cord one behind another by wind
pressure. The propelling surfaces of these aeroplanes may be made of canvass
or other suitable material with stiffened or framed sides or edges on the under-
neath sides of which the wind presses against in propelling them upwards
along the kite cord and to effect steadiness in these aeroplanes each may be
fitted with a vertical vane on either side of which the wind may press and the
acroplanes and kite are kept at sufficient distance apart to allow the wind to act
fully on each one of them by their roller carriages which abut one against
another and to prevent shock or sudden stoppage due to the full pressure taking
-place in too short a time when one roller carriage in motion comes against
another at rest each roller carriage carries a buffer. The aeronaut to be raised
from the earth is suspended in a car from a roller carriage resting on the cords
of both the kite and of the aeroplanes in front of the aeroplanes which raise
the aeronaut who is carried along by their united pressure. It however may
be seen from the drawings referred to in this specification that an aeronaut
could reverse these aeroplanes and thus be suspended in rear of them. To
effect descent means are provided for altering the angle of inclination of those
aeroplanes which raise the aeronaut with the direction of wind so as to diminish
the resultant lifting pressure of the wind to less than the total weight to be
raised when descent will take place. These means consist of a connection
of the front and rear sides or edges of the aeroplanes which raise the aeronaut
with a cord or the like which passes round two pullies the one pully at the
front of the first roller carriage and the other at the rear of the last one of
them the ends of the cord terminating at the car carrying the aeronaut so that
the aeronaut may by pulling the one end of it alter the inclination of all the
aeroplanes on their pivots one way or the opposite way by pulling the other

page_text: end of the cord. The angle of these aeroplanes with the direction of the wind
also is adjusted by this means. The other said aeroplanes on the cords of which
these aeroplanes may rest may be adjusted on their pivots and held to any
angle required with the direction of the wind by cords or other suitable contri-
vance which connect the aeroplanes with their roller carriages. I also provide
suitable means for unwinding and winding up the cords of the kite and first
set of aeroplanes sent up for the purpose of allowing them to ascend easily and
rapidly or for easily and rapidly lowering them. These means consist of rollers
or drums round which the cords of the kite and aeroplanes may be wound held
in frames which may be pegged or otherwise fastened or held to the ground.
On one end of the axle of these said rollers or drums is a small pully round
which a belt passes which belt also passes round another larger winch wheel
which when turned round on its axle by a winch handle makes for each revolu-
tion of itself a number of revolutions of the smaller said pully and rollers or
drums. In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and carried
into effect I will proceed to describe it more fully with reference to the accom-
panying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation.
Figure 2 is a side elevation to an enlarged scale shewing aeroplanes pivotted
centrally to the roller carriages but which may be pivotted nearer to the sides
of the aeroplanes. Also in this figure the car shewn suspended from a front
roller carriage of the set of aeroplanes which raise the aeronaut; and means
are shewn for altering the inclination of the aeroplanes with the direction of
the wind.
Figures 3 and 4 are circular front elevations of the aeroplanes shewn in
Figure 2 which however may be rectangular or other suitable shape.
Figure 5 is a side elevation to an enlarged scale shewing the two sets of
aeroplanes pivotted outside their edges to the roller carriages, the car suspended
from a front roller carriage of the set of aeroplanes which raise the aeronaut.
Also means are shewn for altering the inclination of the aeroplanes with the
direction of the wind.
Figures 6 and 7 are circular front elevations of the aeroplanes shewn in
Figure 5 which however may be rectangular or other suitable shape.
In all these figures like letters of reference indicate similar parts.
A is an aeroplane by which an aeronaut is raised from the earth and held
above it by wind pressure on its underneath or rear side and its position in
dotted lines shews how it turns on its pivots at B. C is a roller carriage to
which the aeroplane A is pivotted and D is a roller carriage roller resting on
the kite and aeroplane cords E these cords being between the rollers and the
carriages and the side links F which connect the rollers to the carriages so
that the rollers cannot run off the said cords E. G is the said cord or the like
which connects the front and rear sides or edges H of the aeroplanes A which
raise the aeronaut and which passes round the two pullies I the ends of it
terminating at the car J such that when the one end is pulled all the aero-
planes A turn on their pivots together towards the positions shewn in hard
lines and when the other end is pulled they all turn on their pivots in the
opposite direction towards the positions shewn in dotted lines thus altering
the angle of inclination of these aeroplanes with the direction of the wind
for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the wind pressure on them. The
cord G after connecting the front and rear edges H of the aeroplanes is shewn
in the drawings to continue from the front edges of the first and last aeroplanes
towards the pullies and after passing round them continues towards and
terminates at the car J. However they may in the case of Figure 2 be continued
from the rear edges of these first and last aeroplanes towards the pullies I
instead of from their front edges and if necessary through holes in the carriages
and after passing round the pullies continue towards and terminate at the car;
and in the case of Figure 5 the cord may continue from the first and last aero-

page_text: planes in a direction pointing to and from between the front and rear edges
of these aeroplanes and continue round the pullies I and on to the car as
shewing in the drawing; or whether the cord continues from the front edges
of the first and last aeroplanes or in a direction pointing to and from between
the front and rear edges they may pass round the pullies in the opporia
directions to those shewn in the drawing and continue along past the re
edges of the aeroplanes and round the pullies again towards the car at wh.
its ends terminate. The car J is suspended by cords or the like K connect.
to a link L which is connected by a pivot or the like to a carriage C. A¹ is an
aeroplane pivotted to a roller carriage C and B', the angle of its inclination
with the direction of wind being adjusted by cords G₁ connecting the aeroplanes
and fastened at N to the roller carriage C which has rollers D' pivotted to
side links F1 which connect the rollers to the carriages the kite cord on which
the rollers rest being between the rollers and carriages and between the said
side links F so that the rollers cannot run off the kite cord. M is a kite
and P is a said stop on the kite cord and Q is a said spring buffer on the
aeroplane carriage. R is a roller or drum for winding and unwinding the kite
and aeroplane cords for the purpose of allowing the kite and aeroplanes to ascend
easily and rapidly and for easily and rapidly lowering them. The axle R¹ of
the roller or drum R is held or supported in the upper end of the frame R2 and
the lower end of the frame has a link or the like by which it may be fastened
by cord or the like to any thing firmly fastened to or weighted to the earth.
The winch wheel R³ has its axle R in the frame R² to which axle the winch
handle R is attached and the whole of these said parts are supported on
leg R which may be pivotted or hinged to the frame R. R is a belt which
passes round the winch wheel R³ and round the pully R8 on the axle R¹.
a
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a means of aerial sailing the employment of aeroplanes for the purposes
specified;
2. In a means of aerial sailing the employment of a kite with aeroplanes
pivotted to roller carriages for raising by wind pressure in the manner specified
a body or aeronaut from the earth.
3. Å stop attached to a kite cord for the purpose specified.
4. A roller carriage with buffer and with aeroplane pivotted to it together
with means or arrangement for altering the angle of its inclination with the
direction in which the wind may be moving as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings for the purpose specified.
5. In a means of aerial sailing the arrangements for altering the angle of
inclination with the direction of the wind of those aeroplanes which raise the
aeronaut as described and referred to in the accompanying drawings for the
purposes specified.
6. A roller carriage having a said pully and car suspended from it for the
purpose specified.
7. The means or arrangement for winding up and unwinding the kite and
aeroplane cords as described in this specification with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
8. A means of aerial sailing consisting of the parts constructed, arranged and
adapted to be actuated substantially as described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of November 1800.
ARTHUR HENRY PHILIP BLUNT.