Year: 1889

page_text: I JAMES WORMS of 3 bité du Retiro, Faubourg St. Honoré, Paris in the Republic
of France, Gentleman, 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:
The object of this invention is to produce an aerial machine or air ship which is
capable of being propelled and steered in any direction.
My improved aerial machine or air ship consists of a balloon or gas receiver
(preferably of cigar or ship shape) constructed of silk, linen, or even light metal,
such as aluminium or copper, and having such a capacity as, when full, to nearly
counterbalance the whole weight of the complete apparatus.
Underneath this balloon or gas receiver is secured by cords, or in any convenient
manner, a plane or horizontal sail composed of any suitable material.
At the rear end of the balloon is fitted a steering sail or rudder, the position of
which is changed in any direction, as desired, by means of rudder. lines from the
car, or in any other convenient manner.
The car is carried by the cords supporting the horizontal sail from the balloon, and
which are prolonged for the purpose, or in any other convenient manner.
The car
contains a small motor of suitable character, which is intended to work a pair of wings
or flappers. These wings or flappers may be of any suitable construction, and are
carried by arms or levers projecting outwards from the car, and having their fulcra in
standards connected with the car. These wings or flappers are so arranged that they
will "feather" during the upstroke, by which means the resistance to the air is
reduced to a minimum. The wing levers are slotted at their inner ends to receive
pins by which they are connected to the motor, which slots allow for the radial
movement of the levers. Below the sail is secured, in any convenient manner, a
curved bar on which a weight or weights are mounted. The weight or weights,
according as their position is shifted on the bar, will shift the centre of gravity of the
apparatus forwards or rearwards, and as the bar is moved laterally to one side or the
other, as the case may be..

page_text: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my aerial ship;
Fig. 2 is a front view, and
Fig. 3 an underside plan view with the car removed.
Figs. 4 are details in side view and section, of the feathering arrangement for the
wings.
A is a balloon and B the car. Between the car and the balloon is a horizontal
plane or sail C, and below this sail is a bar D carrying a weight E. Carried by
standards in the car are the flappers or wings F, and G represents a motor of any
suitable kind.
The balloon A is formed of any suitable material, and of such a capacity as to
nearly counterbalance tlie car and the rest of the apparatus, the actual rising of the
apparatus being caused by the action of the wings or flappers F.
The horizontal plain or sail C is formed with a backbone or suitable framework to
which the rear end of the bar D is pivotted. The front end of this bar is capable of
lateral motion on a transverse 'bar D¹, or quadrant, attached to the frame of the
plane C.
The weight E is capable of sliding on the bar, and it is moved as required by means
of the cords E', which pass over pulleys E at opposite ends of the bar D, and
round a drum or grooved pulley E suitably placed on the car, and provided with a
handle by which it may be rotated.
The lateral motion of the bar D is effected by the cords D2, which are secured to
the end of the rod, and from thence pass, on either end of the transverse bar D¹ (see
Fig. 2), round a drum or pulley D³ carried by the car.
The car is made boat shaped, and is provided with a rudder for use in case the car
should fall into the water.
The wing levers are formed as shown in Figs. 4, so that they will feather
automatically during the up-stroke. H is a steering sail, which may be pulled
round more or less in either direction, as required, by lines from the car.
I have now fully described the construction of the apparatus, and will therefore
proceed to describe the action of the various parts.
The rising of the apparatus in the air is caused by the action of the wings or
flappers, the balloon not being of sufficient capacity to support the entire apparatus.
At the same time, the balloon must take off the greater part of the weight from
the wings.
"
What I term the "real propulsive power is given by the weight, the shifting
of which on the bar changes the centre of gravity, and produces a motion in a
diagonal direction slightly downwards. The wings transform this downward move-
ment into an entirely horizontal one, by working just strongly enough to keep the
vessel from falling. The work of the machine will therefore be very much less
than if it had to make the vessel rise.
The more the weight is placed forward, the stronger is its action and its power
against the wind.
*
in order that the above remarks may be clearly understood, let it be supposed
that the whole apparatus has risen to a certain height by the action of the machine,
and that it possesses a certain weight which is not counterbalanced by the balloon.
If, now, the machine be stopped while the centre of gravity is in the centre of the
horizontal sail or aeroplane," the vessel would fall in a vertical line, the "aeroplane"
acting as a parachute, but if the centre of gravity be shifted forwards; the fall will
be in an oblique line, for the weight will be drawing the machine forwards as well
as downwards, and as the large surface of the aeroplane resists the downward
movement, and its edge easily cuts through the air, the forward movement will be
in greater ratio than the downward movement.

page_text: The more the weight is placed forwards, the more the forward movement will
prevail, and in this way the weight constitutes a propulsive power. The task of the
wings consists, then, in constantly regaining the former height which would else be
lost by the fall in a forward direction.
The lateral movement of the forward end of the weight bar D will throw the centre
of gravity more or less to one side, and by this means give the vessel an inclination
to either side, which will serve to steer the vessel in either direction as required.
It will be evident that I may use a scrow working in a vertical sense to effect the
raising of the apparatus.
It will be seen that the wings are placed in the forward part of the air ship; thus,
the weight working downwards and forwards, and the wings upwards and forwards,
the forward motion alone remains as the result, even during the time the vessel is
rising, that is to say, when the motor has more action than the weight.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. The arrangement of aerial ship as herein shown and described.
2nd. The application in an aerial ship, of a weight which is capable of being shifted
to change the centre of gravity as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. The combination in an aerial ship, of a shifting weight with an "aeroplane,"
as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. The combination in an aerial ship, of a balloon, an aeroplane, and raising
appliances, as set forth.
Dated this 1st day of January 1880