IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATING THE AIR
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Smyth, of Darton's Castlederg, County
Tyrone, Ireland, at present residing at Cottage Green, Camberwell, in
the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATING THE AIR."
Sealed the 1st November 1867, and dated the 10th May:1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATI
Office of the Commissione
10th May 1867..
left by the said William Smyth at the
of Patents, with his Petition,
Petition, on the
I, WILLIAM SMYTH, of Darton's Castlederg, County Tyrone, Ireland, at.
present residing at Cottage Green, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS POR NAVIGATING THE AIR," to be as follows:-
I construct a car of cylindrical form, with tapered ends, of a light frame:
covered with silk or other suitable material. Passing through each end of the
car are upright shafts having attached to both their extremities vanes, blades,
or propellers capable of being arranged by suitable mechanism at any angle.
On each of the upright shafts is a circular plate running under four very
small wheels and thus supporting the car. At each end of the car is a
horizontal shaft carrying two or more vanes; blades; or propellers at their
extremities outside the car. Each shaft is driven by band gearing, which may
be actuated by independent motive power to be herein-after, described.
Attached to each side of the car and in a plane with its longitudinal, axis. are.
+

page_text: one or more sustaining surfaces made of a light frame, and covered with silk
or other suitable material, of a size proportionate to the weight to be borne
through the air. When the weight is such that the great length of the
sustaining surfaces would be objectionable there may be more than one pair
placed one above another. These sustaining surfaces may either be fixed or
capable of being adjusted to any angle. Along the bottom of the car movable
seats are placed, so that by altering their position the car and sustaining
surfaces may be inclined to any angle,
The motive power for actuating the above-named shafts and vanes I
construct as follows:-A strong box of wood or other suitable material is
-lined-internally.with-a-waterproof coating. At the open end of the box is
attached a collapsing and expanding apparatus, similar to that of a concertina,
having a solid end to which is attached the connecting rod communicating
motion to the crank for driving each shaft. This apparatus is arranged in
duplicate to act on the same crank, one being expanded while the other is
collapse. The box part of the apparatus contains a number of india-rubber
cells communicating together and with a tube outside the box. In one or
more of the cells an arrangement is made for exploding the inixed gases 'they
are to contain, and also for admitting a small jet. of water. All the space
surrounding the cells and in the expanding part is filled with water or other
fluid. The gases used are preferably bydrogen and oxygen, and may be
obtained in the car by the decomposition of water by electricity. 1 ignite and
explode the gases to produce the expansion and power by an electric current.
If desired, a store of hydrogen might be carried up in the car and the oxygen
of the air utilized therewith, or the gases may be otherwise obtained, or other
explosive gases may be used conveniently obtainable. The elastic india-rubber
cells as long as they are preserved moist are not injured by exploding mixed
gases in them, and by varying their size, and the facilities for filling them with
gas, and the arrangement for, exploding it, the apparatus may be made to act
instantaneously or as slow as desired.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SMYTH; of Darton's-Castlederg, County Tyrone, Ireland, at present residing
at Cottage Green, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One,
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Smyth, Her special licence that I, the said William Smyth, my.
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Smyth, 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
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATING THE AIB,' upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said William Smyth, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Smyth, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the three Sheets of Drawings.
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is,
to say):
I construct a car of cylindrical form, with tapered ends, of a light framo
covered with silk or other suitable material. Passing through each end of the car
are upright shafts having attached to both extremities elevating vanes, blades,
or propellers capable of being arranged by suitable mechanism at any angle.
On each of the upright shafts is a circular plate running under four
very small
wheels and thus supporting the car. At each end of the car is a horizontal shaft
carrying two or more vanes, blades, or propellers at their extremities; outside
the car. Each shaft may be driven by band gearing actuated by independent
motive power to be herein-after described. Attached to each side of the car."
and on a plane with its longitudinal axes are one or more sustaining surfaces
made of a light frame of a size proportionate to the weight to. be borne
through the air.
When the weight is such that the great length of the sus-
taining surfaces would be objectionable there may be more than one pair
placed one above another. These sustaining surfaces may either be fixed
or capable of being adjusted at any angle. Along the bottom of the car.

page_text: which the weight of the cylinder is supported, the discs being free to rotate
in contact with said rollers a. At each end of the cylinder there is fitted a
screw propeller E mounted in bearings in the framing b, b, driven by band or
other gearing F by the aid of separate motive power. I further provide the
cylinder at each end with one or more pairs of sustaining surfaces G, G,
composed of a light framework. covered with silk or other material of a size
proportionate to the weight of the machine; these surfaces may either be
fixed, as seen, or adjustable to any angle.
.
The motive power for driving the several propeller shafts is obtained as
followsH, H, Figures 3 and 4, are cases made of wood or other light
substance of sufficient strength, lined internally with a waterproof material.
Each box or case H has attached an expanding and collapsing end I; these
ends I are connected by jointed rods K in such manner that motion produced
by the alternate expansion and collapse of the parts I is communicated from
K to a crank pin L fixed on a horizontal pulley M mounted at the bottom
part of the cylinder A near each end. This pulley imparts motion by means
of a band to a pulley N fixed at the bottom end of the shaft B, before
mentioned, carrying the elevating blades for imparting motion thereto. The
box H above mentioned contains a number of india-rubber cells. O com
municating with each other and with a pipe c outside the box H. The action
of the apparatus is produced by exploding mixed gases in the cells O, which
are preferably hydrogen and oxygen supplied from a reservoir contained in
the cylinder A by the pipes c. The oxygen of the air may also be utilized for
producing the mixed gases to be used for the purpose desired. The explosion.
of the gases in the cells is produced by the aid of a current passing through
wires d, d, from an electric apparatus in the machine, whereby the part I of
box H is suddenly expanded, the vacuum produced imparting motion to
pulley M, and driving the elevator shafts, as before described. The cells O
or chambers, which are made of india-rubber, silk, or other material rendered
air-tight, are surrounded with water or other fluid, as illustrated in Figure 4,
which shows one case H expanded and the other collapsed. e, e, are nozzles
for discharging jets of water into the cells from a pipe f, for the purpose of
cooling them and facilitating the condensation of the gases. A similar
expanding and collapsing apparatus is also provided in communication with
the reservoir of mixed gases by the pipes g for driving the screw propellers E, E,
as shown at P, Figure 3, by means of band gearing Q.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 show a modified arrangement, in which
the elevating vanes or propellers are dispensed with, while motion is imparted
to the sustaining surfaces in the manner shown in Figure 6, where the propeller

page_text: at the rear end of the apparatus is dispensed with and a rudder substituted,
although two propellers may be used.
A is the body of the machine; B'; B', are the sustaining surfaces or wings,
to which a flapping motion is imparted by means of the engines C¹, C',
Figure 7, of which Figure. 10. is an enlarged end. view detached. These
engines, as well as those E, E, Figures 7 and 9, for driving the propeller D',
are supplied with. mixed gases from the reservoirs F, F, Figure 7, in the
manner herein-after described. G₁.is the reservoir containing any suitable
inflammable gas, such as carburetted hydrogen for example; it is made of
silk and supplies gas to the pumps H¹ by. means of flexible india-rubber tubes
h. The pumps H' are for supplying mixed gases to the reservoirs F¹, and aro
composed of two chambers of unequal size, the proportions of which are as
one to nine. These pumps are worked by the engines with which they are
placed. in connection. The gas enters the smaller chamber, air being admitted=
by means of a suitable valve h2, Figure 8, to the larger chamber, and on the
return stroke the gas and air are forced together into the reservoir -F; whence
the mixture passes through the pipes f, f, into the engines as required."
1,1, are the water tanks for supplying the jets. of water to the engines. The
tank 1' of engine E is provided with a tube , Figure 8, .opening into it and
communicating with the open air in front of the machine for admitting air to
keep the water cool. The air passes through the tank and out again 'by a
second tube 2. K¹, K, are semicircular.supports for the car when at rest;
during flight they are turned up alongside the car by pulling the rope.k¹; which
passes round. each support and along the bottom of the car, as shown in Figure
7. L' is a wheel used for operating on rudder M' by means of the rope,
which rope passes round the wheel and spindle to which the rudder is fixed...
Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the engine E' for driving the propeller.
N; N, are the pistons, O, O¹, being bellows-shaped apparatus in which mixed
gases are exploded alternately above and below the pistons N¹, imparting
vertical motion thereto and rotating the band or fly wheel P¹ by means of the
cranks and connecting rods, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the motion being
transmitted to the propeller by a suitable-band and pullies. In Figure 8 the
bellows pump H₁ is attached to the piston N¹ and moves with it; it is com-
-posed of two unequal chambers, the proportions of which are as nine to one.
Gas is supplied to the small chamber by the pipe-hi, the large chamber com-
municating with the atmosphere by the valve h² opening inwards-and-kept-in
position by a spring; this pump H¹ thus pumps at each stroke gas: and air in
.the proper proportions into the mixed gas reservoir F¹; I is the water tank
provided with tubes 2, 2, the former of which opens out into the atmosphere

page_text: at the forward part of the car, as seen, thereby allowing air to enter and pass
through the tank and out at pipe 2, in order to cool the water from the
engines as it percolates through the grating shown near the top of the tank
R, S, T, are. keys kept in position by suitable springs; they govern
respectively the valves r, s, t, Figure 9. Near the end of each stroke the
pistons N come in contact with the keys R, S, T, and depress them, thereby
opening the valves r, s, t, Figure 9.
:
Figure 9 is a section on an enlarged scale of one of the engines E' shown
in Figure 8. The lines in red show the position of the india-rubber cells or
linings of the chambers. O, O', the outsides of which are made of silk or other
suitable material strengthened by hoops and rendered air-proof by the india-
rubber lining. The linings being subject to the action of the gases require to
be renewed from time to time, which from the mode of fitting shown may be
readily effected. The openings in the two chambers are in connection with
the atmosphere, and are provided with valves opening outwards and kept in
their places by a spring, the valve being actuated by the key R', Figure 8.
The openings s are in communication with the water tank 1 by means of an
india-rubber tube. The openings are 'in connection with the reservoir con
taining atmospheric air mixed with about 10.5 per cent. of inflammable gas;
these openings are protected by two valves, those t' being connected with the
keys T, the others 3 being ordinary self-acting india-rubber valves opening
inwards. Before starting an engine of this nature for the first time it will be
necessary after admitting the mixed gases to move the piston during a portion of
its stroke. If the piston N' is in the position shown at Figure 9 the lower valve't!
will be opened by the piston pressing on its key T, Figure 8; the piston also
presses on the key S', which communicates with and opens the valve s¹ by
means of a lever arm s³, Figure 11, at the opposite end, to admit a jet of
water to cool and moisten the india-rubber lining of the chamber in which the
explosion has taken place. The exit valve is also opened by the pressure
of the piston N¹ on the key R', to allow of the escape of the products of
combustion and the water previously injected. By the motion of the piston N¹
in the direction of the arrow mixed gases will be drawn into the lower
chamber O; when the piston has moved about one-tenth of its stroke it will
cease to press upon the keys R', S', T', the valves 1, s, t, will then be shut
by their springs, and connection being made at same time with an electrical
apparatus a spark will pass between the wire points at u', thus exploding the
mixed gases. The expansion resulting from the explosion; assisted by the
vacuum in the opposite chamber, will carry the piston with great force to the
end of its stroke; before the piston has completed its stroke by about one-

page_text: tenth it touches the opposite keys R', S', T', and carries them with it, thereby
opening valves, t, and also S of tlie. opposite chamber, for admitting the
jet of water to said chamber in which the explosion bas just taken place.
Mixed gases are admitted and exploded as before, the piston returning to its
former position, thereby completing its stroke, and so on for each succeeding
stroke. The tube v¹ is not in connection with the india-rubber cell, but is for
the purpose of attaching an exhausting syringe, so as to remove any air that
may be between the sides and the cell when it is first introduced.
At Figure 10 is shown the engine by which the wings are actuated; it is
constructed similar to the above-described engine, but differs from it by being
single-acting. U is an elastic india-rubber spring used for the up stroke of
the wings B in place of a second chamber. In order to make the down
stroke complete a small chamber V₁ is used communicating-with the escape
pipe; this chamber is equal in capacity to the gases resulting and remaining
from the explosion, which will be about one-tenth of the large chamber. The
chamber. V will be extended by the down stroke of the engine by means of
the rods v', v', and will thus draw into it the residue of the exploded gases,
allowing the large chamber C to make a complete stroke. The pump H' is
similar to those H¹, Figures 8 and 9; the axes of the wings are at b', ', the
arms to which the wings are attached crossing one another as shown, and
are connected by short shafts W, W₁, to the movable top of the chamber C.
The power of the elastic india-rubber spring U' is regulated by a clamp at X
Before starting the engine it will be necessary to depress the arins 62, so as to
close the chamber C', when the communication being made with the reservoir
containing the mixed gases by the top of chamber. C¹ pressing on the key T', the
spring. U will draw the arms be, b, upwards, allowing the chamber C to be filled
one-tenth part with the mixed gases, and those being exploded as before the up
stroke will be completed, in this case the jet of water being admitted by the
rod v, connecting rods v', v, pressing upon the key S', and the vacuum which
succeeds will bring down the top of chamber C' with great force, drawing after
it by means of the shafts W, W₁, the arms be, be, and consequently the wings
B, B; to which they are attached; the rods v', v, being lowered at same time
work the chambers F, V, as before described. The seat of the aeronaut
-should-be adjusted to that position in the machine, which will give it a slight
inclination upwards to the plane of the course it is-intended-to-propel it,
The propeller, Figure 7, being put in motion, the wings B', B', B', B', are to
be depressed, when the gas in the engine being exploded, the impulse of the
wings against the air will raise the machine a little from the ground, while
the motion of the propeller will move it in a forward direction, when it will be

page_text: additionally supported by the pressure of the air on the inclined angle of the
wings. When it has acquired a velocity of about fifteen miles an hour the
engines connected with the wings are to be stopped, when the machine will be
supported by the inclined angle of the wings only; this, however, will vary
with the weight of the machine. In case it be found that the motion of the
sustaining surfaces or wings be incapable of raising the machine from the
earth on account of its weight, it is obvious that the machine may be placed
on wheels attached to itself or otherwise for the purpose of giving it a forward
motion, which may be obtained by means of an inclined plane or by animal
or other power. One or both pairs of sustaining surfaces or wings may also
be placed at the front end of the machine only, in which case the seat of the
aeronaut would be move to the front end of the machine, the middle and
rear end of the machine being used for the purpose of containing gas.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the use and
application of non-metallic apparatus as herein-before described and represented
in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modifications of the same, in
which to explode gases for producing motive power to be used for the purposes
of aerial navigation.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Smyth, have hereunto set my
haud and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven,
WILLIAM SMYTH.
L.S.)