Improvements in Steering Navigable Balloons and Expanding the Skin.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steering Navigable Balloons and Expanding
the Skin.
I, WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, General in Her Majesty's Army, of The
Lodge Silverdale Road Eastbourne, County of Sussex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvement on the ordinary means of steering navigable balloons consists
in aiding the movement by making the leading propelling screw turn in any
required vertical plane, and the rear propelling screw turn in a similar manner
should both be employed.
A thin horizontal platform, the width of the car (or cars) suspended from the
balloon and aligning with the upper rim of the leading car, projects in its front.
A similar but stronger platform, aligning with the bottom of the said car, similarly
projects in its front. Between these parallel platforms is a circular, horizontally
rotating table or frame, usually in diameter the width of the car.
The table is supported by and slowly rotates on four small, coned wheels, whose
axles are right angled to four horizontal bars, sustained by the uppermost sides of
the car. The wheels are flanged to retain the table in position.
The rear under
side of the table, near the rim, is for a semicircle suitably coned to meet the wheels.
The shaft which drives the screw is divided into two very unequal parts. The
shorter, which in length but little exceeds the diameter of the table, lies on it.
The longer part lies on the bottom of the car and on the lower platform. These
two parts are as far asunder as space will permit. By means of a narrow endless
band, passing over both parts, the longer part gives rotation to the shorter. The
band travels vertically in the open space under the centre of the table. The strain
on the band increasing as the table is turned from its normal position (by the
aeronauts, carrying with it the screw) the band is either slightly elastic embracing
the parts closely- or inelastic, deep knobs on both parts of the shaft entering freely
into oblong holes in the then less closely embracing band. The extremities of both
parts of the shaft are held by cylindrical rings lined with rotating rollers to prevent
injurious friction-or, the cylindrical ring on the lower platform, instead of being a
fixture, is held loosely by upright bolts. A rod, attached by a socket-joint to a
transverse bar fixed close in front of the opening in the table through which the
endless band travels, runs along side the band. The lower end of the rod is attached
to a similar socket-joint on the cylindrical ring. Then the table, on being turned
to the right or left, so raises the ring with the end of the longer part of the shaft,
that the endless band ever travels with uniform tension.
To prevent the table's tilting from the weight of the screw some part of a deep
groove, made in the rim of the rear half of the table is ever in contact with a fixed
transverse horizontal bar.
Instead of being divided into two parts, the driving shaft might be in one length,
the necessary flexibility being imparted to it by forming the portion of it, which
lies on the table, in short conical bollow links. A ring on the small end of one link
is loosely grasped by the large end of the adjoining link, circular cogs coned
towards the centre inside one link, and rectangular cogs on the other similarly
sloped towards the axis, preserve continuity in rotation while admitting slight
extensions or contractions in the length of the shaft as the links vibrate in
rotating.
The improvement in expanding the skin, is effected by making the pressure act
automatically that is required to keep the skin of a cylindrical navigable balloon

page_text: constantly extended, notwithstanding sudden alterations in the volume of the gas
within the balloon. Immediately above the long tube within the balloon-virtually
its back bone, described in my Patent 2248393-lies a light basket work frame, the
length of the tube and of the width most suitable for spiral springs at the bottom
of the cars actuating upright rods to so push the frame upwards that the skin,
resting on it, shall be pressed against the gas with a force necessary to keep the
skin extended, yet to readily yield on the gas expanding. In large far travelling
balloons the weight of the skin within the cylindrical skin is of little moment,
buoyancy increasing as the cube, the skin merely as the square..
Or, the cylindrical balloon might be divided into three compartments by a light
gas tight material, the skin of each being always extended by the pressure of air in
a long gas tight bag within the compartment.
Dated 30th day of May 1894.
W. N. HUTCHINSON,
General.
VV IIA VDIV NINVITIV
Improvements in Steering Navigable Balloons and Expanding
the Skin.
I, WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, General in Her Majesty's Army, of The
Lodge Silverdale Road Eastbourne County of Sussex 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 volume of hydrogen gas necessary to float the weight of efficient far
travelling balloons with their indispensable accessories, can only be carried' by
those of cylindrical shape. The vertical diameter of any salmon or spindle form of
sufficient capacity would be far too great to be manageable. Even in the
cylindrical there is a limit to its diameter, but none to its length provided all waving
motion in flight be prevented.
The long tube, t Fig. 6 and 7, within the balloon, described in my Patent
No. 224839 virtually a back bone-gives the required firmness, while the finely
pointed cone of a tough alluminium alloy (attached by branches from its interior to
the leading end of the tube), v Fig. 6, almost unresistingly pierces the air, and by
covering the end of the balloon effectually resists caving in.
However large the navigable there is a limit to the diameter of its propelling
screws ss, therefore many become necessary, and there is ample space for them in a
cylindrically formed balloon without the useful action of any being interfered with
by a neighbour. Given a named capacity, the greater the length the less the
opposition to progress; but the longer the balloon the greater the difficulty in
steering it. The claimed improvement in steering, consists in aiding the movement
by making the leading propelling screw, Fig. 6, turn in any required vertical
plane, and the rear propelling screw turn in a similar manner. The bow of the
leading car is partially decked by a thin horizontal platform d Fig. 1. At the
bottom of the car there is a similar but stronger platform e. Between these parallel
platforms is a circular, horizontally rotating table, or frame c; usually in diameter
the width of the car. The table is supported by, and slowly rotates on four small
coned wheels f Figs. 2 and 3, whose short axles g, are right angled to four
horizontal bars k, Fig. 3, sustained by the uppermost sides of the car.
The wheels
are flanged to retain the table in position. The rear under side of the table near
the rim is, for a semicircle, correspondingly coned to meet the wheels. The shaft a,
Figs. 2 and 5, which drives the screw, is divided into two very unequal parts. The
shorter, which in length but little exceeds the diameter of the table; lies on it.
The longer part lies on the bottom of the car and on the lower platform e.
These
two parts are as far asunder a space permits. By means of a narrow endless band n,

page_text: Fig. 2, passing over pullies (not shown) on both parts, the longer part gives rotation
to the shorter. The band travels vertically in the open space under the centre of
the table. The strain on the band increasing as the table is turned from its normal!
position (by the aeronauts, carrying with it the screw), the band is made either
slightly elastic embracing the two parts slightly, or inelastic, deep knobs on the
pullies entering freely into oblong holes on the less tightly embracing band. The
extremities of both parts of the shaft are held by short cylindrical rings (not shown).
lined with rotating rollers to prevent injurious friction.
held'
Or, the cylindrical ring on the lower platform, instead of being a fixture,
loosely by upright bolts. A rod (not shown) attached by a ball and socket-joint to.
a transverse bar (fixed close in front of the opening in the table through which the
endless band travels) runs along side the band. The lower end of the rod is.
attached to a similar ball and socket joint on the cylindrical ring. The table, on
being turned to the right or left, so raises the ring, and with it the end of the-
longer shaft, that the band ever travels with uniform tension. To prevent tilting
from the weight of the screw, some part of a deep groove b Fig. 2, made in the rim.
of the rear half of the table, is ever in contact with a fixed, transverse, horizontal
bar and arms-not shown.
The driving shaft, instead of being divided into two parts, might be in one length,.
the necessary flexibility being imparted to it by forming the portion of it, a Fig. 4,
which lies on the table, in short, conical, hollow links. A ring on the small end of
one link, is loosely grasped by the large end of the adjoining link. Circular cogs.
inside one link coned towards the centre, and rectangular cogs on the other similarly
sloped towards the axis, preserve continuity in rotation while admitting slight.
extension or contraction in the length of the shaft as the links vibrate in rotating.
In a very rough model, the curves taken by the flexible shaft at 30, 60, 90 degrees:
from its normal position were much as seen in Fig. 4. Similar were the reverse
curves when the table was turned to the left. Had the shaft been made to shift a.
little at the joints of the links, as just explained, the curves would have been
trifling.
The platforms d and e do not increase the surface opposing progress in flight..
With but little increase to the surface of d the table might be widened, if judged
advisable, without altering other parts of the design. A ring attached to the under-
surface of the table outside the wheels would then be substituted for the flanges or
the wheels that keep the table in position.
Steering by the leading and rear screws being adopted, but few 'vertical'
rudders, rr Fig. 6, would be used. They bave but little influence unless the speed
be good and they lessen speed.
Improvement in expanding the skin is effected by making automatic the pressure
that is required to keep the skin of a cylindrical navigable extended however great.
and sudden may be alterations in the bulk of the confined gas. Immediately above-
the back-bone, t Figs. 6 and 7, (which acts as a condenser), lies horizontally a light.
basket work frame, p, Fig. 7, the length of the back-bone, and of the width most.
suitable for spiral springs, a Fig. 7, at the bottom of their shafts y y so to push the
frame upwards, with uniform action, that the skin resting on it shall be pressed
against the gas with the calculated strength necessary to keep the skin constantly
extended yet to readily yield on any expansion of the gas.
The extremities of the upright shafts qq, q' q', which rise from the bottom of
the cars, are attached to the back-bone and cars by the ball and socket joint. The
sockets are of unusual depths that the balls may have a little free play, for the cars.
are not a rigid fixture to the balloon.
The part of the extended cylindrical skin that is contiguous to the back-bone is
made to adhere to the stands of the webbing, thereby preventing any shifting of
the skin.
In large, far travelling balloons, the weight of the extra loose skin within the
extended cylindrical skin, is of little moment, buoyancy increasing as the cube the
skin merely as the square. Or, the cylindrical balloon might be divided by a light,

page_text: gas-tight material into, say, three compartments, the skin of each being kept
extended by the pressure of air (as designed by M. de Lôme) in a long, gas tight
bag within each compartment.
A cargo car, centrically suspended from the line of cars, would aid stability but
diminish speed.
A cylindrical balloon would at any time be lengthened or shortened. The
construction is simple. A succession of similar, transverse sections are joined
together while lying on the ground, and are inflated after being laced to the back-
bone, through small loops on its bottom. No further experimental trials would be
required than could be effected with one section to determine the size of the meshes,
the breadth of the light frame p, and the amount of the upward pressure necessary
to keep the skin constantly extended.
Though the greater the tonnage the less the price per ton, doubtless a thoroughly
efficient navigable would be costly to any individual, but such a balloon, not half
the capacity of Giffard's (883,000 cubic feet), would prove an incalculable saving to
any civilized nation. Expenditure in armaments would be folly when the best
could be destroyed with impunity by a foe invisible on dark nights, yet seeing all
with the aid of his search light. Wars would lead to annihilation not acquisition,
therefore the whole world would be blessed with peace-but a light motor is still
much needed; and surely in every country men who reflect, tax payers especially,
should urge their respective governments to offer rewards that would induce the
cleverest engineers to exert their brains to overcome all difficulties in the
construction of the most formidable, peace-preserving implement of war ever
imagined. No sum would be too great that would lead inventors of petroleum
engines, and others, to devise a safe motor weighing not more than from 8 to 10 lbs.
per horse power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The means of making the leading and rear propelling screws of navigable
balloons turn in vertical planes substantially as described.
2. The means of keeping the skin of cylindrical navigable balloons fully extended
in all changes of the bulk of the gas within the balloon, by the automatic upward
pressure of a long, light frame against loose, gas-tight skin within the balloon,
substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1894.
W. N. HUTCHINSON,
General.