Iм- PROVED APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATING THE AIR
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henric Christian de Vogt, of Copenhagen,
Denmark, but at present residing at Govan, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVED APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATING THE AIR."
Sealed the 3rd July 1874, and dated the 7th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henric Christian de
Vogt at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th January 1874.
I, HENRIC CHRISTIAN DE VOGT, of Copenhagen, Denmark, but at
present residing at Govan, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATING THE AIR," to be as follows, that is to
say:

page_text: air, and consists in constructing, arranging, and combining apparatus
for that purpose in an improved manner.
In carrying out the Invention a combined elevating or supporting and
propelling instrument is used consisting of a horizontal frame having
any convenient or suitable outline in plan, and constructed principally
of steel, and with struts and wire stays to impart rigidity.
The horizontal frame is fitted with a series of slats or feather planes,
which when closed fill up the entire extent of the frame so as to form
a close horizontal plane. The feather planes, which are comparatively
narrow and numerous, are mounted so that they can turn to a limited
extent on transverse horizontal axes at or near the forward edge of each.
The horizontal frame is connected by one or more vertical rods to a
piston in a cylinder fixed vertically in a steam boiler and provided with
suitable valves, and when in action the frame is made to reciprocate
rapidly up and down.
When the frame moves up the feather planes assume inclined
positions, and act on the air so as to impart a forward impulse to the
apparatus, and during the downward stroke the feather planes become
close, and by pressing downwards on the air have an elevating and
supporting action.
"
The boiler is of the vertical class, with what are known as Field"
tubes, and with a water space surrounding the fire-box, there being
horizontal or inclined tubes round through such water space to lead the
fire gases to a chimney at the back or side.
It is proposed to use petroleum or other liquid hydrocarbon as the
fuel, and to aid its combustion air is admitted or blown into the fire-box
through a number of vertical tubes acting as burners to the oil.
The steam after acting in the cylinder may be condensed by means of
a surface condenser cooled by air entering through a funnel directed
forwards, and this air taking up heat from the waste steam is made to
utilise it by being applied to supply the fire.
'
The boiler, with the parts in connection with it, is fixed in a light
boat, which is also fitted with vertical guides for the horizontal
frames.
A rudder comprising two intersecting surfaces at right angles to each
other is connected to the boat by a universal joint, so that the boat can

page_text: be steered in any direction horizontally or more or less upwards or
downwards.
Towards the forward part of the boat a series of feather planes are
fitted on transverse horizontal axes, which are at or near their forward
edges, and as the boat rises and fills in consequence of the reaction due
to working the horizontal frame these lower feather planes will alter-
nately assist the propelling and supporting actions of the upper onės.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henric Christian de Vogt in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 7th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRIC
CHRISTIAN DE VOGT, of Copenhagen, Denmark, but at present residing
at Govan, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, .Her heirs and suc-.
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henric Christian de Vogt,.
Her special licence, that I, the said Henric Christian de Vogt, my.
executors administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henric Christian de Vogt, 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATING THE
AIR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henric
Christian de Vogt, my executors or administrators, 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:

page_text: HICH US
Patent.
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NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henric Christian de Vogt, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying
Drawings:-
This Invention relates to aeronautic apparatus whose object is the
practical solution of the hitherto unsolved problem of aerial navi-
gation.
Its features of novelty consist in the employment of a nearly hori-
zontal and slightly convex frame of any suitable or convenient form
constructed either of steel, whalebone, or other tough and durable
substance strengthened with struts, stringers, and stays of metal or of
the same material of which it is composed, to impart to it sufficient
rigidity.
This frame or wing, as will hereafter be explained, constitutes the
elevating and propelling means. It is fitted with a series of slats or
feather planes slightly overlaping each other, and capable of turning to
a certain extent on transverse horizontal axes at or near the forward
edge of each, so that on a rapid reciprocating up-and-down motion being
imparted thereto by means of a piston rod (to which the frame or wing
is directly attached by aid of stays), working in a vertical cylinder fixed
in a steam boiler or separate therefrom, and provided with suitable
valves.
The feather planes assume inclined positions and open for the passage
of the air in ascending (regulated by elastic cords connected thereto),.
and act simultaneously on the air when the frame is moved upwards by
the piston rod in such wise as to impart a forward impulse to the
apparatus, and on the rod making the return or downward stroke the
planes nearly close, and by their downward pressure on the air have an
elevating and supporting action.
One of the chief characteristic features of the Invention is that the
horizontal frame or wing turns on no axis, but is actuated simply by the
reciprocating up-and-down motion of the piston rod alone. -
:

page_text: The whole engine for working the horizontal frame can be comprised
in a single cylinder.
The boiler is of the vertical class, and is supplied with what are known
as "Field" tubes, and has a water space surrounding the fire-box, there
being horizontal or inclined tubes round through the water space leading
the fire gases to a chimney or chimnies conveniently disposed for the
purpose.
The boiler with the parts connected with it is fixed in a light boat,
round or above which a similarly constructed frame to that already
mentioned, and with planes or slats opening reciprocally with the wing,
is fixed, and is in the form of a kite, and whose object is to steady the
boat and prevent its rolling.
Either alcohol, water, or other suitable liquid may be employed for
supplying the boiler, and it is intended to use petroleum or other liquid
hyrocarbon as the fuel, and to assist combustion air is admitted or
blown into the fire-box through a number of vertical tubes acting as
burners to the oil.
The steam after acting in the cylinder may be condensed by means of
a surface condenser, cooled by air entering through a funnel directed
forwards, and this air taking up heat from the waste steam is made to
utilize it by being applied to supply the fire.
.
A rudder comprising two planes perpendicular to each other, one of
which is horizontal, is connected to the boat by a universal joint, so that
the boat may be steered in any direction horizontally or more or less
upwards or downwards.
A round slide valve fixed on the side or top of the cylinder and
actuated by the piston's up-and-down motion admits the steam to either
side of the piston, and by aid of springs and levers is caused to open and
close suddenly, and is capable of working by expansion or otherwise.
Expansion can also be produced by aid of two cylinders.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 represents a vertical elevation
of an apparatus embodying my Invention. The horizontal frame or
wing a is here shown ascending; b are the stays; c, the condenser;
d, the boiler; e, the funnel for the admission of air for cooling the con-
denser; 9, the piston rod; h, the piston; i, the kite-shaped frame, in

page_text: this case passing round the boat j; k is the rudder, composed of one
horizontal and one vertical plane.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical elevation of the wing shown as it descends, and
shown in plan, Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the vertical boiler, with chimnies 1, cylinder m, and
slide valve box n.
Fig. 6 is a section through the boiler and cylinder, and Fig. 7 is a
section through the piston and slide valve, in this case put above the
cylinder. o, o, are the springs; p, p, the levers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henric Christian de Vogt, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
HENRIC CHRISTIAN DE VOGT. (L.S.)
A. C. HENDERSON,
Patent Agent,
6, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn.