IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BALLOONS AND OTHER AERIAL BODIES, AND IN THE MEANS OF NAVIGATING THEM SO AS TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THEY SHALL MOVE OR TRAVEL
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Margaret Martin, of 23, Upper Fitzwilliam
Street, Dublin, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BALLOONS AND OTHER AERIAL BODIES, AND IN THE MEANS
OF NAVIGATING THEM SO AS TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THEY SHALL
MOVE OR TRAVEL."
caled the 17th February 1874, and dated the 21st August 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Margaret Martin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on the
21st August 1873.
I, MARGARET MARTIN, of 23, Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin,
Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BALLOONS AND OTHER AERIAL BODIES, AND
IN THE MEANS OF NAVIGATING THEM SO AS TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION IN WHICH
THEY SHALL MOVE OR TRAVEL," to be as follows:-
:-
The object of this Invention is to so construct and guide balloons
or other aerial bodies as to render them more useful than heretofore
for the transport or conveyance of light goods, letters, despatches, news-
papers, and also for passengers.

page_text: I propose to accomplish these objects by the following means :—
First, the balloon or other aerial body should be filled with the purest
hydrogen that it might bear, being strongly made and also be capable
of carrying as much weight as possible, all ascentional power over and
above a certain point should be used up by additional weight, as the
balloon would not require to be higher on an average than from 300 to
500 feet above the level of the sea.
If however circumstances required it a greater ascentional power
could be given. I propose to make the balloon with a long sharp
point at each end thereof to enable it to cut the air, or I employ
a train of balloons, in which case the balloon at each end of the
train should be sharply pointed. To each end of the train of balloons
I attach a rope made of silk or other suitable material which should
be as light as it possibly could be, consistent with strength. Each of
these ropes I attach by one end to a large windlass, one rope being
employed for the outward journey, and the other rope for the return
journey, say, for example, one at Dover and the other at Calais; the
windlass or rests for the ropes should be at the same altitude as the
balloon, but the balloon's altitude need not be more than 4 or 500 feet
above the level of the sea, and this altitude could be easily attained by
making use of hills as the resting places for the ropes and windlasses,
or the rest or the windlass might even be higher than the balloon, so
as to take off the weight of the ropes from the balloon.
The greatest possible speed can be obtained by powerful steam
ongines connected with the windlass, and by having the barrel of
windlass as large as can be worked with convenience, so as to take
up or pay out a large quantity of rope in a short space of time.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Margaret Martin, Her special licence
that I, the said Margaret Martin, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Margaret Martin, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF BALLOONS AND OTHER AERIAL BODIES, AND IN THE
MEANS OF NAVIGATING THEM SO AS TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THEY
SHALL MOVE OR TRAVEL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Margaret Martin, 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 months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Margaret Martin, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :—
The object of this Invention is to so construct and guide balloons
or other aerial bodies as to render them more useful than heretofore
for the transport or conveyance of light goods, letters, despatches, news-
papers, and also for passengers.
I propose to accomplish these objects by the following means :—
First, the balloon or other aerial body should be filled with the purest
hydrogen that it might bear, being strongly made, and also be capable
of carrying as much weight as possible, all ascentional power over and
above a certain point should be used up by additional weight, as the
balloon would not require to be higher on an average than from 300 to
500 feet above the level of the sea.
If however circumstances required it a greater ascentional power
could be given. I propose to make the balloon with a long sharp

page_text: point at each end thereof to enable it to cut the air, or I employ
a train of balloons, in which case the balloon at each end of the
train should be sharply pointed. To each end of the train of balloons
I attach a rope made of wire or other suitable material which should
be as light as it possibly could be, consistent with strength. Each of
these ropes should pass over and round pulley wheels of at least
30 feet in diameter, about 20 or 25 miles apart, and these endless
ropes should be attached to the train of balloons, or as it might be
advisable sometimes there might be large windlasses used instead of
the more regular method of giant pulley wheels. Each of these 1
ropes I attach by one end to a large pulley wheel or windlass;, one
rope being employed for the outward journey, and the other rope for
the return journey, say, for example, one at Dover and the other at
Calais; the windlass or rests for the ropes should be at the same
'altitude as the balloon, but the balloon's altitude need not be more 1
than 3 or 400 feet above the level of the sea, and this altitude could
be easily attained by making use of hills as resting places for the
ropes and windlasses, or the rests or the giant pulley wheels or wind-
lasses might even be higher than the balloon, so as to take off the
weight of the ropes from the balloon; and on this extended rope there a
should be placed small balloons (of a shape to pass with case round
the wheels) to prevent it from bending or breaking from its own
weight.
The greatest possible speed can be obtained by powerful steam
engines connected with the giant pulley wheels or windlasses, and by a
having the barrel of the pulley wheels or windlass as large as can be
worked with convenience, so as to take up or pay out a large quantity
rope
in a short space of time.
of
And in order to explain my said Invention more fully, I now proceed
to describe the means by which it may be carried into practical effect,
reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings accompanying
these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively, as follows:―
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a train of balloons A, B, C, D, attached to one
another, the end ones A and D being pointed. A wire E unites
the two extremities of the pointed balloons A and D to which tho

page_text: endless or hauling rope may be attached; F is a net into which parcels,
despatches, letters, or other articles may be placed. In addition to the
net F may be attached a car for passengers.
Figure 2 shows the manner of constructing the pointed balloons
A and D. a are ribs kept in their position by means of the stretchers b;
G, G', are hoops. The object of the ribs a and hoops G, G³, is to give
more strength and rigidity to the balloon, and allow it to cut through
the air with facility.
•
Figure 3 shows the manner in which balloons constructed as above
are made to travel between two distant points A and B.
A is a
large pulley wheel and other suitable machinery required to be set
in motion by steam or other motive power. Around this wheel passes
an endless wire or rope C to which is attached one or more of the
above-described balloons D; smaller balloons E are also fixed to the
wire or chain C, the object of which is to take the weight thereof.
It may however be found necessary to place at certain distances asunder
hulks F having high masts well rigged, and on which the wire or rope
C may rest. Another large wheel is placed at the station B similar
to the wheel A. If these two wheels be put in motion a regular com-
munication between the two points A. and B will be establislied, and
passengers, parcels, or despatches conveyed between these points by
means of the aforesaid train of balloons D. These ropes and balloons
can be made to pass over any required distances by having machinery
and pulley wheels at required distances for strength and security.
For greater security during high winds the balloons might be made
to run on and between two flat ropes to keep them steady, or they might
be drawn by double pulley wheels and ropes.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention
for "
Improvements in the Construction of Balloons and other Aerial
Bodies, and in the Means of Navigating them so as to Control the
Direction in which they shall Move or Travel," and the means whereby
it may be effected, I would remark in conclusion that I do not intend
to limit or confine myself to the precise details or form of apparatus
before described, but what I claim as my Invention and desire to secure
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, making a balloon
or train of balloons travel from one point to another by means of an
endless wire or rope passing over and worked by large wheels, and

page_text: supported by a series of small balloons and hulks, substantially as
described and represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said Margaret Martin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.