Improvements in Apparatus for Transporting Loads by the Aid of Balloons.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Transporting Loads by the Aid of
Balloons.
I, Count ANTON APRAXIN, of 50 Lyteiny Prospect, St. Petersburg, in the Empire
of Russia, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for transporting loads in the air. The improved
apparatus comprises two or more captive balloons attached to an endless cable, or the
like, which is actuated by mechanism at the stations between which the aerial
transport is to be effected. Loads are conveniently and advantageously transported
in this manner over rivers, ravines or the like with scarcely any expenditure of
power.
At each of the two opposite sides of a river, ravine, or the like, I mount a frame in
which is arranged a vertical shaft set in rotation by any suitable motor. Motion is
transmitted to the said shaft by means of pulleys and toothed wheels, or any other
suitable transmitting gear.
Each shaft carries a horizontal pulley of a large diameters for guiding an endless-
cable or the like to which are attached two captive balloons. The two horizontal
pulleys are provided with broad flanges which keep the cable in position. Near the
circumference of these pulleys the cable is moreover supported and guided by two
pairs of rollers.
Each of the balloons is attached to the aforesaid cable by means of an iron rod and
is of such size that it sustains, with a small excess of ascending force, the car or
gondolar which is attached to it and contains the load to be transported, and also the
length of the cable between the said pullies.
Ünder these conditions, the entire system being nearly in equilibrium, the transport
of loads by means of the balloons requires very little work.
The employment of a second balloon has for its object to keep the system in
equilibrium when the wind blows in the same or opposite direction to that in which
the transport is effected. In this case the wind acts with equal force against the two
balloons, which are arranged to move in opposite directions.

page_text: In lieu of an endless cable I can use rails or the like between the two opposite
stations or frames. The balloons are then provided at the extremity of the aforesaid
iron rods with wheels adapted to roll upon the rails. These wheels can be mounted
in safety cheeks embracing the rails so as to prevent them from running of the latter.
Dated this 24th day of March 1888.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Transporting Loads by the Aid of
Balloons.
1, Count ANTON APRAXIN, of 50, Lyteiny Prospect, St. Petersburg, Russia 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for transporting loads in the air. The improved
apparatus comprises two or more captive balloons attached to an endless cable, or the
like, which is actuated by mechanism at the stations between which the aerial
transport is to be effected. Loads are conveniently and advantageously transported in
this manner over rivers, ravines or the like with scarcely any expenditure of power.
In the accompanying drawing
:-
Figure 1 represents in side elevation one form of apparatus for carrying the
invention into practice.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
At each of the two opposite sides of a river, ravine, or the like, I mount a frame,
in which is arranged a vertical shaft A set in rotation by any suitable motor. In
the example represented in the drawing the transmission of the motion to the said
shaft A is effected by means of pulleys and toothed wheels, but it is evident that any
other suitable transmitting gear is equally applicable.
Each shaft A carries a horizontal pulley B of a large diameter for guiding an
endless cable C or the like, to which are attached two captive balloons DD as herein-
after described.
The two horizontal pulleys B are provided with broad flanges which keep the cable
in position and prevent it from falling. Near the circumference of these pulleys B
the cable is moreover supported and guided by means of two pairs of rollers, as shown
in Figure 2.

page_text: Each of the balloons DD is attached to the aforesaid cable C by means of an iron
rod E, and is of such size that it sustains, with a small excess of ascending force, the
car G, which is attached to it and contains the load to be transported, and also the
length of the cable between the said pulleys B B.
It is evident that under these conditions, the entire system being nearly in
equilibrium, the transport of loads by means of the balloons requires very little work.
The employment of a second balloon C has for its object to keep the system in
equilibrium when the wind blows in the same or opposite direction to that in which
the transport is effected. In this case the wind acts with equal force against the
two balloons, which are arranged to move in opposite directions.
In lieu of an endless cable C, I can use rails or the like between the two opposito
stations or frames. The balloons are then provided at the extremity of the aforesaid
iron rods with wheels adapted to roll upon the said rails. These wheels can bo
mounted in safety cheeks embracing the rails so as to prevent them from running off
the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
The application of an endless cable sustained by pulleys arranged upon the opposite
sides of a river, ravine or the like, in combination with two or any other number of
captive balloons attached to the two sides of the endless cable by means of rigid rods,
substantially as described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 94th day of December 1888
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.