Improvements in and relating to Aöronautic Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Aöronautic Apparatus.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of Stonyhurst, Bexley, in the County of Kent,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to aëronautic apparatus and to generators for use therein,
and its chief object is to improve the construction and increase the safety and
efficiency of apparatus for aërial navigation, such as I have described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 25th October 1889,
No. 16,883.
One feature of my present invention is an improved construction of the frame-
work of the aërial machine. In such a machine, it is necessary to provide a
frame-work having great strength and size combined with very little weight, and
the centre of gravity should be considerably below the surface to which the lifting
force is applied. In my improved frame-work, I employ two or more vertical
trusses, in each of which there are two members, one above and another below the
engines or motors and just sufficiently far apart to allow the screw-propellers to
turn. The two trusses and the two engines or motors are, moreover, just sufficiently
far apart to allow the screw-propellers to rotate without touching each other.
The vertical struts and diagonal braces of these trusses are made of tubing,
preferably oval in transverse section. They are connected in such a manner that
there is a free passage through them in every direction for the exhaust steam
or other vapor from the engines. The floor on which the boiler or generator rests
and on which the operator and passenger or passengers are carried is placed between
the two lower members of the trusses. Attached to each end of the upper
members of the trusses are two adjustable aëroplanes or horizontal rudders for the
purpose of maintaining the machine "on an even keel" or at any desired inclina-
tion. By arranging these trusses one in front of each propeller, I ensure that the
air disturbed by the forward movement of the framework shall be acted upon by
the propellers.
movements.
A body moving quickly through the air is liable to very sudden and erratic
For instance, if a plane is moving forward through the air at a
slight angle or inclination and at a high velocity, should the forward part of the
plane become slightly tilted upward, the said plane will be lifted much more
rapidly, and will also have a tendency to tip or tilt still further in the same
direction. It is, therefore, very difficult to cause a plane to move straight through
the air, especially when the said plane is inclined so as to cause it to rise in the air.
Another important feature of my present invention is the provision of automatic
apparatus which will instantly correct the slightest variation in the angle or
inclination of the plane while travelling through the air. For this purpose,
provide a peculiar kind of governor or regulator operated by a gyroscope and
attached to the aforesaid two rudders or to other suitable devices for maintaining
the apparatus level or at any desired inclination.
The said gyroscope is driven by steam or vapor, or by electricity, or in any other
convenient manner. It is connected with an equilibrium or other suitable valve in
such a manner that any tilting of the machine relatively to the position of the
gyroscope, operates this valve to admit steam or other vapor under pressure to a
cylinder, to act on a piston which pulls in or lets out cords or ropes so as to change
the angle or inclination of both forward and after rudders, in such a manner as
to keep the main aeroplane level or at any predetermined angle or inclination.
I find it advantageous to provide means whereby, as the piston moves in one

page_text: .
direction or the other, it will not only pull in or let out the cords or ropes, but will
also operate to close the valve, so that the rudders cannot be moved to either
extremity of their stroke or travel by any slight pitching or tilting of the machine;
the feathering of the rudders will, therefore, be effected just in proportion to the
degree of such pitching or tilting, while the return of the machine to its normal
position, after any deviation therefrom, will, at the same time, bring the rudders
back into their normal positions.
A convenient form of apparatus for effecting this automatic closing of the
valve, is constructed as follows, viz. :-The piston-rod is provided with an arm which
is fitted to slide upon a twisted rod or upon a rod having one or more helical ribs,
so that, in the movement of the piston in either direction, this rod will be caused
to turn in a corresponding direction. This rod turns a screw which acts to close
the valve by moving the gyroscope itself in the proper direction relatively to the
valve-casing, or in any other convenient manner. This rod and the piston-rod I
make hollow or tubular to obtain great strength thereof without much weight.
The apparatus is also provided with a screw which may be turned by hand to open
and close the valve, and with which the apparatus can be adjusted so as to maintain
the main aeroplane level or at any desired angle or inclination. And a suitable
graduated scale and pointer or knife-edge are provided for indicating such adjust-
ment.
When the gyroscope is to be driven by steam or other vapor under pressure,
I find it advantageous to construct it as follows, that is to say :--The rotating part
of the gyroscope consists of a tubular shaft, on which is fixed a heavy fly-wheel
the spokes of which are hollow and connect the interior of the tubular shaft with
nozzles on the periphery of the said wheel, so that the steam or other vapor will
be discharged in jets from the said nozzles and will consequently rotate the said
wheel and shaft. "The said wheel and shaft are supported in suitable bearings in
a casing which is suspended by means of trunnions from a bracket pivoted to and
suspended from the aforesaid cylinder. The vapor under pressure is admitted into
the said tubular shaft through one of the said trunnions by means of a flexible
pipe or coil. The vapor is discharged from the nozzles into the said casing, whence
it is conducted by a pipe into a suitable condenser.
To provide for indicating the rotation of the gyroscope, I sometimes employ a
worm or tangent-screw, which is fixed on the aforesaid tubular shaft and is geared
with a worm-wheel formed or fixed on an arbor or shaft carrying a disc suitably
marked with complimentary colours or in any other suitable manner, so that the
operator may see at a glance whether the gyroscope is rotating and the velocity
of its rotation. Or I provide other suitable means for indicating whether and
at what speed the gyroscope is rotating.
I provide suitable means for automatically reversing the action of the valve
under the influence of the gyroscope. For this purpose I find it advantageous to
employ a kind of link-motion governed by the air acting upon a fan-shaped
surface or vane.
I provide the aforesaid pivoted bracket with a curved slotted arm in which is
fitted to slide a block to which is coupled the connecting-rod of the valve and also
a suspending link. This link is also coupled to a bell-crank-lever the vertical arm
of which is attached to a small blade or vane shaped like a fan, so that, while the
apparatus is travelling forward, the pressure of wind against this fan moves the
connecting-rod of the valve downward, and, in this position, the gyroscope governs
the machine while travelling forward. Should the engines stop and the weight
of the apparatus be suspended in the air by the aeroplane while set at an angle
or inclination, the force of gravity would first cause the machine to stop and then
to commence to travel backwards. This backward action would bring the
pressure of air on to the other side of the said fan, which would move the connecting-
rod upward, and, in this position, the action of the gyroscope would be suitable
to the altered conditions due to the reversal of the movement of the machine
through the air. By these means, the machine will be kept "on an even keel" or

page_text: at the predetermined inclination, whether while moving forward and rising in the
air, or while falling after the engines have stopped. This gyroscope may also be
applied to the side wings of the machine, but, as the side wings are always in a
position which prevents the machine from pitching sideways, this arrangement is
not absolutely necessary.
My improved machine is provided with two propelling-screws driven by engines
which both take their vapor from a single source, and I may steer the apparatus
by driving one screw faster than the other. This is accomplished by placing a
species of damper in the main supply pipe so that it may be turned in either
direction so as to close or partly close the supply to either engine as desired.
I prefer to make the screw-propellers solid. For this purpose, I make them of
wood in the form of narrow strips, which are superposed so that they overlap one
another, and are glued or cemented together after the manner of building up a
wooden pattern for moulding the propellers of steam-ships. The said strips are,
moreover held firmly together by metal clamps or flanges or in any other convenient
manner. After the said strips are united as above described, the blades thus formed
are worked down very thin and are prevented from splitting by gluing or cementing
to their surface, cloth, linen, parchment, or similar substance. The whole is then
painted or otherwise treated to preserve the wood and other substance. I provide
the blades with stiffening pieces extending in a circumferential direction, and
I stay the ends of the blades by wires or cords so as to overcome or resist the
thrust.
I sometimes place each engine in a vertical position under the screw-shaft, so
that I can connect the pumps directly with the engine and still have the pumps in
a very low position on the frame of the machine.
For driving the engines of my improved machine, I can use either steam or the
vapor of any suitable easily volatilized liquids.
1 prefer to employ in the generator some liquid which boils more easily than
water, such for instance as ether or gasoline. The following advantages arise from
the use of such liquids; the total amount of heat required for evaporating a given
quantity of the liquid is less; the temperature required for producing a certain
pressure is less and consequently the tubes of the generator being at a lower
temperature may be thinner and still withstand the pressure; the total amount of
heat carried over with the exhaust is less, consequently not so large a quantity
of heat has to be removed by the condenser, that is to say, there is less work to be
performed by the condenser; the generator and all the passage-ways may be made
of steel with no tendency to rust in the interior and the joints may be united with
easily melting solder; gasoline and similar liquids have much less tendency to foam
than water, and the liquid can be separated from the vapor with geater facility
than is the case with water.
My improved generator comprises a casing which, in order that it may be both
light and strong, should be of cylindrical form, and between which and the fire
are interposed tubes filled with the liquid or vapor. The liquid is introduced
through a pipe extending into the said casing at or near its upper end. From
this pipe it passes into a chamber, whence it Hows into another chamber through
a large number of small tubes in which it is heated. It then passes down through
a pipe and nozzle into a central tube containing liquid, in which it induces the
surrounding liquid to flow in the same direction, and, therefore, causes a much
more rapid circulation than would be due to gravity alone. The said nozzle has
a variable opening or discharge aperture so that the liquid always passes through
it at a high velocity, thus inducing the liquid in the large tube to flow in the
same direction. The liquid descends through the said central tube and passes.
therefrom through radial tubes into a ring-shaped or annular tube which is
perforated to receive a large number of small tubes; the liquid then rises through
these small tubes where the greater portion thereof is converted into vapor.
The vapor and liquid combined enter an annular space between an outer tube
and an inner casing. In flowing from this annular space into the interior of the

page_text: said casing, the vapors have to pass through holes which are formed at a tangent
to the surface of the said casing, they are thus caused to rotate with great velocity,
and this rotation serves to throw the unevaporated liquid outward, whilst the
vapor passes into the centre, where it enters a perforated vapor-tube. It is found
much more efficacious to separate the liquid from the vapor by means of centri-
fugal action than by gravity alone. The separated liquid falls into the said
central tube, whence it is again forced through the before mentioned small
evaporating tubes, whilst the vapor, after passing through other heating or super-
heating pipes if necessary or desirable, is conducted to the engines or inotors.
To ensure lightness of the generator, it is necessary to make the parts thereof
very small. By reason of the great quantity of vapor passing and the small size
of the chamber, some of the liquid passes over with the vapor, and, rising up with
the vapor, passes through the said superheating tubes. These tubes may, however,
be considered rather as a finishing series of tubes than as a superheater. The
liquid in entering passes through a similar series placed immediately over the
finishing series, so that the liquid, by the time it enters the boiler, may be at as
high a temperature as the vapor itself. Moreover a considerable advantage is
afforded by having the cold liquid enter at the top of the generator, because, in
this position, the heated gases encounter the cold tubes after they have done all
the work they are able to do on the highly heated tubes. They, therefore, give
up a larger amount of their caloric than they otherwise would.
I propose to have the pressure on the entering liquid considerably higher than
the steam or vapor pressure. The nozzle in the central tube is provided with a
cone acted upon by a spiral spring which holds it tightly in the nozzle until the
pressure on the liquid over and above the pressure of the vapor is sufficient to
compress or extend the said spring as the case may be. In this manner, no matter
whether a large or a small quantity of liquid is passing, it will escape between
the cone and the nozzle with great force and it is this force striking or impinging
against the other liquid which causes the rapid circulation and enables me to use
much smaller and lighter tubes than would be necessary providing the circulation
was due to gravity alone. The evaporating tubes are bent or curved and arranged
in such a manner that they cover or line the interior of the casing, and they are
also bent in such a manner as to present a very large amount of heating surface
to the fire.
The generator is preferably provided with means for burning liquid or gaseous
fuel, and my present invention comprises a combined pressure and thermostatic
regulator whereby two systems of automatic regulation of the supply of fuel are
obtained, one controlled by variations of pressure and the other by variations of
temperature.
To accomplish this result, I provide an annular chamber which is filled with
water or other suitable liquid. In case there should be any failure of the pumps
to deliver a sufficiently large quantity of liquid into the generator, the apparatus
cannot be overheated, because, so soon as a sufficiently high pressure is generated
in the said annular chamber, the supply of fuel will be cut off. When however,
liquid is pumped into the generator the cooling action of this liquid on the said
annular chamber will reduce the pressure and allow the fuel to pass to the burner
or burners.
The pressure in the aforesaid ring-shaped or annular tube is also utilized to
regulate the supply of fuel to the burner or burners. The blow-pipe is for this
purpose connected with two cylinders, and the valve for controlling the supply of
fuel is connected by one or more levers to both pistons of these cylinders, or there
may be two valves in the same fuel supply pipe operated independently of each
other by the pressure of the vapor and by the pressure in the said annular
chamber respectively.
This arrangement enables me to make a generator which is very strong, very
light and very efficient.
As the vapors of gasoline or ether do not carry off a very large amount of heat,

page_text: I prefer to keep the cylinders, valve-casing and other parts of my engine hot in
order to prevent condensation. For this purpose I sometimes burn a certain
portion of the vapors, or I may use heat from any other source.
be
The blow-pipe is provided with a lever and spring in such a manner that, by
moving the lever and securing it, any desired pressure may be maintained. When
the exhaust vapors leave the engine, they pass through the members and braces
of the trusses which constitute the sides of the aërial machine and through a
series of small tubes, and, as the liquids are condensed and cooled, they may
again pumped through the generator. In using gasoline, it is found that each
time it is worked over, a small quantity of vapors which are not easily condensable
I utilize these non-
are produced, gasoline not being a homogeneous body.
condensable vapors by burning them in the furnace; or I may supply the burner
or burners altogether from the exhaust vapor, or I may employ for the larger part
or portion of my fire, the vapors of some heavier petroleum which is cheaper than
gasoline, and in case this is done a certain amount of the heat which escapes
through all the series of tubes may be utilized for generating vapors from this
heavier petroleum.
When a compound engine is used I provide a by-pass around the high pressure
cylinder so as to allow if necessary more steain or vapor to enter the large low
pressure cylinder than can be discharged from the smaller high pressure cylinder
but instead of allowing to pass through a relief valve simply, I provide a species
of injector so that portion of the force exerted by the vapor in passing from a
high to a low pressure is utilised in pushing the steam or vapor along in the pipe
that leads from the high to the low pressure cylinder, that is to say this pipe is
made into an injector the suction being the exhaust of the high pressure cylinder
and the discharge the inlet to the low pressure cylinder while the inducing jet is
the steam or vapor that passes direct from the boiler to the low pressure cylinder.
I sometimes make the aeroplane with a framework of metal tubes having stretched
across it longitudinally a considerable number of wires, ropes or cords, which frame-
If such
work is covered with linen, cotton-sheeting, silk or similar material.
material were stretched over a frame having large square or oblong apertures or
panels, it would assume the form of a series of bags, and consequently a great
But with my
amount of power would be required to propel it through the air.
improved construction, such bags as are formed will consist of long troughs
extending between the said wires or cords in the direction in which the machine
travels; therefore less resistance will be offered to the movement of the aëroplane
through the air.
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L1001
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Aëronautic Apparatus.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of Baldwyns Park, formerly of Stonyhurst,
Bexley, in the County of Kent, Mechanical Engineer, 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 aeronautic apparatus or air-ships and their adjuncts.
The said invention comprises improvements in the frame work of the air-ship;
in means for maintaining the said ship on an even keel or at any desired inclination;
in the construction of the propellers, engines and boilers, and their adjuncts; and in
combinations of these improvements as will be hereinafter fully set forth.
Referring to the drawings which illustrate my improvements,
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and

page_text: Figure 2 is a plan of my improved air-ship.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the said ship, the fore and aft rudders hereinafter
described being removed.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the framework showing the connection of the
rudders to the controlling mechanism.
Figure 5 is a plan, and
Figure 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of the said controlling mechanism
drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figures 7 to 14 are detail views of the said mechanism hereinafter fully
described.
Figure 15 is a view of one of the transverse frame-rods showing the methods of
preventing contact of the silk therewith.
Figure 16 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of a bracket hereinafter
described.
Figure 17 is a vertical central section of the boiler on an enlarged scale.
Figure 17 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the feed-water pipe and
discharge nozzle hereinafter described.
Figure 17 is a section on the line y y Figure 17ª.
Figure 18 is transverse section on the line
Figure 17.
Figure 19 is a section of a union for one of the boiler tubes drawn to a greatly
enlarged scale.
Figure 20 is a side elevation partly in section of the burner and regulator for the
boiler.
Figure 21 is a plan of the same, a portion of the deflector hereinafter described
being removed to show the burner tubes underneath.
Figure 22 is a section on the line a Figure 21 drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 23 is a similar section taken on the line a³ ³ Figure 21.
Figure 24 is a longitudinal central section on an enlarged scale of the regulator.
Figure 25 is a plan, and
Figure 26 is an end elevation of the said regulator.
Figure 27 is a vertical central section of a two cylinder single acting engine
hereinafter described.
Figure 28 is an enlarged side view of the eccentric.
Figure 29 is an enlarged section of the pump.
Figure 30 is a sectional view showing the cylinders and steam pipe connections
for a compound engine with a bye-pass arranged as hereinafter described.
Figure 31 is a side elevation of a propeller, one half being shown incompleted.
Figure 31 is a section on the line y¹yl Figure 31.
Figure 32 is an end view of the propeller.
Figures 33 and 34 are side and end elevations respectively of a device for indi-
cating the lifting force of the aeroplane or kite.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3 the frame is built up of two main side-trusses A, A
constructed throughout of thin steel or other strong metal tubes suitably braced
together and stayed to ensure the desired degree of strength and rigidity. a a are
the bottom members of the said trusses, and a' al are the top members; a² a³ are
diagonal struts which connect the said top and bottom members. The top
members a¹ are connected by transverse tubes a³ which are extended beyond the
said top members, and are joined at their ends by longitudinal tubes a. The series
of tubes a', a, a forms the framework of the main aeroplane or kite hereinafter
more particularly described which sustains the weight of the apparatus when in
motion. aa are other diagonal struts which connect the bottom members a with
one of the transverse tubes a³. a a' are other side struts connected with the top
and bottom members and intended to carry the crank shaft and support the engine.
These struts are well braced and stayed by transverse and diagonal braces a
and are further stiffened by wire guys as so as to be very rigid. On each
longitudinal side member a' is pivoted a wing a' which is supported at its outer

page_text: end by wire guys a connected with upwardly extending struts all carried by the
top members a. The frame work is stiffened and supported by wire guys in every
direction where such supports can be conveniently applied. The diagonal
struts a² a are preferably oval in transverse section. They are connected
together in such a manner that there is a free thoroughfare through them and they
are utilized as the exhaust pipes connecting the engine to the condenser. The
exhaust steam or other working fluid thus passes through the hollow framework to
the condenser. The condensed steam or other fluid falls back from the condenser
through the lower parts of the said hollow framework to the pump. The top and
bottom members a a¹ of the main trusses are sufficiently far apart to allow the
screw propellers to turn between them. The said top members a¹ are preferably
curved as shown in Figure 1.
This construction combines great strength with little weight, and the centre of
gravity of the whole machine is brought very much below the surface to which the
lifting force is applied. The floor of the car is situated between and secured to
the bottom horizontal members of the trusses. A hand rail is provided around the
floor for the protection of the persons thereon. a¹² a¹² are fenders projecting on
each side the ship, and to which are attached long horizontally projecting arms a¹³
which I term flotation planes. The said planes or arms are suitably stayed at
their outer ends by wire guys.
Between the forward and rear ends of the top members of the side trusses are
pivoted at b, b two rudders B, B. These rudders each consist of a flat frame
suitably stiffened by guys attached to the ends of the said frame and passing
over struts 2 projecting from near the centre of the sides of the said frame.
The said rudders are tied together by crossed wires as shown so that any
oscillation of one rudder about its pivot will be accompanied by a corresponding
oscillation of the other rudder about its pivot. For automatically controlling
the movements of the rudders I provide as follows, that is to say I connect
one or both rudders by a rope or ropes Figure 4 with a device C which
operates to pay out or take in the said rope or ropes and so turn the rudders as
desired. The said device C is illustrated in detail in Figures 5 to 14. It com-
prises a cylinder c fitted with a piston c¹ and piston rod c², the latter passing
through stuffing boxes in the cylinder ends. The said cylinder is carried by
brackets et suitably fixed on the car. Each end of the piston rod carries a pulley
block through which the ropes 64 are reeved. The ends of the ropes are
made fast to the framework. With this arrangement any sliding movement of
the piston will take up the rope at one end of the cylinder, and will pay out
the rope at the other end at double the speed at which the piston itself moves.
For controlling the admission of steam or other working fluid to the cylinder c,
I provide an equilibrium valve c which works in a valve box e carried by
brackets that clip the cylinder. The valve box is open at both ends and is
bored accurately from end to end. cc are the valve faces. C10 C10 are end
pieces constructed to fit the bore of the valve box, accurately; c" cell are
parts of the valve of smaller diameter connecting the larger parts and c
c¹³ is the supply pipe for the working fluid; 13 are the admission ports which
communicate respectively by pipes cc with the ends of the cylinder. c, care
the exhaust ports.
It is obvious that this valve is in perfect equilibrium and will
therefore be easily moved with very little force. The valve faces are made to
slightly overlap the edges of the admission ports. For automatically controlling
the movements of the said valve I provide a gyrostatic apparatus which is con-
structed and arranged with its connections as follows. The gyrostat comprises a
wheel d having a heavy rim and a thin web d* mounted on a vertical axle d¹ which
is arranged to rotate in bearings d d provided in a case d³. The said case is
suspended by trunnions d' d from a bracket d' which is pivoted at d° see Figure 12
to a sleeve 7 mounted on the cylinder c. The pivot pin at d is arranged at right
angles to the trunnions a and thus the case d³ is free to swing in all directions.
The sleeve d' is made to be capable of sliding on the cylinder c for a purpose

page_text: hereinafter described. The axle d', is made hollow as shown, and in the rim of
the wheel are fixed two or more nozzles d, the apertures of which are tangential to
the rim of the wheel. The nozzles may be constructed to screw into the rim and
they are preferably made pointed at the forward ends so as not to offer any serious
resistance to the rotation of the wheel. ** ** are radial thoroughfares in the
One of the 'trunnions is
web d leading from the hollow axle d¹ to the nozzles d³.
made hollow and provided with a stuffing box d. d is a flexible coil of pipe
coupled to the stuffing box d' by which steam or other working fluid is supplied to
the wheel d for driving the same. The said working fluid enters through the
hollow trunnion d' and passes down the hollow axle d' and then through the radial
holes d✶✶ and issues from the nozzles with sufficient force to cause the wheel by
reaction to rotate very rapidly. " is a flexible pipe for conducting to the con-
denser the waste steam or working fluid which issues from the nozzles d³.
To provide for indicating the rotation of the wheel d, I employ a worm d¹³
formed on the axle d', which worm gears with and drives a worm wheel d¹³, (see
Figures 13 and 14) supported in suitable bearings d¹ provided in the casing d³..
On the end of the axle of the worm wheel d¹ is fixed a disc d¹. I find it con-
venient and effective to mark this disc with complementary radial colour bands, so
that a glance at the disc will show whether the wheel is rotating and at the proper
speed or not. To the bracket d³ is fixed a curved guide piece d¹ in which is fitted
to slide a block d¹. The said block is connected with the valve co by a link ds.
The guide is curved to a radius equal to the length of the link 18 so that any
movement of the block d up and down in the sector when the latter is in its mid
position will not affect the valve. The said guide is fixed to the bracket d³ in such
a position that its centre is opposite the pivot pin d of the bracket d. For con-
trolling the position of the block d" in the guide de I connect the said block by a
link e with one end of a bell crank lever e¹ pivoted at e² to a bracket which clips
the cylinder c. This bracket is shown in side view in Figure 11. The other end
of the said bell-crank lever stands upright or nearly so and carries a vane e which
when the air-ship is moving forward is blown back by the air and thereby moves
the block d" to one end of the guide piece dle and maintains the block in that
position so long as the air-ship continues to move forward. Should however the
air-ship commence to move back, the aforementioned vane will be blown forward,
and the bell-crank lever thereby caused to move the block d" to the other end of
the guide d' In this position of the said block, the gyrostat will have just the
reverse action upon the valve and consequently it is thereby adapted to control
the air-ship whether the latter be moving forward or backward.
is a tubular shaft carried in the brackets cc8 and having a screw-threaded
portion which engages with a corresponding screw-threaded nut d¹ formed on
the sleeve d'. By rotating the shaft fin its bearings, the screwed part is screwed
in or out of the nut d" and the sleeve d' is thus moved one way or the other on the
cylinder c. f is a spiral rib provided on the shaft f near one end thereof. f³ is
an arm firmly secured at one end to the piston rod c and having an eye-piece f
which embraces and is adapted to slide on the shaft f. In the said eye piece is cut
a key way, see Figure 8, to fit the spiral rib f. If now the shaft / be prevented
from longitudinal sliding movement in its bearings it follows that when the piston
rod is forced in or out of the cylinder the arm f³ acting on the spiral rib will
cause the shaft to turn in its bearings, the amount of the rotation depending on
the pitch of the spiral rib and the distance through which the piston rod c³ is
moved.
The action of the above described gyrostat and its connected parts is as follows:
Should the air-ship tilt either up or down from any cause, then by reason of the
tendency of the gyrostat to remain in the same plane there will be a tilting move-
ment of the cylinder c with respect to the gyrostat suspended therefrom, which
will have the same effect on the valve as tilting the gyrostat with respect to the
cylinder. The result is that the valve c will be moved one way or the other and
steam or other working fluid will be admitted to one end of the cylinder c thus
I

page_text: driving the piston c' towards the other end of the said cylinder. This movement of
the piston operates the rope or ropes 64 paying out rope at one end and taking in
rope at the other and so turning the rudders B, B and altering the inclination
thereof that the tilting of the air-ship is immediately checked. This movement of
the piston c has moreover the effect of turning the shaft fand thereby as above
described moving the sleeve bodily on the cylinder. Such movement of the
gyrostat as a whole carries the valve with it, and the direction of movement is
such that the said valve is caused to close the admission port. It is obvious that if
the air-ship is but slightly tilted, the valve will be but slightly opened and con-
sequently a very short movement of the piston c' will suffice to close the valve
again while on the other hand if the air-ship is tilted through a greater angle, the
valve will be opened wider, and a greater movement of the piston will be required
to close it again. Consequently the adjustment of the rudders is proportional to
the tilting of the ship. The rudders having now been moved from their original
positions there arises a tendency for the air-ship to tilt in the opposite direction
and consequently the gyrostat is caused to move the valve so as to open the other
admission port and admit the working fluid to the other end of the cylinder, thus
moving the rudders back and at the same time re-adjusting the position of the
sleeve d' on the cylinder c. In this manner a balance is maintained by the gyrostat,
and the air-ship is kept on an even keel or at any angle of inclination to which it
may have been set.
It is desirable that the air-ship should be able to ride with its frame set at
different degrees of inclination. provide for this by a simple device for adjusting
the position of the shaft f. This device comprises a bolt or pin f* fixed in the end
of the shaft and having mounted thereon à screw-threaded sleeve . The said
sleeve works through a corresponding screw-theaded eye forined in the bracket f
which supports the end of the shaft, and it is provided with a crank handle f10 by
which it may be turned to screw it through the said eye piece for the purpose of
adjusting its position therein. A side view of the bracket is shown in Figure 10.
By this means the shaft is moved longitudinally and the initial position of the
gyrostat and consequently of the valve c is adjusted as required. It is clear that
the inclination of the air-ship as it travels through the air will be affected by this
initial adjustment of the valve c inasmuch as the distance it is thrown out of the
central position determines the amount the gyrostat must tilt with reference to the
ship to bring the valve back to the central position, and therefore it follows that
by suitably adjusting the position of the shaft by means of the handle 10 the air-
ship can be maintained if desired on a level keel or at any desired angle of
inclination. I can modify the arrangement or construction of the adjusting
mechanism in many ways, all that is necessary is to provide for adjusting the
longitudinal position of the shaft and for locking the said shaft when adjusted so
as to prevent longitudinal movement when working without interfering with the
rotation of the said shaft. The eye piece is split at the top as clearly shown in
Figures 5 and 10 and is provided with a tightening screw f". By turning the said
screw the sleeve f7 can be locked tight and prevented from accidental rotation.
provide a scale f Figure 5, fixed on the bracket, and I fix a knife-edged disc f¹³
on the shaft the edge of the said disc turning in close contact with the scale. By
this means and using a properly marked scale I am enabled to set the machine
beforehand to fly at any desired inclination.
I
It is well known that any moving body travelling through a resisting medium
such as the air has a tendency to present its broadside to the direction in which it
is travelling. A boat for example when drifting down a stream always tends to
present its broadside to the stream and would always do so if not checked. In my
air-ship the rudders tend to present their broadsides to the direction of motion but
they are continuously and automatically checked, and maintained in the desired
position by the controlling mechanism above described. This will appear from the
following consideration. "Suppose one of the rudders moves a little from its mean
position, then by reason of the connection with the piston rod c² the latter will be

page_text: moved one way or the other, and will turn the shaft f. The gyrostat is thus moved
along the cylinder c and opens the valve thereby admitting the working fluid to
the cylinder. The connections are so arranged that the working fluid is admitted
at the end of the cylinder towards which the piston has been moved by the turning
of the rudder and consequently the piston is forced back again and the rudder
immediately returned to its initial or normal position. This return of the rudder
operates to re-adjust all of the connections just referred to and the normal state of
things is thereby recovered. The recovery is thus seen to be automatic, it is
moreover very quick in its action and the ship is thereby prevented from deviating
materially from its course. It is thus seen that the rudders are practically locked
after the adjustment of the apparatus is made and are prevented from any material
deviation from their normal position.
It is obvious that the gyrostat can be arranged to be driven by electricity or in
any other convenient manner.
A gyrostat may also be provided for adjusting the side wings of the air-ship, but
as the said side wings are always in a position which prevents or controls sideways
pitching, it is not always necessary to apply such apparatus to these wings.
The main kite or aeroplane D preferably consists of a framework of thin metal
tubes covered with silk. In the construction shown in the drawings there are four
longitudinal tubes two of them being the two top members a' of the main trusses
before referred to and the other two the side tubes at. These tubes are tied together
by the transverse tubes a². Now it is important that the silk covering should not
touch the said transverse tubes as otherwise a number of hollows will be formed in
the silk the curvatures of which will be very detrimental to the lifting power of
the kite and more power would be required to propel the ship. To avoid this I
provide the said cross tubes with a number of little brackets a¹ shown clearly in
Figure 16. The said brackets clip the transverse tubes at one end, and at their
other ends are formed with small eyes a through which wires a¹ are tightly
stretched. The wires are threaded in a longitudinal direction and they serve as
the frame to which the silk covering as is fixed. It is clear that with such an
arrangement the silk while being free to bag between the wires, that is to say in
longitudinal grooves, it cannot bag or bulge in the other or transverse direction.
In other words the only bulging or bagging that is permissible is that in a longi-
tudinal direction, and such bulging does not interfere with the lifting power of the
kite. The air is thus able to act uniformly all over the surface of the silk.
In some cases instead of providing one large aeroplane as above described I
divide the aeroplane into two or more smaller ones arranged in line but at different
elevations. In such cases I prefer that the rear acroplane shall be the highest and
the forward aeroplane the lowest.
My improved air-ship is provided with two screw propellers driven by twin
engines. I may use as the working fluid steam, or the vapour of gasoline, or any
other suitable easily volatilized liquid. I prefer to employ in the generator a liquid
which boils more easily than water such for instance as ether or gasoline. The
following advantages arise from the use of such liquids; the total amount of heat
required for evaporating a given quantity of the liquid is less than with water; the
temperature required for producing a certain pressure is also less and consequently
the tubes of the generator being at a lower temperature may be made thinner; the
total amount of heat carried over with the exhaust is less, therefore not so large a
quantity of heat has to be taken up by the condenser; the generator and all the
passage ways may be made of steel with no tendency to corrode in the interior;
and the joints may be united with easily melted solder. Gasoline and similar
liquids have moreover very little tendency to prime and the liquid can be separated
from the vapour with greater facility than is the case with water.
The boiler is constructed with an outer cylindrical thin metal casing 9 Figure 17
having a conical bood g' and a chimney g². In the centre of the casing is a partly
cylindrical and partly conical chamber which communicates by a vertical central
pipe with four radial branch pipes / situated in the lower portion of the casing.

page_text: In
The said branch pipes connect with a ring shaped or annular pipe h³, from which
branch a very large number of small tubes the upper ends of which are connected
with the central chamber h. The tubes are bent or curved somewhat as shown
within the lower part of the casing thereby increasing very largely the heating
surface. Where the tubes cross each other they may be tied together with asbestos
cord. I have shown four series of such tubes branching at different angles from
the pipe, the alternate tubes in each series being connected with the chamber h
at one level, and the intermediate tubes of the same series at a slightly higher level
there being eight tiers of tubes in all at the upper end. In this way I provide room
for making the joints both with the pipe and chamber h. The mode of con-
necting the tubes is clearly shown on a greatly enlarged scale in Figure 19. ³ is
a nipple which is adapted to be screwed into the pipe or chamber h. The said
nipple is coned at 1 and on this coned end the tube is forced and then secured
thereon by a nut which screws on the nipple and has a coned end 3 adapted to
bear against and hold the expanded end of the tube. This form of union coupling
is very advantageous as there is no necessity for a flange to be formed on the ends
of the tubes, and the said tubes are not required to be treated in any way which
would draw their temper. Hard drawn unsoftened copper tubes may be used.
some cases I use nickel tubes which may be made very light and strong, and which
I find to be of great strength while hot. Within the chamber is another similar
but somewhat smaller chamber i which is supported by an outer flange i formed at
its upper end said flange being adapted to rest upon and be fixed to an inner
flange formed at the upper end of the chamber . An annular space is thus
formed between the two chambers. The inner chamber has moreover a short
depending pipe at its lower end which projects into the vertical pipe . The
chamber is pierced with a number of slits or openings formed by punching
tongues of metal inwards as indicated in the section Figure 18. is a conical
cover for the chamber i. In this cover is fixed a central vertical pipe j that
projects downward some distance into the chamber i and upward into the upper or
conical part of the external casing. The said pipe is divided into four com-
partments by three transverse partitions and it is provided with a large
number of perforations near its lower extremity for the escape of the steam or
vapour formed in the boiler. The feed water or other liquid to be evaporated
enters the upper chamber of the pipe j through a pipe and thence passes through
a heater which consists of a large number of small tubes coiled in the upper part
of the boiler casing. The said tubes communicate at one end with the said upper
chamber of the pipe and at the other end with a ring shaped pipe from
whence branch a number of radial pipes which lead to the second chamber j" of
the pipe j. From this chamber the now highly heated liquid passes down a small
central tube which is fixed at its upper end in the lower partition wall of the
said chamber and terminates in a nozzle at its lower end near the lower or conical
part of the chamber i. I prefer that the feed liquid shall be discharged from the
end of the tube under a pressure considerably higher than that in the boiler so
as to escape with great velocity. By this means any surrounding liquid in the
chamber is carried by induction into the pipe and a strong forced circulation is
the result. The greater portion of the liquid is evaporated while passing through
the small tubes and the vapour thus formed, together with any unvaporised
liquid, enters the annular cavity between the two chambers h, i and then passes
into the inner chamber through the slits. Owing to the peculiar formation of the
said slits i and tongue the liquid and vapour passing through the slits is given a
rotary or vortex notion which has the effect of separating, by centrifugal action,
the liquid from the vapour, the liquid owing to its greater weight keeping to the
outside of the chamber and being eventually sucked down by the fresh incoming
feed liquid and caused to circulate again through the tubular system, while the
vapour passes to the inside of the chamber and is drawn off in a fairly dry condition
through the perforations in the central pipe j. From the lower chamber j' of
the pipe ; the vapour passes out through a number of radial pipes which.connect
เ

page_text: the said chamber with a ring shaped or annular pipe . The latter pipe is con-
nected by a large number of small coiled tubes / with the fourth chamber of the
pipe j. In passing through this superheater the vapour is thoroughly dried and by
the time it enters the collecting chamber it is devoid of the last traces of liquid.
m is the pipe which conveys the vapour from the collecting chamber j³ to the
engine.
I prefer that the nozzle in the lower end of the feed tube k, shown very
clearly in Figures 17 and 17B, shall have a variable opening for which purpose I
provide the said nozzle with a cone which fits in the mouth of the pipe k and
which is acted upon by a spiral spring & so arranged that it tends to close the
orifice by forcing the cone therein. The said cone is provided with lugs or ears k
that fit within the tube and it is screwed or otherwise fixed to a spindle 48 which
is secured to a cross-bar k adapted to slide within the tube *. 10 is another
cross bar which is fixed in the tube k. The spring is compressed between the
two cross bars 10 and thereby exerts a force that tends to draw inwards the
cone so as to close the mouth of the feed-tube. The pressure of the feed liquid
tends to force the cone outward to open the orifice but before it can do so the
pressure must be sufficiently high to overcome the internal pressure of the vapour
in the boiler and the pressure of the spring k. In this manner, no matter whether
a large or a small quantity of liquid is passing, it will escape between the cone
and the nozzle with great force. It is this force which causes the rapid forced
circulation of the liquid through the boiler and enables me to use much smaller
and lighter tubes than would be necessary were the circulation due to gravity
alone.
12 is the
The arrangement of feed heater hereinabove described is very advantageous
inasmuch as the heated products of combustion after having given up as much heat
as they can do to the heated tubes below, impinge upon the tubes containing the
cold feed liquid in the upper portion of the casing. The maximum amount of heat
is thus got out of the gases, and the boiler is therefore worked economically.
My said improved boiler is adapted for burning liquid or gaseous fuel.
burner which consists of a large central tube n from which project on each side
thereof a number of small tubes n². The said tubes 2 are perforated at the
sides as indicated in Figure 22 so that the issuing streams of gas will impinge
against each other. ³ ³ are parts of a deflector which is placed above the
tubes and is shaped as clearly shown in the section Figure 22. The slits 1
between the parts ³ ³ are situated above the space between the tubes n. By
this arrangement, the flame passing up between the curved sides n³ of the deflector
and through the slits 1 causes a sharp draught of air which combines with the
combustible gas and produces a very intense jet above the deflector. The parts n³
of the deflector are joined together at their outer ends by a ring no and also about
mid length by metal strips n riveted thereto as shown in Figure 23. Immediately
below this part of the deflector the holes in the burner tubes n² are drilled at the
top as shown in Figure 23. The object of this construction is to communicate the
flame from one burner tube to another, so that if one burner is lighted all the rest
become lighted therefrom. The gas or vapour is conveyed to the central tube n¹
through an inner perforated tube 8 at the end of which is a regulator o for
regulating the admission of vapour as required. This regulator is shown in detail
on an enlarged scale in Figures 24 to 26. o is the feed tube for the volatilized
petroleum, the said pipe being connected to the end of the tube n. 0² is a nozzle
projecting axially into the tube n. 3 is a branch pipe for the admission of air, the
said pipe being fitted with a wing valve o' to regulate the quantity of air admitted.
In the end of the nozzle o' is fitted a conical plug of which is connected by
links oo with a lever o. To the lower end of the said lever is pivoted at o one
end of a rod o' which has at its other end a disc o 10 that is free to slide in a
casing o¹¹. The said casing is pivoted at o" to a fixed bracket o¹³. Between the
disco and the cover o" of the casing is a spring 015 016 017 are two cylinders
secured to a bracket 018 fixed to the end of the tube n³, and fitted respectively with
?

page_text: pistons oo the rods of which are coupled to the lever o'. The upper end of the
lever is moreover fixed by means of a link 021 which is secured at one end to the
tube o' and at the other end by a bolt connection o22 to the said lever o. The
cylinders are slotted at o" to allow the lever o' to move backwards and forwards
therein. One of the cylinders as for instance old is in communication with the
boiler by a tube so that a pressure is maintained in the said cylinder approxi-
mately equal to that in the boiler. The other cylinder is connected by a pipe 028
with a small annular chamber p provided in the boiler to surround the lower
portion of the chamber h. The said chamber p is filled with water. Should there
occur a failure of the pump or pumps so that the liquid is not supplied to the
boiler in sufficient quantities, the water in the annular chamber p becomes over
heated and expands, thus forcing back the piston 20 against the resistance of the
spring and partially or wholly closing the valve or plug o' thereby reducing or
shutting off the supply of fuel to the burners. When the normal condition of
things is restored the plug is moved back and allows the full supply of fuel to pass.
During the movement of the pistons o 20 the lever o' turns about the connection o"
as a pivot. The same action occurs if the pressure of the steam or vapour becomes
too high. In this case the piston o¹ is forced back and the supply of fuel thereby
reduced. The piston rod of the cylinder ol is extended .and passes through the
cylinder end. It is screw-threaded and provided with a nut 26 which has a crank
handle o whereby the said nut can be screwed against the cylinder end and the
lever o' drawn back thus shutting down the plug. The lever o can be very
soon released from the link ot when required by loosening the thumb nut on the
bolt is a spring handle fixed to the spindle of the valve of whereby the
said valve can be adjusted to regulate the admission of air. 29 is a notched bar
for retaining the lever o in any position to which it may be set. I prefer that
the volatilized petroleum shall issue from the nozzle o² with a pressure of about
20 lbs., though I may vary this pressure materially. Where I use gasoline,
naphtha or other light petroleum as the working fluid in the boiler I prefer to
utilize a portion of the vaporized hydrocarbon for burning under the boiler to
effect the evaporation. In this case the feed tube o' draws its supply from the
pipe leading to the engine. I make the burner tubes and the deflectors of nickel
or preferably an alloy of nickel and iron (the iron prevents the nickel from
cracking) as I find that this metal or alloy is practically the only one except
platinum which will answer the purpose. Platinum is too heavy and expensive.
My improved boiler is very strong, very light, and very efficient.
The engines which I prefer to employ are of the vertical inverted single acting
type. They are clearly shown in the sectional view Figure 27. I provide two
cylinders arranged side by side and connected at the top by a plate g' to which
vertical pillars 2 that carry the crank shaft q3 are bolted. The crank shaft and
cylinders, are enclosed in a casing which is rendered necessary or advisable
because the vapours of gasoline or ether do not carry a large amount of heat and
therefore to prevent condensation the cylinders must be well encased. I some-
times burn a certain proportion of the vapour direct from the boiler or a portion
of the exhaust vapours in the said casing to keep the cylinders at a temperature
considerably above that of the working fluid. Such a device is shown in the
figure; is a jet supplied with vapour from the exhaust pipe. is a valve for
regulating the flame, and 3 is a chimney to conduct the hot gases into the casing r.
I inay heat the cylinders from any other source. The cylinders are provided with
a common horizontal valve box s. is the valve which is of the ordinary
cylindrical balanced type such as that above described as applied to the cylinder
for controlling the rudders; 2 2 are the admission ports; the valve faces.
is the vapour supply pipe which conducts the vapour to the space between the
wo valve faces. are the exhaust outlets, leading into a common exhaust
pipe. The valve rod works through a stuffing box and is connected by a
ink and bell-crank lever 10 with the eccentric rod " is the eccentric. The
ever is pivoted at 3 on a bracket fixed to the casing r. t is the pump the

page_text: construction of which is shown more clearly in Figure 29. It is seen to be of
The
the rotary kind and is constructed on the same principle as a Root's blower
casing is made very strong and is preferably made of gun metal or phosphor
bronze. The rotary vanes or wheels are made of hardened steel, and the teeth
are very accurately constructed so as to avoid leakage. In each end of the casing
I provide
a recess to enable the liquid which is squeezed out from between the
teeth as the said teeth successively engage with each other to escape freely. The
advantages of a rotary pump of this kind are very many, for instance the pump will
force hot or cold liquid or vapour equally well. It requires no valves, and is
efficient at a very high speed. Therefore I am enabled to attach it directly to the
crank shaft as is shown in Figure 27 thus saving the weight of mechanism which
would otherwise be required to transmit the motion to the pump.
The engines being single acting no piston rods or cross-heads are required, as
the connecting rods can be attached directly to the pistons. Moreover no fine
adjustment of the crank pins is required. To make up for the loss of support to
the pistons due to the absence of the piston rod I make the pistons very long.
The piston consists of a ring closed at the lower end having connected therewith a
transverse tubular piece to which the connecting rod is pivoted. The con-
struction of the pivot is very simple. The tubular piece q is divided at the centre
to allow the end of the connecting rod to pass between the two portions of the
tube. A pin q is passed through the tube and through the end of the connecting
rod to secure the two together. This pin does not receive any special fastening as
it cannot come out when the piston is placed in the cylinder. The engines are
provided with reversing gear which comprises an eccentric that can be moved
across the crank shaft from full speed ahead to full speed astern or that can be set
to any intermediate position so as to give any desired degree of angular advance
thereby cutting off the vapours at any desired part of the stroke. The eccentric
may be a very small one. is a rectangular guide formed on the end of the crank
shaft to carry the eccentric and on which the eccentric can slide backward and
forward. For moving the eccentric as desired I provide it.with an opening s¹ in
the side of which are formed a number of skew teeth 17 adapted to engage with
corresponding skew teeth formed in a rack u. The said rack is situated in the
axle of the crank shaft and is coupled by a ball and socket joint ul to a reversing
lever u² which is pivoted at its upper end to a bracket and is provided at its
lower end with a handle u. Owing to the ball and socket connection the rack u
is free to rotate with the crank shaft while being connected with the lever u².
is a notched curved bar, fixed to the casing, and u is a spring actuated catch
carried by the lever u² and adapted to engage with any one of the notches in the
bar u and to hold the lever stationary when so engaged. By raising the spring
catch and then moving the lever, the rack bar is moved in or out of the eccentric
and the said eccentric is by the skew teeth on the said rack caused to slide one way
or the other on the guides. The angular advance of the eccentric and the cut-off
can be thus altered as desired or by continuing the movement of the rack u the
engine can be reversed.
21
The exhaust vapours on leaving the engine are conveyed as before described
through the hollow rods of the framework of the machine to the condenser F.
After condensation the liquid falls into the lower part of the framework, and is
thence pumped again into the boiler. The condenser consists of a number of
very small tubes which present a large surface to the atmosphere and thereby
operate very effectually to condense the vapours.
In using a liquid such as gasoline in a boiler, it is found that each time the
liquid is evaporated a small proportion of vapour is produced which is not easily
condensable. This is owing to gasoline not being a homogeneous substance. I
therefore get rid of these non-condensable vapours by burning them in the boiler
furnace. In some cases I supply the burners altogether with vapour taken from
the exhaust. In other cases I employ for the larger portion of the fire the vapours
of some heavier petroleum which is cheaper than gasoline. In such cases I prefer

page_text: to use a certain amount of the heat which escapes through the series of tubes for
generating vapours from the said heavier petroleum.
I sometimes use a compound engine such as shown in Figure 30 instead of the
simple engine above described. are the high and low pressure cylinders
respectively and 10 is the exhaust pipe of the small cylinder. " is a bye-pass
leading from the main steam pipe into the exhaust pipe 71. 13 is a double
cone valve intended for closing the end of the said bye-pass. The said cone is
provided with guides " which are a sliding fit in the pipe 7 and it is attached to
a spindle g which passes out through a stuffing box 716. is a spring for forcing
the cone against its seat. The compression of the spring is regulated by an
adjusting nut q8 by which the cone can be set to open at any desired pressure. By
this device I am enabled to allow when necessary, as for instance when starting
the engine, more steam or vapour to enter the low pressure cylinder than is
discharged from the high pressure cylinder. My improved device differs from
the ordinary relief valve devices heretofore used for admitting extra steam to
the large cylinder inasmuch as in my arrangement the force exerted by the vapour
in passing from a high to a low pressure is utilized in pushing the steam or vapour
along in the pipe to the low pressure cylinder. That is to say, this pipe is made
into an injector, the suction being the exhaust of the high pressure cylinder and
the discharge the inlet to the low pressure cylinder, while the inducing jet is the
steam or vapour that passes direct from the boiler to the low pressure cylinder.
This injector action reduces the back pressure on the high pressure piston,
and enables me to have a higher working pressure in the large cylinder than
the back pressure in the small cylinder, consequently more work is done by the
engine.
As before stated I provide two screw propellers E placed side by side and a pair
of engines such as above described for driving each propeller. I may arrange to
steer the air-ship by driving one screw faster than the other. This is accom-
plished by placing a butterfly valve in the main supply pipe so that it may be
turned in either direction and caused to close or partially close the supply pipe to
either engine as desired.
I prefer to make the screw-propellers solid. For this purpose I make them of
narrow strips of wood Figures 31 and 32 which are superposed so that they
overlap one another after the manner of the ribs of a ladies fan. The said strips
are glued or cemented together somewhat as are the strips used in building up a
wooden pattern for moulding the propellers of steam ships. The said strips are
moreover held firmly together by metal clamps or flanges or in any other con-
venient manner.
After the said strips are united as above described, the blades
thus formed are worked down very thin, and are prevented from splitting by
gluing or cementing to their surface cloth, linen parchment or similar substance.
The whole is then painted or otherwise treated to preserve the wood and other
substance. I provide the blades with stiffening pieces extending in a circum-
ferential direction, and I sometimes stay the ends of the blades by wires or cords
so as to overcome or resist the thrust.
I provide for holding down the machine until it has acquired sufficient horizontal
velocity to cause it to rise in the air as follows, that is to say vv are flanged
wheels adapted to run on a railway track. The bearings for the wheel axles
are carried by flat springs which are secured at their ends in a wooden frame
attached to the frame work of the ship. The flat spring bearing pieces are
supported or reinforced by spiral springs. I provide four such wheels, one at
each corner of the car. I also provide a double parallel set of rails, one below
the wheels to support the weight, and another above the wheels to prevent the
machine rising. By this arrangement the machine is held down and caused to run
on the rails until by the time the end of the track is reached the machine has
acquired sufficient velocity to cause it to rise in the air. For the purpose of
adjusting the machine before flight is attempted I preferably employ a circular

page_text: track of rails on which the car runs.
nearly as heavy as the whole machine.
light wheels when flight is to be made.
be dispensed with.
I also use
a set of very heavy wheels
These wheels are removed and replaced by
In some cases the upper set of rails may
I provide in combination with each wheel a dynagraph for the purpose of
recording or indicating the upward lift of the aeroplane when adjusting the machine
on the railway track. Each dynagraph is arranged as follows: w is an indicator
cylinder carried in bearings w' in a frame w² and adapted to be driven by worm
gear to and belts wo wo from a small pulley o* fixed on the wheel r. w is an arm
adapted to carry a pencil and attached to a rod to which can slide vertically
in bearings to. The said rod is connected by a link to with one end of a
lever that is pivoted at w to the frame-work. The said lever wis con-
nected at its other end by a link with the wheel axle or bearing. When the
machine is driven forward while the wheels are retained between the rails, the
lifting force on the aeroplane causes a lifting of the frame with respect to
the wheels. The rod w is thereby raised and the pencil carried by the arm w
traces a line on a paper sheet placed around the cylinder w the height of
which line from a base line is proportional to the lifting force. By this means the
lift is registered and the occupant of the car can thus tell whether the machine
when released from the rails will rise as it ought to do.
Having now particularly described and ascertained, the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the
following improvements in or relating to aeronautic apparatus or air-ships, viz.,-
1. The combination of a fixed inclined aeroplane or kite which sustains the
weight of the machine, and fore and aft rudders so tied that one cannot turn
without the other, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
2. An aeronautic machine or air-ship provided with and controllable by an
apparatus such as that herein termed a gyrostat, for the purposes specified.
3. The combination of one or more rudders for guiding the ship, and a gyrostat
for automatically controlling the position of the said rudder or rudders, for the
purpose specified.
4. The combination, with a fluid pressure motor for working the rudders, of a
gyrostat for controlling the distributing valve of the said motor, with or without
means such as herein described for automatically restoring the said valve to its
mean position when the rudders are adjusted, for the purpose specified.
5. The means for reversing the distributing valve of the rudder-operating motor,
substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
6. A gyrostat constructed substantially as described with reference to Figure 6
of the drawings, for the purpose specified.
7. The combination, with the gyrostat, of the indicating device constructed and
arranged substantially as described with reference to Figures 13 and 14 of the
drawings, for the purpose specified.
8. The device for adjusting the point of suspension of the gyrostat in order to
regulate the angle of inclination of the air-ship, with or without the indicating
device to show the angle to which the air-ship is set to fly, substantially as
described.
9. The apparatus for controlling the rudders, constructed substantially as
described with reference to Figures 5 to 14 of the drawings, and operating as
specified.
10. The combination, with the framework of the aeroplane or kite, of short
brackets a mounted on the transverse tubes of the framework and carrying tightly
stretched wires for supporting the covering of the kite, substantially as described,
for the purpose specified.
11. The method of causing the circulation of the liquid in the boiler by the
action of the entering feed-liquid, as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 12. A boiler having a central chamber such as for receiving the feed liquid,
circulating pipes h, 2, 3, and a large number of small generating tubes h* enclosed
in a shell or casing, substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
13. The feed heater, constructed and arranged in the hood of the boiler casing,
substantially as described, in combination with the central chamber
and distri-
buting pipes, and generating tubes of the boiler, for the purpose specified.
14. The spring-controlled cone-nozzle k, constructed and arranged substantially
as described with reference to Figures 17, 17 and 17B, for the purpose specified.
15. In the generator, the combination with the central chamber , of the vertical
feed pipe arranged to deliver into the mouth of the cone-shaped lower extremity:
or of the inner chamber i having openings in its wall; or of the circulating and
generating tubes, and the superheater, or of any or all of these features, substan-
tially as, and for the purposes, specified.
16. In a generator such as herein described, the mode of connecting the small
generating tubes to the circulating pipe and central chamber by a union, without
brazing or soldering, substantially as described with reference to Figure 19 of the
drawings, for the purpose specified.
17. The combination with the generator herein described of a union constructed
as described with reference to Figure 19 for the purpose specified.
18. The combination, with a generator such as herein described, of a burner or
furnace consisting of a number of perforated burner tubes in combination with
curved deflectors arranged above said tubes, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 21, 22 and 23, or otherwise suitably arranged for the purpose
specified.
19. In combination with a generator such as herein described the use of burner
tubes, and deflectors, made of an alloy of nickel and iron, substantially as described,
for the purpose specified.
20. The herein described method of regulating or controlling the supply of
liquid fuel to the furnace of a boiler or generator by the vapour pressure and the
temperature within the boiler, acting together on the same valve for the purpose
specified.
21. The means for shutting down the plug o substantially as described with
reference to Figure 24, for the purpose specified.
22. A double acting liquid-fuel-regulator constructed substantially as described,
with reference to Figures 24, 25 and 26 of the drawings, and operating as
specified.
23. A boiler constructed substantially as described with reference to Figure 17,
for the purpose specified.
24. An engine adapted for using hydrocarbon vapour as the working fluid and
enclosed in a casing which is heated internally by a burner supplied with vapour
from the exhaust pipe of the engine, for the purpose specified.
25. Attaching the rotary pump directly to the crank shaft, substantially as
described, for the purpose specified.
26. An engine and boiler using gasoline or other hydrocarbon as the working
fluid and arranged to burn a portion of the working vapour under the boiler to
remove the uncondensable vapour formed after each re-evaporation.
27. In a compound engine, a bye-pass arranged in the high pressure exhaust
pipe for the passage of steam or vapour direct from the boiler, the said bye-pass
constituting an injector which draws from the exhaust port of the high pressure
cylinder and discharges into the inlet of the low pressure cylinder, for the purpose
specified.
28. The bye-pass q in combination with the spring controlled valve 9" substan-
tially as described with reference to Figure 30, for the purpose specified.
29. A solid screw-propeller formed of narrow strips of wood cemented together
and having cemented to the wood a covering formed of textile fabric, substantially
as described.

page_text: 30. A screw-propeller constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figures 31 and 32 of the drawings, for the purpose specified.
31. The framework of the air ship, constructed and arranged substantially as
described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings for the purpose
specified.
32. The aeronautic apparatus or air-ship constructed substantially as herein
described.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.