Improvements in Air-ships.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
Improvements in Air-ships.
I, RAPHAEL ERNST MAY, of 41, Grindelallee, Hamburg, in the Empire of
Germany, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
The air-ship illustrated by the accompanying drawings has been invented by me
according to the following principles I have established:-
:-
1. A current of air acting upon a surface perpendicularly thereto, exerts upon
the latter a pressure which increases directly with the velocity of the air current,
whilst it is immaterial whether the air is moved against the surface or the surface
against the air ;
2. When the air current acts perpendicularly to a rectangular surface, the
pressure area is equal to the width multiplied by the length, but if it acts at an
oblique angle upon the surface, the pressure area is equal to the width multiplied
by the height of the surface projected upon a plane perpendicular to the direction
of the current. From this it follows that a current of determined velocity can
exert upon a given surface which is situated at an angle to the horizontal, a
pressure which is greater the more the angle approximates to the vertical. Therefore,
by varying the angle, I can cause a current of given velocity to exert a variable
pressure upon a given surface ;
3. If I move a surface against a horizontal current in such a manner that the
angle of incidence opens upwards, I compel the said surface to rise from the ground
at the moment when the pressure exerted or generated by the current upon the
surface (or more logically speaking by the surface upon the current) is greater
than the vertically acting pressure of the weight of the surface. A pressure of
this kind can be produced :-
:-
(a) If I impart to a surface which has only a slight inclination from the
horizontal, and which, therefore, easily cuts through the air in the horizontal
direction, that velocity at which the pressure exerted by the air upon the surface is
greater than the vertically acting pressure of the weight of said surface; and
(b) If I give to a surface of small velocity a greater area;
4. The air is a medium of too great mobility to allow of a screw revolving in
the air about a horizontal axis, finding sufficient resistance in air in order to
produce by its rotation, the requisite pressure against the circular area of the
screw, necessary to propel a surface, even of great area, with the velocity which is
necessary to effect the onward movement, in the air, of the weight of the motor,
aeronauts, etc., supported by said surface.
The problem is rendered still more difficult by the fact that centrifugal force
acts to hinder a more rapid rotation of a large screw.
I have obviated these difficulties by causing the screw to revolve in a less mobile
medium which is produced by compression or condensation of the air.
The engineering science of the present day is capable of building motors of such
amall weight as to enable a screw of sufficient size, caused to revolve by said
motors rapidly about a horizontal axis in the medium of compressed air, to exert
upon its circular area a pressure far greater than that exerted by the weight in a
diminished direction of the hereinafter described air-ship together with the
aeronauts and the motor, that is to say a pressure which is great enough to propel
an air-ship constructed according to the preceding principles so rapidly forward
that the inclined surfaces thereof will raise it up against the pressure equal to its

page_text: only the relative velocity of the air current against the inclined surface which need
be taken into consideration, the present application has to distinguish essentially
two separate elements, viz. :-the arrangement of the supporting surfaces and the
propelling device, apart from a few secondary devices.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation;
Figure 2 a longitudinal section ;
Figure 3 a front elevation; and
Figure 4 a plan.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a front elevation and a plan of a modified
position of the supporting surfaces.
A cylindrical casing a open at its front and rear ends, has suitably mounted in
its front portion a screw propeller b adapted to be rapidly revolved by any motive
force. At the front end of the cylinder a is a wind-interceptor c of the form of a
funnel-shaped casing open at the bottom. At the rear end is a similarly formed
wind-interceptor d. The inclination of the wind-interceptors c, d, to the longi-
tudinal axis of the cylinder may be varied within certain limits. The action of
this arrangement is as follows:-The rapidly revolving screw b draws all the air
flowing towards it through the funnel c in a condensed or compressed state by
reason of the onward movement and forces the said air into the cylinder. By
this means the screw provides for itself a denser medium against which it can re-act
with far greater force than is possible to do in free air, where the pressure exerted
by the screw is lost laterally for the most part. By causing the screw to move in
a cylinder, lateral escape of the air is prevented, and the entire power exerted by
the screw is utilized as a perpendicular pressure upon the circular area of the
screw and propels the cylinder in a forward direction with this power. In the
onward motion of the cylinder a the forward upwardly directed funnel-shaped
casing c has a tendency to raise the forward portion of the cylinder. At the other
end the air current passing out of the cylinder strikes against the lower surface
of the casing d, and as the latter is drawn by the forward movement along in the
opposite direction to that of the air current thrown against it, the casing d will
by the necessity of overcoming the air current directed against itself, become
lifted and also lift the rear portion of the cylinder. The casing d has also the
effect of condensing the air in the cylinder a.
By means of the casing c, d, connected directly to the cylinder, the cylinder is
thus raised uniformly at both ends. The inclination of the casings is varied
according as it is desired to remain at a given height, or to rise up to said
height.
In the case of a wind from the rear of greater velocity than that of the travel
of the machine, and which would depress the casing d, the casing d may also be
set upwards so that the rear wind acts upon it with a lifting action, and at the
same time the issuing air finds a much greater and very advantageous resistance
in the wind blowing against it, whilst otherwise the two currents would be
separated by the depressed casing, which would then be a disadvantage. By the
upward setting of the wind-interceptor d the wind blowing from the rear is also
prevented from striking the upwardly directed front funnel c and thus depressing
the latter. This turning or setting of the funnel d may also be effected
automatically, for instance by disengaging or unhooking wires that attach it to
the cylinder, the said wires becoming disengaged or unhooked when a rear wind
blows against a small perpendicular surface above the cylinder. The pressure
from the cylinder will then force up the funnel where it will remain held by the

page_text: wind or until the wind drops, whereupon the funnel would then fall down into
engagement with the hook again. At the place where the funuel c meets the
cylinder a, flaps may be provided in the same capable of being opened for the
purpose of regulating any too great pressure upon the screw. A rudder h is
provided at the rear of the cylinder under the funnel d or at any other suitable
point. On the cylinder a is a hollow mast e on which are arranged the supporting
surfaces consisting of a suitable number of frames of suitable size and form,
covered with suitable material. In attaching these to the mast, care should be
taken to render the supporting surfaces capable of setting themselves auto-
matically to the wind. Also, their inclination must be capable of being varied.
For this purpose there are in the centre of the supporting surface two rings of
which the inner one m can turn in a suitable guide about the mast e which the
outer ring a carrying the supporting surface proper, is capable of turning about
suitable pivots mounted on the inner ring m. The guide in which the inner ring
turns may be drawn up the mast. Also the ends of the supporting surfaces can
be drawn up at the same time, by means of wires or ropes passing over pulleys
situated at the upper end of the mast. The several rings of each supporting
surface, or the latter itself, can thus be held at any desired distance from one
another. The innermost hoisting ring of the lowermost surface, and the frame of
the latter are fixed to a guide which runs in a ring around the mast, said ring
being fixed to the mast lower down. The supporting surfaces on the mast pull
on this lower ring when they are raised by the current of air.
n
The mast has at its upper end a rotary cap to which the ropes for the
transverse axis of the supporting surface are fixed, whilst the ropes y for the
longitudinal axis are carried over opposite pulleys on the cap into and through
the hollow mast at the lower end of which they are fastened round a wheel, by
rotating which any desired inclination of the surfaces can be effected. The axle
of this lower wheel must rotate simultaneously with the surfaces of the mast.
The arrangement is also such that the wires are shortened when set to a larger
angle, to the same extent that they are lengthened by said altered angle.
In order to enable the supporting surfaces to become set to the wind as quickly
as possible, there is provided a rudder 9 which is adapted to move freely about
the inaste and passes through slots in the supporting surfaces. The supporting
surfaces which set themselves automatically to the air current existing for the
time being, afford the advantage that they utilize for supporting purposes not
only the current produced by their own velocity, but also that of the wind
blowing at the time, because they set themselves to the current which results from
their own direction of motion and from the direction of the wind. By utilizing
the wind blowing at the time, I can employ the pressure of the screw so much the
more for propelling purposes, because by the help of the wind in supporting all
the surfaces can be set to a smaller angle to the horizontal. Another system of
supporting surfaces is arranged on both sides of the cylinder a and when requisite
also at other places. On each side of the cylinder is, or are, arranged one or more
superposed slightly inclined supporting surfaces k which can be set to any desired
angle to the horizontal, and can also when advisable be moved up and down.
The centre of rotation is preferably arranged on the rear portion of the cylinder a.
This arrangement considerably increases the supporting power. The up and
down movements. of the supporting surfaces require but little power, because their
own weight acts to move them down, whilst in the upward movement the opposing
wind has a tendency to rotate the surface in an upward direction. Generally the
supporting surfaces k should not move down completely into the horizontal
position; this should take place only when the surfaces are to act as a parachute,
that is to say when the working is interrupted and in descending, etc.
The adjustability of the inclined supporting surfaces also enables the air-ship
to land safely. In the case of an intentional or unintentional interruption of the
motive power or a sudden change of wind, whereby the relative speed and
consequently the pressure exerted upon the supporting surfaces, is diminished,

page_text: which would mean eight supporting surfaces each of about 50 square metres in
area. Since a surface cuts through the air most easily at an angle of 0 degrees
and with most difficulty at an angle of 90 degrees, it is important for the velocity
of the onward movement to keep this angle of incidence as near as possible
to 0 degrees. This will, however, entail a diminution of the steepness of the angle
on which the supporting power depends. This shews that the steepness on which
the supporting power depends should be spread over a surface of greatest possible
area. But then in order to propel a heavy load in the air at a satisfactory speed
such enormous surfaces would be required that the air-ship would thereby assume
an unwieldy length and breadth and there would only be very few sites where
such an air-ship could land or rise. Also the extent of such enormous surfaces
would soon find a limit in the strength of the material of the frame, whilst
sufficient strength of the latter would render the weight of the ship too great.
I have overcome these difficulties by arranging a number of small supporting
surfaces parallel above one another at such a distance from one another that even at
the greatest possible angles of incidence the entire surfaces will be acted upon by
the air moving horizontally against the same.
The entire ship rests, whilst on the ground, on at least three elastic wheels, one of
which is capable of being steered, it may be in connection with the rudder. During
the initial velocity which is not great enough to cause the ship to rise by pressure
upon the surfaces, the ship runs on these wheels until by reason of the greater
velocity the surfaces acquire gradually more supporting power, thereby relieving
the wheels of their load with the result of reducing the friction of the wheels, so
that the ship runs on still faster until it has acquired the velocity at which the
pressure against the surfaces is equal to the force of gravity and raises the
ship off the ground. The sail surfaces may be covered with a smooth material
in order to offer as little friction as possible to the propelling force of the
air current and so to utilize the supporting power of the current as much as
possible.
In the preceding description no reference has been made to the manner of
constructing the air-ship. It will he understood without difficulty that all parts
must be made as light as possible and as is consistent with the requisite strength.
Care should also be taken that the operation of all the parts should be convenient

page_text: and certain, and that for reasons of safety the centre of gravity shall be as low as
possible vertically below the centre of the surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An air-ship in which the screw propeller for producing the onward motion is
arranged in a horizontal cylinder open at both ends, said cylinder being provided
at its forward end with an upwardly inclined conical air-interceptor adjustable as to
its inclination for collecting or drawing in the air and guiding it in a condensed
state to the screw and through the cylinder, and at its rear end with a reversely
coned air-interceptor adjustable as to its inclination against which the air current
forced through the cylinder is intended to act, in combination with a number
of supporting surfaces or aeroplanes arranged approximately horizontal and parallel
above one another on a mast capable of turning together, and adjustable as to
their inclination to the horizontal against which the air current exerts an upwardly
directed pressure and which are caused by the direction of the wind to set
themselves automatically to the air current resulting from the motion of the aerial
ship and the motion of the prevailing wind, or may be set by the aeronaut to any
desired direction.
2. In the air-ship specified in Claim 1, the arrangement of supporting surfaces
adjustable as to their inclination, which are capable of being caused by suitable
means to oscillate up and down about an axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis
of the air-ship.
Dated this 10th day of October 1001
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.