Improvements in or connected with Balloons.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 9th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Balloons.
I, PATRICK YOUNG ALEXANDER, of The Experimental Works, Bath, in the
County of Somerset, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :—
The object of my invention is to construct balloons in such a manner that they
shall be more efficient than heretofore, while at the same time such balloons may be
controlled in altitude and propelled as required.
According to my invention I fulcrum the inner ends of two oars to the hoop or
other suitable part of the balloon, and a cord running through the net is attached to
the outer end of such oars for the purpose of supporting their weight. Hooped
irons are attached to the upper sides of the oars and cords are connected to the ends
of such hoop irons from whence they pass to the car over pulleys or other suitable
runners. There are thus four cords descending to the car, and a pair of stirrups
are attached to the said cords in such a manner that on the stirrups being raised and
lowered alternately, the oars are brought backwards and forwards simultaneously
at an angle to the wind, and thus raise or lower the balloon as required. By
lowering the supporting ropes so as to allow the propelling oars to act at an angle,
the balloon may be propelled in a horizontal direction, and by elevating the
supporting cords the propelling oars may be raised up beside the net and thus be
out of the way when a descent is being made. Additional cords may be attached
to the propellers for the purpose of raising same to the net when required.
The altitude may be varied at will by altering the temperature of the gas within
the balloon. This I accomplish by means of a steam pipe which may be constructed
of any suitable material, though I have found varnished silk to answer the purpose
well. The said steam pipe may be situated within the balloon in
suitable way
any
or shape, and steam is admitted to the said pipe from a generator situated in the
car. It will thus be seen that by altering the supply of steam, or cutting it off
entirely, the temperature within the balloon may be varied, and thus any required
expansion or contraction of the gas is obtained.
Instead of the ordinary valve hitherto used I employ a long vertical tube
stiffened by a spring or other suitable means, the said tube communicating with a
hole in the upper part of the balloon. When it is required to allow of an escape
of gas, the lower part of the tube is raised by means of a cord, when the gas is free
to pass through same.
I mix a blue or white pigment with the varnish employed in coating the balloon
and thus render same opaque thereby preventing the rays of the sun passing through
the gas.
By coating one half of the balloon with a non-transparent material and leaving
the other half of a transparent nature the altitude may be varied; as by turning
the opaque and transparent sides respectively towards the sun, the temperature
of the gas is altered as required.
By sliding a weight or sand bag down to a knot situated on the grapnel rope
the jerks imparted by the grapnel to the car may be minimized.
A suitable valve for the top of the balloon may be constructed of steel or other
spring in conjunction with some textile fabric, which when in its normal position
maintains a twist-like form. By pulling a cord in connection with the said valve,
the twist is opened and a free passage for gas is thus made.
Dated this 7th day of July 1893

page_text: improvements in or connected with Dativos,
I, PATRICK YOUNG ALEXANDER, of Experimental Works, Bath, in the County
of Somerset, Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention refers to Improvements in, or connected with Balloons, as hereafter
described, whereby I am enabled to vary the altitude, and effect motion in a
horizontal direction, by the employment of oars operated by improved means, to
further regulate the degree of altitude by variation of the expansion or contraction
of gas within the balloon through variation of heat, either by rendering the balloon
more or less impervious to external heat, or by imparting heat to the interior by
suitably arranged steam pipes, whereby I am also enabled by an arrangement of
such pipes or chambers, to stiffen the structure, and cause the balloon in case of
injury by shot or the like, to form a parachute. I provide means whereby I am
enabled to minimise the jerks imparted by the grapnel to the car of the balloon by
the employment of a counterweight, and I also provide means whereby the grapnel
may be turned over or reversed in position as required all as described.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 show respectively in side elevation, and plan an arrangement of
oars for propelling or regulating a balloon in altitude as required.
According to my invention fulcrum or suitably pivot, the inner ends of two
oars A A to a triangular frame B, which is attached to the hoop C of a balloon.
Cords D D, as shown at Figure 1, are attached to the outer ends of such oars A A
for the purpose of supporting their weight, whilst at the same time they are enabled
to swing backwards and forwards. Hooped irons E are attached to the upper
sides of the oars, and cords F F, G G, are attached to the ends of such hoop irons,
from whence they pass to the car over pulleys or other suitable runners. There
are thus two pairs of cords descending to the car, and a pair of stirrups are
attached to or formed by the said cords, in such a mauner that on the stirrups F F
and GG, being raised and lowered alternately, the oars A A are brought backwards
and forwards simultaneously at an angle to the air; now a balloon when free is
stationary in the air somewhat the same as a boat drifting in a stream is stationary
in relation to the water, so that when the oars A A are suspended horizontally,
and rocked backwards and forwards, they act after the manner of a scull in the
stern of a dinghey, being feathered at each stroke, and thus the balloon is or may
be raised or lowered as required.
By lowering the supporting ropes DD, so as to allow the oars A A to act at an
angle, the balloon may be propelled in a horizontal direction, and by elevating the
supporting cords, the propelling oars may be raised up beside the net, and thus be
out of the way when a descent is being made. Additional cords may be attached
to the propellers for the purpose of raising same to the net, when required.
In Figures 3 and 4 I have shown two arrangements whereby these oars A A
may be swung backwards and forwards by other powers. Fig. 3 shows the
application of a steam piston to the oars A A, the reciprocating action of the
piston rod H, causing the oars A A, to be brought backwards and forwards, turning
on their pivots A'A'. Figure 4 shows an oar A reciprocated by the impact of a
series of jets J, discharged alternately from each side of the oar.
Owing to the expansion and contraction of the gas in the balloon, caused by the
varying temperatures, it follows that the altitude of the balloon may be regulated by
raising or lowering the temperature of the gas within the balloon. This I accom-
plish by means of a steam pipe K, or chamber (Figure 5) which may be constructed

page_text: of any suitable material, though I have found varnished silk to answer the purpose
well. The said steam pipe may be constructed as shown at Figure 5 by making a
portion of the balloon itself form part of the pipe K, or the pipe K may be
separate from the baloon as shown at Figs. 6 and 7. The pipe K may be supplied
with steam through the pipe K' (Fig. 5) being provided from an apparatus in the
car or from any other suitable supply; and when held out by sufficient pressure, the
pipe K acts as a frame-work within the balloon, and in the event of the balloon
bursting, would ensure it being converted into a parachute.
This will prove
especially advantageous for balloons employed for war purposes, as when pierced
with shot, a violent descent is prevented. It will be readily seen that by altering
the supply of steam, or cutting it off entirely, the temperature within the balloon
may be varied to any required extent, and thus any required expansion or
contraction of the gas is obtained.
I may mix a blue or white pigment with the varnish employed in coating the
balloon, and thus render same opaque, thereby preventing the rays of the sun
passing through the gas. By coating one half of the balloon with a non-
transparent material, and leaving the other half of a transparent nature as shown
at Figure 8, the altitude may be varied, as by turning the transparent or opaque
side to the sun, the temperature may be raised or lowered as required.
Instead of the ordinary valve hitherto used, I employ a long tube L, as shown at
Figure 9, connected to the upper part of the balloon, and communicating with the
atmosphere by an opening; this tube is made capable of being contracted length-
wise and is held out and its shape normally retained by, say a spiral spring, or by
rings L' placed at suitable distances apart. L³ is a cord running over pulleys L
and is employed for contracting the tube to the position shown at Fig. 10, when
gas in the balloon is enabled to escape.
the
Another form of valve for the top of the balloon, may be constructed of steel or
other springs, in conjunction with some textile fabric, which when in its normal
position maintains a twist-like form. By pulling a cord in connection with the said
valve, the twist is opened, and a free passage for the gas is thus made.
In order to minimize the jerks imparted by the grapnel to the car of the balloon,
I slide a weight, such as a sand bag M (Fig. 11). down the grapnel rope N, to a
knot or stop N¹ on same, and the weight of the said sand bag takes up most of the
shock by causing the grapnel rope to act as a spring. The grapnel P may be
lowered down the rope N by a cord R, in such a manner, that it comes on the
ground in an inverted position, and thus the flukes do not engage with the ground
until the cord R (Fig. 10) is released, when the grapnel P turns round or is reversed
and effectually stops the balloon.
At Figures 12, 13 and 14 I have shown a modification of my improved arrange-
ment of grapnel rope. At Fig. 12 the grapnel is shown being dragged, in an
inverted position, by means of the trailing line R, whilst the grapnel rope is looped
up and held by the liberator S. When it is required to cause the grapnel P to
engage with the ground, for the purpose of stopping the balloon, the trailing line R
is slackened, as seen at Fig. 13, and the grapnel P is immediately turned over and
holds the balloon. Should the place of descent be considered unfavourable, the
liberator S is disengaged, and the grapnel P immediately becomes reversed as
shewn at Figure 14, leaving the balloon once more free.
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 what I
claim is :-
1. The two oars, so constructed, arranged and operated, that they are made to
strike the air at an angle, all substantially as shown and described.
2. The particular arrangement shown at Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, for propelling
and regulating balloons, substantially as described.
3. A steam pipe situated in a balloon for altering the temperature of the gas
substantially as described.

page_text: 4. A steam pipe situated in a balloon for forming a rigid framework, substantially
-as described.
5. A steam pipe or chamber located within a balloon so arranged or constructed
as to form a rigid framework therefor and to serve for varying the temperature of
the contained gas substantially as described.
6. The particular arrangement of parts as shown at Figs. 5, 6 and 7 substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
7. The coating of one side of a balloon with non-transparent material, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. The employment of a tubular valve, substantially as shown at Figs. 9 and 10
of the accompanying drawings.
9. The method of preventing the shocks of the grapnel being imparted to the
balloon, in combination or not with the grapnel releasing devices substantially as
-described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the accom-
panying drawings.
10. The general arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts
forming my improvements in or connected with balloons, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
Dated this 7th day of April 1804
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.