Improvements in the Method of and Means for Aerial Navigation.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Aerial Navigation.
1, FRANCIS HENRICK TIELKE-ALLAN, of Portobello House, Wakefield, in the County
of York, Analytical Chemist, 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 improvements in the method of and means for aerial
navigation, the object of the invention being to construct an aerial vessel or air ship
on an improved method which said vessel may be propelled through the air in any
direction when there is little or no wind, and against the wind if desired according to
the strength of the motor employed.
Broadly the invention consists first, in rotating the buoyant part of the vessel so
that it forms its own propeller; second, in forming the buoyant part of the vessel of
a number of small balloons confined within a suitable net or bag so that the bursting
of one or more from any cause will not result in the collapse of the vessel; third, in
causing the frame carrying the small balloons to swivel and also to turn upon a light
turntable so that the vessel can be made to progress upwards, downwards or in any
other required direction. Wind boards may also be used in the steering.
According to this invention I provide a light frame carrying suitable bearings
supporting a longitudinal shaft or a spiral. Upon the shaft I fix a screw in the form
of a helix or a spiral (if necessary, tapering towards the ends). This screw may be
formed of light wood, or metal, or it may be made with light wood. or metal rods
affixed to the longitudinal shaft and covered with silk, canvas, or other suitable light
and strong material. I next provide a bag or net of the required shape and place
therein any suitable number of small air or gas balloons, and fasten each separately to
the bag or net, or otherwise as found desirable. This bag or net 1 wind round the
longitudinal shaft from end to end and between the convolutions of the screw, or I
place it longitudinally within the spiral where such is used.
From the frame carrving the longitudinal screw shaft or the spiral I suspend the
car by vertical rods. Within the car is an air, gas, electrical, steam, or other motor.
and the motion is transmitted from the motor to the screw shaft or to the spindle
carrying the spiral by pulley bands or other means.
The screw shaft is supported on the top of the vertical rods from which the car is
suspended by means of universal joints or their equivalents. The bottoms of these
rods are affixed to a turntable within the car, so that the screw shaft may be turned to
the right or to the left as desired. The car also works within a similar turntable with
projecting ends or bows to which are attached small balloons or air vessels to keep the
car buoyant and allow the main portion of the apparatus to be turned without affecting
the car, which may be afterwards tarned by the second turntable. Windboards may
be added to the car if necessary. The car also carries a grooved pulley or drum fixed
on a horizontal axis, and round this drum is wound a chain or cord the ends of which
are affixed to the ends of the screw shaft. This drum may be actuated by a winch
handle so that one end of the screw shaft may be depressed and the slack of the chain
or cord "paid out" to the other end according as it is desired to progress upwards or
downwards.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which similar letters are used to indicate corresponding parts throughout.
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 an end view of my invention; Figure 3 is a
part plan of Figure 1.
The car A carries any suitable motor which actuates the horizontal shaft B on to,
which the two pulleys are rigidly affixed. Endless bands D pass over these pulleys;

page_text: and rotate the upper pulleys E. The said pulleys E are rigidly affixed to or formed
in one with the bevel wheels F loose on the cross shaft H and gearing with other
bevel wheels G fast on the main shaft J. The ends of the cross shaft H are supported
on the upper parts L of vertical rods M to which they are rigidly secured. The axes
of the four gear wheels F and G are all in the same plane, the cross shaft H being
cranked at its centre, as shewn in Figure 2, so that the main rotating shaft is clear of
the cross shaft H. On the centre of the main shaft J is a strap or link J¹ between
two collars or flanges J' fixed to the main shaft; the other end of the shaft or link J'
is similarly attached to the centre of the cross shaft H. Each end of this strap or
link is loose on its respective shaft and thus serves as an universal joint and holds the
two shafts to each other keeping the bevel wheels always in gear. When the main
shaft is turned in the vertical plane, the means for doing which will be explained
hereafter, the strap or link J! will slip loosely round the cross shaft H but will be
prevented by the fixed collars or flanges fron moving end ways thereon. Further,
whatever position the main shaft may be in it will always rotate freely between the
loose strap or link J.
The lower ends of the vertical rods M are rigidly affixed to the inside of the car
and thus serve to connect the car and the ends of the cross shaft H together. These
vertical rods M are shewn in Figure 2, they are omitted from Figure 1 to avoid com-
plication. The bevel wheels F and G are geared in pairs as shewn in Figure 3, but
there may be only one pair if desired, although I prefer to use two pairs and two
endless bands, as it tends to preserve the balance of the apparatus. By this arrange-
ment the rotation of the motor shaft B is transmitted to the main shaft J thus rotating
the screws or spirals K which are rigidly affixed to the main shaft. I prefer to
provide the main shaft with two screws or spirals K tapering towards each end as
shewn in Figure 1. These spirals are formed of light iron or wood frames, and
between the turns of the spiral I affix a net carrying any suitable number of small air
or gas balloons, and cover the whole with an outer case or envelope N, leaving part of
the spiral exposed as shewn in Figure 1 for propelling purposes. On to each end of
the main shaft J is rigidly affixed a small propeller O with screw blades or wings
which beat against the air when the main shaft is rotated.
The vertical movement of the main shaft is effected in the following manner :-On
the main shaft J are two rings P working loose between collars Q fixed on the main
shaft on opposite sides of the centre cross shaft H. To these rings are attached the
ends of a chain or cord R passing over a drum or pulley in the car A and actuated
by a winch handle S or the like. By this means, when the winch handle is turned,
one of the ends of the main shaft J is pulled down while the other end goes up.
The horizontal movement of the main shaft is effected as follows:-The car consists
of two hemispherical shells connected together so that they can be turned on a vertical
axis independently of each other in the form of a turntable. The suspender rods M
are attached to the inner shell and a rack and pinion or equivalent ineans may be
used for rotating the shells independently of each other. To keep the outer shell
stationary, while the inner shell is rotated 1 provide two windboards T (shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 1) on the outer shell diametrically opposite to each other and
carried on universal joints. Normally these windboards are folded against the
side of the car, and when required are opened out by means of chains or cords
and pulleys and are inclined at any angle as required to form a purchase or hold
on the wind or air to prevent the outer shell rotating. The windboards being
adjusted to the position required, the inner shell is rotated thus turning the rods M
and the cross shaft H and with it the main shaft J.
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 method of and means for rotating the buoyant part of the vessel so that
it forms its own propeller, the said buoyant propeller being constructed of a screw
or spiral form, substantially in the manner described and illustrated.

page_text: (2) The construction of a screw or spiral propeller with a number of small
balloons between the convolutions of the screw or spiral, substantially as and for
the purpose herein before set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(3) The combination of the various parts forming my improved apparatus for
aerial navigation, all constructed and operating substantially in the manner and
for the purpose herein before set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of November 1889.
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.