Improvements in Balloons.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 14th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Balloons.
I, JOSEF RADOTINSKY, of Wersetz in the Empire of Austria Gentleman do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
"
BALLOONS to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the construction of balloons,
whereby the vertical and horizontal motion of the same through the atmosphere is
facilitated, and the difficulties at present experienced by aeronauts in steering, or
regulating the direction of motion, are to some extent obviated.
In carrying my invention into practical effect, I adopt substantially the following
arrangements :-
The balloon is made of any suitable flexible and light material, such as is usually
employed for that purpose; and preferably in the form of a heart, the smaller or
pointed end being at the top, and the bottom part, (namely, that which lies nearest
to the car or carrying attachment of the balloon), being made fast to a moderately
thick and rigid plate, through which the air or gas with which the balloon is
inflated, may be admitted or withdrawn by way of an opening protected by a disc
valve.
Below the said plate, which forms the base of the balloon, is a case or vessel of
aluminium or other metal or material, preferably of cylindrical shape, and of such
dimensions in relation to the balloon that the rapid motion of the same may not be
interfered with.
When the balloon is fully inflated, the pointed form of its upper part renders the
resistance of the air to its upward motion, much less than that encountered by
balloons of the ordinary formation.
When the descent is required to be retarded or reversed, the gas is drawn or
forced back into the aluminium or other chamber or vessel, by pulling or drawing
down the fabric of the balloon. This is effected by a cord or cords, connected with
the top part of the balloon inside, and wound upon a small windlass or other device
in the car or chamber provided for the occupants. The gas is thus condensed in
the chamber or vessel, which is much smaller than the balloon itself, and the balloon
consequently descends. When a renewed ascent is to be made, the balloon is
again allowed to become fully inflated, by the re-admission of the gas from the
chamber or vessel.
In some cases, it may be desirable to make
instance the pointed end may lie horizontally,
described.
Dated the 25th day of March 1890.
the balloon of a different shape, for
instead of being at the top, as before
C. R. BONNE & Co.,
Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Balloons.
37
I, JOSEF RADOTINSKY of Wersetz, Austria, do hereby declare the nature of
the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BALLOONS and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is the construction of a balloon which may be used
for purposes of recreation or of utility. The apparatus hereinafter 'described and

page_text: illustrated in the drawings enables the balloon to be steered and manipulated with
case as desired.
The balloon proper is composed of flexible fabric or material as ordinarily used
for the purpose, and is preferably pointed or smaller at the top than at the bottom
to facilitate its rapid ascent through the atmosphere when fully inflated and yet
allow of its steady and not too rapid descent when the gas with which it is inflated
is being withdrawn. At the lower part of the balloon proper is a chamber or casing
composed of aluminum or of other metal or suitable material the sides of which are
quite rigid. This chamber or casing is divided from the balloon proper but
communication is made between the two by an opening being made in the top of
the chamber or cising, and the passage of the inflating gas from the aforesaid
chamber or casing into the balloon itself and vice versa is controlled or regulated by
the piston or valve of a sucking apparatus or air pump worked by a motor in the
said casing or chamber.
Upon one side of the lower case or chamber is mounted an axle or spindle upon
which is placed a rudder, consisting of a flat blade or blades to give sufficient
resistance to the air to direct the course of the balloon when actuated by the
acronaut. A space is reserved in the bottom of the metal or other casing or
chamber for the occupant or occupants, this space being close to the rudder and
containing also the motor for working the air pump above mentioned as well as the
rudder shaft propeller or other contrivances. When the gas is being withdrawn
from the balloon through the aperture or opening in the top of the chamber or
casing by means of the air pump the motor simultaneously actuates a small windlass
or similar appliance upon the drum of which is wound a cord or rope extending to
the top of the balloon inside thereof and fixed firmly to the fabric of the balloon at
the top. Thus when it is required to descend the motor working the air pump or
similar contrivance withdraws the inflating gas from the balloon proper into the
bottom chamber or casing and at the same time winding the cord or rope upon the
drum of the windlass, causes the fabric of the balloon to be gradually pulled down-
wards towards the top of the metal chamber or casing. In this way the risk of the
fabric of the balloon becoming damaged during the descent is obviated.
It is evident the balloon itself as well as the metal or other chamber or casing
attached thereto may be made in various shapes such as pear shape, cigar shape or
any other convenient shape. I have annexed to this Specification the drawings
which I now proceed to describe.
In the drawing A. denotes the balloon proper composed of suitable flexible fabric
or material as ordinarily used for balloons and B denotes the chamber or case B of
aluminum or other metal or rigid substance to contain the inflating gases under
pressure Z is a cord passing from the uppermost point H of the balloon to a
winding gear F situate in a compartment C separated from the chamber B, such
compartment affording accommodation for the aüronauts, and for the motor D,
which can actuate if required the winding gear F, rudder K propeller L, or perform
any other like work.
The dotted line X indicates the shape of the balloon, when fully inflated,
while H is the uppermost point, to which cord Z would be attached but in the
drawing the balloon is shewn in the position where the cord has already been pulled,
so that the uppermost point of the balloon is at H. By means of an air suction
pump, which may be worked by means of motor D, the gas in A is forced through
valve E into chamber B and on account of its compression its specific gravity is
increased and while it, while expanded in A serves to make the balloon buoyant, it
serves, when compressed in B, as a ballast. Any gas capable of compression under
these conditions is servicable for the purpose here indicated.
It will thus be seen that by this arrangement no ballast is required and the
balloon can be caused to descend merely by withdrawing gas from A compressing
it in B, and to ascend by allowing the compressed gas in B to pass into, and
expand in A.
It is obvious that A and B may be given any shape independantly of each other.

page_text: For instance A may be cigar shaped lying flat on B or pear shaped, likewise lying
flat while the rudder may be attached to A instead of to B.
I do not of course claim as my invention the use of either rudder propeller or any
special shape of balloon or attachments but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I hereby declare that what I
claim is:
In balloons or vessels for aërial navigation the method of compressing gas used
for raising the balloon in a storage chamber when the balloon is required to descend
and releasing such gas into the balloon proper when required to ascend, substantially
as described.
Dated the 24th December 1890.
C. R. BONNE & Co.,
Registered Patent Agents, 41, Eastcheap, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.