A Balloon-parachute.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Balloon-parachute.
WILLIAM DUNCOMBE DALE Grosvenor Villa, Cecil Road, Upton Manor, Plaistow,
Essex, Aeronaut, do hereby declaro the nature of my invention for A (CONVERTABLE
BALLOON-PARACHUTE to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a Balloon fitted with valves top and bottom, the top valve
has a netting of any suitable material stretched across it and is covered on the
inside with any suitable material that will prevent the gas from escaping and to
this material the valve line is attached. The lower valve is fitted with rollers or
runners for the purpose hereafter described. At that part of the balloon known
as the equator or zone or any other part of the balloon that may be found necessary,
the material of which the balloon is composed is fixed to the outside not which
covers it. The operation of converting the balloon into a Parachute is accomplished
by pulling the above mentioned material away from the netting across top valve,
thereby allowing the gas to freely and quickly escape and cause the balloon to
rapidly descend.
The resistance of the atmosphere caused by its rapid descent, forces the lower
half, or that part of the balloon which is not fixed to the net, into the upper half
of the balloon, thus converting the balloon into a Parachute.
The lower valve is guided to its proper position at the top by cords attached to the
rim of the top valve, so that the two valves come together and when desired, the lower
valve can be opened or shut so as to increase or retard descent.
Now I wish it understood, that I do not bind myself to any particular method of
construction, but what I do claim is the conversion of a Balloon itself into a
Parachute.
"
1 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Balloon-parachute.
I WILLIAM DUNCOMBE DALE of Grosvenor Villa, Cecil Road, Plaistow, Essex
Aeronaut, 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 consists of a Balloon fitted with valves top and bottom of ordinary
construction, marked A and B in drawing. The top valve has a wire netting stretched
across it on the inside, over which is supported a sheet of oiled silk for the purpose of
preventing gas escaping, this oiled silk is socured to the edge of valve rim by an ordinary
india rubber ring, applied by hand over the rim of the valve which projects inside the
balloon. To this material the valve line marked C, is attached. The lower valve
is fitted with rollers or runners marked D, for the purpose hereafter described.
At the part of the balloon known as the equator or zone marked E, the material
of the balloon is fixed to the net which covers it. The operation of converting
the Balloon into a Parachute is accomplished by pulling the before mentioned valve
line which pulls the sheet of oiled silk away from the netting of top valve, thereby
allowing the gas to freely and quickly escape and to cause the balloon to descend
rapidly. The resistance of the atmosphere caused by the rapid descent, forces the
lower half of the balloon into the upper half as shewn by dotted lines in drawing
Fig. 2, thus converting the Balloon into a Parachute. The lower valve is guided
to its proper position by the before mentioned rollers or runners sliding up the
C

page_text: cords marked F, so that the two valves come together and when desired the lower
valve can be opened and shut so as to increase or retard descent.
The hoop marked G, is for the purpose of fixing the terminal line of net to, also for
attaching the ends of cords marked F, the other ends of cords being fixed in rim of top
valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
of ibo Balloon itsself into a Parachute.