Improvements in and Connected with Aerial Navigation.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in and Connected with Aerial Navigation.
I, WALD GUSTAFSON of 30 Cromwell Grove West Kensington Park in the County
of Middlesex, Artist and Author, 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 that class of apparatus in which the lifting power of a gas
lighter than the ordinary atmosphere is employed. The invention consists in the
hereinafter described arrangement and combination of parts whereby aërial navigation
may be more perfectly carried out than has hitherto been the case, for aërial
navigation as it at present exists is practically a failure because the known ratio of
motor power exceeding resistive force is so small, that in order to really overcome the
principal obstacles to air navigation. i.e., head wind or air currents or the air itself,
the aerostat used has been far too large for the motor which has always been
employed. Given an aerostat of a certain size and of the best shape (approximately
cylindrical with conical ends being the best as offering, least surface for resistive
force to act upon) a motor proportionately far too small has always been carried and
has therefore been of no real practical use. Now the reason why larger motors have
not been carried, is, that the lifting capacity of gas has never been properly utilized,
as a greater or lesser amount of ballast has always been carried instead of using the
lifting power for the carriage of a powerful motor. Given a certain quantity of gas,
(enclosed as is usual for the purpose of aerial navigation) sufficient to lift a certain
weight to a certain height, it will follow that the same amount will lift a greater
weight to a proportionately less height, and it will follow that it will lift tho
greatest weight where the air is densest, which obviously is close to the earth's
surface or sea level.
Now, in order that my invention may be clearly understood, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings which forn part of this specification and in which-
Figure 1 represents a general view of the apparatus in side elevation.
Figure 2 represents a cross sectional view of same with some of the parts omitted.

page_text: Figure 3 represents an end view, (on an enlarged scale) of the driving apparatus.
Figure 4 represents a side view (on an enlarged scale) of the device for regulating
the position of the propeller.
Figure 5 represents an end view of the same.
Figure 6 represents in side elevation, the driving apparatus and surrounding frame.
Figure 7 represents an end view of same, with certain parts omitted.
Figure 8 represents an end view with handles connected to the treadle with some
parts omitted.
Figure 9 represents a cross section (on a larger scale) of the propeller shaft and
framework of the lower end of the shaft, and
Figure 10 represents a side sectional view of same.
In all the figures, like letters of reference are used to designate like parts of the
apparatus.
The gas receptacle A, Figure 1, may be one undivided cavity or sack but I prefer
to make it in compartments, carried on a light but strong frame, the size of said
receptacle being such as to contain sufficient gas to just lift or float the entire
intended load or to be sufficiently larger to allow of variously caused expansion. In
case of a large aerostat it might be advisable to use gas sufficient not only to float the
entire weight but to relieve the propeller of the task of keeping the aerostat at a
certain height, in other words the aerostat will from the increased amount of gas, derive
a certain degree of ascensional power, so that the propeller will be set free to work
steadily ahead instead of ahead and upwards at the same time. Any desired upward
motion can be attained by means of the propeller-B, which is mounted on shaft C,
and operated by the driving wheel D which may be actuated by foot power as
represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, or by hand or hand and foot power as
represented in Figure 8.
'
The arrangements shown, of the seat, the handles and pedals for hand and foot
powers, are obviously appliances for the action of the motor known as the "human
motor," and are therefore component parts of the "human motor." Any other motor
will work the driving wheel D, in accordance with such motor's construction and
adaptation to this purpose. The human motor" is in position when occupying
seat I from whence he works, but other motors may either be attached to supporting
shaft H, or to any support which may be built around said shaft, or within, or if
necessary without, the surrounding frame. In case more than one person wishes to
"human motor," parts can be duplicated on any scale of enlargement necessary,
the gas supply being regulated accordingly.
act as
"
It is entirely optional to use either "human or other motor, or both, in the case
of all aerostats, of whatever size, except in the case of the toy aerostat which can be
worked by any proportionate motor.
In the case of a large aerostat, say, large enough to accommodate a hundred people,
(the comparison being like that of a steamer to a row boat,) it is probable that the
aerostat will no longer be propelled by power of "human motor" alone, but by "human
motor power in combination with other motor power, or by other motor only.
""
The socket or footstep E of shaft C, Figures 9 and 10, embraces the framo F, upon
which it is free to slide to such point between the horizontal and the vertical position
as may be desired. The inner side of the socket E, carries wheels or roller e, e, and
on bolt a are wheels e¹, e¹, all of which travel on the frame F as the position of the
propeller is changed. The cords g, g, are also attached to bolt a, Figure 9, and pass
over guide wheels Figures 6, 9, 10, attached to frame F, to operating pulleys G, G.
This construction permits the position of the propeller to be changed at will, all that is
necessary being to turn handle g¹ Figures 4, 5, 6, thereby winding up one cord
unwinding the other. Handle g' may be held in position by means of a friction
spring of a character analagous to that employed on fishing reels but I prefer to use
the construction represented in Figures 4 and 5, in which said handle is shown as
engaging with the serrated disc g attached to supporting shaft H, which in turn is
supported by the stay piece or backbone of the receptacle A.
g
and

page_text: Conveniently placed above the seat I is the rudder handle i to which are attached
the cords j to rudder J, Figure 1. When it is desired to use hand power either alone
or in conjunction with foot power, a supporting arm K may be attached beneath seat
I and provided with pivoted guides k, through which pass rods attached to the
treadle as clearly shown by Figure 8.
It will be understood that by using a gas receptacle which is only sufficient to
securo flotation, that motion upward or forward must be secured by means of the propeller
and this is consequently set at the desired angle which will be varied from time to
timo as it is wished to ascend or go forward, backward or downward.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
aad in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is-
1st. An aerostat so constructed and arranged that it will just float the intended load
at the desired height the further upward or other motion being secured by means of
suitably driven propellers substantially as set forth.
2nd. In an aerostat the combination with a suitable driving wheel of a propeller
adapted to be moved from time to time to the desired angle in order to obtain an
upward forward backward or downward motion of the aerostat substantially as
described.
3rd. In an aerostat the combination with the driving wheel and propeller of the
frame F and cords g with means for operating said cords substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.