A New or Improved Apparatus for Propelling Balloons both Horizontally and Vertically.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Propelling Balloons both
Horizontally and Vertically.
I, JESSE (or JESSIE) MARY CHAMBERS temporarily of 130 Queen's Road, Bayswater,
London W., Graduate (B. Sc.) of London University, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus consists essentially of two sets of flaps one set being on each side of
the car which is to hold the person or machine to work them. This car is to be
below and rigidly attached to a balloon of a size to be determined by circumstances.
The two sets of flaps are to be exactly alike and only one set need be described. In
its simplest forun each set consists of three movable flaps and two stationary ones, all
preferably rectangular parallelograms in form. Two of the movable flaps hinge about
the same axis which is on one of the stationary flaps and these two movable flaps are
connected by flexible material in a bellows-like manner both to one another and to
the stationary flaps. The inner of these two movable flaps is furnished with valves
to admit external air. The two stationary flaps are fixed at an angle to one another.
The arrangement will be best understood by reference to the figures.
Fig. 1 is a section of the apparatus through the centre and perpendicular to the
flaps. a, b, and a, c, are the sections of the stationary flaps, d is the section of the
axis about which two of the movable flaps revolve, fis connected toe by flexible
material made to fold in a bellows-liké manner, and a is similarly connected to the
central part of the flap d. c. The ends of the apparatus parallel to the plane of the
paper are all covered in.
The compressed air will issue from between the flaps a b and a c.
g, h, is a smaller
flap which hinges about g. All its edges except the hinge are free and it moves
inside the apparatus. This flap is to close the exit for the air at g d while the
bellows is expanding and prevent the air from being sucked back again. But it is
to be open while the bellows is closing and the air is being driven through g, d.
Supports for the car pass parallel to d, g, k.
Fig. 2 is the same as fig. 1 except that the apparatus is closed up instead of partially
expanded.
+
The flaps de and d f are longer perpendicular to the plane of paper than the
flaps a band a c. The flaps de, and d, fare of exactly the saine size and shape.
Fig. 3 shows the surface of the flap ed l, m, n, o shows where the flap ad rests
against it when the apparatus is shut up. This space is uncovered to allow of the
passage of the compressed air from def when the apparatus is being closed. pp are
valves to admit external air into the apparatus when it is being expanded.
The upper part of the flap ad c is also uncovered for about two thirds of the
distance, or more, between a and d to allow the passage of the compressed air.
Suppose the apparatus expanded (Fig. 4)-the cord to close it may pass from the
wheel to r, there pass through the covering round a pulley at & and then back
to t, another pulley inside the flap a, b. thence to be fastened to some convenient
internal point, u, on the outer flap.
When the wheel rolls up the cord the flap g h will be first opened, both because
the friction will tend to prevent the force passing on and because double the force
acts on g, h (the cord being double) while the pressure on 9 h will be small. Thus
the flap g will first rise or open and then the others will close up together and
drive the air down and out between a, b and a, c.
Again suppose the apparatus closed (Fig. 5)-the cord to open it may pass from
the wheel along the support to v, thence to w and back to x.
There is to be a projecting support for it to pass round at y, whence it passes to
some point on the Aand f where its end is fastened

page_text: As the wheel rolls up the cord for the same reason as before the small flap gh
will be first shut and then the large flaps will be pulled down and the apparatus
expanded while air will pass in at the valves.
It may be noted that while one cord is being rolled up on the wheel the other
is being unrolled and vice versa, and of course the portions of cord to be rolled
up in the two cases should be arranged so as to be of the same length if the
same diameter of wheel is used for both, and in this case the points at which the
cords draw should be the same on g, h.
Compound pulleys would probably. act better than the wheel especially if the
apparatus is worked by hand.
First
The general mode of action of the apparatus will be as follows:
Suppose the flaps of the apparatus in the positions shown in fig. 1.
suppose the flap gh raised or opened so as to permit the free exit of the air, then
closing together sharply the large flaps, so as to pass from the position in fig. 1 to
that in fig. 2, will compress the air between them and it will be driven out through
the exit between the two stationary flaps ab and a c.
The compressed air presses against all internal parts of the apparatus and this
pressure has no external effect except opposite the aperture whence the air issues.
Here the pressure is not met by a corresponding pressure from the opposite side
as it is elsewhere, but will produce (or tend to produce) motion in the apparatus
itself (on the same principle as motion is produced in a turbine or heliopyle).
This motion wil be in the contrary direction to that in which the air is driven
and the force producing it will be proportional both to the internal pressure and
the size of the opening through which the air is issuing.
Next suppose the small flap g his drawn downwards or backwards so as to close
the opening between the stationary flaps and prevent the air being sucked back
while the apparatus is expanding. Then the apparatus is expanded, that is the
flap d, f is drawn down or back. This action will also drive the air downwards or
backwards and tend to make the apparatus move in the contrary direction.
It will be advantageous for both strokes to be made sharply.
This effect of the return stroke might be augmented by putting a border round
the exterior edges of the outer flap with supports so as to fall completely behind the
flap while it is rising or passing forward, that is when the apparatus is being closed,
but to catch the air and expand while the outer flap is being drawn downwards or
backwards, that is when the apparatus is being opened or expanded.
Thus the air is always driven in the same direction in whichever of the two ways
the flaps are moving and the action must always tend to make the apparatus move in
the opposite direction.
If we suppose the position of the apparatus such that the section of Fig. 1 &c. is
vertical the action will be lifting only. But if that section be supposed horizontal
the action will drive the apparatus horizontally. By inclining the section at an angle
the action will be partly lifting and partly propelling.
If found more convenient the apparatus might consist of three or more tiers of
flaps as shown in fig. 6-instead of of two tiers.
The balloon should be fish-shaped and rigidly attached to the apparatus so that the
acute ends may be always pointed in the horizontal direction in which it is wished
that motion should take place.
Fig. 7 shows the whole affair with the flaps vertical and expanded so that the
motion produced by them will be horizontal-A A are the openings through which
the compressed air issues-B B are the outer flaps and is the balloon.
The apparatus might be made so that the angle at which the flaps are fixed to the
balloon could be shifted at pleasure.
A flap or sail might be attached vertically between the balloon and the car to act
in the manner of a rudder.
If the apparatus is placed so that the section shown in figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 is horizontal
and the flaps therefore vertical, the valves may be merely flaps which gravity will

page_text: assist in closing. If however this section is vertical or inclined, gravity may tend to
keep such valves open and it may be necessary to adopt some device to make gravity
close them.
Thus a projection might be made from the flap for the valve, and suppose the
extreme case of the flap being horizontal (Fig. 8), d¹ el is section of horizontal
Alap, p¹ opening in same for air to pass, z projection p opening for passage of air,
pifi
open valve, D string to prevent valve from opening too far.
The apparatus might be worked by a steam-engine electric motor or by hand. In
the case of mechanical appliances for working the aim should be to get them as light
as possible in proportion to the power exerted, thus decreasing the size of the balloon
necessary.
One of the greatest advantages of this propelling apparatus is its lightness in
proportion to the force which could be exerted by it.
It would probably be more advantageous if the flaps were square and perhaps the
most advantageous arrangement would be to turn the long side of the rectangles
perpendicular to the hinges.
J. M. CHAMBERS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Propelling Balloons both
Horizontally and Vertically.
I, JESSE (or JESSIE) MARY CHAMBERS, of 130 Queen's Road Bayswater,
London, W. Graduate (B. Sc.) of the London University, Spinster do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The apparatus consists essentially of two sets of flaps, one set being on each side of
the car which is to hold the person or machine to work them.
This car is to be attached to a balloon of a size to be determined by circumstances.
The two sets of flaps are to be exactly alike and only one set need be described...
In its simplest form each set consists of one movable flap and two stationary ones,
all preferably rectangular parallelograms in form. The movable flap hinges about an
axis on one of the stationary flaps and is connected by flexible material in a bellows-
like manner to this stationary flap. The two stationary flaps are fixed at an angle to
one another and the one connected to the movable flap is larger than the other and
furnished with two sets of valves. The angle between these two stationary flaps is
covered in at the edges of the smaller flap. The arrangement will be best understood
by reference to the figures.
Fig. 1 is a section of the apparatus through the centre perpendicular to the flaps.
a b and c d are the sections of the stationary Haps, e is the section of the axis about
which the movable flap, e f, revolves. f is connected to c by flexible material made
to fold in a bellows-like manner. The folds may be kept in proper shape by fine cords
passing internally across the apparatus. The ends of the apparatus parallel to plane
of paper are all covered in, c e f by folding material as between c and f, and bad by
stretched flat pieces. The flaps ce and fe are the same length perpendicular to plane
of paper and are both longer than flap a b.
Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 except that the apparatus is closed instead of
expanded. The compressed air will issue from between the flaps a b and a d..
In practice the flaps may consist of framework on which flexible material is
stretched.
Supports for the car pass parallel to h m.
A string, fixed at 1 on the movable flap, passes round suitable pulleys at g hk mand
by moving a point of this string up and down between 9 and h the flap e f is closed
and opened.
Fig. 3 shows the surface of the flap c d no p¹ q' shows where the flap a b and the

page_text: stretched sides meet it. The part n o p q consists of one or more valves, s, to allow
the air to escape from ce f into bad when the greater pressure is in ce f, and to
close and prevent air passing back when the greater pressure is in the opposite
direction as it will be when the apparatus is expanding. The valves outside this
space open when the others shut and vice versa. They admit external air while the
apparatus is expanding.
The general inode of action of the apparatus will be as follows.
Suppose the apparatus expanded as in fig. 1, then closing it and passing to the
position in fig. 2 will compress the air between the flaps ce and fe causing the valves
ats to open and those at r to close, and the air will pass down and out between a b
and a d.
•
The compressed air driven out down between a b and a d will exert a pressure on
the apparatus tending to drive it in the opposite direction to that in which it is itself
driven (on the same principle as motion is produced in a turbine or heliopyle.
8
When the apparatus is being expanded the valves & will close and those r open, and
air will pass in through the valves r. At the same time air will be driven down
before the moving flap ef and will exert a pressure tending to make the apparatus
move in the opposite direction.
Thus air is driven in the same direction at both expanding and closing the apparatus;
and so also the reaction of the air against the apparatus in both actions tends to make
the apparatus move always in the same direction, that is in the direction opposite to
that in which the air is driven.
The effect of the return stroke might be augmented by putting a border round the
exterior edges of the movable flap with supports so as to fall completely behind the
flap while it is rising or the apparatus is being closed, but to catch the air and expand
when the movable flap is being drawn downwards or the apparatus is being expanded.
If we suppose the position of the apparatus such that the section of Fig. 1 and
Fig. 2 is vertical, the action will be lifting only. But if that section be supposed
horizontal the action will drive the apparatus horizontally.
By inclining this section at an angle the action will be partly lifting and partly
horizontally propelling.
The balloon might be fish-shaped and
acute ends might be always pointed in
that motion should take place.
rigidly attached to the apparatus so that the
the horizontal direction in which it is wished
Fig. 4 shows the whole affair with the flaps vertical so that the motion produced
will be horizontal-A A are the openings through which the compressed air issues-
B B are the movable flaps open-C is the balloon.
The apparatus might be made so that the angle at which the flaps are fixed to the
balloon could be shifted at pleasure.
A similar apparatus might also be used by a swimmer as a propeller.
g
Note. In figs. 1 and 2 the distance between 9 and h should be slightly greater than
that between k and m to insure the apparatus being fully opened and closed at each
stroke. The drawings have the defect that this not the case in them.
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 :
That this combination and arrangement of flaps, with valves, connected together, the
movable flap by folding material in a bellows-like manner to the stationary ones, as
described, whereby air is always driven in one and the same direction in whichever of
the two ways the movable flap is revolving, thus causing a force to act upon the
apparatus itself driving it continually in one direction, is new and has pever been
employed before for a similar purpose.
D
11
101
1000
J. M. CHAMBERS.