Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 7th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 8th Feb., 1888
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of 67 Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me
from abroad by Arthur de Bausset, of Chicago, State of Illinois, United States of
America, Manufacturer, to be as follows:-
The object of the invention is to make an air ship or balloon which shall be
operated on the vacuum principle as a lifting force or, in other words, from which
the air shall be exhausted so as to render it capable of rising and being navigated
through the air and the invention consists in the practical application of this
principle to the purpose of aerial navigation, and in the details of construction.
I construct the improved balloon of metal, preferably of steel, making it
cylindrical in form with pointed ends. The metal envelope being strong enough to
resist the pressure of the atmosphere, about three-fourths of the air is exhausted
from the cylinder, and, the attraction of gravity being thus overcome, the ship will
rise and float in the air, of course carrying with it the car and whatever else may he
attached thereto. The air displaced by the cylinder will make a difference between
the weight of the air removed and the weight of the general surface of the cylinder
sufficient to lift the cylinder, car, etc. The ship will be propelled by exhausting air
screws set in motion by electrical apparatus or otherwise.
In operation, the air being exhausted from the cylinder as above, the ship rises
carrying with it the car and whatever else may be attached thereto, and is then
propelled by the electric current generated by an auto-accumulator, this electric
current being applied and controlled in any ordinary way. The driving wheel being
on the same shaft as the dynamo of course turns with it and thus causes the ship to
move forward when a rear gate or valve provided for the purpose is opened and to
move backward when a front gate or valve similarly provided is opened. The
direction of the ship is determined by the inclination of the gate or valve, which
operates as a rudder and may be varied at pleasure.
The cylinder may be of any size desired, but I prefer to make it about four hundred
and fourteen feet long and about one hundred and forty-four feet in diameter, with

page_text: a cone and prow one hundred and twenty feet long at each end. The cylinder is
covered with solid steel plates which are secured together by ribs passing crosswise of
the plates and riveted thereto. To prevent the collapse of the cylinder, or vacuum,
ribs are passed crosswise of the plates inside of the cylinder, these ribs being about
an inch and one-half wide and an eighth of an inch thick, and being placed about
nine feet apart. Being thus placed on the inside, these ribs of course aid in resisting
the atmospheric pressure. The cylinder, which must of course he air-proof, is
separated into rooms or compartments, so that in case of an accident to one, tho
others, being uninjured, will cause the ship to continue in its course and prevent its
falling. A tube runs through the cylinder lengthwise, and through this tube
compressed air is forced in, which also aids in resisting the atmospheric pressure.
One wing is placed at each side of the cylinder and inclined downwardly at an
angle of about forty-five degrees, so that its lower end comes down to about the samo
horizontal plane as the diametrical centre of the cylinder. These wings are preferably
about as long as the straight part of the cylinder, and about as wide as one-eighth of
its diameter. As above stated, they are secured at about the horizontal centre of the
cylinder, being made stationary or solid therewith, and are fastened thereto so as to
leave a small space between them and the cylinder for the passage of air to prevent
oscillation.
The vacuum may be produced in any ordinary way, but I prefer to produce it by
the use of pneumatic pumps which may operate to exhaust the greater portion of the
air from the cylinder to allow the ship to rise, and by compression to again charge
the cylinder with atmospheric air to bring it to the ground and permit its landing
whenever desired.
I attach to the cylinder a car preferably about one hundred and seventy-four feet
long by about thirty feet wide and twenty-one feet deep, which is of course adapted
to carry passengers, freight and generally whatever may be required. This car inay
be provided with wheels, so that in addition to navigating the air, or floating in water,
it may also roll on the ground.
1007
HERBERT & Co.,
67, Strand, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air Ships.
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert & Co., Patent Agents, of
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C. London, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention a communication to me
from abroad by Arthur de Bausset of Chicago, State of Illinois, United States of
America, Manufacturer 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 to make an air ship or halloon which shall be
operated on the vacuum principle as a lifting force, or, in other words, from which
the air shall be exhausted so as to render it capable of rising and being navigated
through the air and the invention consists in the practical application of this
principle to the purpose of aerial navigation, and in the details of construction
hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved air
ship; Fig. 2, a vertical cross section taken in line of Fig. 1; Fig. 3. a side
elevation showing different positions or inclinations of the ship while in the air;
Fig. 4, a detail view of the car, particularly showing its guiding rope and rollers ;
Fig. 5, a plan view of the car, particularly showing the driving wheel and position of
the dynamo Fig. 6, a side elevation of the driving wheel, also showing the balance
shaft and gates or valves; Fig. 7, a longitudinal section of part of the cylinder,
showing the air tube inserted therein; Fig. 8, a perspective view of one part of the
frame work with the steel covering removed; Fig. 9, a cross section taken in
line y y of Fig. 8, but with the steel plate on Fig. 10, a perspective view of one
part of the steel plates, particularly showing the outside strengthening ribs bolted
thereto; Fig. 11, an end view of one of the bars connecting the car to the cylinder
and sustaining the weight thereof; Fig. 12, a side elevation of three of the bars
shown in Fig. 11; and Fig. 13, a section of the cone and prow of the cylinder.
A represents the cylinder; B the car; C the wings; D the connecting and
supporting bars; E the guiding rope; F the reel or roller for the rope; G the wheel
therefor H the dynamo; I the driving wheel; J the balance shaft; K the gate or
valve L the air tube; M the frame work; N the steel plates covering the cylinder;
O the cone and prow of the cylinder, and P a spring forming a yielding support for
the prow.
I construct my improved balloon of metal, preferably of steel, making it, by
preference, though not necessarily, cylindrical in form with pointed ends. The metal
envelope being strong enough to resist the pressure of the atmosphere, about three-
fourths of the air is exhausted from the cylinder, and, the attraction of gravity being
thus overcome, the ship will rise and float in the air, of course carrying with it the
car and whatever else may be attached thereto. The air displaced by the cylinder will
make a difference between the weight of the air removed and the weight of the

page_text: general surface of the cylinder sufficient to lift the cylinder, car, etc. The ship will
be propelled by fans or air propellers set in motion by electrical apparatus or
otherwise.
In operation, the air being exhausted from the cylinder as above, the ship'rises
carrying with it the car and whatever else may be attached thereto, and is then
propelled by the electric current generated by an accumulator, this electric current
being applied and controlled in any ordinary way. The air propeller being on the
same shaft as the dynamo of course turns with it and thus causes the ship to move
forward when the rear gate or valve is opened and to move backward when the front
gate or valve is opened by thrusting the air from said gates respectively.
The gates or valves may be adapted to be inclined across the vertical plane of the
ship, or the whole driving fan apparatus may be so inclined, or such other means
taken or devised that the valves or other parts may act as rudders for the steering of
the ship.
The cylinder may be of any size desired, but I prefer to make it about four
hundred and fourteen feet long and about one hundred and forty-four feet in
diameter, with a cone and prow one hundred and twenty feet long at each end.
The cylinder is covered with solid steel plates which are secured together by ribs
passing crosswise of the plates and riveted thereto. To prevent the collapse of the
cylinder, ribs are passed crosswise of the plates inside of the cylinder, these ribs
being about an inch and one-half wide and an eighth of an inch thick, and being
placed about nine feet apart. Being thus placed on the inside, these ribs of course
aid in resisting the atmospheric pressure. The cylinder, which must of course be
air-proof, is separated into rooms or compartments, so that in case of an accident to
one, the others, being uninjured, will cause the ship to continue in its course and
prevent its falling. A tube or cylinder may be run through the main cylinder length-
wise, and between this cylinder and the outer or main cylinder, more or less rarified
air forced in, which also aids in resisting the atmospheric pressure.
One wing is placed at each side of the cylinder and inclined downwardly at an
angle of about forty-five degrees, so that its lower end comes down to about the
same horizontal plane as the diametrical center of the cylinder. These wings are
preferably about as long as the straight part of the cylinder, and about as wide as
one-eighth of its diameter. As above stated, they are secured at about the horizontal
center of the cylinder, being made stationary or solid therewith, and are fastened
thereto so as to leave a small space between them and the cylinder for the passage
of air to prevent oscillation.
The vacuum may be produced in any ordinary way, but I prefer to produce it by
the use of pneumatic pumps which may operate to exhaust the greater portion of the
air from the cylinder to allow the ship to rise, and by compression to again charge
the cylinder with atmospheric air to bring it to the ground and permit its landing
whenever desired.
I attach to the cylinder a car preferably about one hundred and seventy-four feet
long by about thirty feet wide and twenty-one feet deep, which is of course adapted
to carry passengers, freight and generally whatever may be required. This car may
be provided with wheels, so that, in addition to navigating the air or floating in water,
it may also roll on the ground.
The essence of the invention consisting in the making of an air ship or balloon
adapted to be operated by the vacuum principle as a lifting force, I of course do not
wish to be understood as claiming minor features or details of construction; 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 declare that what I
claim is:
1. An air ship comprising in combination a hollow metallic body, and means for
producing a vacuum therein, whereby the ship may be caused to rise, substantially as
described.
9
2 An air ship comprising in combination, a hollow metallic body, means for

page_text: producing a vacuum therein, and a car attached to the hollow metallic body,
substantially as described.
3. An air ship comprising a metallic cylinder, constructed substantially as
described, and means for producing a vacuum, whereby the ship may be caused to
rise, substantially as described.
4. An air ship comprising a metallic cylinder constructed substantially as described,
means for producing a vacuum, and a car attached to the cylinder, substantially as
described.
5. In an air ship, a metallic cylinder constructed substantially as described,
provided with means for producing a vacuum therein and pointed or cone shaped
ends, substantially as described.
6. In an air ship, a metallic cylinder provided with means for producing a
vacuum therein, pointed or cone shaped ends and electrical apparatus for operating
the same, substantially as described.
7.--In an air ship, a metallic cylinder provided with means for producing a
vacuum therein, pointed or cone shaped ends and a spring support for the points,
substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of November 1887.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.