IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO VESSELS AND APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
.
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co, Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
VESSELS AND APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION" to be as follows:
:=
any
This Invention relates to apparatus for enabling balloons to travel in
direction and it consists in the novel arrangement and application of parts as
hereinafter described...
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of apparatus, constructed according to
this Invention, and
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
The balloon a, the envelope of which may be made of any suitable material in
order to diminish the resistance when moving through the air, has an elongated
shape as shewn, and is provided at each extremity with a cap b of wood; iron, or
other suitable material. The said caps serve to support a longitudinal beam c
provided with apertures in which are mounted the screws d rotating in the
cylindrical casings e.
The beam c is suspended from the network of which passes over the balloon by
cords attached to the beam and net:
.
The car g contains a steam engine or other suitable motor such as a gas or hot
air engine. The said motor serves to rotate the screws d which propel the balloon.
This motor also actuates a blower or fan h which is mounted upon a shaft or
support i articulated upon the hinder cap b by means of a universal joint.
The said blower or fan which may be moved upon its joint by pulling one or the
other of the cords k connected with the car causes a current of air to impinge
against a surface formed of a vertical frame filled with linen or made of wood or
metal according to the weight which can be disposed of. The said frame oscillates
with the blower or fan on the universal joint.

page_text: It is obvious that by moving the blower or fan h and its frame to one side or
the other a correspondingly greater pressure will be produced on one side or the
other of the axis of the balloon thereby altering the course of the same according
to the angle at which the blower or fan is placed.
A pair of rudders m connected by a rod F assist the above movement when
more or less turned upon their hinges n by means of cords connected with the car.
In order to increase the propulsive force of the apparatus I arrange in the angle
formed by the rudders a wheel or screw A, the rotary movement of which is
transmitted from the motor in the car.
As shewn on the Drawing the screw A is actuated by a belt C passing over the
pulley D which actuates the blower or fan h.
I may, if necessary, replace the cross bar F connecting the two rudders, by a
spring thereby enabling these rudders to have independent movements upon their
hinges. The cords k also which serve to move the blower or fan and the two
frames m, may be joined together so as to form a single cord, the result being that
a single effort upon the said cord will serve to move both rudders simultaneously.
The screws and the fan may be actuated by means of pinions gearing together
instead of by belts.
The balloon above described can be filled, and the accessories for the same
. arranged in such a manner that the total weight will be equilibrated by the
atmospheric air so that the least effort will cause its ascension. The result is that
under ordinary circumstances, the balloon will remain upon the ground.
In order to cause the balloon to ascend, vertical screws capable of being inclined
when required in any direction, are employed. These screws rotate in enclosed
cylindrical casings connected with the caps forming the two extremities of the
balloon. The action of the said screws upon the air caused by the rotation of the
former will be sufficient to cause the balloon to ascend to a suitable height. The
said vertical screws are actuated by a different shaft from that which actuates the
horizontal screws d above described, thereby permitting the rotation of the
vertical screws to be stopped when a suitable height has been reached without
having to interfere with the movement of the horizontal screws.
The balloon thus arranged is capable of ascending and descending at will,
without the use of a gas valve. The number, and relative positions, of these
vertical screws upon the balloon may vary according to the purposes for which the
said balloon is to be used.
When the balloon is intended for purposes of warfare I may adapt armour
plates to it so as to protect the envelope from bullets or projectiles.
In order to avoid any accident which might happen, either to the apparatus or
in consequence of the want of fuel, water, or the like, I arrange a crank handle
which may be moved by hand, in order to operate the screws and enable the
descent and landing to be safely effected.
The car carries at each corner a hollow casing provided with a valve at the top
which may be displaced by hand in order to allow the passage of the air through
the said casing when the balloon is descending. The said casings are of smaller
diameter at the top than at the bottom in order to counter act, when necessary,
the rapidity of the descent.

page_text: I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO VESSELS AND
APPARATUS FOR AËRIAL NAVIGATION" 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 vessels and apparatus for aerial navigation and consists
in the novel arrangement and application of parts as hereinafter described, whereby
a balloon can be guided or steered in the air in a somewhat similar manner to that
in which a ship is steered on the sea.
The said apparatus is chiefly characterized by the combination of a blowing fan
capable of oscillating as hereinafter set forth, with frames forming rudders and
with screw-propellers operating in casings for producing a displacement and
forcing of the air by reason of the rotary movement imparted to them..
The said apparatus is shewn in the accompanying Drawing by way of example
only and in order to illustrate the combination of its different parts each of which
taken independently can be varied in its general arrangement.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of apparatus constructed according to
this Invention and
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
In order to diminish the resistance of the air in the direction of movement the
balloon is made of an elongated shape as shewn in the Drawing.
The balloon a is provided at each extremity with a cap b of wood, iron or other
suitable material. These caps serve to support a longitudinal beam or girder c which
is cut out, or formed with apertures, to receive the screw-propellers & which rotate in
the cylindrical casings e. The suspension of the beam or girder c is partially effected
by the network f which passes over the balloon and terminates in cords which are
attached to the said beam or girder.
The car g contains a steam engine or other suitable motor, such as a gas or hot-
air engine. The said motor serves to rotate the screw-propellers d, which cause a
displacement of the air under the balloon with a power dependent upon the speed
of their rotation. The said motor also actuates the blower or fan h, which is
mounted upon a shaft or support i articulated to the rear cap 6 by means of a
universal joint.
The said blower or fan may be moved upon its joint by pulling one or the other
of the cords k connected with the car; the said blower or fan causes a current of
air to impinge against a surface formed by a vertical frame covered with cloth,
wood, or metal according to the weight desired. The said frame oscillates with
the blower or fan on the said universal joint.
It is obvious that, by moving the blower or fan h and the frame 7 in either
direction, the course of the balloon will be changed in an opposite direction, and to
any degree required, according to the angle at which the blower or fan is placed.
Two rudders m connected by a rod or cross-bar F assist this movement when more
or less turned upon their hinges n by means of cords connected with the car.
In order to increase the propulsive force of the apparatus by means of these
two frames or rudders I arrange in the angle formed thereby a screw-propeller A,
the rotary movement of which is transmitted from the motor in the car.
This screw-propeller is actuated by means of a belt O passing over the pulley D
which transmits motion to the blower or fan h.

page_text: I wish it understood that the movement of these parts may be effected by any
kind of motor, such as electricity for example.
I may, if necessary, replace the cross-bar F connecting the two rudders, by a
spring which will permit these rudders to have an alternating movement upon
their hinges. The cords / which serve for moving or adjusting the blower or fan
and the two frames or rudders m may be joined together so as to form a single
cord, so that a simple pull upon the said cord will serve to move both frames
simultaneously.
The screw-propellers and other parts may, if desired, be actuated by means of
pinions geared together, instead of by belts.
The balloon above described can be filled, and the accessories for the same
arranged, in such a manner that the total weight will be equilibrated by the
atmospheric air so that the least effort will cause its ascension. The result is that
under ordinary circumstances, without any propulsion, when the motor is at rest,
the balloon will remain upon the ground and in equilibrium. Under these
conditions the weight of the accessories and rigging will neutralize the ascending
power of the balloon.
To cause the balloon to ascend, I apply vertical screw-propellers capable of being
inclined at will in any direction. These screw-propellers rotate in cylindrical
casings fixed to, or formed integrally with, the caps forming the two extremities of
the balloon.
:
The displacement of air caused by the rotation of these vertical screw-propellers
will be sufficient to cause the balloon to ascend to the desired elevation. The said
vertical screw-propellers are actuated by a different shaft from that which actuates
the horizontal screw-propellers d above described. This arrangement permits the
rotation of the vertical screw-propellers to be stopped, when a suitable elevation
has been reached, without interfering with the movement of the horizontal screw-
propellers. The balloon thus arranged can be caused to ascend and descend at will,
without the use of a gas-valve and by the simple action of these vertical screw-
propellers. The numbers of these vertical screw-propellers and their relative
position upon the balloon may be varied according to the purpose for which the
said balloon is to be used.
The envelope of the balloon may be of any suitable material or combination of
materials; and the said balloon may be applied to explorations over land and sea,
to the transport of despatches, and passengers, for purposes of military strategy,
for reconnoitring, for surveys, for signalling purposes, for communicating with
besieged places; for acting offensively or defensively in sieges or battles on land or
sea, or for use on board ship (when made of suitable dimensions) as life-saving
apparatus, or for other purposes.
"
.:
When the balloon is intended for purposes of warfare, I may provide it with
armour-plates so as, to protect the envelope from bullets or projectiles.
In order to avoid any accident which might happen to the apparatus in
consequence of want of fuel or water, or from other causes, I arrange a crank-
handle which may be moved by hand, in order to assist the descent and enable the
apparatus to be landed without accident.
The car carries at each corner a hollow casing provided with a valve at the top,
which valve may be displaced by hand to permit the passage of air through the
said casing when the balloon is descending. The opening in the said casing is
larger at the base than at the top; these casings are intended to diminish the
rapidity of the descent if necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
.
First. In mechanism or apparatus for the propulsion and steering of balloons,
the combination of a blower or fan h and a frame mounted on an articulated

page_text: shaft i, with the frames or rudders m forming an angle in which a screw-propeller A
is arranged, substantially as above described.
Second. In a balloon capable of being steered, the application and arrangement
of the screw-propellers d rotating in the cylindrical casings e and actuated by a
single longitudinal shaft, substantially as above described and for the purpose
specified.