IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH AEROSTATION
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustave Louis Marie Viscount de Ponton D'Ame-
court, of Paris, France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED WITH AEROSTATION."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustave Louis Marie
Viscount de Ponton D'Amecourt at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd August 1861.
I, GUSTAVE LOUIS MARIE Viscount DE PONTON D'AMECOURT, of Paris,
France, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH AEROSTATION," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in making the atmosphere subservient as a prop or
point of support for aerostatical apparatus, and doing away with balloons or
other similar aerostatical apparatus deriving their ascending power only from
being provided with gas of less specific gravity than that of the atmosphere.
In my invention the ascensional and the impulsory and directing motions are
imparted to the aerostatical apparatus by the effect produced on the air by the
rapid revolving motion of suitable helixes or propeller screws. The required
ascensional motion is given to my aerostatical apparatus (which I intend
denominating aeronef or helicoptere,) by means of two or more superposed
horizontal helixes combined together, and revolving in such manner in respect
to each other, that the resistance offered to them by the air being the result of
Prices

page_text: two forces, viz., one vertical, and the other horizontal, the several vertical
components combine their efforts for raising the apparatus, whilst the horizontal
components keep each other in proper equilibrium, and prevent the apparatus
from receiving a giration motion, which would be prejudical to the aeronaut or
driver of the aeronef. The propulsory motion is imparted to the apparatus by a
vertical revolving helix, whilst a vertical rudder acting in the manner of a ship's
rudder, and-a-horizontal onc acting in a manner similar to a bird's tail, serve
for directing the apparatus; the vertical rudder provides also for any deficincy-
in the equilibrium existing between the ascending helixes, the inclined position
of one of which latter may be shifted at pleasure by the aeronaut by means of
a proper regulator; and-so-as--to- allow him_of_transforming the apparatus into
an inclined plane, or a parachute. The helixes or screws may receive their
revolving motion from any suitable prime mover, and the working principle of
the apparatus be applied to toys or playthings for children.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Gustave Louis Marie Viscount de Ponton D'Amecourt in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GUSTAVE
LOUIS MARIE Viscount DE PONTON D'AMECOURT, of Paris, France, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the
year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Gustave Louis Marie Viscount de Ponton D'Amecourt, Her special licence
that I, the said Gustave Louis Marie Viscount de Ponton D'Amecourt,
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Gustave Louis Marie Viscount de Ponton D'Amecourt, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH
AEROSTATION," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Gustave
Louis Marie Viscount de Ponton D'Amecourt, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and

page_text: seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I. the said Gustave Louis Marie Viscount de
Ponton D'Amecourt, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
These improvements relate to apparatus connected with aerostation, and
they consists in making the atmosphere subservient as a
prop or point of
support for such apparatus, and doing away with balloons or other similar
hitherto used acrostatical apparatuses deriving their ascending or floating power
from being provided with gas of less specific gravity than that of the atmosphere:
whereas, in my Invention, the ascensional as well as the propelling motions
are imparted to the aerostatical apparatus by the effect produced on the air by
the rapid revolving motion of suitable helixes, blades, or propeller screws. In
my Invention the aerostatical apparatus has consequently a greater density
than the air in which it is intended to navigate, and in this respect is different
from any of the apparatuses hitherto proposed for aerostatical purposes, which
latter, on the contrary, were based on the employ of a gas, or of air of less
specific gravity than that of the air in which the apparatus is to move. I
consequently entirely do away with the balloon, whereas in my apparatus this
latter is caused to rise and is directed merely by means of mechanical power,
the air being thereby made subservient as a prop or point of support, whilst any
suitable motive power may be made use of for driving the mechanism, which
latter consists of two principal or main parts, viz., those for imparting the rising
or ascentional motion to the apparatus, and those for giving the propulsive and
directing motions thereto, the first consisting of two helixes or parts of helixes,
or propeller screws, vanes, or blades, and the second of a helix or suitable
parts thereof, and one or more rudders, all or part of which are suitably con-
nected to and driven by a steam engine, or other suitable prime mover. In
making use of a helix or helixes, or suitable parts thereof, it is merely because
I consider the same to be fittest for properly acting on so fugitive a resting
point as is the atmosphere; but I wish it to be understood that various other
mechanical devices might be made use of instead of the said helixes or pro-
peller screws, such as suitably inclined wings, paddle, or other suitable wheels,
and so on, and I consequently do not wish to restrain or restrict myself to the
exclusive use of any of these parts, but intend to vary this part of the Inven-
tion according to circumstances.

page_text: The apparatus make use of for properly ascertaining the principle of my
Invention, and which, consequently. I may here give a description of, in order
to make the nature of the Invention better understood, is represented in
elevation view in Fig. 1 of the annexed Drawings, the remainder of the
Figures of which Drawings show various views of detached parts of the
apparatus, in all of which Figures corresponding parts are indicated by the
same letters of reference.
The apparatus consists of a strong vertical or main shaft or arbor A, to the
lower part of which is firmly secured a box B containing a small steam engine
or other suitable prime mover, and also the seat for the aeronaut or driver of
the apparatus or other persons accompanying him: Fig. 2-represents-a- front,
and Fig. 3 a side view of the shaft A. provided with forked paris or slits, in
which the pulleys a, a', a², and a³, revolve by means of their spindles b, b', b²,
. in suitable bearings, motion being transmitted by any suitable means from the
steam engine to the driving spindle b'; in A¹ the shaft A forms a hollow cylin-
drical part, through which are conducted the straps c and c¹ for connecting
together the pulleys a and a. and those and a, and round this part-A¹ fits
and revolves the boss of a cast-iron circle or wheel d (shown in plan view in
Fig. 4), to the periphery of which circle are fixed the stretchers or ribs R,
(Figs. 4, 5, 6,) for two, three, or more vanes or blades D of a helical or other
suitable form, situated at suitable distances apart round the said periphery, in
such manner that the entire forms a helix or propeller screw E, about in a
similar manner as those made use of for propelling steam boats, or in the
manner of the arms or sails of the ordinary vertical windmill; the said vanes
or blades D consisting of a suitable framework covered with canvass, sheet
metal, or any other suitable light and resisting material, suitable provisions
being made for allowing the aeronaut to reef these sails, or vary the inclina-
tion of the vanes according as might be required. The arbor or shaft A is
provided with two of such helixes or propeller screws E and E', situated hori-
zontally above and parallel to each other, whilst, for causing them to revolve
in opposite directions to each other, tooth wheels G are fixed to each end of
the spindle b of the pulley a, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 5,) which wheels G are in
gear with the indented parts e of the circles d and d¹ respectively of the
upper and lower helixes E and E¹, and as a suitable revolving motion is
transmitted from the steam engine or other prime mover to the spindle b¹,
this motion will be transmitted by the pulleys a² and a', and the straps c¹ and c
to the pulleys a³ and a, and by the spindle b of this latter to the wheels G,
and consequently to the helixes E and E' driven by these wheels G, but so as
to cause the helix E to revolve in one and the other helix E' in the opposite

page_text: direction. In order to prevent the helixes E and E' to alter their position in
respect to each other, a cross g (Fig. 5) revolves freely round the shaft A,
and has at the end of each of its arms g a small friction wheelm, revolving
between a circular plate n (fixed to the shaft A) and the top of the circle,d;
a similar arrangement is provided from underneath for the lower helix E.
The revolving motion in contrary directions might also be transmitted to the
helixes E and E¹, by means of the arrangement represented in side elevation
view in Fig. 7. A is the shaft, round which fits a boss H with: conical wheel..I
and a cross part J for the lower helix E to be fixed to, whilst the shaft A is
also provided with a conical wheel I' and cross part J' for the npper helix E,
both wheels I and l'are in gear with a pinion K, the spindle K' of which
turns in suitable bearings K2, and is provided with a crank arm K" connected
by a rod K, or other suitable arrangement with the prime mover for receiving
a suitable revolving motion therefrom, which will thus cause the wheels I
and I, and consequently the helixes E and E' to revolve in opposite direc-
tions; it will be readily understood that many other arrangements might serve
for obtaining a similar result: but what I consider to be a distinguishing
feature or principle of this part of the Invention is to have the two helixes E
and E', or other parts made use of in lieu of them, acting as vertical helixes
or propeller screws, but revolving in opposite horizontal directions, so as to
cause the horizontal components of the forces keep each other, in proper
equilibrium, in order to prevent any giration motion to be imparted to the
aerostatical apparatus, whereas the vertical components of the forces unite
together, and thus serve for imparting the proper ascending motion to the
apparatus; it will be understood that provision must be made for allowing the
aeronaut at any time to vary either the degree of inclination of the blades,
sails, or vanes of each of the helixes E and E' separately, or the amount of
canvass or other surface they offer to the air, in order to allow of suitably
regulating the equilibrium that ought constantly to exist between the horizontal
components of the forces. The mechanical parts for imparting the propulsive
and directory motions to the apparatus consist of a set of blades or vanes, forming
a vertical revolving helix N, Fig. 1, and acting in the air in the same manner
as the helixes made use of for propelling vessels in water or the arms of a
windmill. The spindle P of this propeller screw or helix N revolves in proper
bearings in the arbor or shaft A, and the same is driven by the pulley a; the
same as has been said in respect to the helixes E and E', proper provisions
must be made for allowing the aeronaut to vary, at pleasure, the speed of the
revolution of the propelling helix N, or the inclination of its arms or the
amount of surface they are to offer to the air. For directing the apparatus

page_text: }
a vertical rudder L, acting in the manner of a fish tail, is provided thereto,
whilst provision is made for allowing the aeronaut to vary, at pleasure, the
angular position of this rudder; the manner of acting of which corresponds
with that of the ordinary ship's rudder; if required, a similar rudder M,
situated in the horizontal position in the manner of a bird's tail, might be
likewise adapted to the apparatus and be under the command of the aeronaut;
these rudders consequently allow of varying the progress of the apparatus, as
well in the horizontal as in the vertical direction.
f
From the description here above given it may be understood that in respect
to the mechanical arrangement or details of parts made use of for imparting
to the apparatus the required vertical or ascending, and the horizontal or pro-.
pelling motions, and for directing the same, the apparatus above described
must only be considered as an exemplification of the general arrangement of
such acrostatical apparatus; but what forms the leading feature or principle
of this arrangement is, the mode described of imparting a proper vertical or
ascending motion to the apparatus, thereby effectually preventing any giratory
or horizontal revolving motion of the same, which I obtain, as has already been
explained. by means of two superposed horizontal propellers, driven by any
suitable prime mover, and combined together and revolving or acting in oppo-
site directions to each other, and in such manner that the resistance offered to
them by the air, being the result of two forces, viz., one vertical and the other
horizontal, the several vertical components unite their efforts for rising the
apparatus, whereas the horizontal components keep each other in proper equi-
librium, and thus prevent the apparatus from receiving a giratory motion
which latter would prove very prejudicial to the aeronaut or driver of the
apparatus; the apparatus thus deriving its ascending power solely from any
suitable prime mover with which the same is provided, consequently allows of
doing away with the use of balloons or other apparatus having less specific
gravity than that of the air. As regards the propulsive and directive motions,
these may be, imparted to the apparatus either by the above-described pro-
peller N and rudders L, M, or by any other suitable means, and this propeller
N and rudders L, M, may be driven also by the prime mover, and be under
the command of the aeronaut or driver of the aerostatical apparatus.
Having thus described and particularly ascertained the nature of the Inven-
tion, and the modes in which the same is or might be put into practical effect,
I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to restrain or restrict myself to
the precise details of the apparatus, or parts thereof above described, as many
variations may be made therefrom without departing from the main features
or principles of the Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original,

page_text: and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, imparting to aeronautical apparatus of a specific
gravity exceeding that of the air, and by means solely of any suitable prime
mover, such as a steam engine or others, the ascending power required for
causing the said apparatus to rise in the air by the effect exerted on this latter
by suitable revolving helixes, propelling blades, or vanes, or other suitable
mechanical arrangements acting in so far in a contrary direction to each other
as to cause the vertical components of their forces unite their efforts for rising
the apparatus, whereas the horizontal components keep each other in proper
equilibrium, and thus prevent the apparatus from taking a giratory motion,
whilst one or more revolving helixes, propeller blades or vanes, or other suit-
able mechanical arangentents are made use of for propelling, and one or
more rudders, wings, or other suitable devices for directing the apparatus.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustave Louis Marie Viscount de Ponton
D'Amecourt, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth
of January, Eighteen hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
GVE LS. MIE VTE DE PONTON D'AMECOURT. (L.S.)
A. G. BRADE.
J.