IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- RATUS FOR TRANSPORTING WEIGHTS FROM PLACE TO PLACE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Peruano Buckham, of No. 12, Laurence Pountney
Lane, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR TRANSPORTING WEIGHTS FROM PLACE TO PLACE." A communi-
cation from abroad by James Stewart Smyth, Capt. 2nd Batt. 17th Foot,
of Musseerrabad, Bombay, India
.1
Sealed the 7th October 1879, and dated the 21st April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Peruano Buckham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1879.
WILLIAM PERUANO BUCKHAM, of No. 12, Laurence Pountney Lane, in the City
of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING WEIGHTS FROM
PLACE TO PLACE." [A communication from abroad by James Stewart Smyth,
Captº. 2nd Batt. 17th Foot, of Musseerrabad, Bombay, India.]
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for transporting
weights from place to place.
For these purposes I employ a rope strained between the places from and to which
the weights are required to be transported. On this rope I arrange pulleys in such
manner that they can traverse freely along the rope, but cannot escape from it. To
the frame containing the pulleys I connect the weight to be conveyed, and also a
balloon competent to lift the weight.
Where the weight has to be taken from a lower to a higher level, the balloon in
rising will carry the weight from end to end of the rope.
When the ground is level, or nearly level, the rope may in some cases be left
somewhat slack, so that the balloon may rise somewhat, and in so doing draw the
load a distance along the rope, after which the balloon may be caused to descend
and a fresh start made.
In some cases, in descending from a higher to a lower level, advantage may be
taken of gravitation to cause the weight to travel along the rope from the higher
to the lower end, the balloon in this case relieving the rope from the greater part of
the load, but leaving a preponderance in a downward direction.
Sometimes the balloon and its load may be hauled by means of ropes, or advantage
may be taken of a favorable wind.
In this way, for military, purposes, guns and other heavy weights may be trans-
ported with facility to places otherwise practically inaccessible.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Peruano Buckham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th October 1879.
WILLIAM PERUANO BUCKHAM, of No. 12, Laurence Pountney Lane, in the City
of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING WEIGHTS FROM
71

page_text: '
PLACE TO PLACE" A communication from abroad by James Stewart Smyth,
Capt. 2nd Batta. 17th Foot, of Musseerrabad, Bombay, India.
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for transporting
weights from place to place.
For these purposes I employ a rope strained between the places from and to which
the weights are required to be transported. On this rope I arrange pulleys in such
manner that they can traverse freely along the rope, but cannot escape from it. To
the frame containing the pulleys I connect the weight to be conveyed, and also a
balloon competant to lift the weight.
Figure 1 illustrates the arrangement of the pulleys upon the rope.
a is the rope; a round rope of steel wire is the most suitable. It is embraced by
the flanged pulleys b, b, b, b, contained in the frame c. At the top of the frame at d
is the shackle for connecting the balloon, and ate is the shackle for the suspension
of the load. The rope is strained in convenient lengths, and at a short distance
from the ground one length or section of the line of rope overlapping the next, as
is represented in Figure 2. At the end of each section the balloon and load are
transferred from one pulley frame to that on the next section of rope, which is
easily done where the ropes are along side the one of the other.
Where the weight has to be taken from a lower to a higher level, the balloon in
rising will carry the weight from end to end of the rope over a very considerable
distance, as is illustrated on the Drawings by Figure 3.
When the ground is level, or nearly level, the rope may in some cases be left
somewhat slack, so that the balloon may rise somewhat, and in so doing draw the
load a distance along the rope, after which the balloon may be caused to descend
and a fresh start made.
Figure 4 illustrates this method of working.
In some cases, in descending from a higher to a lower level, advantage may be
taken of gravitation to cause the weight to travel along the rope from the higher to
the lower end, the balloon in this case relieving the rope from the greater part of
the load, but leaving a preponderance in a downward direction.
Sometimes the balloon and its load may be hauled by means of ropes, or advan-
tage may be taken of a favourable wind."
In this way, for military purposes, guns and other heavy weights may be trans-
ported with facility to places otherwise practically inaccessible.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would remark that I am aware that balloons have before in
some cases been employed in connection with a rope, and have been allowed to
descend with their load under the control of the rope, and afterwards have been
drawn down by means of the rope to the place from whence they started; I there-
fore make no claim to the use in combination in this manner of a balloon and rope,
but I would have it understood that I claim the arrangement of apparatus for
transporting weights from place to place by the aid of a balloon, substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Peruano Buckham, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.