Improvements in Air Ships.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air Ships.
I JAMES CONSTANT WALKER of 124 N. 14th Street, Waco, McLennan
County, Texas, United States of America, Retired Lawyer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an improved form of air ship for
navigating the air, and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of
parts for raising the ship, propelling it through the air, directing its movements,
and providing for its safe and easy descent, as will be hereinafter fully described.
The air ship is constructed of a light rectangular tubular metal frame work,
made two stories high with an upper floor laid upon intermediate supports, and a
lower floor. From the upper floor level there projects at each end a tapering
prow-shaped frame made of metal tubes whose outer ends are stayed by wire cables
extending to the lower floor and to the upper corners of the frame respectively,
and by wire cables extending to each of the stacks of the lifting wheels.
These stacks which extend from top to bottom of the ship consist of vertical
canvas sleeves or cylinders each enclosing four strong tubular standards which
extend from the lower floor up to a permanently attached conical sheet metal cap
having a pendent flange at its outer edge. About the middle of these standards is
fixed a sheet metal ring which is stayed to the frame-work below by wire cables,
the canvas sleeves or cylinders extending from this ring to the lower frame-work.
To brace the stacks the rings are connected by a horizontal cross bar and
horizontal wire cables and the caps are connected by a cross bar which is
connected to the first mentioned cross bar by a vertical rod.
Within the ring is fixed a spider frame having a central hub portion or journal
bearing in which revolves a vertical rotating driving shaft carrying within the
ring a lifting wheel made of very light construction and after the form of a wind-
mill wheel or propeller. The driving shafts extend down to the lower floor of the
ship where they are provided with suitable gears connecting with the motive power,
such as chain wheels for example on the driving shafts connected by belt chains
to a central double driving wheel in connection with any suitable engine.
The wheels revolving within the stacks serve the purpose of lifting the air ship
when set in motion, their direction of revolution and the inclination of the
blades being such as to draw the air downwardly into the stack from the open
space above, with a suction effect, and with a compressing effect in the stack
below.
I will now describe the means for enabling the ship to travel horizontally in
the air. In the upper compartment of the main frame there are arranged two
horizontal canvas cylinders, one on each side of the stacks before mentioned at
the forward end of each of which cylinders is a sheet metal collar, in which is
arranged a propeller wheel revolving about a horizontal axis connected to the
prime motor through any suitable train of gear, and these wheels act at the prow
of the ship by suction and compression of air in the cylinders. At the rear end of
these horizontal cylinders are rudders hinged about the vertical axis in a metal
ring or bar by which the direction of travel is controlled. These rudders are
worked by suitable cords or chains in the usual way.
I will now describe the means for enabling the ship to descend with safety.
Over the whole of the upper portion of the ship is arranged a canvas parachute
which is shaped somewhat like an umbrella but has in its upper portion two sliding
collars which have guide eyes or sleeves that embrace the vertical standards of the
stacks. These collars slide from a position immediately beneath the top caps to

page_text: the position in which said collars rest upon the stationary rings of the stacks.
When the parachute is in the position for sailing the space above the lifting wheels
is open so that the lifting wheels in the stacks can exercise their lifting effect upon
the air above. When in this position the front and rear edges of the parachute
are reefed up on the cables so as to be out of the way of the action of the propelling
wheels within the horizontal cylinders. For the purpose of hoisting these edges
of the parachute they are attached to cords running around pulleys to the interior
of the ship. Similar cords and pulleys may be employed for positively pulling the
parachute up or down on its guide standards in case it should not act freely. At
the sides of the parachute are arranged folding frames which are hinged to the
main frame and rise to a horizontal position when the parachute is inflated for
descent, and drop to a position parallel to the sides of the ship, when the ship is in
flight.
In order to hold the ship steady, I provide a suspended ballast which is rigidly
attached to a long rod attached to a rope or chain passing around a pulley. By
means of which the ballast may be lowered to any desired position below the ship
to hold the latter steady in its flight. Where the rod passes through the bottom of
the ship it is contained and guided within a tube which is hung by trunnions in a
frame so that said guide tube may be tilted or rocked in a vertical longitudinal
plane. The object of this is to cant the ship up or down so as to cause it to move
forward and ascend or descend in an inclined path. Thus if the tube be tilted so as
to throw the ballast to the rear the bow of the ship will cant upwardly, and
vice versa.
Or instead of a long rigid rod a telescopic tube may be used for con-
necting with the ballast, in which the ballast is maintained by a suspending rope
passing up within the telescopic sections to form a stiff tube. The object in having
the ballast connected to the ship by a stiff tube or rod is to cause its position to
have a reflex action on the ship for canting it up or down, it being obvious that if
the ballast were flexibly suspended it could not have such influence upon the ship.
The ballast may be connected by guy ropes to the bow and stern of the ship and
adjusted as to position by these ropes. To supplement the lifting effect of the
lift wheels of the stacks I may construct the ship with a tight gas chamber
filled with hydrogen or other light gas, and designed to have the buoyant effect of
a balloon.
A cone may be placed centrally above each lifting wheel so as to cause the air
to pass to the outer periphery of the wheel where it has the greatest speed and
lifting effect. This cone also prevents the regurgitation of air upwardly through
the centre of the wheel.
Dated this 12th day
1000
J. C. WALKER,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air Ships.
I, JAMES CONSTANT WALKER of 124, N. 14th Street, Waco, in the County of
McLennan and State of Texas, United States of America, Retired Lawyer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 my invention is to provide an improved form of air ship for
navigating the air, and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of
parts for raising the ship, propelling it through the air, directing its movements,
and providing for its safe and easy descent, as will be hereinafter fully described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this

page_text: Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the outer frame-work of the ship, with its main
parachute removed;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the air ship complete with parachute attached and
adjusted for sailing;
Figure 3 is a side view partly in section, showing the main parachute inflated
for ascending;
'Figure 4 is an end elevation, partly in section, showing the parachute inflated
for descending;
Figure 5 is a modification of the main frame in side elevation, showing a buoyant
gas chamber;
Figure 6 is a modification, shown in vertical section, of the ballast adjusting
device, and
Figure 7 is a detail of the lifting wheel.
Referring to Figure 1, A A, AA', represents a rectangular frame work of metal
tubes made two stories high with an upper floor laid upon intermediate supports BB
and a lower floor A¹ A. From the floor level B there projects at each end a
tapering prow-shaped frame C made of metal tubes whose outer ends are stayed
by wire cables DD extending to the lower floor A' and by wire cables E E
extending to the upper corners of the frame and by a wire cable E' extending to
one of the stacks of the lifting wheels. S S are these stacks. They each have four
strong tubular standards F which extend from the lower floor A¹ A¹ up to a
permanently attached conical sheet metal cap G having a pendent flange g at its
outer edge. About the middle of these standards is fixed a sheet metal ring R
which is stayed to the framework below by the wire cables I and E. From this
ring R to the framework A' A' below, the standards F are surrounded by canvas
sleeves or cylinders, as shown at S. Within the rings R there is fixed the spider
frame or radial arins J having a central hub portion or journal bearing in which
revolves the vertical rotating drive shaft W' carrying within the ring R the lifting
wheel W made of very light construction and after the form of a windmill wheel
or propeller. These driving shafts W' extend down to the lower floor of the ship
where they are provided with suitable gears connecting with the motive power.
As shown, they are chain wheels a on the shafts W connected by chain belts to a
central double driving wheel which may represent any suitable engine. The
wheels W in the stacks serve the purpose of lifting the air ship when set in motion,
their direction of revolution and the inclination of the blades of the wheels being
such as to draw the air downwardly into the stack from the open space above, with
a suction effect, and compressing effect in the stacks below. To brace the stacks
the rings R R are connected by a horizontal cross-bar H and horizontal wire
cables and the caps G G are connected by bar H' which is connected to bar H
by a vertical rod H.
I will now describe the means for enabling the ship to travel horizontally in
the air: In the upper compartment of the main frame, there are arranged two
horizontal canvas cylinders K one on each side of the stacks S. At the forward
end of each of these cylinders, there is a sheet metal collar L in which is arranged
a propeller wheel L' revolving about a horizontal axis. (Figures 3 and 4). This
is connected to the prime motor through any suitable train of gear and these
wheels act at the prow of the ship by suction and compression of air in the
cylinders. At the rear end of these horizontal cylinders K are rudders M hinged
about the vertical axis in a metal ring or bar, by which the direction of travel is
controlled. These rudders are worked by suitable cords or chains, in the usual way.
I will now describe the means for enabling the ship to descend with safety:
Over the whole of the upper portion of the ship is arranged a canvas parachute P,
which is shown folded or out of use in Figure 2 and inflated for descent in Figures 3
and 4.
This parachute is shaped somewhat like an umbrella but has in its upper
portion two sliding collars N N which have guide eyes or sleeves n that embrace

page_text: When the
the vertical standards F of the stacks. These collars slide from a position
immediately beneath the top caps G in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 2
in which said collars rest upon the stationary rings R of the stacks.
parachute is in the position shown in Figure 2 the space above the lifting wheels
is open so that the lifting wheels can exercise their lifting effect upon the air above.
When in this position the front and rear edges of the parachute are reefed up on
the cables E' so as to be out of the way of the action of the wheels within the
horizontal cylinders K. For the purpose of hoisting these edges of the parachute,
the latter are attached to cords k running around pulleys to the interior of the
ship. Similar cords and pulleys may be employed for positively pulling the
parachute up or down on its guide standards F and H', in case it should not act
freely. At the sides of the parachute are arranged folding frames P¹ which are
hinged to the main frame (see Figure 4) and rise to a horizontal position when the
parachute is inflated for descent, and drop to a position parallel with the sides of
the ship, as shown by dotted lines, when the ship is in flight.
vice versa.
In order to hold the ship steady, I provide a suspended ballast Q (see Figure 3)
which is rigidly attached to a long rod r and which in turn is attached to a rope
or chain passing around a pulleys. By means of this rope and pulley, the
ballast Q may be lowered to any desired position below the ship to hold the latter
steady in its flight. Where the rod r passes through the bottom of the ship, it is
contained and guided within a tube which is hung by trunnions in a frame u so
that said guide tube y may be tilted or rocked in a vertical longitudinal plane.
The object of this is to cant the ship up or down so as to cause it to move forward
and ascend or descend in an inclined path. Thus if the tube y be tilted so as to
throw the ballast Q to the rear, the bow of the ship will cant upwardly and
As a modification of this construction, instead of using the long stiff
rod I may use a telescopic tube for connecting with the ballast, as shown in
Figure 6, in which the ballast is maintained by a suspending rope passing up
within the telescopic sections to form a stiff tube. The object in having the
ballast connected to the ship by a stiff tube or rod is to cause its position to have
a reflex action on the ship for canting it up or down, it being obvious that if the
ballast were flexibly suspended it could not have such influence upon the ship.
This ballast may be connected by guy ropes to the bow and stern of the ship and
adjusted as to position by these ropes. To supplement the lifting effect of the lift
wheels WI may construct the ship with a tight gas chamber Y, as shown in
Figure 5, which is designed to be filled with hydrogen or other light gas, and is
designed to have the buoyant effect of a balloon. I propose also to place centrally
above each lift wheel W, a cone Z (see Figure 7) which causes the air to pass to
the outer periphery of the wheel where it has the greatest speed and lifting
effect. This cone also prevents the regurgitation of air upwardly through the
centre of the wheel.
In building my ship, I propose to use a light tubular construction of material so
as to secure the greatest strength consistent with a minimum weight, and where
metal parts are required I shall use aluminium or very light steel, canvas, wood,
and compressed paper supplying the principal constituents of the other parts of the
structure. Any suitable motor may be employed which furnishes high power
with little weight. The latter, however, formis no part of my present invention.
The ends and sides of the cabin of the ship may be covered with canvas, woven
wire, or wicker work of wood. In constructing the stacks, cylinders, or flues, I
may use two or more of them and their location may be varied as experience may
prove best.
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 :-
1. The combination in an air ship of the stationary vertical cylinders S S opening
1
L
1

page_text: the horizontal framework having pointed ends and horizontal cylinders arranged
therein and provided with propeller wind wheels, substantially as shown and
described.
2. The combination in an air ship of a stationary vertical stack extending from
top to bottom of the ship and formed of a rigid collar R at the top and canvas
sides S below and a suction wind wheel W arranged in bearings in the rigid collar,
substantially as shown and described.
3. The combination in an air ship of a vertical stack consisting of upper
cap G standards FF, a rigid collar R attached to the standards and provided
with a wind wheel and a canvas body portion S, substantially as shown and
described.
4. The combination, with the vertical stacks having wind wheels in them,
the two horizontal cylinders having wind wheels in them, the rectangular
frames A B A', the end sections C C, and the guy cables D, E, E', I, substantially
as described.
5. The combination, with an air ship, of a suspended ballast and a bar or tube
connecting the same adjustably but stiffly to the ship, substantially as shown and
described.
6. The combination, with an air ship, of a suspended ballast, a relatively stiff
connection for the same to the ship and a guide through which said connection
passes, substantially as shown and described.
7. The combination in an air ship, of one or more vertical stacks each closed
around its lower portions, open about its upper portion, and provided with a
terminal cap at the top, and a parachute encompassing the ship and having a collar
playing over the upper or open part of the stack so as to close the stack or open it
accordingly as the parachute is inflated or collapsel, substantially as shown and
described.
8. The parachute P having a collar N with guide eyes or sleeves n in com-
bination with the stack having terminal cap G at the top, standards F F,
ring R with the wind wheel, substantially as shown and described.
and
9. The combination, with the vertically adjustable parachute and the main
frame of the air ship, of the side frame P¹ hinged to the main frame and attached
to the lower edge of the parachute, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1892.
1006,
J. C. WALKER,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.