A Controllable Means of Aerial Transport as a Public Amusement.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 18th Sept., 1897
A Controllable Means of Aerial Transport as a Public Amusement.
I, ROBERT KRAUSS of Augsburg, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, Merchant,
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 present Invention applies to a contrivance whereby a number of persons
are enabled to make an excursion or voyage through the air in a horizontal direction
for a certain distance.
The main feature of the same consists of the alternate out-and-in working by
motors between two end stations of a rope or cable or of two parallel-running
operated ropes or cables, so worked as to offer perfect security against lateral devia-
tion, with which ropes or cables a passenger-kite is connected. Through the ex-
cessively rapid running of the operated ropes this passenger-kite is caused to ascend
and float in the air during the continuance of such movement by the operating
medium.
The Figures 1 to 3 show a completed form of this Invention wherein at both the
en stations (A) and (B) large and broad winding-drums (C) and (D) are provided
to which the ropes or cables (F) and (F 1) are fastened, and which by means of these
ropes draw a car (E) backward and forward. To this car (E) at an interval is
connected another car (G) whose bottom is arranged as elastically as possible witn
the object of receiving the passenger-kite both before its ascent and also at its des-
To the car the kite-ropes are suitably connected and these to the passenger-
cent.
kite (K).
The Figures 4 and 5 represent, as a comparison, a form of this Invention where
at both end stations (A) and (B) working ropes capable of being operated circularly
are arranged, of which, two jointly parallel-running endless cable systems (F)
and (1), at a certain interval, continuously work together with equal velocity.
At two selected places (G) and (H) lying opposite each other on the upper
running rope or cable by means of the ropes (F) and (F 1) and the diagonal lines (i)
and (1) which prevent lateral deviation, the passenger-kite is made fast. In this
form of the Invention the passenger-kite instead of being deposited on the so-called
spring-car, as well before as after its flight, lies elastically on both upper draw-
ropes or cables.
In this scheme or system the bearing-wheels or rollers at (f) and (f 1), etc, may
be chosen of the size of the rollers (C) and (D) and be separately propelled, so that
the number of ropes necessary for running gear can be diminished, possibly even
to one rope on each side.
For the security of passengers a balustrade is fixed on the kite.
To ensure that the kite shall rise without jolting or shock it can, for example,
have an enfolding or upholding lift-sail or stay-sail disposed at the under part,
or be provided right and left with appropriate supports or stays which may be
folding and close in on the kite and before its ascent spread open in front against
the ropes having their fixed pivot centre at its head whereby the kite is preserved
against an abrupt ascent, and the accumulating pressure of the atmosphere as it is

page_text: increased through the velocity of the running cables comes from the beginning
onward into acceptable use, and so soon as the requisite rapidity is attained by
the operation of these, the passenger-kite rises gradually and without jolting or
shock. Such details are, however, not admissible in the accompanying drawings
as they would lead too far afield.
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:
A controllable means of transport on a passenger-kite through the air as a
public amusement its specially distinguishing features being that between the
end-stations (A) and (B) of the distance traversed, winding-drums (C) and (D)
are arranged which, being set in extremely rapid motion by motors, by means
of cables or ropes draw through the air a passenger-kite (K) which is made fast to
such running cables or ropes.