IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th June 1868.-A communication from abroad by C. Williams,
of the City of New York, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AERIAL
NAVIGATION," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to construct such an apparatus as will
enable aeronauts to navigate the air and steer the machine in any
desired direction. This object is effected by a combination of improve-
ments consisting, first, in changing or modifying the form or shape of
the aerostat so as obtain a less resisting surface for the wind to act
upon and obstruct its passage through the air. Instead therefore of
having a circular or pear shaped acrostat like an ordinary balloon, the
inflated vessel is made of an oblong shape with pointed ends, and with
a flat and horizontal or nearly flat and horizontal bottom, as if a
pointed egg shaped vessel were divided horizontally into equal portions
along its longer axis.

page_text: on the
The next improvement relates to the propeller to which power can
be applied so as to get a hold upon the air by its shape and velocity
and control the movements of the balloon in any direction. This
propeller consists of a vane wheel in which the vanes are capable of
being turned on their, vertical axes so that their position may be
adjusted and governed through a connecting rod by a cam
main driving shaft, and thereby made to feather or present their edge
to the air when they are on the upper side of the wheel, but their broad
side when they are on the lower side. The cam is on the side of a
toothed wheel which is capable of being turned round so as to bring
the raised part of the cam into any desired position, so that the position
of the vanes may be changed and the propeller made to assist in either
raising or lowering the aerostat without the expenditure of gas or
ballast. The inflated vessel or balloon above mentioned is secured on
a rigid platform or frame, from which. the car is suspended also by
rigid stays. In the car is placed a steam or other motive-power engine
for driving the propeller, or the latter may be actuated by manual
labour. A mast securely fixed to the bottom of the car extends
vertically therefrom up through the balloon or inflated vessel; which is
also provided with diaphragms which divide the inflated vessel into
compartments, so that only a part of the gas can escape at once. The
driving gear of the propeller, is provided with shifting clutches or other
suitable gear, so that it may be arranged to, drive the latter in either
direction; or the two wheels of the propeller may, if desired, be driven
in opposite directions in order to turn the aerostat round when required.
The aerostat may be further guided or directed by means of a rudder
made of sail cloth extended over a light framing. By means of the
rigid platform or frame on which the inflated vessel is supported, and
which the Inventor calls a "stay hoop," a permanent parachute is
formed, and acts as a safety arrangement to prevent the aerostat from
descending too rapidly in case of accident. When descending the
parachute will modify the velocity, and the vertical mast will by
increasing the rigidity of the whole apparatus prevent oscillations. This
will be more effectually secured by means of a parachute rudder or
vertical rudder which is placed at the top of the mast and extends
a considerable distance above the top of the balloon or acrostat. The
sails (of which this rudder is composed) may be kept folded until
required for use. The aerostat is also provided on each side with
horizontal sails, which will act like the outspread wings of some birds

page_text: which can sail along through the air without apparent movement of
the wings. The inclination of these sails or wings can be altered at
pleasure by means of suitable tackle, the same as the vertical sails of
a ship are capable of being altered, and by so altering the horizontal
angle of the sails the aerostat may be made either to rise or descend.
In order to compensate for the leakage of gas from the inflated vessel,
it is proposed to carry compressed gas in light portable vessels, from
which the gas may be let off when required into the interior of the
balloon. The aerostat or inflated vessel is to be made of light and
strong duck prepared with any water and air proof material and lined
with paper.
If a steam engine be employed it is proposed to generate the steam
by means of carburetted hydrogen gas, which will be taken up in
vessels made for the purpose, and the steam will be stored in a strong
wooden vessel or barrel strengthened by hoop iron. The steam generator
is made of steel, and on the tubular principle, so as to be as light as
possible. It will not be necessary for the aerostat to come entirely to
the ground in order to allow the travellers to descend, as when it comes
near enough it may be anchored and the travellers may descend through
a trap door in the bottom of the car and may reach the ground by a
rope ladder provided for the purpose. The car rudder is pivotted or
hinged on the top of the stern post of the car by an universal joint
and is manoeuvred by a lover like a boat's rudder.
The car may, if
desired, be covered in with light canvas, and may be constructed to
act as a lifeboat in case of need.