AN IMPROVED AERIAL CARRIAGE
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Henry Noble at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th September 1869.-A communication from abroad by
Frederick Marriott, of San Francisco, California, United States of
America.
I, WILLIAM HENRY NOBLE, of Holly House, Plumstead, in the
County of Kent, Captain in the Royal Artillery, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED AERIAL CARRIAGE," a
communication, to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a carriage or vessel which is so constructed
that it can be moved or propelled through the air by mechanical means,
and which can be steered in its course with the same facility as a vessel
floating upon the surface of a body of water. The said carriage or
vessel is constructed of any light and strong material, and is made
pointed at both ends or cigar shaped, each end being inflated with
hydrogen or other gas. Extending from the forward point of the
carriage to about the middle of the same and on each side is a vane or
wing which is gradually widened toward the rear. These wings serve
to render the carriage steady in the air. The said carriage or vessel is

page_text: moved through the air by screw or other propellers, which are driven
by a steam engine or other motor of suitable size and capacity. In
the rear end of each of the vanes or wings at the sides of the vessel is
attached a plane, which turns upon an axle, and by which any desired
elevation can be given to the vessel. A tail or rudder attached to the
rear pointed end affords, the means whereby any required direction can
be given to the vessel when it is in motion.
In practising my Invention I construct a frame in the form of two
cones united at their bases, the same being made of some light and
strong material. This frame is divided into three compartments, one
compartment being in the middle of the vessel, inside of which the
engine is carried. The other compartments are gasometers, which are
covered with some suitable fabric for containing hydrogen or other gas
specifically lighter than atmospheric air; any of the prepared fabrics
capable of retaining gas, such as are employed in the manufacture of
balloons, may be used. From the point of the vessel and extending
about half way throughout its length towards the rear are the wings or
planes, one being on each side. These wings are rigidly fixed to the
side of the carriage so as to lie horizontally in a plane with its centre
and thus gradually increase in width towards the rear. Opposite to the
centre of the vessel and operating in suitable openings in the rear end
of the wings are the propellers. These propellers consist of two blades
bent to the proper curvature, and driven by an engine of suitable
capacity carried in the central compartment. The engine must be as
light as possible, and when steam is used the boiler must have a
sufficient amount of fire surface to enable the generation of steam to be
carried on rapidly. Turning upon an axle through openings in the
wings outside of the propellers are what I call planes, which vibrate
upon axles placed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the carriage,
and are operated by suitable mechanism from the interior of the com-
partment by the engineer. By turning these planes to the proper angles
the elevation of the carriage can be regulated. The tail or rudder is
composed of two parts placed at right angles to each other, their planes
intersecting each other centrally, thus forming a vertical and a horizontal
rudder. This tail or rudder is attached to the rear end of the cigar
shaped frame by means of a hinge or other joint, so that it can be
turned to stand at any desired angle to the frame either up or down, and
thus give the engineer a more complete control over the movements
of the carriage or vessel. The entire machinery is operated from the

page_text: central compartment or cabin by suitable mechanism. The carriage
or vessel when fully inflated does not contain sufficient gas to cause it
to rise, but remains in its position until the propellers begin to operate
and beat the atmosphere, when it rises with the greatest ease and is
driven forward at the same time through the air.