Improvements in Navigable Balloons.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 29th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Navigable Balloons.
I, WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, General in Her Majesty's Army, of The
Lodge, Silverdale, Eastbourne in the County of Sussex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In navigable balloons it is desirable to keep the external form always the same
in spite of the expansion and contraction of the gas. According to this invention,
in cylindrical balloons, this is effected by making the skin of much greater depth
than is required for its assuming, when inflated, a cylindrical form of predetermined
diameter.
The surplus skin is of lighter material than the cylindrical part. The
so called cylinder is not of a completely cylindrical form, for its circumference is
slightly interrupted by the skin being attached along the lower length of the
cylinder on both sides of a tube, preferably of metal, lying along the whole length
of the balloon in such a way that the surplus skin lies, when uninflated, in plaits on
the upper side of the tube.
All is enclosed in a netting of webbing or other inextensible covering laced to
the tube, which may be regarded as a backbone preventing any waving motion
however great the length of balloon. The tube being perforated with many holes,
excepting where it acts as a condenser, the air freely enters at the perforations,
following up all contractions of the gas, and readily escaping at all expansions.
Thus the skin of the cylindrical part of the balloon is always free from
wrinkles.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1893.
W. N. HUTCHINSON,
General.
Improvements in Navigable Balloons.
I, WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, General in Her Majesty's Army, of The
Lodge, Silverdale Eastbourne, in the County of Sussex, 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 :-
It relates to the construction of navigable balloons or aerial vessels, and
particularly to means of keeping the skin or envelope constantly distended,
notwithstanding the contraction or expansion of the contained gas, under every
variation of atmospheric temperature. It is necessary for the safety of aerial
vessels, particularly when destined to make long voyages, that a method should be
provided for keeping the skin or envelope of the balloon, whatever its form, fully
distended and free from plaits or folds; otherwise there is danger of the dew or
rain-moistened skin becoming frozen in the collapsed state, and of bursting from
expansion of the gas on suddenly entering a warmer atmosphere before the ice-
bound plaits can have time to thaw.
According to my invention this is effected by giving a gas-tight, cylindrical form
to the balloon-the one presenting least surface opposing progress-and by making
the skin of much greater depth, along its whole length, than is required for its

page_text: assuming, when inflated, a cylindrical form of any predetermined diameter. The
surplus skin is of lighter material than the cylindrical part, being subjected to but
little strain.
Fig. 1 is a transverse section of an inflated cylindrical, gas-tight, navigable
balloon of small diameter, with elliptical ends.
Fig. 2 shews such a balloon in its length, carrying light, narrow cars, c c &c.,
with propelling screws h h &c., at such intervals that none can interfere with the
useful action of a neighbour. The extremities of two similar, parallel bars, a little
apart, fixed transversely and horizontally in advance of the leading car, hold the
axles of a pair of propelling screws, one on each side of the bow, revolving in
the same plane. A similar arrangement is made for a pair of screws astern of the
.last car.
B Fig. 1 is a tube, closed at both ends, of toughened steel or alluminium alloy,
the length of the balloon, and lying within it. The tube is sustained in position
by thin vertical, tubular shafts g g &c. rising from and passing through the bottomn
of the cars in their central longitudinal planes. The cars, not being a rigid fixture
to the balloon, the lower extremity of each shaft is encircled and held by a spring
of many coils to give a constant, practically uniform upward pressure.
The steam engine, of a long narrow form, lies at the bottom of a central car.
For long voyages more thought is demanded to secure economy in fuel than
lightness in engine.
To prevent the surplus skin d from ever coming in contact with the tube when
the gas generally hydrogen-is fully expanded, the tube is encircled by an open
basket-work cylinder k, whose interior diameter is about 2 inches from the tube.
The air, freely flowing in at the sides of the tube, makes the surplus skin follow all
contractions of the gas; and the said skin sinks on all expansions.
Instead of employing surplus skin, air-bags might be used, but the arrangement
would be complicated and require more material.
The tube acts as a condenser. The nozzle of the exhaust pipe of the steam
engine is connected with it by the patented india rubber hose.
The balloon, with the tube, is embraced by an unstretchable covering, or, in
preference, by a close fitting net of broad, inextensible, waterproof webbing, in
square or rectangular meshes of the greatest area that safety will, on careful
calculation allow. The increased pressure on increased diameter is borne by added
strength to the strands. The net is.laced to the tube through many loops fixed
along its bottom. The tube is virtually a back-bone, preventing any waving motion
of the balloon however great its length. The skin is too tightly embraced by the
net to shift, yet, as a further security, the webbing of the vertical strands, at e e
Fig. 1, is made to adhere firmly to the skin; as is also the central longitudinal
strand of the webbing at the top of the balloon. The upper half of the vertical
strands are adequately strengthened to bear the weight of the cars and all belongings
-indeed more than half of each strand.
A cone shaped shield, Fig. 2 preferably of thin metal, covering the leading
extremity of the balloon, and attached by arms from its interior surface to the end
of the tube, prevents caving in however rapid the flight.
Horizontal rudders, centrically hung on both sides of some of the cars, enable
the aeronauts, by acting on them, to rise or sink, without change of the balloon's
horizontality when seeking a more favourable current of air.
The largest balloon being an unagitated atom in the fiercest gale, steaming is
similarly effected in all weathers. Aided by increasing or diminishing the
revolution of one of the pair of screws at the bow and stern of the line of cars,
steering is effected by action. on several vertical rudders R, R &c., fixed with
suitable intervals between them in the central plane of the cars, below and near
the fore part of the leading car, and the aft part of the last, all actuated
simultaneously. Rudders are attached to front and rear shafts, 9 &c., whose heads
are pivotted in deep sockets on the tube, to have free rotary action. Fig. 3 shows
socket and spring.
:

page_text: To prevent, on a deviation from horizontality, any accumulation of gas at either
extremity of the cylindrical skin, it is divided into separate compartments by
loose, light, vertical screens. There is a gas-tight valve on the top of each. They
are simultaneously opened when the balloon is inflated, or any alteration made in the
density of the gas.
A cargo car, centrically suspended from the line of cars, would aid stability, but
diminish speed. The length of the cylindrical balloon could at any time be
increased or curtailed. The construction is most simple. A succession of similar,
transverse sections are united while lying on the ground, and inflated after being
laced to the tube.
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.
1st. Giving such surplus width of light skin to the lower part of the skin of
cylindrical navigable balloons in its whole length, that the surplus width can lie
within the upper part, which becomes cylindrical when inflated-substantially as
described.
2ndly. That the tube, named in my Patent of 1886 No. 8051 about cylindrical
balloons, to which the net of the balloon was laced, preventing waving motion in
flight, be placed inside instead of outside the cylindrical skin, whether the named
surplus skin be employed or air baga-substantially as described.
In witness thereof, I, the said William Nelson Hutchinson, have herewith set
my hand and seal this 27th day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and ninety-four.
W. N. HUTCHINSON,
General.