CH645813A5 - SUSPENSION SYSTEM ALLOWING THE FLOAT OF HUMAN BEINGS IN THE AIR. - Google Patents

Description

The subject of the present invention is an installation allowing human levitation by means of an upwardly directed air flow and, in particular, a levitation installation in which the floating of human beings in the air has for its object either the only pleasure of users and spectators, is training, such as the practice of freefall parachuting.

Such an installation is known per se.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improvement to such a lift installation.

This object is achieved by the means defined in claim 1.

The drawing represents, by way of example, an embodiment of the subject of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a lifting installation for the floating of human beings in the air.

The flg. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sections along lines 2-2, 3-3,4-4 and 5-5, respectively.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the central part of FIG. 2, and fig. 7 is a section along line 7-7 of FIG. 2 which illustrates in particular an air blower system.

The installation shown comprises an enclosure 1 constituted, in this case, by a building of generally cylindrical shape. This enclosure 1 comprises a cylindrical outer side wall 2 coaxial with a cylindrical inner wall 3. The outer cylindrical wall came in one piece with a base 4 and with a roof 5, all in concrete. The building 1 comprises a cylindrical toroidal chamber in which is mounted a core 6, also of toroidal shape.

The toroidal core has inner and outer cylindrical walls. The inner cylindrical wall 3 of the toroidal core is covered internally with a shock absorbing coating. The toroidal core 6 is supported by a plurality of pillars 7 which are radially tapered, to allow a laminar air flow to flow between them. The inner cylindrical wall 3 limits a cylindrical lift chamber 8 open at its base and at its top to form a lower inlet and a top outlet. The space located inside the enclosure 1 forms a toroidal air passage extending between the top outlet and the base inlet of the cylindrical lift chamber 8 and which passes between the outer cylindrical wall 9 of the core 6 and the outer cylindrical wall 2 of the building 1. This toroidal air passage thus creates a closed circuit for an air flow directed vertically into the lift chamber.

In order to produce a suitable laminar air flow, the base 4 and the ceiling 5 each have an inwardly directed axial projection, 10 and 11, respectively. Take advantage of these internal axial projections to fix light projectors 12 and other useful accessories such as devices for measuring the air flow, not shown. On the inner base axial projection 10 is mounted an air blower constituted by a propeller 13. The latter is mounted coaxially with the lift chamber 8, at the base thereof, and is driven by a motor 14 per l 'Intermediate of a gearbox 15. The propeller 13 is surrounded by a cylindrical surround 16 which is smaller in diameter than the inner cylindrical wall 3 and defines with it an annular air passage. The propeller 13 produces air suction in the aforementioned air passage and,

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thus, an additional air flow adding to its own direct air flow. Thus, the relatively small propeller 13 requires a motor 14 substantially smaller than that which would be necessary if the same air flow were to be entirely produced only directly. A grid 17 is mounted in the lift chamber, above the propeller 13.

A take-off and landing base is located above the propeller and includes a grid 18, made of any suitable material, supporting users standing while allowing the flow of air directed upwards to pass through it . The take-off and landing base comprises an impermeable peripheral sidewalk 19 on which people can stand substantially sheltered from the upward directed air flow and from which they can dive towards the center of the room to be lifted by the air flow and placed in a floating state, as shown in fig. 1.

The core 6 forms annular galleries superimposed 20 on which the spectators can be authorized to access to observe the users through windows 21 provided in the wall 3. Sidewalks 22 and passages 23 are provided to give access to the room internal lift through the toroidal surrounding part of the building 1. The apex and base of the internal parts of the building such as the core 6 and the passages 23 are curved and tapered to produce maximum air flow efficiency , in accordance with known designs of aerodynamics.

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2 sheets of drawings

Claims (11)

645,813 1. A lift installation allowing the floating of human beings in the air, comprising an enclosure forming a lift chamber having an inlet and an outlet at its base and at its top, respectively, a take-off and landing base housed in this enclosure, to support the users in the lift chamber, and a blower in communication with the lift chamber, arranged so as to blow air upwards, from the lower entrance, up to the upper outlet of the enclosure, and thereby producing an air flow ensuring the lift of the users in the lift chamber. 2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the blower comprises a propeller provided with a surround, mounted in the inlet located at the bottom of the lift chamber. 2 3. Installation according to claim 2, characterized in that the enclosure has an inner vertical cylindrical wall defining the lift chamber, the propeller being rotatably mounted coaxially with this vertical cylindrical wall. 4. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the propeller is provided with a cylindrical surround of smaller diameter than that of the part of the vertical inner cylindrical wall which surrounds it, this surround forming with said cylindrical wall a annular space separating it from said wall and defining an axial passage for the air leaving the surrounding, which is constructed and arranged so that there is a flow of suction air during the operation of the propeller. 5. Installation according to one of claims 1, 3 or 4, characterized in that the enclosure comprises a part forming an air passage and which communicates its top outlet with its base inlet, this part being arranged so that a closed air flow circuit is produced, in series with the lift chamber and the blower. 6. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the enclosure comprises an outer wall enclosing the vertical inner cylindrical wall and which is located at a distance therefrom to form with it an annular space providing a to-roidal passage d air, making the top outlet communicate with the base inlet, and which is arranged so that a closed circuit of the flow which passes through it laminarly is produced, in series with the lift chamber and the propeller. 7. Installation according to one of claims 1, 2 or 4, characterized in that the enclosure comprises a core forming an outer gallery on the vertical inner cylindrical wall and an access for the passage of users entering and leaving the room of lift while crossing said wall. 8. Installation according to one of claims 1, 2 or 4, characterized in that the enclosure comprises a toroidal core placed around the vertical inner cylindrical wall and forming an external gallery for the spectators, outside the vertical inner cylindrical wall, and an access for the passage of the users entering and leaving the lift chamber by crossing said wall, the latter being pierced with windows opening onto the gallery of spectators and which are arranged to allow them to watch inside the lift chamber. 9. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the enclosure comprises a toroidal core situated around the vertical inner cylindrical wall, inside the toroidal air passage, and which forms an external gallery for the spectators to the outside of the vertical inner cylindrical wall and an access for the passage of the users entering and leaving the lift chamber by crossing said wall, the latter being pierced with windows opening onto the gallery for the spectators and which are arranged to allow it is up to the latter to look inside the lift chamber. 10. Installation according to one of claims 1, 6 or 9, characterized in that the take-off and landing base comprises a grid operatively supporting the users standing and allowing the blown air to pass through it and form an upward flow. 11. Installation according to one of claims 1, 6 or 9, characterized in that the take-off and landing base comprises a peripheral sidewalk impermeable to air and a grid operatively supporting users standing upright, and which is capable of being traversed by an air current forming an upward directed flow.