GB310104A - Improvements in or relating to means for berthing airships - Google Patents

Abstract

310,104. Airship Guarantee Co., Ltd., and Burney, C. D. Oct. 30, 1928. Anchoring. - A landing carriage to which an airship can be moored comprises platforms 3, 4, mounted on circular rails 14, and pivoted together and to a carriage 1 at the centre of the rail track. The airship is first moored to the top of a mooring mast 2 on the carriage 1. and the mooring means are then lowered within the mast. The platforms 3, 4 are then arranged at an angle on either side of the airship as it rides head to wind, and ropes from the airship are passed to winding-means on arms 11 on the platform. The arms, which are preferably pivoted, are in a horizontal position, and as the airship is drawn down the platforms are gradually brought together and the arms 11 raised so that positive connecting means on the arms and airship engage. The landing carriage is then turned round the track until in line with radial tracks 9 leading to a shed. When so positioned hydraulic jacks on the carriage contact with concrete blocks on the ground and are operated to raise the wheels from the rails so that the bogies can be rotated into engagement with the rails 9 on to which thev are lowered. The carriage 3, 4 is then wheeled into the shed with or without the carriage. When in position on the circular track an hydraulically-operated vertical carriage engages a socket in the ground. The arms 11 are longitudinally adjustable on the platforms and the winding means and/or positive connecting means are adjustable on the arms. 'The positive connecting means may comprise male and female cones provided with spring-latches or the like and the airship may be provided in proximity to each such means with a transverse beam 19, Fig. 2, and/or tie-wires 20, 21. The platforms 3, 4 may be locked relative to carriage 1 by links 16, 17, 18. A number of carriages 3, 4 may be used in connection with a single carriage 1, Fig. 5, rail tracks 9 leading to different sheds. One or more power units may be mounted on the platforms 3, 4 or the carriage 1, and may comprise an oil-engine or the like driving an hydraulic pressure generator which feeds motors driving the carriages and the various operating members on the carriages and mast. Suitable devices may be provided for ascertaining the condition of buoyancy of the airship.