US1010324A

US1010324A - Airship.

Info

Publication number: US1010324A
Application number: US62544611A
Authority: US
Inventors: Josiah Sparks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1911-05-06
Filing date: 1911-05-06
Publication date: 1911-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1928-11-28

Description

J. SPARKS.

v AIRSHIP;

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1911.

1,010,324. 3 Patented Nov. 28,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

JSPa/rk 8.

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J; SPARKS.

AIRSHIP.

J. SPARKS.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1911. 1',O10,324. Patented Nov. 28, 1911'.

3 spun-suns: s. I 70 111.121. 6 I u L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

J'OSIAH SPARKS, 015 UNIVERSITY PLACE, NEBRASKA.

AIRSHIP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSIAH SPARKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at University Place, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain n W and useful Improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying "drawings.

My invention relates to new and'useful improvements in the art of aerial navigation and more particularly to the construction of an aerial vessel or air ship which will. be practically operative, and my object is to provide a ship of this character which, although not buoyant, will be adapted to fly through the air.

and more particularly A further object is to provide the device with such strength as to withstand the extremely heavy pressure which the same will encounter in its course and to provide for the dirig-ibility of the same, and by the latter, I mean the ability to direct the course of the machine upwardly, downwardly and in all directions.

A still further object resides in providing the device with top, front and rear propel' lers and to provide the machine with twin engines for operationof the propellers.

A further object of the invention resides in providing means whereby the engines may be operated'independently or in conjunction with one another for the operation of the propellers.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing pivotally mounted wings and arachutes on the device to aid the same in safely descending.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figurel is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof with the upper plane removed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section as seen on line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of one end of the machine showing the parachute and wing thereon, and, Fig. 5 is a detail pers ective view-showing .theoperating lever or the In carrying out my invention, I shall re- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1911.

'tating,

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 625,446.'

parts throughout the several views and in which 1 and 2 indicate, respectively, upper and lower planes which may be made of any desired material which is light and strong, said planes being spaced apart by means of the vertical side and end bars 3. planes are braced by means of the usual brace wires 1 to the vertical bars, said lower plane being somewhat shorter than the upper plane, and said lower plane has mounted thereon, the axles 5, upon the ends of which are carried the wheels 6, whereby the device may be readily moved on the ground.

Mounted on the longitudinal center of the machine and extending through the upper and lower planes adjacent their ends, are the

vertical shafts

7 and 8, said shafts being rotatably mounted in the bearings 9 on said planes, and the upper ends of said shafts which extend beyond the upper plane 1, have mounted thereon, the propellers 10 and 11, respectively. Extending transversely of the machine and rotatably mounted in the bearings 12 on the end vertical bars of the same, are the horizontal shafts 13 and 14, said shafts extending a short distance beyond the front and rearof the planes, and each has mounted on the ends thereof, the propellers 15 and 16, respectively.

Mounted on the lower plane 2 on opposite sides of the transverse center thereof, are the engines 17 and 18, respectively, which drive, respectively, through the medium of the belts 19 and 20, the transverse shafts 21 and 22. These transverse shafts are rotatably mounted in bearings 23, on the bracing bars ofthe machine the same being positioned a short distance above the lower plane 2, and mounted oneach of said shafts 21 and 22, isa" pair of. 2i and 25, said pulleys or drums'bemg positioned adj acent the ends of their respective shafts. Extending over the pulleys or

drums

24 and 25,respect1vely, are the

belts

26 and 27 which also extend over the similar drums or

pulleys

28 and 29, on each of the transverse propeller shafts 13 and 14, and the drums 24 and the shafts 21 and 22, so as not to normally rotate said shafts when the same are robut a clutch 29 is provided for each of said drums on said shafts 21 and 22 which are operable by means of a lever 30,whereby said drums may be moved into operative drums or pulleys These connection with the shafts to rotate therewith.

The shafts-21 and 22 are also provided, respectively, with additional drums 31 and 32, over which extend the

endless belts

33 and 34, saidbelts also extending over the

drums

35 and 36, respectively, mounted'on the

vertical propeller shafts

7 and 8, and the drums 31 and 32 are also loosely mounted on their respective shafts, but in order to allow said drums to rotate with the same, the clutches 37 are provided, which are operable by means of a lever 38, whereby said drums and correspondingly the

shafts

7 and 8 may be rotated with the shafts 21 and 22,

p when desired. As before stated, the shafts .21 and 22 are driven, respectively, by the engines 17 and 18 through the medium of the belts 19 and 20,but I havealso provided for the conjunctive operation of said shafts from either one engine or the other, and to this extent, I provide said shafts with additional clutch mechanisms 39 and 40 which have connection with one another through the medium of a chain or the like 41. These clutches may be thrown into and out of eifective position by means of the levers 42 and 43, respectively, and thus, it will be seen thatthe sets of propellers on one side of the machine may be operated without the operation of the other set, or all of the propellers, may be operated through the operation of one of the engines, whereby it will beseen that provision has been made for 'any possibility of accidents to the various propellers, or to one engine or the other.

Mounted about centrally of the lower plane 2, is a seat 44 adapted to carry one or more passengers, as desired, and the levers which have heretofore been described, are, of course, all positioned in -convenient points adjacent the seat. It will 'also be understood that the controlling devices for;

the engines 17 and 18 are positioned adjacent the seat so that the speed of said engines may be .readily regulated by the operator, and thus, one engine may be caused to operate with more or less speed than the other, if desired, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described,

Extending longitudinally the full length of the upper plane and beyond the ends thereof, is a shaft 44 rotatably mounted in said wires being enga ed with the lever above and below the pivotal point, respec-- tively, whereby when said lever 1s moved in one direction, both wings will be raised, and whe-r'inoved in the other direction, the same will be lowered. However, when the lever is moved in a direction at right angles to the direction which disposes the wings upwardly and downwardly, said shaft 44' Wlll be rotated in its bearings, thereby disposing said wings .at angles to the planes 79 of the front and rear of the machine, and it will be seen that when disposed at these various angles, said wings will aid in the various movements of the machine. Also carried by the machine on the vertical end parachutes may be' of any desired shape 80 and size and are formed on

collapsible frames

50 and 51, respectively, which frames have connection, in any desired manner, to

'anadditional lever 52," whereby the same may be opened and closed at will. Both the levers 47 and 52 are also disposed in convenient places adjacent the seat 44, whereby the same may be readily grasped by the operator for the purpose of raising and lowering the wings and opening and closing the parachutes.

In operatlon, the engines are first started with all the clutches being thrown out of their eflective positions, and when it is desired to ascend at an angle upwardly, the

clutches 29' and 37 are thrown into their effective positions by means of the levers 30 and '38, respectively, whereupon the

vertical shafts

7 and 8 and the horizontal shafts 13 and 14 will be rotated to, correspondingly, 1'00 rotate the propeller blades thereon. The rotation of the propeller blades on the horizontal shafts will cause the machine to be driven forwardly, and the simultaneous rotation of the blades on the vertical shafts will cause the machine to ascend, sothat the same will rise upwardly and travel for-' wardly at the same time. After reaching a considerable height in the air, theoperator.

-may release the clutch 37 to stop the rota- 11 tion of the vertical propeller shafts and increase the speed of the engine so as to propel the horizontal shafts at a greater rate of speed and the machine may soar at this height, and when it is desired to descend, 11 the speed of the front and rear propellers may be decreased and the clutches 37 again thrown into effective position so as to rotate the top propellers at a slow-rate of speed and thus, the machine will descend at an' angle. In the lowering of the machine, the

parachutes may be thrown into their open positions so as to catch the breeze and allow the machine tobe lowered gently, and in both the raising and lowering of the machine, the

wings

45 and 46 may also be used to aid in guiding the same.

As just stated, the moving of both the clutches 29' and 37 into their effective positions, causes the machine to ascend at an 'dent, becomedisabled, it will be angle, but it will be readily understood that the machine may also ascend in a substantially clutches 37 into their effective positions, which will rotate the top ropellers, and when the machine has reac led the proper or desired height, the clutches 29 may be thrown into their effective positions to rotate the front and rear propellers, whereby the machine may be driven forwardly at the salne time, and with the lowering of the speed of the engine and with the aid of the wings, the machine may be allowed to soar, as before described.

I have shown'no particular steering means for the machine and to this extent, the controlling of the engines are used for that purpose. It has been stated that the controlling means of the engines are positioned adjacent the seat and thus, one of the motors may be run faster than the other at any time desired, whereby when it is, desired to turn the machine in one direction, the speed of one of the engines is increased, while when it is desired to turn in the opposite direction, the speed of the opposite engine is increased. Should one of the engines, by acciseen that by merely drawing the clutches 39 and 40 into their efl'ective positions by means of the levers 42 and 43, the.sets of propellers on both ends of the machine may be run by the other engine, and should both engines become disabled, which is an extraordinary and improbable incident, the parachutes and wings may be thrown into their extended positions and it will be seen that the machine may be gently lowered to the ground without liability of accident. It willthus be seen that the machine may be under perfect control at all times.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have constructed an aerial vessel which is practically operative. Furthermore, it will be seen that the position of the propellers and the means for operating the same will transmit ascensional and descensional'force and will cause the machine to be driven forwardly.

It will further be seen that with the provision of the pair of engines having operative connection with the sets. of propellers, the machine may be readily steered thereby through the increasing or decreasing of the speed of one or the other. It will further be seen that I have provided means whereby both setsof of the machine may be propellers at. the ends operated by a single engine should one of the engines become diswill be seen that through the useiof the parachutes and wings,.

abled. Further'more,l1t

the machine naybe. allowed to descend houtfi possibility ofaccident. ll further .be seen-that the mae is of extremely simple convertical'plane by merely throwing the A the combination with a pair of 'struction, but effective in operation and under perfect control at all times.

\Vhat I claim is i 1. In an aeroplane of the class described, the combination with a pair of planes spaced one above the other, a plurality of prOpelleis-carried thereby and a source of power for said propellers; of a shaft extending longitudinally of the upper plane androtatably mounted thereon, wings pivotally carried on the ends of said shaft, and means to raise andlower said wings, a portion'of said shaft. f I

2. In an aeroplane of the class described, the combination with a. pair of planes spaced one above the other, a plurality of propellers carried thereon and a source of power for said propellers; of a shaft extending longitudinally of the upper plane and rotatably. mounted thereon, wings pivotally carried on the ends of said shaft beyond the ends of said planes, a lever pivotally mounted on said shaft intermediate .of its ends, and connecting means between said lever and the wings to raise and lower the latter as said lever is operated, said lever being also adapted for the rotation of said shaft.

3. In an aeroplane of the class described, the combination with a pair of planes spaced one above the other, a plurality of propellers carried thereon and a source of power for the propellers; of a shaft extending longitudinally of the upper plane and rotatablym'ioilnted thereon, wings pivotally carried on the ends. of said shaft beyond the ends of said planes, on said shaftintermediate of its ends and extending through an opening in the upper plane, and means connecting said ,wmgs with the lever-above and below its pivotal point to raise andlower-said wings, said lever being also adapted to rotate said shaft.

4. In an aeroplane, of the class described, the combination with a pair of planes held in spaced relation with one another by said means being also adapted to rotate.

a lever pivotally carried means of a plurality of vertical bars, a pair additional pairof horizontal shafts adj acent the ends'of' he lower planes, connecting means between said last referred to shafts and the propeller shafts and means to independentlyrotate said additional horizontal hafts.

5. In an aeroplane of the class described, planes held in spaced relation with one another by means of a plurality of vertical bars, a pair of vertical shafts rotatably mounted on said planes 'at-both ends thereof; of an additional pair of horizontal shafts adjacent the ends of the lower plane, connecting means between said last referred to shafts and the propeller shafts, means for the independent rotation of each of said additional horizontal shafts,

and additional means to rotate the vertical propeller shafts independently of the horizontal propeller shafts.

' 6; 'In an aeroplane of the class described, the combination with a pair of planes held ;in spaced relation with one another by means of a plurality of vertical. bars, a vertical shaft and a horizontal shaft rotatably ,mounted at each end of the planes, the vertical shafts having propeller blades mounted on the upper ends thereof and the horizontal shafts having propeller blades at both ends thereof; of a pair of additional horizontal shafts rotatably mounted adj aoent the ends of the lower plane, connecting means between said additional horizontal shafts and the vertical and horizontal propeller shafts, a pair of motors mounted on the lower plane and having operative connection with said additional horizontal shafts to rotate the sameindependently of one another, means to rotate said additional shafts from the same source of power, and additional means to operate the vertical propeller shafts independently of the horizontal propeller shafts.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature inthe presence of two witnesses.

Y Y JOSIAH SPARKS.

Witnesses: v

OMAR C. REED, 'THoMAsM. WIMBERLEY.