US1502551A - Captive balloon - Google Patents

Description

July 22 .1924. 1,502,551

M. CORBETT ET AL CAPTIVE BALLOON Filed June 27. 1923 Patented July 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,5t2,551 PATENT Fries."

MATT Q. CORIBEIT, WILLIAM E. HUFFMAN, AND CLARENOE F. ADAMS, F DAYTON,

OHIO. i

oAr'rIvn BALLOON.

Application filed June 27, 1923; Serial No. 648.023.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MATT Q. 'Conen'r'r, VVILLIAM E. HUFFMAN, and CLARENCE F'. ADAMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomcry and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gaptive Balloons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to captive balloons.

The broad object of the present invention is to maintain the front or nose of the balloon in a hemispherical contour, irrespective of fiuctuationsin the internal pressure of the aerostat.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a captive balloon, an aerostat which will have a kiting action so that it will maintain its altitude in air streams of widely varying velocity.

Another object of the invention is t provide an aerostat of stream-line formation combined with means for preserving such formation of the aerostat irrespective of the expansion and contraction of the gas with which the balloon is inflated.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement herein fully described, shown and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved captive balloon.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the aerostat in line with the fore and aft axis thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the automatic pressure relief valve.

The improved captive balloon is designed especially for use in government service as an aerial buoy or marker for aircraft or as an elevated datum pointin survey work or in working out problems in triangulation. For commercial work the improved balloon is designed to be used as a support for various kinds of apparatus, such for example as that used for spraying or powdering trees I and the like, particularlyin connection with insect extermination. It may, however, be adapted to other uses when it is feasible or may be found practicable to use as a small oon attache to an anchor ng rope or cable.

Referring now to the drawings, the in proved captive ballast eiabed s aerostat-adapted to be filled with any buoyant gas. The forward or nose portion 5 of the aerostat is hemispherical, while the after portion 6 is conoidal in formation. Thus a streamline formation is imparted to the aerostat, giving the minimum resistance to the air stream while in use. Stabilizing fins 7 and 8 extend longitudinally of the outside of the aerostat to eliminate side swaying of the balloon and one or more tail cups 9 may be arranged in trailing relation to the rear end of the aerostat to assist in holding the latter head to the wind.

Within the aerostat are internal elastic stays 10, any number of which may be used according to the size of the balloon. Each of the stays 10 is attached at its forward extremity to the inside of the aerostat at a point 11 along the equatorial line thereof, while the other end portion of the stay has two elastic branches 12 and 13. One of these branches extends rearwardly and is attached at a point 14 to the rear end part of the after portion of the aerostat. The points 14 are arranged in a circular series, leavingwithin such circle a central zone 15 which is adapted to be projected outwardly as inclicated by the line 16 or is permitted to bulge inwardly as indicated by the line 17 The tendency'of the. elastic stays is to draw thezone 15 inwardly as indicated by the line 17. However, asthe gas expands and the in ternal pressure increases, the elastic stays allow the zone 15 to be pressed outwardly toward the projectin position indicated by 551-? the line 16. The construction just described provides an aerostat of variable capacity.

The other branches 13 of the internal elastic stays 10 are fastened to the casing 18 of a pressure relief valve 19, controlling an outlet passage 20 in the valve casing and normally held closed with a predetermined pressure by means of a spring 21 encircling the stem of the valve between the valve casing and a stop or annular shoulder 22 on the inner end of the valve stem. The branches 13 which are elastic, assist the other branches 12in controlling the flexure of the zone 15 and maintain the rear part of the aerostat in symmetrical form as clearly indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The captive rigging 23 to which the anchoring rope or cable 24 is attached, is shown as independent of the load rigging 25 which carries the load ind a ed at 26 h -Wo riggings 23 and 25 may however, be combined if so desired. The inflation sleeve 27 is tied with an elastic cord 28 of such strength and under such tension as to act as an automatic relief for the internal pressure in the aerostat to keep the same from bursting under abnormal conditions.

When the balloon is filled or inflated, only enough gas is introduced to inflateor fill out the head or nose section and the after section 6, the rear par-t of which isleft partially collapsed or bulged inwardly by the action of the elastic stays and their branches 12 and 13. There is thus provided a flexible or variable capacity and the rear end portion of the aerostat may expand and contract with the expansion and contraction ofthe gas inthe entire balloon, and therefore keep the nose or head'of'theballoon at all times from cupping due to Wind pressure' This cupping action of the Wind, together with the'fact that an ordinary spherical balloon does not give a kiting effect, is the chief cause of trouble in keeping such a balloon from being blown to the ground when held captive by a suitable anchoring rope or cable.

We claim:

1; A captive balloon embodying a variable 'ca acit aerostat havin a hemis herical nose portion a conoidal after portion, and internal elastic stays attached to the rear part of said after portion and serving to flex said rear'part inwardly to vary the cubical internalcapacity. V I

2. A captive balloon embodying a vari able capacity aerostat having a hemispherical nose portion, a conoidal after portion, and internal elastic stays attached to the rear part of: said after portion and serving to flex said rear part inwardly to vary the cubical internal capacity while maintaining the streamline form of the aerostat.

3. A captive balloon embodying a variable capacityv aerostat having a hemispherical nose portion, a. conoidal after portion, and

ternal pressure.

internal elastic stays extending in a fore 'andaft direction and attached to the rear part of said after portion and serving to flex said rearpart inwardly to vary the cubical internalcapacity.

4. A captive balloon embodying a variable capacity aerostat having a hemispherical nose portion, a conoidal after portion, and internal elastic'stays attached to the rear part of said after portion and serving to flex said rear part inwardly to vary the cubical internal capacity, said stays being attached at their forward extremities to the inside oi the aerostat adjacent to the equatorial line of thenose portion.

5. A captive balloon embodyinga variable capacity aerostat having a hemispherical nose portion, a conoidal-after portion, and internal elastic stays attached to the rearpart of said after portion at points ranging in a circle around the longitudinal axis of the aerostat.

6. A captive balloon embodying a variablecapacity aerostat having a hemispheri cal nose portion, a conoidal after portion, an automatic pressure relief valve in the center of the rear endot said after portion, and internal elastic stays extending in a fore and aft direction andhaving branches, one of which is attached to saidvalve and another of which is attached to the rear part of said aftersection.

7. 'A captive balloon embodying a variable capacity aerostat having a'hemispherical nose portion, a conoidal after portion, and internal elastic means operable on the rear end part of said after section to flex said part from an outwardly projecting position to an inwardly bulging or reentrant' position to compensate for variation in in- In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

MATT Q. OORBETT. WILLIAM E. HUFFMAN. CLARENCE F. ADAMS.

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