US1559807A

US1559807A - Method of erecting airships

Info

Publication number: US1559807A
Application number: US2784A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert V Thaden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1925-01-16
Filing date: 1925-01-16
Publication date: 1925-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 1942-11-03

Description

Nov. 31925.

1,559,807 H. v. THADEN v METHOD OF ERECTING AIRSHIPS Filed Jan. 16, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3, 1.925. 1,559,807

H.' V. THADEN METHOD OF ERECTING AIRSHIPS Filed Jan. 16, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J/erer/ V @0027, @51

Nov. 3 1925. I H: V. THADEN METHOD OF ERECTING AIRSHIPS Filed Jan. .6, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 jg. 1a

Nov. 3, 1925- I 1,559,807

H. V. THADEN METHOD OF EREGTING AIRSHIPS Filed Jan 16, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet SMIUCMJ'OL firer/ V @aZ/efQ Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

- UNITED STATES HERBERT V. THADEN, OF DETR.OIT,'MICHIGAN.

METHOD or ERECTING AIRSHIPS.

Application filed January To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT V. YTHADEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Erecting Airships, of which the followingis a specification, reference being ha'd therein to the accompanying drawings. 1

This invention relates to an improved method of erecting large rigid airships.

There have been in the past two general methods of erecting large rigid airships, which for convenience can be termed the German method and the English method.-

The German practice has been to build up the transverse frames on radial jigs horizontally on the floor. The completed wired frames were then picked up, either directly by means of rope slings, or were temporarily lashed to a stiff handling frame, turned into a vertical position and placed along the longitudinal axis of the ship. Shoring below, and suspension from the hangar roof held the frame in position until the longitudinals were riveted into place. 7 1 A Workmen placing these girders were lowered to position in boatswain chairs or on hanging platforms. The erection started amidships, with the whole work progressing toward both ends.

The English practice was to build up the hull in bays which, when completed, were placed end to end and secured together.

Each bay comprised several transverse ring.

frames, each of which was fabricated horiv z'ontally on a radial jig on the hangar floor, and on completion was raised vertically in the hangar. Longitudinals were dropped from it to the next transverse frame being built undeneath, and thusly for two or three bays. The completed. structure, standing vertically, was rigidly cross-braced, and then tipped over and placed end to end along the axis of the ship in a cradle. At this stage the procedure differed in some instances. In some cases the structure was completed by spanning the gap between sections with longitudinals, and workmenv were sent aloft to do the riveting. In other cases, a now obsolete method was used in which small rollers were temporarily secured at the intersection of each transverse 16, 1925. Serial No. 2,784.

ring and longitudinal girder before the unit bays were placed in the cradle. The cradle was provided with rails forming a circular are shaped track to fit the lower quadrant of the ships cross-section, and the temporary rollers were adapted to travel upon these rails, permitting the entire ship to be rotated upon its lon itudinal axis. This had the advantage, 0 enabling the -workmen to remain on the ground at all times, the unfinished portion of the hull being pulled around to them. This method does not lend itself as well to streamline hulls as it does to hulls with long parallel portions because of the multiplicity of varying radii of the cradle transverse frames, and the increased difiiculty of ali nment. The work however is facilitated y this method as compared with the method where the workmen are sent aloft and are required to do extremely accurate work An object of the present invention is to provide a method of erection of airships, especially all-metal airships, whereby the work is facilitated. and greater accuracy secured, and by which method the entire ship is erected in situ, that is, by adding portions progressively to the completed part to complete the entire structure in p ace, thus obviating the erection of sub-assemblies, moving these sub-assemblies to place and connecting them with thecom leted part with the consequent liability o accidents, warping or springing of the-structure and consequent inaccuracies in construction. A further object is to facilitate the handling and pla'cin of the parts and materials, and to insure the accurate formation of the parts by reducing to a minimum the necessity of going'aloft to perform any of the work, the entire ship being erected from the floor of the hangarwhere all of the parts may be accurately formed upon jigs, templates and benches, and carried to and secured in place Within the structure, with the workmen working from the floor of the hangar. Further objects are to secure accuracy, as in the present method permanent reference lanes may be established from which to take measurements; also to facilitate riveting or fastening the skin or covering of an all metal airship in place upon the exterior of the framing; also to effect a great saving in the cost of jig and cradle construction and in the placing of the internal bracing and other parts. It is a further object to provide certain other new and useful features in the method and means for performing the same, all as herematter more fully described.

With the above and other ends in view the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a large rigid all metal airship, the sheet metal skin or covering of the ship being shown as partly broken away for the purpose of showing the construction;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a section of airship framing, illustrative of the method embodying the present inventidn and showing a series of transverse ring sections connected by longitudinal girders and together forming a sectional portion of the entire framing of the airship; Fig. 3 is a transverse, section through a nearly, completed airship showing the internal jig construction; 1

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a longitudinal vertical section though a hangar with a partly completed airship under course of construction therein together with the method of raising and supporting the completed portions of the airship while the uncompleted portions are added thereto in the course of construction;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammaticcrosssections of a hangar and an airship in the course of construction therein, rto 'show-i the ship in several stages of its construction for the purpose of illustrating a method embodymg-the present invention, and

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are similar diagrammatic views illustrating the present method as applied to the erection of. ships of a different type and of smaller dimensions, the

several figures illustrating the structure in different stages in the course of its construction.

The present method is applicable to the l erection of large structure airships of any type orform of construction, but is particularly adaptable in the erection of metal airships where practically all of the parts are to be riveted or fastened together, including theahull or outside skln. A great amount of liar'idwork is necessitated, andthe complete ship divided by imaginary horizontal planes, the first segment being all of that portion of the ship above the first dividing plane which may be at any suitable distance below the highest part of the side or end of the ship, as for example, six feet. The first segment or portion therefore represents that portion of the ship lying above an arbitrary horizontal sectional plane of the ship, and if the ship be streamlined or of low resistance form as shown in the drawings, this portion will taper out at each end. This topmost segment or portion is erected first and upon a temporary jig upon the hangar floor. The entire structure of this segment, including the curved upper portions of transverse ring girders, longitudinal girders, skin and all fittings, is completed upon the hangar floor, and wires or other members are then dropped from the roof of the I hangar and secured at convenient points to this completed segment. which is then raised bodily together with its internal jig from the floor, by means of suitable winches to which wires are attached. The completed portion is raised to a height from the floor equal to f each succeeding portion until the entire ship structure is completed. The ship is therefore; erecteda-in situ that is,.each sue? ceeding segment or part is built beneaththe preceding completed portion, which when completed is lifted as a whole from the floor "a suflicient distance to permit the next succeeding part or segmental section to;

be built underneath. Thus the ship literally rises from thefioor, the workmen remaining ceeding parts of girders and other members to the completed portionsabove and fastening the skin in place as the hull is intermittently raised in the hangar. When the hull is completed, the internal temporary jig is removed and replaced ,by permanent 1nternal bracing. The removal, ofthese'uin on the floor and placing and fitting the sucternal jigs is so co-ordinated with-the insertion of the internal bracing that no serious lack of support will at any time exist in the structure.

In order to practice the present method of erection, the hangar roof trussing is preferably provided with a monorail (2) extending longitudinally of the hangar and within the longitudinal centerline vertical plane of the ship when completed. A series of winches (3) is carried by the monorail (2), and a cable (4) drops from each winch. To the lower end of each cable is attached a cross beam (5), and from these cross beams wires are let down in the properly spaced relation for attachment to the ship segment below.

With this equipment, the completed part of the ship may be conveniently raised the desired distance. Accuracy in erection and structure will be secured by frequent sighting with leveling instruments and alignment of the hull with the adjustable winches, assuring the correction of any local deflections due to temperature or physica changes in the hangar structure.

The floor of the hangar should be of permanent character not subject to local variations due to physical or temperature changes, while the first step in the erection of the ship should be to establish permanent reference planes upon this floor. If the floor is insufiiciently stable in a fixed plane, it will be necessary to install a series of base members (6) having an adequate bearing surface and which members may be provided with means, not shown, for adjustment so that the upper surfaces thereof may always be maintained in exact and proper alignment to form accurate reference planes. These base members extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ship, and in the vertical planes of the several transverse main frames of the ship. They will also be of a greater length than the diameter of the ship at the several transverse frames to be erected upon these base members.

, Upon each of these reference foundations or base members, a template jig is erected for the topmost section of the hull or the,

first portion to be erected. This jig which is indicated as a whole by the numeral (7') in Fig. 2 is preferably formed from light pipe or tubing provided with flanged fittings for convenience in securing the parts together and suflicient wire cross-bracing to insure.

longitudinal and transverse rigidity. The vertical members (8) of this jig may if desired, terminate at each intersection of a transverse or ring girder (9) with a longitudinal girder (10) .of the ships frame. A suitable fitting at each of these points faciliates' the securing of the jig framing to the 'ships girders. The accuracy of location of these fittings or points of intersection is facilitated by the simplicity and directness of measurement of each ordinate and a bay width of longitudinal girder being 7 built up complete. These are fitted together at the required angles with the outer sides of the girders following the contour of the hull. Both the longitudinal and transverse girders will continue as far around the contour of the hull, as their intersection with the hangar floor or base members will permit.

After or during the assembly of the girders upon the template jig as illustrated in 8 Fig. 2, the sheet metal covering consisting of strips or plates are riveted together in place upon this framing, each strip being previously accurately cut to size by the aid of a template constructed on the hangar floor, or by geometrically projecting these panels into-a fiat plane and cutting the sheets to size while lying flat on the floor, or by taking their dimensions direct from the mold loft projection. After this sheet metal coverin has been secured in place over the framing of the completed portion, all valve reinforcements and other fittings usually employed in structures of this character and not shown in the accompanying drawings, are secured in place in the sheet metal covering, and when everything is completed, this topmost segment is raised vertically by attaching the wires (11) which are dropped from the transverse beams g5),

to the several transverse ring girders 9), preferably at their several points of intersection with theseveral longitudinalgirders (10).

At a given signal the several beams are simultaneously lifted vertically and uniformly, lifting the entire completed hull segmental portion and the attached internal template jig (7) from the base members (6), until the structure is raised to' a height equal to the depth of the next succeeding hull portion to be built. The template jig is then continued on down to the reference foundations. The girders forming continuations of the girders of the first segmental portion, are then secured in place upon this jig, and to .the ends of the girders of the first unit or portion, and the skin and fittings riveted in place to complete this sec- 0nd portion or unit which is a contin ation of the designed contour or surface curvature of the first unit. Subsequent portions, or units are constructed in a like manner beneath the completed portions, over template .jigs made up by adding struts and bracing members to the jig above, the operations continuing until the entire hull has used. Further, as each unit or portion is preferably short in height, each unit of hull and jig may be conveniently constructed from the floor of the hangar and accurate measurements made from the fixed reference planes or base members, and due to the construction of this jig, it may be read ily removed from the interior of the hull, parts of the jig being removed after the hull has been completed down to the bottom of its keel and immediately replaced by the permanent internal bracing wires (not shown) of the hull. Below the main keels of the ship, an outside jig is constructed in the same or a similar manner as the inside jig and serves as a continuation of the internal jig through the uncompleted lower side of the hull, as illustrated in Fig. 3. It may be necessary to -'cross brace between the main keels until the lower girders are riveted in place, and if so, that part ofthe initial jig may be left in place. v.

The extreme ends of the hull, the bow and stern caps of a hull constructed in horizontal position, may be "fabricated on the floor of the'hangar and hoisted to and secured in place after practically all of the internal work of the hull has been completed.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the present method of erection is shown as applied to the building of rigid airships of smaller dimensions or lesser length than the ship illustrated in Fig. 1, and in constructing these smaller ships it may befound advantageous to erect them in a vertical, instead of a horizontal position; scribed by adding successive units or portions, the difference being that the first unit will be an end unit of the hull instead of a side unit, and the ship will be divided by planes extending transversely instead of longitudinally to the axis of the ship. Each unit may include one or more transverse ring girders and the first or end unit will be built upon base members or a reference plane which may be the floor (14.) of the hangar, and this unit will. be constructed upon an internal jig of a construction similar to the ig previously described. Suc- They are then built up as dea (led to the first, the completed unit or units being raised vertically within the hangar (15) by means of -wires (16) con-' nected at one end to the ring girders (17) ofthe first and succeeding adjacent units. The wires are attached to a suitable member (18) adapted to be raised or lowered by means of cables (19) running over pulleys (20) attachedto the roof trussing of the hangar.

After the first portion or unit has been completed, including its transverse girders (17) and longitudinals (21), skin covering and all fittings, this unit is raised together with its internal jig, vertically a distance above the floor equal to the depth of the next unit. Then the jig is continued to the floor to form a jig for the succeeding unit which is then fabricated thereon, and the operation repeated until the full length of ship is completed in a vertical suspended position. The entire completed hull is then lowered and turned to a horizontal position.

The method of erection is however, essentially the same in both vertical axis and horizontal axis positioning of the ship, as each portion or unit of the entire hull is fabricated in situ by erecting each succeeding portion below the preceding completed portions and if necessary, upon a jig (not shown) which is continued downwardly to form a jig for each succeeding portion to be built. v

\Vhat I claim is 1. The method of erecting airships which consists in dividing the entire ship into units by imaginary horizontal planes, completing the uppermost unit, raising said completed unit vertically and adding successively succeeding units. I

2. The method of erecting airships'which consists in building successive portions of the ship beginning with an upper portion and successively raising the finished portion to add succeeding portions thereto from below.

3. The method of eredting airships which consists in first building an upper unit. portion of the ship upon a ground support, then raising the completed unit vertically a distance to permit the building of a succeeding unit beneath and integral there- .with, and building successively succeeding.

units integral with the completed portion and raising, upon the completion of each unit, the completed portion from the ground support a distance equal to the depth of the next succeeding unit. 4. The method of building airships which consists in first building an upper portion of the ship upon a jig upon a ground support and successively raising the comceeding portions of said ship and jig be neath the completed portion and its ig.

' 5. The method of building airships which consists in establishing areference plane upon a ground support, building a portion of the. ship on said reference plane by measurements taken therefrom, raising said portion vertically, and building anadditional portion beneath said raised portion .by measurements from said plane.

, 6. The method of building airships which consists in establishing a reference plane upon a ground support, erecting a jig above said plane from measurements taken from upon said jig, raising said completed portion and its jig vertically from said referaddedportions and their jigs attached to said completed portion and its jig.

In testimony whereof I afiiz; my signature.

HERBERT THADEN.

[said plane, erecting a portion of the ship