US1656830A

US1656830A - Construction of rigid airships

Info

Publication number: US1656830A
Application number: US745462A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richmond Vincent Crane; Scott George Herbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1923-10-30
Filing date: 1924-10-23
Publication date: 1928-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1945-01-17

Description

Jan. V17, 1928.

1,656,830 V. C. RICHMOND ET AL CONSTRUCTION, op RIGID AIRSHIPS Filed om. `25, 1924 /CVQ 3.

Ykzd/eams lzexzf'/U/zez?) d Zgrge''f @O @a @Wy/@ mrzzg Patented Jan.` 17, 1928.

UNITEDl STATES 'VTNCENT CRANE RIVCHMONDfOF HARROTN-ONPTHE-HILLATND GEORGE HERBERT SCOTT,

OF PURLEY, `ENGrLAlNlD.

,. 'CONSTRUGTION- OFRIGID AIRSHIPS.

Application led October 23, 19M, Serial No. 745,462, and in GreatBl'itan ctober 30, 1923.

This invention relates to the construction of rigid airships the hull structure ofwhich comprises transverse frames and peripheral longitudinal girders, and hasifor its primary 6 object to obviate any lateral load kon the longitudinal girders consequent upon the transmission of the lift of the gasbags to the hull of the airship. This is effected according to the present invention by an' arrange- U ment of enveloping wiring for the gasbags which transfers all load duc to gas presi sure from the longitudinal girders to the transverse frames, the diagonally arranged vwires of t-he enveloping system being attached to theitransverse gir-ders only, either directly or through interposed linkage, and not to any longitudinal member. y

The surfacewhich includes the diagonally strung wires between adjacent transverse 20 frames may be given a regular or more or less regular shape; for example, with two sets of parallel wires diagonally stretched between two transverse frames at the same angle on either side with respect to the longitudinal axis, the surface containing the wires prior to distortion by gas pressure would be a hyperboloid of revolution, and by varying the angular relation between wires and transverse frames or the initial 3o tension or slackness ofk the wires, the curvaj ture of the resulting containing surface can be varied substantially as may be found desirable sothat, for example, thecurvature of the surface may be arranged to be a maximum at the top o f the ship where the pressure is Greatest, and a minimum atthe bottom. imilarly the spacing of the wires and/ortheir gauge may be varied in any desirable manner, as for example by increasing the distance between successive wires from the top point of the frames downward.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein Fig. l is a diagrammatic transverse section of a rigid airship; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a section or bay of same; and Fig. 3 a developed side elevation of same.

In these diagrammatic drawings A, A represent two adjacent main transverse frames;

5o B the main longitudinal girders and B the auxiliary longitudinal girders as in the usual construction of rigid airships. The wires of the enveloping system of the gasbag are denoted generally by C, and thesel wires extend diagonally between the two main transverse frames A, A, being connected at their ends either directly with the said transverse frames; orwith catenaries D or linking wires or bridles which, as shown inthe drawings, are connected with A the main transverse frames A between successive main longitudinal girders B. The result of this construcvtion is that the enveloping wires C lie in an outwardly concave curved surface, the curvature of which may be varied as desired, as above explained, and the production and presence of this inward bulge in the enveloping wires is an essential feature of this invention.

In? the construction shown in the drawings the inclination of the enveloping wires at the top part of one section or bay is such that a wire, which is attached to one of the transverse frames at a point thereon corre spending with the intersection of a given loads being transferred to points more or less low down on the transverse frames, according to the inclination of the wires.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best meanswe `know of carrying the same into practical effect, we claim 1. In a rigid airship embodying trans-v verse ring-shaped girders, longitudinal members and gasbags, enveloping wiring for the gasbags comprising wires stretched between adjacent transverse girders and extending vdiagonally with respect to and free of the `longitudinal members, said wires forming inwardly bulging cages for the gasbags.

2. In a rigid airship according to claim l, means for connecting the diagonal wiresto the transverse girders comprising catenaries or linkage wires or bridles looped between nic t longitudinal members `and gasbags, envelop-` a series of points around the transverse girders and to which the ends of said dlagonal wires are connected.

3. In the construction of rigid airsliips` embodying' transverse ring-shaped girders,

ing Wiring forming inwardly bulging cages for the. gnsbags and eoinprising*` two series of mutually inclined diagonally arranged Wires extendingbetween adjacent pairs of main transverse, frames and passing Within thelonpgitndinnl members Without Contact therewith :it interniwiinte points thereof between adj eeen t tra nsverse frames.

`4c. In the construction 'of rigid airships embodying transverse girders; longitudinal lnive signed our