US1657955A - Dirigible - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 31, 1928.

BYLEK DIRIGIBLE Filed Oct. 24. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR,

Fad/05M Zr/e r Zjow I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES RUDOLPH BYLEK, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

DIRIGIBLE.

Application filed October 24,1925. Serial No. 64,582.

This invention relates to dirigible or airship and is more particularly dlrected to a dirigible so constructed as to be rigid and to provide convenient passenger and freight compartmentsand which dirigible has means for elevating or raising the same from the ground or for lowering the same to the ground without the discharge or loss from the gas-bag of the lifting gas employed.

Many attempts have been made to provide an air-ship or dirigible of the lighter than air type which will have a large lifting capacityand which is so constructed that the same will be susceptible to use under all conditions of weather and the like, which attempts have been for the most part unsuccessful and have resulted in the loss of numerous lives and the destruction of consiclerable property.

Large hangars are provided for the storage of such ligher than air-craft and it has heretofore been necessary to employ a very large crew of men in order to remove these lighter than air-crafts from such hangars to a position where the same could desend and it hasalso been necessary on the descent of such lighter than air-craft to employ a large crew of men in order to return the craft to its hangar.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a dirigible or lighter than aircraft which may be easily manipulated, posltioned in its hangar or removed therefrom descend or make a forced landing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dirigible 1n which atmospheric conditions on ascending or descending does not make it necessary to carry a large ballast for discharge from the dirigible under unsuitable atmospheric conditions in order to descend or ascend as desired.

Another object of this invention is to pro videa dirigible in which living and storage spaces are provided similar and comparable with thatof a Pullman car which is entirely safe and in which, if desired, use can be made of parachutes and the like for eifecting safe landing without damage to the dirigible.

Another object ofthis invention is to provide a dirigible which may be turned in a short radius and which can descend or ascend at an angle to the altitude at will without loss of time or added mileage by use of reversible helicopter propellers and shutter planes.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Inwhich drawings:

Figure 1 is a half-section side elevation of a dirigible embodying this invention illustrating one of the dirigible balloons and accompanying construction.

FigureQ is an end elevation of a dirigible embodying this invention.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a reversible helicopter and accompanying mechanisn'i illustrating the same mounted within a section of a helicopter gondola embodied in this invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional end elevationof a dirigiblev embodying this invention illustrating the girder construction for the rigid dirigible.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the shutter planes illustrating diagrammatically the control thereof from the controlled gondolas.

Figure 6 illustrates in an enlarged view the controlled mechanism within the gondola for controlling the shutter planes.

Figure 7 is a fragmental top perspective of the rear end of a dirigible embodying this invention, illustrating the horizontal and vertical rudders and fins embodied in this invention.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 illustrate rigid balloons, each of which balloons is composed of a plurality of individual gas-bags A of any de sired or preferred construction. Each of the balloons 1 and 2 is constructed of a frame 3 composed of a rigid ring structure 4 connected to horizontally extending girders 5, which girders 5 are secured to a plurality of truss girders 6 and 7 and in which frame 3a plurality of short girders 8 are provided so as to brace and hold the rings 4 at the joints 9 of their sides. The horizontally extending girders 5 extend through from one balloon 1 to and through the opposite balloon 2 so that the same are rigidly held together. In order to prevent the collapsing of this structure when the dirigible descends, a plurality of truss-members 10 are provided the necessity of releasing the balloons 1 or 2, which means comprise heli-- which connect the balloons 1 and 2 at the upper portions. Secured to the girders 5 and to the frames 8 of the balloons 1 and 2 are the necessary girders 11 for supporting the motor gondolas 13 in which gondolas the motors for driving the dirigible are mounted and within which gondolas the motors are controlled. A pair of helicopter control gondolas 1.9 are provided, one of which is mounted at each end of the girder construction between the balloons I and 2. Formed between the two lower transversely extending girders 5 are runways 14;, which runways 14 are divided into passenger quarters as indicated at 15 and freight compartments as indicated at 16. Secured to the frames 3 at the underside thereof are landing bumpers 17 which may be in the form of pontoons or the like for permitting the dirigible to light upon water.

:Means are provided for controlling the descentand ascent of the dirigible without as from the copter propellers IS, which helicopter propell'ers 18 are secured to shafts 19 mounted in bearings 20 supported by the framework of the helicopter gondolas 19. Secured to the lower end of the shaft 19 is a be ell gear '21 which may be meshed with either the bevel gears 22 and 23, which bevel gears 22 and 23' are rigidly secured to the drive-shaft are pivotall'y secured to sleeves 29 which are rotatably secured. to the gears 22 and 23 respectively so that either gear 22 or 23 may be shifted into engagement with the gear 21 as desired. The gears 22 and 23 may be slidably mounted upon the shaft 2% in any desired or preferred manner such as a key mounted in a longitudinally extending keyway (not shown) or any other desired or preferred manner.

These reversible helicopters permit a very close accurate control of the balance of the dirigible as well as a very accurate and close controlof the ascending or descending of the dirigible. By means of these reversible helicopters, the dirigible may be made to ascend vertically under all atmospheric conditions and when it is desired to descend whi le employing such reversible helicopters, the dirigible n-ray be, by setting these helicopter propellers in operation, descended at the desired angle or may be made to descend vertically so that a great saving is made in time, mileage, fuel and the like over the prior means of ascending and descending where it haw hold the same down to an altitude so that the same could be run under the roof of the hangar. V

In order to permit the dirigiblc to turn in a very short radius, the motors mounted with the gondolas 13 are provided with reversing gears so that the direction of rotation of the propellers 30 may be regulated. i ired or prei'i'crred type of reversing gear may be employed and appli c it does not deem it 3iecessonr" to illustrate such well undo: 'ood mechanics. By means of having a plurality of motors mounted within motor gondolas 13 at the opposite ends of the dirigible, it is possible, when desired, to rotate the propellers $30 at the forward end of the dirigible in a directon to drive the dirigible forward while rotating the propellers 30 of the motors mounted within the rear goudolas it in the opposite direction so that the dirigible may be turned in a very short space by a slight adjustment o f the vertical rudders 81.

There are preferably eight motor gondolas four mounted at e: ch end of the dirigible. 'he gondolas 13 are supported on opposite sides of each balloon 1 and as will be apparent from Figure 2. Driving motor (not shown) are mounted in each gondola 13 for driving the propeller 30.

The motor in the outer gondolas 13 (of which there are four) are provided with reverse gears of any dosirable preferred type so that the direction of rotation of the propeller 30 driven thereby nn .1 be reversed. In turning the dirigi ble is preferable that he motor in the diagonally opposed gondolas only are operated one to turn its propeller S0 in one direction, and one to rotate its propeller l in the opposite direction; by this means a very effective turn is manipulated in a small area.

The vertical rudders 31 are mounted at the rear of the balloons 1 and 2 and are pi votally supported in position as extensions of the vertically extending fins i'rny desired or preferred means may be provided for controlling thesc rudders from any of the god dolas 13 or 19 as desired. Mounted at the rear end of each balloon l and 2 and at diametrically opposed points hereof are horizontally extending fins 3.) to which fins 33-; and as an extension thereof are horizontal rudders 34: which are pivoted to the ends of the fins 33 as illustrated at 35. In order to permit an accurate control of the line of travel of the dirigibl'e and so as to maintain a too Ill)

correct balance of the dirigible while traveling through the air a pair of sets of shutter planes 36 and 37 are provided, each of which sets of shutter planes comprises at least three individual shutter planes which are pivotally supported at opposite ends of the dirigible between the balloons 1 and 2, which shutter planes when manipulated to the horizontal position form a continuous shutter plane which provides a horizontal area which will tend to maintain the dirigible in horizontal position within the air. These shutter planes also eliminate the necessity of a close ballast control of the opposite ends of the dirigible as by separately regulating the opposite sets of shutter planes 36 and 37, the difference in weight of the opposite ends of the dirigible caused by difference in atmospheric conditions, such as the wind blewing on one end of the dirigible and the sun beating down on the opposite end of the dirigible, in one case tending to decrease the buoyancy of the gas employed and in the other case tending to increase the buoyancy of the gas employed, may be accurately controlled. The shutter planes may be controlled from the helicopter gondola 13 as illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 5 where each shutter plane is illustrated as controlled by cables 39 and 4H) secured to the opposite ends thereof and passing over pulleys 41 and $2 to a drum as which is rotated by meansof a steering-wheel 4% which is operatively connected to the drum 43 at the worm-gear 45. By means of the combined effects of the shutter- planes 36 and 37 and the reversible helicopters 18 a very close control of the air-ship is acquired so that the same can be handled in a very efiicient and accurate manner. 1

Having fully described a preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that my invention. is not limited to the details herein set forth which may obviously be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dirigible the combination of a pair of balloons, means for rigidly connecting the balloons together in horizontal relation, a forward lifting and stabilizing reversible helicopter propeller, a rear lifting and stabilizing reversible helicopter propeller, the said helicopter being mounted intermediate the said balloons near the center thereof, and means for driving the said pro pellers.

ed by the balloons in fore and aft relation,

motors mounted in the gondolas, propellers driven by the motors, means for reversing the drive from the motors to the propellers, a forward reversible helicopter and a rearward lifting and stabilizing reversible helicopter, the said helicopter being mounted intermediate the said balloons near the center thereof, and means for driving the said helicopter propellers.

3. In a dirigible the combination of a pair of balloons, a rigid frame for each balloon, a plurality of girders rigidly connecting and extending through the said frames, a pair of reversible lifting and stabilizing helicopter propellers mounted in gondolas one fore and one aft, the said gondolas being mounted intermediate the said balloons and near the central horizontal plane of the said pair of balloons and means for rotating the said helicopter propellers and means for reversing the direction of rotation of the said helicopter propellers.

4. In a dirigible the combination of a pair of rigid balloons, a pair of helicopter lifting and stabilizing propellers, means for rotating the said propellers, a control gondola for each helicopter propeller, a motor mounted within each gondola, one of said gondolas being supported at each end of the dirigible intermediate the said balloons and above the horizontal plane of the lower surface of the said balloons, a plurality of sets of shutter planes mounted intermediate the said balloons and means controlled from one of said gondolas for adjusting the position of the said shutter planes.

5. In a dirigible the combination of a pair of balloons, girders for rigidly securing the balloons together, the said girders extending through the said balloons, a plurality of shutter planes supported by the said girders and mounted between the said balloons above the horizontal plane of the lower surface of the said balloons, a control gondola and means for adjusting the position of the shutter planes from the control gondola.

6. In a dirigible, the combination of a pair of balloons, means for rigidly securing the balloons together, a plurality of motor gondolas mounted in fore and aft sets, each of which sets comprises a plurality of gondolas, one of which is mounted upon each side of each balloon, driving propellers driven from each of said gondolas, and means within the gondolas for selectively reversing the direction of rotation of the said propellers so as to turn the dirigible.

Signed at Los Angeles, Calif, this 13th day of October 1925.

RUDOLPH, BYLEK.

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