US2977069A

US2977069A - Balloon launching method and apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2977069A
Application number: US538548A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Huch; John R Winckler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-10-04
Filing date: 1955-10-04
Publication date: 1961-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1978-03-28

Description

March 28, 1961 w. F. HUCH ETAL 2,977,069

BALLOON LAUNCHING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct, 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. JOHN R. Wl/VCKLER WILL/AM F HUCH A TT'YS March 28, 1961 w. F. HUCH ETAL 2,977,069

BALLOON LAUNCHING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: JOHN R. W/A/CKLER 'W/L MM F HUCH ATT'YS 'of Fig.7.;

BALLOON LAUNCHllNG METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 4, 1955, Ser. No. 538,548

8 Claims. (Cl. 244-31) This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for launching balloons and more particularly to the launching of balloons for high altitude flight which requires that only a small upper portion of the balloon be inflated with lifting gas.

In this method of launching, the uninflated balloon fabric, priorto launching, if not controlled, tends to form a big sail andbecomes very diflicult to manage in all but perfectly calm weather conditions. A number of methods have previously been employed to restrain this lower fabric, one of which is to hold the balloon at the bottom of the upper portion which is to be the inflation bubble and inflate the balloon above that point. The uninflated fabric comprising the lower portion of the balloon is then laid along the ground; The balloon is launched by releasing-the holding device.

The-equipment used to hold a balloon at the base of the bubble in this manner has heretofore been quite cumbersome for it had to be heavy enough to hold down the lift for the entire train of balloon and equipment. Another disadvantage inherent in this method is that there is no means of accurately determining the lift of thev bubble. This measurement has proved to be impor tant; in order for the balloon to be successful, there must be suflicient lift to make the flight airborne, yet not so much as to give it a prohibitive rate of rise.

An important object of the invention is to provide a more eflicient method of launching a balloon.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved-balloon launching apparatus which greatly decreases undesirable disturbance to the load. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for'measuring the lift of a partially inflated balloon and to horizontally restrain the lower uninflated balloon fabric.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic view for illustrating balloon launching in accordance with this method utilizing a lift-measuring torque wrench and a tie-down device which is attached to afloating clamp for holding down and releasing the balloon;

Fig. 2'is an elevational view of a balloon clamp'as shown in Fig. 1; 7 I

Fig. 3 represents the floating clamp of Fig. 2 inropen or releasing position; i

Fig.4 represents a floating clamp comprising aspool held by lines at each end of the axis, one of which may be disconnected to release the spool;

Fig. 5 showsa balloon with a holding clamp-atthe I base of the lifting bubble; A p

Fig. 6 showsaclarnp in accordance with Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows a balloon hold down comprising aconfining ring and aninflated tube connected to a pressuremeasuring hold-downarranger nent;

Fig. ,8 shows, the ring and inflated tube-holding means 2,977,069 Patented Mar. 28, 1961 Fig. 9 showswa partially inflated balloon as released of weighing the net lift of the balloon bubble by means of a scale; I

Fig. 16 shows another method of using a weight to measure the net balloon lift; and

Fig. 17 illustrates a method and apparatus of launching a balloon which includes a torque wrench applied to a horizontal lever which carries a mounting spool for holding and releasing a partially inflated balloon.

This invention describes methods and apparatus whereby a balloon and its equipment may be launched with simple light apparatus and in which the lift may be accurately measured.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a

partially inflated balloon is shown in Fig. l with an inflated bubble portion 20 and a gathered excess fabric lower portion 22 which is held in an elevated substantially horizontal position by a support 24 near the bottom of the balloon and an anchor line 26 connected to the lower end of the balloon and to a ground stake 28. A releasable holding spool 30 connected to a ground stake 32 by a tension line 34-, is positioned over the juncture of the

portions

20 and 22. In this tension line is connected a torque wrench which comprises a beam 36 which has contact portions A and B over and under which the line 34 is passed at one end of the beam so that lifting pressure must beapplied at the other end of the beam in order to position it horizontally, and the upward pull is measured by a scale 38 which is raised by ta'handle 40 at the upper end of the scale. The upward pull may then be determined by the reading on the scale and depending upon the'leverage and the inclinationof the line 34. The

particular construction of this strain gauge forms no part of the present invention.

The holding spool 30 may be connected to the line 34 by a cross piece 42 attached to the end of the line and having a link 44 pivoted to one end of a shaft 46 upon which the spool is rotated and the other end of the shaft 46 being connected to the cross piece by a separable link 4-8 so thatthe spool may swing outwardly as shown in Fig. 3 to insert and remove the balloon.

The holding spool 30 may also be represented as having one guy line 50 attached to one end of the shaft 46 with a separable'loo'p or connection 54 by which the other. end of the. spool may be released. The spool hold down and release-mechanismhas an additional advantage over prior mechanisms sincefrom the start of inflation of the balloon all fabric below the; bubble can be controlled.

As more fabric is required ;for increasing the size of I the bubble, the. anchor line 26 is extended and thefab'rio;

, of the lower portion 22 rollsby the spool-to becornepart of the bubble; The balloon is easily released 'fromthe spool by simply disengaging one end of the spoolshaft as above noted. Y

In other launching methods, the lifting force is held by an unknownamount-of friction onthe'clarnp which may pull in some local areas more thanothersq' .ByHusing restraining ,linesfandfloatingthe restraining device in the mannerof this invention, the danger dfdamaging the 1 a fabric is largely removed; the clamp riding" to a position} where the friction is minimized. 'Ihe lift maybe meas v asraoeoured with a torque wrench inserted in the restraining line which permits an accurate measurement of the vertical component of force which is the net lift of the balloon bubble. On release of the floating restraining means, the balloon bubble travels down wind toward the anchor rope 26 and any load which may be tied at the base of the balloon. When the balloon and load are completely airborne, the now-slack anchor line 26 may be severed, releasing the balloon for free flight.

Several variations of the release device are shown in further detail. Figs. and 6 show a clamp having a base 56 attached to the tension line 34 and a clarnping member 58 connected to the base at one end by a hinge 6i and having any suitable fastening device represented by a hook 62 at the other end for engaging the other end of the base 56. The gathered portion of the balloon at the base of the bubble portion 26 is inserted between the

members

56 and 58 of the clamp for holding the balloon downwardly, and the latch is released to open the clamp for releasing the balloon.

As shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the clamp comprises a circular girdle 64, preferably of metal, which is concave at the inner side for receiving an inflatable tube 66, like a tire therein. The lower gathered portions of the balloon are inserted through the girdle and tube, and the latter is inflated to hold the balloon therein, and the tension line 34 may be restrained by a load-tensioning device, as shown in Fig. 1. The line 34 restraining this clamping device is cut at Star near the girdle 64 for the launching. The girdle 64 and the tube 66 are carried by the balloon in flight as represented in Fig. 9. At a predetermined altitude, the tube 66 is deflated, and the girdle 64 and the tube are forced down on the lower portion 22 of the balloon by the expansion of the upper portion 26 thereof. In Fig. 9 is shown a catcher 68 for the tube 66 and girdle 64 or a parachute for aload 70 of instruments and the like which may be carried by the balloon.

An alternate method of using the girdle 64 and tube 66 is illustrated in Figs. l0, l1, and 12 in which the portion 22 of the balloon below the bubble is formed with a loop 72 which extends through the girdle and tube and is held in this position by the tube inflated against the loop. The girdle 64 and tube 66 ride with the balloon in flight, but at a predetermined altitude the tube is deflated or the pressure of the bubble 24 becomes so great that the girdle and tube are forced apart as represented in Fig. 12.

As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the balloon may be restrained by a simple band or ring 74 which preferably has a convex inner surface 76, through which the gathered lower portion of the balloon may be launched. The angle of the restraining line 34 should be kept from to by proper tension in the portion 22 of the balloon to prevent slipping in the band.

Another'method and apparatus for weighing at launching is shown in Fig. 15 in which the lower gathered portion 22 of a balloon is passed under a holding and releasing spool 78 supported at the ends by arms 66 each pivoted to a spoolshaft 82 at one end and at the other to an upwardly extending portion 64 of a mounting base 86 which has an opposite vertical extension 38 over which the lower portion of the balloon passes, substantially in a horizontal position from the bottom of the spool. A tensioning line 90 is connected at its upper end to the spool shaft 82 and at its lower end to the base 86 in a vertical position and is provided with a spring balance including a scale 92 to measure the tension Actual weights or a torque wrench may be substituted for the spring balance. The line 90 is tightened so that the restraining arms 80 and the lower balloon fabric 22 are substantially in alignment.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. I 16, a restraining line 94 isconnected at one end to the spool shaft 82 and at the other end to a fixed support 96. 'A weight 98 is connected to the spool shaft 82 by a tension lineldll which is substantially in line with the vertical bubble portion of the balloon. The gathered lower portion 22 of the balloon is engaged by an alignment clamp 162 which may be fixed in position so that the magnitude of the Weight 98 may be adjusted, or the clamp may be adjusted, to bring the restraining line 94 in alignment or parallel with the balloon portion 22 which extends from the bubble 20 to the alignment clamp.

The general idea of Fig. 16 is maintained in the method and apparatus shown in Fig. 17 in which the spool 78 is mounted in a rigid lever 104 having a roller 106 at one end over which the gathered lower portion 22 of the balloon passes after the bottom portion of the bubble 20 is passed below the spool. At one end 107 of the lever 104 is a tension-measuring device connected in a tension line 108 attached at its upper end to said end of the lever and at its lower end to the ground stake 110. The other end of the lever is connected to the upper end of a tension line 112 connected to a ground stake 114 and preferably substantially parallel with the tension line 108 at the other end of the lever. The lifting force of the bubble 26 is transmitted to the lever 104 by reason of the engagement of the spool 78 therewith; and when the lower uninflated portion 22 is in a substantially horizontal position, the tension-measuring device will register the pull inthe tension line 108 from which the vertical component may be determined. The lift of the bubble 20 is equal to the balancing torque at the end 107- of the lever 1&4 divided by the distance from the axis of the spool 78 to the axis of the roller 106. The effective lift may be determined from the reading of the scale 38 in connectiorrwith the tension line 108 as previously determined.

In all of these forms, the general idea is to provide a floating type of restriction determining the bottom of the enlarging inflation bubble with the progress of prelaunching inflation, thus minimizing sail area during inflation, combined with mechanism for measuring the lift as such inflation progresses so that the inflation operator will be able to see to it that the lift reaches but does not exceed a predetermined value which will insure the desired rate of rise of the balloon and attached load and the balloons reaching the predetermined ceiling altitude.

It is thus apparent that the base of the bubble, i.e., the juncture between the inflated and uninflated portions, floats, and the restrictive means is operative, in response to the lift of the bubble, to compact the girth of the balloon material at the floating juncture and thereby minimize sail area. As lift gas is added the lift increases, pulling up hitherto uninflated balloon material past the restriction and thus providing a progressively enlarginginfla'ted portion at the expense of the uninflated portion, the base or juncture shifting toward the bottom end of the balloon and being compacted by the restriction during the shift, so that sail area is minimized during the progress of inflation.

While We have shown a variety of methods of measuring the vertical component of a balloon lift and various means for launching a balloon, they should be regarded as examples or embodiments of the invention and not as a restriction or limitation therein as many changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventron.

We claim:

1. In a balloon launching apparatus, the combination with a balloon having at one end a lift gas containing bubble portion extending upward and a gathered uninflated portion extending laterally from thebottom of the bubble portion during the preparation for launching the balloon, of means tethering the free end of the uninflated portion, means including a line tethering the juncture of said portions, said bubble portion holding said line taut, and means connected with said line and responsive to the stress imposed by said bubble portion on said line for measuring the lift of said bubble portion, the second tethering means comprising a band and an annular inflated tube between which said juncture is clamped, said bubble portion being operative on expansion of the lower part thereof pursuant to soaring of the balloon to free said juncture from said band and tube.

2. In a balloon launching apparatus, the combination of a balloon having at one end a lift gas containing bubble extending upward and a gathered uninflated portion tethered at its free end, a part of said gathered portion adjacent said bubble being in the form of a U-loop, a hand through which said loop extends, and an annular inflated tube coaxial with said band and clamping the arms of said loop to said band, whereby said bubble, on expansion while the balloon is in free flight, will pee said tube and band off said balloon.

3. In a balloon launching apparatus, the combination with a balloon having at one end a lift gas containing bubble portion extending upward and a gathered uninflated portion releasably tethered at its free end and extending laterally from the bottom of the bubble portion during the preparation for launching of the balloon, of a lever extending longitudinally of said uninflated portion,

tension members of substantially equal length pivoted to the respective ends of said lever and to points fixed relative to the ground, the line between said points being substantially horizontal and equal to the length of said lever so that when said tension members are extended they form with said lever and line a variable parallel ogram with said lever horizontal, said lever having intermediately of its length a roller extending across. and over the juncture of said portions, said lever having an end roller over which a part of said uninflated portion passes, and means connected with and responsive to the tension imposed on one of said tension members by the lift of said bubble portion for measuring the amount of such lift.

4. A high altitude balloon comprising a lift-gas-inflated end portion, said portion and the adjacent part of the uninflated portion of the balloon entirely floating in the atmosphere, said inflated portion having a liftinsufliportion would freely float, whereby the girth of the uninflated portion, a roller in the crotch of and engaging cient to launch the balloon, and means compacting the girth of the balloon material at the juncture of said por tions to minimize the sail area of the uninflated portion of the balloon.

5. A high altitude balloon comprising a lift-gas-inflated end portion entirely floating in the atmosphere but having a lift insuflicient to launch the balloon, the uninflated portion of the balloon extending laterally from the base of said inflated portion, means restraining the uninflated portion, a member in the crotch of and engaging the full width of the balloon at the juncture ofsaid portions, 3

the full width of the balloon at the juncture of said portions, the axis of the roller extending Widthwise of the juncture, and a guy line connected to the ground and holding said roller at a fixed elevation spaced from the ground but below that at which the base of the-inflated portion would freely float, whereby the girth of the balloon material at the base of the inflated portion is compacted throughout the width of the material against the roller to minimize the sail area of the uninflated portion.

7 A method of minimizing the sail area of the uninflated portion of a high altitude balloon having a lift-gasinflated end portion having a' lift suflicient to float the entire inflated portion and the adjacent part of the uninflated portion of the balloon but insuflicient to launch the balloon, comprising the step of allowing the entire inflated portion and said adjacent part to float in the atmosphere and compacting the girth of the floating juncture of said portions.

8. A method of minimizing the sail area of the uninflated portion of a high altitude balloonhaving a liftgas-inflated end portion having a lift suflicient to float the entire inflated portion and the adjac'ent'part of the uninflated portion of the balloon but insufiicient to launch the balloon, comprising the steps of allowing the entire inflated portion'and said adjacent, part to float in. the

atmosphere and compacting the girth of the floating juncture of said portions at an early stage of inflation and allowing the added lift resulting from the addition of lift gas to enlarge the inflated portion at the expense of the uninflated portion without relaxing the compacting pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS f