US852239A - Air-ship. - Google Patents

Description

No. 852,239. PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

J. G. RECKWEG.

AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.11, 1905.

3 SHEETS-BHEBT 1.

PATBNTED APR. 30. 1907.

J. G. REOKWEG.

AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DE(].11I 1905.

JOHN C. RECKWEG, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNLA.

AIR-SHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed December 11, 1905- Serlal N0. 291,316.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JOHN C. REoKwEo, a citizen of-the United States, residing at Los Angeles,in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Ships; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in air ships and consists of certain novel' features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and efficient means for steering and propelling air ships or bodies supported by a balloon or other gas field.

The above and other objects-which will appear as the nature of my invention is bet ter understood, are accomplished by means ofthe construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings,'in which,--

Figure 1 is' a side elevation of an air ship with my improved ropellin and steering mechanism applied t iereto; ig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the parts shown 'inFig. 2; Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

are vertical transverse sectional views taken respectively on the planes indicated by the lines 4- 4, 55 and 6--6 in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a detail view of the pivot bearing for one of the wings; and Figs. 8 and 9 are plan and sectional views of one of the valves in the coverings for the Wingsand rudder- Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1

denotes the body of the air sliip,.which may be of any suitable form and construction, and which is adapted to be supported or floated by a balloon 2 or other gas field, which may be of any form and construction and connect ed to the body or ship 1 in any suitable manner. As shown, the body or shipl is in the form of a boat and consists of a skeleton frame 3, which is in the form of the hull of a boat and which may be covered if desired. This frame 3 comprises a plurality of substantially U-shaped ribs 4 arranged transversely in parallel relation and connected by a heel 5 and a surrounding upper rail or rim 6. The ribs 4 are strengthened by vertical posts 2'', which are connected to each other by or tail-11 will be oscillated.

a curved central brace 8 and to the upper portions of the ribs by transverse braces 9.

The air ship is adapted to be propelled and steered by means of a plurality of pairs of wings l0. and a 1" arr-shaped rudder or tail 11. The wings 100f each pair, of which there may be any number, are arranged 11 1011 opposite sides of the body 3 and are in longitudinal alinement, as shown. Each of the wings 10 consists of a framelZ and a covering 13 of fabricor any other suitable material. The two side rods 14 of the frame 12 of each wing are brought to ether and united at their inner end 15, an they are pivotally mounted in bearin s 16-17 provided upon the rail or rim 6. r s clearly shown in F ig. 7 of the drawings, the bearing 16 is disposed at a greater elevation than the bearing 17, so that each wing will have an upward and rearward inclination to cause it to operate ellieicntly when oscillated. The innerends of the wings of each pair are loosely pivoted in a vertically reciprocating frame or slide 18,

which is mounted in a suitable guide upon one ofthe central posts 7 and which has a transversely extending slot or elongated opening 19 formed therein to receive an ec' centric 20 provided upon a longitudinally extending drive shaft 21. It will be seen u on reference to Fig. -11 of the drawings that w en the shaft 21 is rotated, the eccentric '20 will cause the slide 18 to move up and down and simultaneously oscillate one pair of the-wings 10.

The fan shaped rudder or tail 11 is mount- .ed upon the rear end of the body 3 and comprises a cross-sha e frame formed of two bars 22 connected )y curved cross bars covered by a covering of fabric or other light material The crossed bars 22, at their junction, are connected by means of a uni' versal joint or bearing 24 to the rear end of the body 3 and their diverging inner ends 25 are connected by a crossbar 26, which is pivoted at its center asshown at 27 in a slide 28, which is similar to the slide 18. As clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, said slide 28 is slidably mounted in suitable bearings and is formed with an elongated openingto re ceive one of the eccentrics 20 upon the'shaft 2.1, so that as the latter is rotated, the ruddel In order to tilt the curved outerend of the tail or rudder transversely and thereby steer the ship in the desired direction, suitable chains, cables or other flexible connections .29 are connect to the ends of the cross bar 26, so that they latter maybe swung upon its pivot 27 and will tilt the rudder angularly to either side. The operating connections 29 pass over suitable guide pulleys or devices 30 and may be operated by an suitable mechanism conveniently arrange where the operatoris stationed.

The shaft 21 is preferably driven by a gasolene motor 31 suitably mounted within the body 3 and geared to the shaft in-any de sired manner. In Fig. 2 of the drawings, a gasolene tank 32 is also shown mounted withthe frame. The eccentrics 20 are preferably so disposed upon the shaft 21 that the foremost pair of wings and the rudder will'be simultaneously raised and lowered and the intermediate pairs of-wings will be successively raised and lowered, so that the ship will be prevented from rocking and the mo tion will be like that of a bird, I

In order to permitthe wings 10 and rudder 1 1 to quickly ascend, I provide in their coverings 13 and 23, openings 33, which are controlled by valves 34, so that air will be per-. mitted to pass therethrough upon theirup stroke but not upon their down-stroke. As shown, the openings 33 are circular in form and the valves 34 are of similar-shape, said valves being also composed of fabric and strengthened by wires The valves are hinged atone side and are held normally in their closed position, as shown in Fig. 9, by coiled springs 36, as will be readily see'n'upon reference to Fig. 8. As the wings descend, the valves 34'will close the openings 33 so that the air beneath the wings will offer are sistance thereto, and upon theup-stroke of said wings, said valves will open, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, to permit the air to pass downwardly therethrough.

From. the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation and advantages of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details'of construction may be resorted to without departing from the prin- U end .of said. .body, vertically reciprocatingslides in said body pivotally connected to the inner ends of said wings and said rudder, a

longitudinally extending; shaft, and eccentries upon said shaft for actuating said slides. '2. An air ship comprising a body, oscillating wings arranged in pairs and pivotally mounted upon the opposite sides of said body, a rudder pivotally mounted at the rear end of said body, verticallyreoiprocating i slides in said body pivotally connected to the inner-ends of said wings and saidrudder, a longitudinally extending shaft, eccentrics upon said shaft for actuating said slides, and 'means for tilting said rudder angularly.-

3. An air ship comprising a body, a fanshaped rudder mounted'to swing vertically and rotateaxially upon'the rear portion of said frame, diverging arms or ends at the innerportion of said rudder, a-vertically reciprocating slide, a cross bar pivoted centrally in said slides and having the inner ends or arms of saidrudder securedln its ends, a

shaft, an eccentric upon said shaft for reciprocating said slide, and operating connections attached to the ends of said cross bar to swing the latter and hence. said rudder axlally.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN C.'REOKWEG. Witnesses;

-ARNOLD ARMSTRONG,

E. T. PARKE.

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