USRE13548E - Aerostat - Google Patents

Description

J. R. GAMMETER.

AEROSTAT.

ummm-10N FILED EB.11,1913.

Reissued Apr. 1, 1913. l?

IIIIIIIIIIII. lclllllllifl1.

Joint n. enumeran, or AKRON, oiiro.

AEROSTT.

Original No. 1,047,038, dated December Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Reissued Apr,- 1,1913I 10, 1912, Serial No. 716,388. Application for reissue led February 11, 1913. Serial No. 747,813.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN R. GAMMETER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Akron,- county of Summit, and State My invention relates ,to improvements in.

air craft and particularly to dirigible bal- 10 loons.

One feature of my invention provides a flexible but inelastic sheath' or envelop for a lighter-than-air machine.

As is well known, there have been many failures and fatalities owing to the fact that the gas confined Within the envelop of a balloon, dirigible or otherwise, has been free t0 alter its volume under the influence of atmospheric conditions.

than-air type.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a sideelevation of a dirigible type airship, parts being broken away to show the internal construction; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a portion ofthe envelop; Fig. 3 is a-transverse sectional View on line III-III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an envelop showing a modified form of weavin the metallic ribbons composing the same; ig. 5 illustrates a further modification.

irigible airship from which the passenger-carrying frame has been removed for the sake of clearness in showing the operating parts. The structure consists of an envelop 2 of closely woven strips or ribbons of flexible but substantially 4, which are preferably constructed of alu- A strong, inextensible covering is According to my improved design I pro-' means for iniiating air ships of the lighterthus produced. The envelop is divided into sections 'or compartments 7 by pairs of rings *l 5, which may advantageously be composed of Wood, between whichI are secured partitions 6 of tightly woven material similar to that constituting the envelo In the drawing I 'have shown the airship to be divided into six compartment-s by the use of five of these partitions, but this arrangement may obviously be altered to suit the dictates of individual design.

In Figs. l and 2 I have shown the envelo as composed of ribbons extending longitudinally and'traiisversely with respect to the main axis of the structure. In some cases I find it advantageous to weave the fabric comprising the envelop in a spiral form. When this is carried out the longitudinal ribbons may be woven spirally in connection with transverse ribbons as shown in Fig. 4, or both sets may be spiral, as indicated in Fig. 5. Regardless of the manner in which uous envelop for inclosing the as bags which is sufliciently yieldable and exible in its nature, but which is substantially inextensible and is re'proof. Gas introduced into the containers under pressure may therefore be subsequently chilled, as by atmospberic conditions, and its pressure reduced without an accompanying shrinking inthe dimensions of the envelop. A substantially constant Vlifting value is therefore present in my improved structure. At' the same time the weight of the metallic envelop as thus constructed is less than that of many forms of framework or reinforced fabric already in use,'and is remarkably light for the degree of strength and safety which it affords. Because of its strength, the gas bags inclosed by it may be constructed of extremely li ht material. y

Each o the compartments 7 is provided with a gastight bag or envelop 8 which conforms closely to the walls of its compartment. At the bottoni Cf each 'gas container I place a valve 9 provided with a gas-tight slide 10 which is adapted to block the aperture 11 of the valve. In filling any compartment with suitable gas, I first introduce a collapsible as-tight bag 12 into the compartment. T is ba is provided with a neck 13 adapted to pass t rough. the vulve and afford communication with the enterior of the main envelop. Through this neck I introduce compressed air until the bag occuy pies all the space within the container, with the exception of that required for an inlet tube 14, which is also introduced through the valve `and extends a short distance into the compartment, but which is exterior to the air bag. Then the air bag is fully dispermitted to esca .tended, the air supply is shut off and gas is,

introduced into the compartment through the supply pipe 14. As the volume of the gas-increases it will cause a corresponding collapse of the air bag until a point has been reached where the air has been forced out of the airbag and the latter collapsed by the pressure of lthe surrounding lighter-l .than-air gas. "When this state of aifairs occurs, the air bag and the supply pipe '14 during the admission of the gas. By employin this method the erson in charge of the i ation of the air-s ip isv assured that each compartment is Iilled with gas and gas on] v Yhile I have illustrated. and. described only certain specific embodiments of my invention, I realize that .it is susceptible 'of wide variation and that the principle there,

. of may be embodied in many different structures.- I dol not intend to limit myself to the details of structure shown and described any further than as specified in certain of the more limited claims. hereunto appended, but desire to cover my invention broadly.l

Having thus described my invention,`I claim: v

11." Anenvelo for gas containers foraerostats compos'e of a fabric woven of metallic ribbons. j

2; An envelop for as containers for aero- 'stats composed ofa abrlc of tightly woven thinl metallic ribbons and presenting substantially no interstices.

3. An envelop for.` gas containers for aercf stats composed of a' fabric woven of thin steel ribbons.

4. An envelop for gas containers for aero- .stats composed of a abric of tightly woven thin steel ribbons presenting substantially y no` interstices.

5. An-envelo for aerostats comprising a body portion o tightly woven metallic ribbons and end portions of sheet metal. l

- 6. An envelo for aerostats comprisin a body portion o tightly woven thin steel ribbons and end ortions of sheetmetal.

7. An enve op for'aerostats comprising a through the tube 13 body portion of tightly woven thin steel ribbons and end portions of aluminum.

8. An envelop for aerostats comprising a body port-ion of tightly Woven metallic ribbons, a partition therein of similar fabric and end portions of sheet metal.

i 9. An envelop for aerostats comprising a body portion of tightly woven thin steel ribbons, a partition therein of similar fab- Vric and end portions of sheet metal. i

10. An envelop for aerostats com rising a body portion of tightly woven t in steel ribbons, a partition therein of similar fabric and end portions of aluminum.

11. An envelop for 'aerostats comprising en'd portions and a fabric body portion connectin the same having 'a series of thin the other, and a second series similar to the first and interwoven therewith.

12. An envelop for aerostats comprising end portions and a fabric body portion connectingthe same having a series of thin unita metallic ribbons extending from one en to the other, and a second series similar to the rst and interwoven therewith.

13. An envelop for aerostats comprising end portions and a fabric body portion connecting the same having a series of thin unitary steel ribbons extending from one end to the other, and a second series similar to the first and interwoven therewith. i

14. An envelop for aerostats comprising necting the same having a series of thin metallic ribbonseXtend-ing from one end to the other, and a second'series similar lto the first and interwoven therewith, a ring transversely mounted within said'pbody` portion and 'a compartment-forming partition of woven metallic. ribbons mounted thereon.-

15. An envelop for gas containers for tensible material.v l V 16. An envelop for-gas containers for aerostats com osed of a fabric of tightly woven thin ri bons of flexible but substantially inextensible material and presenting substantially 'no interstices.-'`` j end portions and a fabric body portion conbons of flexible but substantially inextensible material extending from one end to the other, and a second series similar' to the first and interwoven therewith.

18. An envelo for aerostatscomprising end portions andla nectin the same having a series of thin unito the other,fand a second series similar to the irst and interwoven therewith.

19. An envelop for aerostats comprising metallic ribbons extending from one end tol end portions, a, `fabricl body portion con-l aerostats composed. of a fabric woven of' ribbons of ilexible but substantially inex-` tary rlbbons of flexible but substantially inextensible material extending from one end v loe . .115 17. An envelop foraero'stats comprising necting the same having a series of thin ribfabric body portion conend portions and a fabrie'body portion connecting the same having a. series of thin ribbons of flexible but substantially inextensible material extending from one end vto the other, and a second series similar to the first and interwoven therewith,` a ring transversely mounted Within said body portion and a, compartment-forming partition mounted thereon. A 20. An envelop for aerostats comprising a body portion of spirally Woven ribbons offiilible but substantially inextensible material and' end portions of sheet metal.

21. An envelop for gas containers for aerostats composed of a fabric of spirally 1b Woven ribbons of flexible but substantiallyyinextensible material and presenting substantially no interstices.

JOHN R. GAMMETER.

Witnesses:

ROBERT M. PERSON, HARVEY MUssnR.

Images