April 17, 1928. B. N. WALIS AIRSHIP Filed May 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet
April 17, 1928. B, N, WALIS AIRSHIP Filed May 29, 1925 fm/aav7oa a 21. Maeela a 77OAAWAYS
0 Patented Apr. 17, 1928. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. BARNESNEVILLE WALLIS, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR. To AIR SHIP GUARANTEE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ABRITISH com PANY. AIRSHIP. Application filed May 29, 1925, Serial No. 83,680, and in Great Britain June 12, 1924, This invention relates to airships of the Suitable means are provided for permit- 55 kind in which provision is made for accom ting the nitrogen to escape from its envelope modating an inert or relatively inert gas or envelopes in proportion to the escape of. such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc. be the hydrogen gas from its bag or bags, this tween the usual hydrogen gas bag or bags provision being necessary owing to the ex and the external envelope of the airship, so that in the event of the hydrogen gas bag mospheric pressure which takes place as the or bags being penetrated by fire, an incen airship rises. The nitrogen main is pref diary bullet, bomb or other missile, the inert erably constructed of the same matérial as gas will serve to prevent or restrain the hy the nitrogen envelope and said main may be drogen gas from burning. - provided with suitable non-return valves in 65 The usual proposals for accommodating addition to or in lieu of the aforesaid ion: the inert or relatively inert gas possess the return valves. The gas bag mesh wiri objection that, owing to the increased pres System, which may be of the type in our co-pending specification No.... We airship, the compartment containing the 1924 is preferably arranged outside the ni: pansion of the gas due to the decrease in at 60 - - 15 sure prevailing at the upper regions of the inert gas is collapsed at the top of the air trogen envelope so that the latter is located ship, so that the hydrogen gasbags are either between the hydrogen gas bag and the said... unprotected in these regions or else are not mesh wiring............... 20 protected to the same extent all round by an In order that the said invention may be envelope of inert gas........ clearly understood and readily carried into 75 According to the present invention this effect the same will now be described moré objection is overcome by accommodating the fully with reference to the accompari inert or relatively inert gas within a bag or drawing, which shows by w y of ex 25 envelope comprising outer and inner walls One embodiment of the present ir and in which:-........ (hereinafter termed the nitrogen envelope), which envelope surrounds the hydrogen gas Figure 1 is an axial section of the centre bag or each separate gas bag, and is pro portion of a rigid airship showing hydrogen W died with partitions whichssive to connect gas bags fitted with nitrogen envelopes con 30 together the said outer and inner walls. structed according to the present invention. The inner walls of the nitrogen envelope is Figure 2 is a diagrammatic transverse ss preferably constituted by the gastight outer Section, the half section on the left hand side cover of the hydrogen gas bag itself, but a of the figure showing a hydrogen gas bag separate inner wall may be provided, if de fully inflated and the half section on the... 35 sired, the outer wall being made of a mate right hand side of the figure showing the rial which is impervious to nitrogen such as position assumed by the nitrogen enve Sr. suitably treated cotton fabric. The parti When the hydrogen gas bag is partly de tions may be in gas communication with flated........ - each other, and to this end they may be coin Figure 3 is a detail view on an en 40 posed of a non-gastight material, or certain. larged scale showing the position of of the partition walls may be gastight so as One of the automatic and manoeuvring gas 95 to divide the nitrogen envelope into a num valves for relieving the pressure of the hy. ber of separate sections, and suitable means, drogen gas bag.............. such as non-return valves, may be provided Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing on an 45 for placing the various sections in communi enlarged cation with one another so as to enable them with the inert seale gas a portion containing of a envelope. gas bag fitted 100 to be filled from a common supply pipe AA are the longitudinal frames of the while preventing the escape of -nitrogen airship. B, B are the transverse frames. It from other sections, in the event of one or will be observed that the transverse framés. 50 more sections being ruptured. When the are triangular in cross section with the apex nitrogen envelope is inflated, compartments directed inwards towards the axis of the los of circular or approximately circuilar shape airship and that the longitudinal frames are in cross section will be formed around the also triangular in cross section the apex - - gas bag or each gas bag.... being directed outwards. C, C are the hy
10 2 drogen gas bags, and D, D are the nitrogen envelopes. In the example shown the nitro gen envelopes are formed by providing the outer gastight wall c of the gas bag with a number of non-gastight partitions d, d as also a number of gastight partitions d", d", pitched at suitable distances apart, the par titions being sewn or otherwise connected at separate gasbags, each gas bag comprising an inner chamber for containing a lifting gas and an outer chamber surrounding said in ner chamber for containing an inert gas, gas-tight partitions dividing up said outer chamber into separate gas-tight compart ments and other partitions dividing up said their inner edges to the gas bag C and at outer chamber into non gas-tight compart ments. their outer edges to a lining d, d composed of nitrogen-tight material. E., E is the 2. A hydrogen gas bag for an airship 75 mesh wiring which encloses both the nitro provided externally with a surrounding en gen envelopes D, D and the gas bags C, C. velope comprising inner and outer walls The gas bags are filled from a hydrogen and partitions which serve to connect to main F, and the nitrogen envelopes D, D gether said outer and inner walls, some of from a nitrogen main G. The relief valves said partitions being gas-tight and some non 80 gas-tight. are shown at J, J and the non-return valves at K, K, the latter being fitted in the gas 3. An airship provided with a plurality tight partitions d'. The non-return valve Kis shown in the open position and consists ing an inner chamber for containing a lift of a fabric sleeve which, during charging ing gas and an outer chamber surrounding, 85 of the inert gas envelope, allows the gas to said inner chamber for containing an inert flow through the valve. If, however, the gas, gastight partitions dividing up said gas tight compartment is ruptured the re outer chamber into separate gastight com versal of pressure within the compartment causes the sleeve K to collapse, thus sealing outer chamber into non-gastight compart 90 the opening in the gas tight partition d'. ments, and a network of mesh wiring cir The nitrogen envelopes D, D in the ex cumferentially surrounding said outer cham ber. -. ample shown merely surround the periphey and part of the sides of each gas bag C, 4. An airship provided with a plurality 95. but it will be understood that, if desired, nitrogen envelopes can also be located be ing an inner chamber for containing a lift tween contiguous gas bags; in Such cases ing gas and an outer chamber surrounding the nitrogen envelopes will be continued on said inner chamber for containing an inert one or both sides of the mesh wiring or brac gas, gastight partitions dividing up said ous ing wires, gas bags. located at H, H, between contigu outer chamber into separate gastight com 100 The automatic and manoeuvring gas valve chamber into non-gastight compartments, I (Figure 3) for the hydrogen gas bag C, and means permitting of the escape of the communicates with the interior space of the inert gas from said outer chamber in pro transverse frame B, the latter thus acting. portion to the escape of lifting gas from 05 said inner chamber. as gas trunk for conducting the hydrogen to a suitable opening located at the top of 5. An airship provided with a plurality the airship. The relief valves for the nitro gen envelopes D, D can also communicate ing an inner chamber for containing a lift in a similar manner with the interior of the ing gas and an outer chamber surrounding ll.0 frames B, B. said inner chamber for containing an inert Instead of the said nitrogen envelopes be gas, gastight partitions dividing up said ing constituted by annular compartments as outer chamber into separate gastight com aforesaid, they may be formed by longitudi nally disposed segmental sections, in which outer chamber into non-gastight compart 5 case each section may be charged with nitro ments, and relief valves in said outer cham gen to a pressure equal to the pressure to ber adapted to blow off at a pressure slightly which it will be subjected by the hydrogen in excess of the normal working pressure in the corresponding section or region of the prevailing within said inner chamber. gas bag. Each section of the nitrogen en 6. An airship, provided with a plurality 20 velope will be provided with a suitable charging non-return valve to enable it to be ing an inner chamber for containing a lift charged to the proper degree as also with a ing gas and an Outer chamber surrounding relief valve which may be set to blow off at said inner chamber for containing an inert working a pressure pressure. slightly in excess of its normal gas, gastight partitions dividing up said 25 outer chamber into separate gastight com What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States is:- outer chamber into non-gastight compart 1. An airship provided with a plurality of ments, and valve means in said gastight partitions placing the separate compart 130 25 3) 35 40 45 55 60 65
8. A hydrogen gas bag of an airship pro ments of said outer chamber in gas com munication with one another. vided externally with an enveloping outer..... 7. An airship, provided with a plurality wall forming a chamber for containing an of separate gasbags, each gas bag compris inert or relatively inert gas, said outer wall ing an inner chamber for containing a lift being attached to the gas bag by gastight ing gas and an outer chamber surrounding partitions which divide up said chamber 20 said inner chamber for containing an inert into separate gastight compartments and by gas, gastight partitions dividing up said other non-gastight partitions which divide outer chamber into separate gastight com up said outer chamber into non-gastight. it) compartments, relief valves in said outer outer chamber into non-gastight compart wall and valve means for placing all said ments, and non-return charging valves in compartments in gas communication with said gastight partitions which place the one another. separate compartments of said outer cham - 15 ber in gas communication with one another. BARNES NEVILLE WALLIS.