LTA PATENTS BLOG

Todays patent is Dunn’s only U.S. patent.

      “The primary object of my invention is to provide an airship 

of the lighter than air type, embodying means to generate power 

as the airship travels through the air at speed and to utilize said 

power either in assisting in the propulsion of the ship or in the 

accumulation of electric current for general uses on the aircraft.

      To this end I provide an airship of novel form including a

longitudinally extending air tube open at both ends, which 

tube contains an air motor adapted to be driven by the powerful 

current of air rushing through said tube during the normal 

operation of the ship.

Note: Classic perpetual motion, “something for nothing” patent. 

Dunn’s preferred design is a rigid, cigar-shaped, “winged” airship, 

with a longitudinal air tube throughout the entire length of the airship. 

This tube may be closed off to assist in braking. Dunn expected to 

generate sufficient power not only to overcome the losses, but to 

provide additional electrical energy to speed his airship on its way.

Only the second claim includes the second set of wings, that also

contain buoyant material. (Presumably a lighter than air gas.)

The USPTO assigned classifications from four classes when this 

patent was digitized for entry into the Patent Data Base:

            244/25 (Airship with sustaining wings) and

            244/58 (. Auxiliary – power plant)

           180/2.2  "Motor vehicles wherein the source of  power for the

                         the motor is derived from a freely occurring natural

                         force (e.g., sun, wind)".

          290/44 (Wind)

          290/55 (Wind)

         415/121.3 (Combined)

         415/908  (Axial flow runner)

Strangely enough, this patent is cited by eight modern patents:

  4,166,596 Airship power turbine

  4,350,896 Lighter than air wind energy conversion system 

                   utilizing an internal radial disk diffuser,

  4,350,897 Lighter than air wind energy conversion system,

  4,350,898 Lighter than air wind energy conversion system 

                   utilizing an external radial disk diffuser,

  4,350,899 Lighter than air wind energy conversion system 

                   utilizing a rearwardlymounted internal radial disk 

                   diffuser,

  4,450,364 Lighter than air wind energy conversion system 

                   utilizing a rotating envelope,

  5,836,542 Flying craft and a thruster engine suitable for use 

                   in such a craft, and

  5,934,612 Wingtip vortex device for induced drag reduction

                   and vortex cancellation.

Todays patent is the last of five patents Upson assigned to 

his Aircraft Development Corporation.

      “These inventions relate to airships. The objects include the 

production of airships, as the term is now understood, having 

many advantages over any design or construction heretofore 

known. The advantages and results may be thus stated 

(emphasis added):

and withal more advantageous accommodation for supplies as well 

as goods or passenger loads, and also a structural unity of ship 

particularly well adapted for mooring as well as for flight,

maneuvering or housing.

      These various advantages, or any of them, result from a design 

and construction of airship, in which a single metal envelope, with 

the other features of construction, provides a rigid ship of great 

structural efficiency, and which structurally carries the static 

loads when inflated, and which meets all the requirements of 

increased aerodynamic forces when in flight.”

Upson left Goodyear, where he had been chief airship designer 

and their first test pilot, to establish the Airship Development 

Corporation, building and marketing a new class of aircraft, 

the all-metal, pressure-rigid airship. After Slate Aircraft declared 

bankruptcy, only three companies, ADC, Goodyear and Zeppelin,

were prepared to design and manufacture large airships.

NOTE: Excellent patent, except for introducing, but not defining a 

unique term, the “Kelson truss”. Upson's unique metalclad (pressurized 

rigid airship) employs at least six fins equipped with rudders or 

elevators. The USPTO failed to cite several critical classifications 

covered by the patent's 34 approved claims:

  244/87 (Rudders and empennage),

  244/96 (Airship control),

  244/97 (Buoyancy varying),

  244/125 (Airship hull construction),

  244/127 (Airship load attachment),

  244/128 (Airship gas cell construction and arrangement),

  244/130 (Aerodynamic resistance reducing).

Despite this slight, the patent has been cited by:

4,208,027 Gradation of skin thickness on metal-clad airship hulls,

7,500,637 Airship with lifting gas cell system, and

7,740,450 Lightweight hub for rotors.

Todays patent is the last of Laisy’s five patents.

The patent doesn't identify bow or stern.

     “Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide a 

supporting structure for the gas bag of a dirigible which may be 

easily and conveniently collapsed to facilitate storage or shipment 

thereof; to provide a form or structure for the gas bag of a dirigible 

which shall have the advantages of a rigid type of dirigible but 

which may be collapsed to secure the advantages

of a non-rigid type of dirigible; to provide a structure of the aforesaid

character which shall be simple in construction, inexpensive to 

manufacture and easy to operate, while further objects and advantages 

will appear as the description proceeds.”

NOTE: Read Laisy’s patent carefully. It's neither simple nor 

convenient:

   Lots and lots of joints;

   The“rigid” framework is significantly longer when collapsed;

   The method of erecting the assembly and attaching a gas-tight 

      envelope, after installing and tightening the bolts, is left to the

      imagination; and

    Fails to explain or discuss how, or when, anything is attached

      to the envelope or the framework (e.g. control car(s), engines

      and propellers, empennage, landing gear and mooring gear).

Laisy neither discusses, nor claims to produce, the collapsible
form as two or more longitudinal sections for ease of transportation. 

            There must be components, or a maintenance fixture, to support

             this complicated skeleton while it is “opening” or collapsing.

This patent is cited by two modern patents:

4,762,295 Aerostat structure with conical nose, and

6,056,240 Support for an airship.

Todays patent is one of Burney’s 24 U.S. patents.

      “Heretofore, it has only been possible to burn medium and 

heavy hydrocarbon oils efficiently in engines of the semi-Diesel 

or Diesel type where a high temperature cycle is obtained. I have 

discovered, however, that the use of hydrogen as a burning agent 

enables medium and heavy hydrocarbon oils to be used on low 

temperature cycle engines of the ordinary petrol consuming type, 

and, according to a further feature of the present invention and 

instead of using petrol or a light hydrocarbon oil as previously 

proposed, a medium hydrocarbon oil, such as kerosene, is employed 

together with a charge of hydrogen in an engine of the petrol 

consuming or like type so that a low temperature cycle is obtained,

as distinguished from the high temperature cycle which is obtained 

in engines of the Diesel or semi-Diesel types when consuming 

medium and heavy hydrocarbon oils alone. The aforesaid medium 

or heavy hydrocarbon oils may be introduced or pumped in, in 

conjunction with a charge of hydrogen, at the commencement of 

the suction stroke, the charge of air being introduced preferably 

in the manner above described, i. e., towards the end of the suction 

stroke. Apart from increasing the reliability and efficiency of the 

engine the use of a low temperature cycle reduces the temperature 

of the exhaust gases, thus diminishing, in the case of an airship 

any liability to fire due to the heat of the exhaust gases. Moreover 

a heavy hydrocarbon oil can be chosen having a flash point which 

will avoid its ignition in the event of the rupture and sparking of an

electric lead in its proximity.”

NOTE: Burney’s  innovation is a modified four-stroke internal 

combustion engine which operates on a mixture of hydrogen gas 

and kerosene or diesel fuel instead of gasoline (petrol). His design

would be worth investigating wherever a lightweight, low-speed, 

engine might be desirable.

This innovation has several advantages, particularly for airships 

if they use hydrogen as the lifting gas. 

All six of the approved claims begin “A method of regulating the 

buoyancy of lighter-than-air air-craft….” 

Despite Figures 1 through 4,  the USPTO didn't list anything from 

Class 123 "INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES". Almost certainly 

this explains why the patent hasn't been cited by any modern patents.

Todays patent was Bamberger’s only LTA patent.

Raymond S. Bamberger was one of the original Army pilots 

trained on the SC-1 in 1908.  He had joined the Army during the 

Spanish American War and retired in 1915 but was recalled during

World War I. 

Colonel Bamberger retired for the second time on 31 October 1941, 

having served a total of 43 years. 

       “My invention relates to car suspension for balloons. The broad 

object of the present invention is to provide means for suspending the 

car or basket below the balloon which will give an additional factor 

of safety to the occupants of the car, produce a marked decrease of 

oscillation of the car, permit increased accuracy of observation due 

to decrease of oscillation, and increase the availability of the balloon 

during weather which under present conditions would prevent the 

taking of observations.

      A further object of the invention is to materially increase the 

stabilizing effect on the car or basket and a reciprocal stabilizing 

effect on the balloon itself, resulting in practically eliminating effects 

of nose dives and swaying of the balloon.”

NOTE:  The patent’s purpose is to improve the stability of tethered 

balloons, the USPTO incorrectly assigned 244/127 (Airship load

attachment). If it had been correctly classified (244/31 (Balloon))

it might have been cited by modern balloon patents.

   This patent doesn’t discuss how the balloon (or its car) is attached 

   to the tether; it refers only to an improved method of attaching the 

   car to the balloon.

Todays patent is one of Durr’s 19 U.S. patents.

      “My invention relates to gas inflated airships and has special

 reference to such airships of this kind which, are provided with

a more or less rigid hull. It is an object of my invention to facilitate

the possibility of inspecting and watching the gas cells inserted

in the hull of such ships. This inspection while on the ground

and also when under way becomes of special importance when

two kinds of gases are contained in the hull. Lately it has been

proposed to use a gaseous fuel for driving the motors instead

of gasoline, so that it will be necessary to provide for storage

space for the fuel gas in addition to the gas space for the lifting

gas. For this purpose it has been designed to have two gas cells,

one above the other, in a compartment of the airship's hull.

Transverse members subdivide the hollow inner hull space into

such compartments. These transverse members generally are

called rings and consist of a circumferential structure from rigid

members stayed by inner braces forming a kind of bulkhead.

      According to my invention the inner bracing of such rings

which may be wire bracing for instance is so arranged that at

a certain height from the bottom there are one or more crossing

points adapted to support loads. This means that the bracing

is designed so that it may transmit forces resulting from such

loads to the upper ring portions against which the lifting forces

of the lifting gas bear. To these crossing points are hung or

otherwise fastened cat walk portions forming rigid structures

reaching from one bulkhead to another. At its forward and rear

end this cat walk is connected to the hull structure. It will be

advisable to arrange the individual cat walk portions in their

relative position so as to form one continuous element, but it

is possible to shift one portion or another vertically or laterally,

as circumstances may require. There may be one or more such

cat walk portions inserted in one compartment. The length of

one portion may be equal to the distance between two adjacent

transverse ring members or it may extend over several

compartments.”

NOTE: Although Durr indicates that one of the prime purposes of his

invention is to improve the ability to inspect the ship’s lifting gas and

fuel gas cells while moored or flying, none of the claims mention

inspection. Only Claims 11 & 12 mention gas cells (Upper and Lower

gas cells in one compartment).

The patent introduces new concepts into rigid airship design:

          None of the claims specify that the cat walk(s) must 

             be in a straight line or pass near the center of each ring, 

             or even that there is only one catwalk in each compartment. 

            Durr never discusses the width or load-bearing capacity of the 

            cat walk segments.

The USPTO failed to assign appropriate classifications:

    244/94 (Ballast storage and release),

    244/127 (Airship load attachment), and

    244/128 (Airship gas cell construction and arrangement).

Todays patent is one of five (of his 39) patents which Upson assigned

to the Airship Development Corporation.

This seminal patent is well worth reading, check

www.google.com/patents.

      “The dirigible as illustrated embodying my invention, consists 

of an elongated cigar shape envelope, with stiff, substantially 

longitudinal rigid members or ribs which may extend from end-to-

end, and with circumferential truss members intermediate the 

longitudinal stiff members, with the space between the stiff 

members covered by thin sheet metal, to form the envelope to hold 

the supporting gas in the dirigible. Inside the space is divided into 

a series of transverse sections by transverse partitions, and each 

section or compartment has at the bottom a ballonet formed by a 

substantially horizontal diaphragm adapted to yield with variation 

of gas content or with the expansion and contraction. Internal 

tackle or lacing between the structural members is so arranged 

and constructed that pressure differences between adjacent 

compartments in the direction longitudinal of the ship, will be 

accommodated and suitably resisted in order to preserve the 

separate gas compartment intact.”

NOTE: Upson redefines conventional air-ship terminology.

His invention discloses a new class of airship, the metal-shelled, 

pressurized rigid airship. Unlike his earlier MC-2, metalclad airship, 

and the Slate airship, which had no significant framework. This airship 

is constructed of flat-topped rigid longitudinal ribs and interlocking

cylindrical trusses, the entire array becoming the gas-proof outer 

envelope when the spaces between the ribs and trusses are sealed by 

thin metal sheets. 

He partitions this envelope into separate gas-filled compartments, 

each having a flexible thwart-ship gas-tight member at the bottom, 

thus establishing a separate zone between each gas compartment 

and the envelope which can be filled and pressurized with air, 

to form his multiple “ballonets”.

The USPTO cited only 244/125 (Airship hull construction).

The patent's twenty-four claims cover:

   RE30,129 (P/N 3,945,589)  Amphibious dirigible airships,

   7,448,572  Direct mounted propulsion for non-rigid airships, and

   7,500,637  Airship with lifting gas cell system.

Todays patent is one of the last of Schuette’s nineteen U.S. patents.

      “The chief object of my invention is to reduce the air resistance 

to a considerably higher degree than hitherto could be realized in 

connection with air-ships and with this object in view I discard 

motor cars of the types heretofore constructed and used in

connection with air-ships, and I substitute therefor supporting arms 

of the cantilever type pivotally attached to the framework structure 

of the air-ship and carrying at their free ends the motors and 

propellers so that each supporting arm together with the motor and 

propeller carried by the same, will be adapted to be moved to occupy

an outer position for driving purposes and to be returned and taken

in to occupy an idle or non-operative position within the body of 

the air-ship, when the propeller is to be stopped and only a reduced

number of propellers shall work, or the motor requires repair and 

the like. Preferably I provide a covering of the least possible air 

resistance for encasing the motor and the propeller. The aperture 

in the skin or envelope of the body of the air-ship provided for moving 

the cantilever arm supporting the motor and propeller, into the body 

and out of the same, may be closed by a covering sheet of woven 

fabric or the like adapted to be shut when the arm and motor are 

within or on the outside.”

Many powered gliders employ “pop-up” propulsion systems; I don’t 

know of any airships that have ever demonstrated this capability. 

(In 1960-61, researchers discovered that the powered test models suspended 

beneath the Navy's FLYING WINDTUNNEL were capable of propelling the 

huge airship, but Lakehurst never attempted to test a retractable power pod.) 

During the first world war, most of Professor Schuette’s innovations 

were also adopted and incorporated in the Zeppelins. But his 

company, Schutte-Lanz, wasn't authorized to use the scarce aluminum 

in producing its 21 wooden hulled airships before and during WW I. 

The last two wartime ships (the uncompleted SL23 and SL24) and 

Schuette’s post-war designs (SL 101, SL102 and SL103} all used

aluminum, rather than laminated wooden hulls. Fourteen of Schuette’s 

nineteen U.S. patents were issued after WW I.

NOTE: This patent emphasizes that the design purpose was to reduce 

weight, reduce drag, and improve supportability of future large rigid 

airships by retracting engines and their propellers into the hull except 

when that engine was to be used.

The USPTO neglected to assign appropriate classifications:

   244/125 (Airship hull construction and arrangement),

   244/126 (Airship skin construction),

   244/127 (Airship load attachment), and most important

   244/130 (Aerodynamic resistance reducing).

This patent is cited only by P/N 7,448,572 "Direct mounted 

propulsion for non-rigid airships”, which doesn’t even mention 

retractable engines.