US1811122A - Expansion device for diagonals and bulkhead wires - Google Patents

Description

EXPANSION DEVICE FOR DIAGONLS AND BULKHEAD WIRES Filed May 27, 1929 3 SheetsmShee: l

.me 23, 193i. LSJZZ EXPANSION DEVICE FOR DIAGONLS AND BULKHED WIRES C). GEISLER T' L Filed May 27, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 0. vk/sns?? @zw/W ff,

ATTORNEYS Jn@ 23, 1931.` GEHSLER ET M L'Z EXPANSION DEVICE FOR DIAGoNALs AND BUIKHEAD WIRES Filed May 27, 1929 5 Sheeis-.Sheec 3 lNVENTGR TTORN EYG Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES OTTO G-EISLEB AND GEORGE W. SETI-I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS EXPANSION DEVICE FOR DAGONALS AND BULKHEAD WERES Application filed May 27, 1.929. Serial No. 366,457.

Our invention relates to improvements in expansion devices for diagonals and bulkhead wires, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

` An object of our invention is to provide means for adjusting bulkhead wires and bracing such as that disclosed in our prior patent No. 1,715,829, in which Otto Geisler is the i0 inventor and George Seth is an assignee of a part interest.

A further object of our invention is to provide means whereby the internal bracing structure within an airship may be accurately and quickly adjusted to conform to the contraction and expansion of the casing of the ship and certain of its associated bracing structure.

l A further object is to provide means whereby certain of the bulkhead wires in an airship may be given a certain amount of slack for supporting a gas cell upon one side of the bulkhead wires in the event that a gas cell upon the opposite side should become deflated. A further object is to provide a device of the type described whereby a plurality of bracing members and a plurality of bulkhead wires may be easily placed under the proper tension with a minimum of eort.

' en A further object is to provide means whereby a plurality of bracing members and bulkhead wires in an airship may be adjusted simultaneously and the same amount. Other objects and advantages will appear in the following speciiication, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly poiuted'out in the appended claims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming partof this application, in which '59 gitudinal sectional view of a portion of an airship showing our invention as applied thereto, Y

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the bracing structure of the airf ship, and

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic detail view of a portion of the structure of the ship.

In carrying out our invention, we make use of an airship l such as that shown in Figure 4. The ship comprises an outer casing 2, see Figures 5 and 7 The casing is preferably formed from suitable sheet metal. The casing is disposed upon longitudinal supporting members 3. Transverse members 4 are disposed between the longitudinal mem- 65 bers 3 for holding the latter in spaced relation, see Figure 7.

In referring'to Figure 5, it will be seen that we have provided inner longitudinal members 5 which are spaced from the members 3. 7o The members 5 are held in spaced relation with respect to the members 3 by means of suitable supporting members 6. The members 5 are held in spaced relation -by means of inner transverse members 7. It will be seen in referring to Figure 7 that the transverse members 4 and 7 and their associate bracing form a plurality of supporting rings at point-s 8 indicated in Figure 5 and also diagrainmatically at 8 in Figure 4.

ln Figure 5 we have shown rigid diagonalv bracing 9 for supporting 'the longitudinal members 5 anda-lso the longitudinal members 3. F iXed diagonal members 10` are also provided for supporting the longitudinal members as shown in Figure ln Figures andr 5 we have shown the ship as being provided with centrally disposed longitudinal shaft l1. In Figure 1 we have shown a detail view V90 of the shaft. The shaft 11 comprises a series of portions 12, the ends of which are connected together by means of the supporting struclture Vfor an expansion device, such-as that shown in Figure l.y The expansion devices are disposed in a plane in alignment with the supporting rings 8, see Figure 5.

In Figure 1 we have shown a plurality ot' bars 13 rivetedrto the ends of the pipes 12 as at 14. The opposite ends of the bars 13 are connected with a coupling device 15 by means of bolts or screws 16. A pulley 17 is supported by the coupling members 15. It will be seen that the pulley 17 comprises pieces 18 and 19. The parts may be secured together by means oit bolts 2O and 21. rlhe pulley 17 is provided with a hub portion 22 having flanges l 23 which are disposed within grooves 24 in the coupling members 15. The pulley 17 is disposed in alignment with rings 8. In Figure 1 we have shown the bars 13 upon only one side of the pulley 17. The bars, however, are provided upon both sides of the pulley, but, in view of the fact that the construction is identical upon each side, the. showing and description otl the structure upon one side will of course suilice.

A screwniember 25 is secured to the hub portion 22 of the pulley 17. The screw member extends laterally from each side of the pulley and is disposed within the bars 13. The screw member is Aprovided with righthand threads 26 and left-hand threads 27. A disc member 28 is provided with threads whereby the member may be disposed upon the lett-hand threads 27. A second disc 29 is provided with threads and is disposed upon the threads 26. The disc 29 is provided with a plurality ofprongs 30 having openings 31 torreceiving the ends of bulkhead wires 32. The opposite ends of the bulkhead wires are secured to the supporting rings-8 at 33, see Figures 5 and 6. In referring to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that the bulkhead wires 3.. cross as at 34 and are alternately disposed about a ring 35.

In Figure 5 we have shown diagonal bracing members 36 hingedly secured at 37 upon the rings 8, as shown in detail in Figure 6. The diagonal bracings 36 are provided with a hinge at 38. The opposite ends of the diagonals are connected with turn-buckles 39, see Figures 5 and 1. rlhe turnbuckles are in turn connected with the disc member 28 through the medium ot' threaded rods 40. The diagonals are provided with suitable cables 41 whereby the diagonals may be moved into the collapsed position shown at 42 in Figure 5.

A gas-containing cell 43 is disposed between alternate rings 8, see Figure 5. The operation ofthe diagonal members 36 and of the cells 43 has been clearly setforth in the patcnt application above referred to. The couplings 15 comprise members 44 and 45, see Figure 3. The members are rigidly secured together by means of bolts 46. The hub 22 o the pulley y17 is keyed to the screw member 25 by means of keys 47.

In Figure 3 we have sho-wn a beaded chain 48 as disposed upon the pulley 17. The chain 48 passes around the pulley and to a Y position within an operating compartment in the body of the ship. TheA chain may be connected with suitable automatic mechanical devices for turning the pulley or the pulley may be turned manually through the medium of the chain 48.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. It is important in airship constructions to provide means whereby the internal bracing may be accurately7 adjusted to conform to the variations in expansionV and contraction of the body portion of the ship. In referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that when the pulley 17 is rotated, the screw member 25 will be rotated. Rotation ot' this member will of course move the members 28 and 29 toward or away from each other, depending upon the direction of rotation of the .pulley 17. When the pulley 17 isrotated for moving the members 28 and 29.towardeach-other, the diag onals 36 and the bulkhead wires32 will of course be placed .under increased tension.

When, however, the members 28 and 29 move in opposite directions,.the tension in the diagonals 36 and the bulkhead wires 32 willbe decreased tothe amount thatthe members 28 and 29 are moved. The ring 28 is provided with no othersupporting structure than'the bulkhead wires 32. Itvwill be seen that when the bulkhead wires 32 are placed under tension, the ring 35 will of course automatic-ally be centered.

In View of the .fact that the operation of each unit is identical, the description is being coniined to a singleunit. In referring to Figure 5, we have shown a unit Ay operatively connected with diagonals 36 and bulkhead wires 32. At B we have shown a unit adapted to operate bulkhead lwires alone. The unit B is identical with theunit A .with the exception that-the threads 27 andthe vring 28 are omitted. The bulkhead wire-s 32support the central shaft 11.

With our invention it is possible -to provide a certain amountof slack in the bulkhead wires for supporting a gas cell whenzthe companion cell should for any reason become deflated. lIn other words, by providing a certain amount of slack in the bulkhead wires, the latter Awill of course support a greater pressure than 'when fthe bulkhead wires are drawn taut. lllhen the diagonals are collapsed, they may befdisconnected-from the me1nbers'28.

We claim:

1. In an airship of the lighter than air type, supporting `members disposed yin spaced relation, a cent-ral supporting member, adjusting means disposed upon said central supporting member, 'bracing members connected with certain of said supporting members and said adjusting means, andbulkhead wires connected with said supporting members and the adjusting means whereby the bulkhead wires and the bracing members'inay be placed under various degrees of tension.

2. In an airship of the lighter than air type, a plurality of movable bracing members, a plurality of bulkhead wires, and means operatively connected with said plurality of' bracing members and the plurality of bulkhead wires whereby the same may be placed and held under various degrees of tension.

3. In an airship of the lighter than air type, a plurality of bracing members, a pluralty of bulkhead wires, and means for placing said plurality of bracing members and said plurality of bulkhead wires simultaneously under tension, said last-named means being adapted to place said bracing members and the bulkhead wires under various degrecs of tension.

4. In an airship construction, a plurality of bulkhead wires, screw meansfor placing aid bulkhead wires under various degrees of tension, a plurality of bracing members, and screw means for placing said plurality of bracing members under various degrees oi' tension, said screw means being operable simultaneously.

5. In an airship construction, a supporting framework, a central supporting member, a pair of screw-act-uated elements associated with said central supporting member, and a plurality of bracing elements connected with each of said screw elements, said screw elements being movable simultaneously in opposite directions for placing the bracing elements under tension.

6. In an airship construction, a supporting framework, a plurality of bulkhead wires connected with the framework, and a plurality of screw means operatively connected with the bulkhead wires and movable as a unit for placing the same under tension.

7. In a device of the type described, an actuating wheel provided with a screw element upon each of its sides and aligned with its axis of rotation, and a plurality of tensional elements mounted upon each of the screw elements, said screw elements being formed whereby the units comprising the plurality of tensional elements upon each side of the wheel may be moved toward or away from each other when the actuating wheel is turned.

8. In an airship construction, a plurality Vof bulkhead wires radially arranged with respect to the airship, a centering ring, said bulkhead wires being alternately passed upon opposite sides of the centering'ring, and a movable member having elements associated therewith and movable toward or away from each other when the former is moved, the

member having elements associated therewith and movable toward or away from each other when the former is moved, the inner ends of the bulkhead wires being alternately connected with said elements, a plurality of bracing members, and elements associated with said movable member and movable toward and away from each other when the Y latter is'moved, said last-named elements being operatively connected with said bracing members.

10. In an airship construction, a plurality of bulkhead wires radially arranged with respect to the airship, a centering ring, said bulkhead wires being alternately passed upon opposite sides of the centering ring, a movable member having elements associated therewith and movable toward or away from each other when theformer is moved, the

inner ends of the bulkhead wires being alterc OTTO GEISLER.

GEORGE W. SETH.

inner ends of the bulkhead wires being alternately connected with said elements.

9. In an airship construction, a plurality 0f bulkhead wires radially arranged with respect to the airship, a centering ring, said bulkhead wires being alternately passed upon opposite sides of the centering ring, a movable CII

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