Today is “hot-air balloon day”. And here is one of the earliest inventions in this field: a hybrid airship.
For something that’s literally hot inside, this airship is actually pretty cool.
The airship has a hollow enclosure within which hydrogen/helium gas balloons are present. These balloons provide some buoyancy to the airship. But the greater part of it comes from heating the air inside the hollow enclosure.
So this airship uses the same principle of hot-air balloons but without the “dangerous” looks of it which can scare away quite a few.
Patent Information
- Airship and process for sustaining the same
- US 2180036
- Inventors: Joseph, Dardel Aime
- Application Number: US21241738A
- Publication Date: 11/14/1939
- Filing Date: 06/08/1938
- Abstract: This invention relates to aircraft of the lighter. than-air type, and has for its general object tc provide an aircraft of this type with simple, practical means to control its buoyancy and thereby to facilitate its maneuverability, without loss of its sustaining gas. With the foregoing and…
