US2355610A - Tubular balloon - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 15, 1944 UIN-.WED STATES PATENT ofFFICE?v 1 TUBULAR BALLOON Edgar C. Tuggle, Mosheim, Tenn.

Application August 14, 1942, Serial No. 454,823

2 Claims.

The object of my invention is the cheap production of a paperlike tubular balloon to which can be secured a light cord having high explosive charges attached at spaced intervals, and which is to be used in great numbers around cities and other places as a defense against enemy airplane attacks.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the entire balloon with attached cord and explosives; Figure 2 indicates how longitudinal edges of a rectangular piece of material are overlapped in the rst step to form the tubular balloon; Figure 3 shows front view of the balloon before ination; Figure 4 shows a side vieW of the balloon before inflation; Figure 5 shows a vertical section of balloon taken along line A-B in Figure 3; and Figure 6 indicates a simple Way of securing to the light cord a container of a high explosive.

The number I designates the balloon casing, which should be of a paperlike material that is Waterproof and strong. Cellophane would be suitable. To form the tubular balloon take a rectangular piece of material and, after overlapping its longitudinal edges as at number 2 in Fig. 2, glue edges together their entire length. Flatten casing I out as in Fig. 3. Insert the valve 3 in position, with glue all around that part of the valve stem up in the bottom of the casing. Then at each end of the casing glue the edges together as indicated at 4 and 5 in Figure 3. Last, take a piece of light, strong cloth, indicated by 6, and loop it around the bottom of the casing, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and glue to the casing, leaving between the bottom of the casing and the cloth an opening 'I through which a light cord can be secured.

The valve 3 can be made of glass or of other suitable materials, and should be in the form of a bent tube with the end outside the casing larger in diameter, then the diameter of the stem up in the casing, as shown in Figure 5. The number I0 indicates the small opening in the upper end of the valve and the number I I the large opening in the lower end. As the balloon rises into the rarefying air, the air pressure outside the balloon become so much less than the gas pressure inside that the balloon would burst if there was not a means for the escape of the excess gas. To hold the gas inside the balloon and to provide for the escape of accumulating excess gas is what this valve is for.

The number 9 indicates kerosene or some other suitable liquid. When excess pressure begins accumulating inside the balloon, the gas begins forcing the kerosene 9 up into space II, the pressure continues to accumulate, the excess gas bubbles up through the kerosene and escapes out into the air to relieve the excess pressure. If the pressure falls, the kerosene falls back into the neck of the valve. The dimension G would determine the amount of gas pressure that could accumulate before the gas Would begin escaping through the kerosene in space I I.

The number 8 designates a small cord. C-D- E-F designate containers of high explosive which may be spaced apart feet or more along the cord. The high explosive should be sensitive enough to be jarred off When any part of an airplane collides with the container.

This is the Way to operate the balloon:

With explosives attached to cord 8, secure cord to loop 6. Through opening in valve 3 inflate casing I with gas. With the balloon upright pour kerosene into space II until nearly ready to overoW. Then release balloon and let it rise.

The height to which the balloon would rise would be limited by the load of explosives attached to the cord 8. For example, a balloon holding l5 cubic feet of hydrogen gas has a gross lifting capacity of about 16 ounces at sea level. If the balloon and cord Weigh 6 ounces, the balloon would lift 9 ounces of explosives about 1/2 a mile above sea level. The ceiling for a 6- ounce load would be about 1% miles up, and the ceiling for a 4-ounce load would be about 3 miles up, and so on. In this Way balloons With explosives attached can be made to iioat around in the air at desired ceilings.

This is the Way to use these balloons to protect cities against airplane raids:

Take Washington, D. C., for example. Assume air is calm. Here and there within the city and around on the outskirts feed up these balloons loaded to float at desired ceilings, and let them float around. If the air is pretty calm they should float around in a close vicinity for hours. If there is a prevailing wind, these balloons would have to be fed up into the prevailing wind so that they would drift over and blanket the city and outskirts. Since the containers of explosives would be strung out on a light cord suspended for as much as 200 feet or more beneath the balloon they would be hard to be seen and dodged by enemy pilots. Fifty balloons to the cubic mile of air over a city for as high up as heaVY bombers can fly ought to give good protection. And While these balloons could not be expected to stop every enemy plane, they ought to stop a large percentage, making an enemy attack very hazardous.

The cost of these paperlike balloons should be small; and so, even though used in very large numbers, these balloons used as a defense against bombings should be relatively cheap to current means of defense against bombings.

I claim:

1. A tubular balloon comprising a casing that is formed from a rectangular piece of Waterproof and gas-tight paperlike material; including a cloth strap looped across one end of the balloon with the strap ends secured to the balloon; and a small tube secured in the end of the balloon Where strap is, one end of said tube extending outside of said casing.

2. A tubular balloon comprising the combination in claim 1, in which that part of the small tube extending outside of the casing is bent to a U-shape, the outer end of the tube being larger in diameter than the bent part or the part in the 10 casing.

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