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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0376.PDF
JUNE 2, 1921 THE MOORING OF AIRSHIPS THAT the problem of airship harbours is one of considerable importance was emphasised rather forcibly by the recent disaster to our rigid airship " R. 34." There can be no denying the fact that any effort to further the development of airship design and construction, and airship services, will be as good as valueless if equal attention be not also given to such questions as mooring, housing and harbours. The accompanying description and illustrations of an arrangement for mooring airships should, therefore, be of special interest. The mooring arrangement in question is the invention of E. S. Ullmann, of Manhattan, U.S.A. Briefly, it consists of a circular " platform " having a series of slot-rails disposed radially and concentrically, within which travel a number of trolleys. From each of the latter an arm projects through the slot, and to these arms are attached the mooring ropes from the airship, these being disposed at intervals from bow to stern. The radial slot-rails extend beyond the " platform " down on to concrete blocks securely embedded in the ground. (Fig. 2.) Below the slots is formed a continuous trackway for the mooring trolleys. At the junctions of the concentric and radial slots these" trackways are enlarged so as to permit free turning of the trolley when the latter is guided from one slot to the other. The trolleys are provided with four wheels with ball bearings, and the mooring neck or post projecting above the slot has a protective collar to take any wear caused by rubbing against the sides of the slot. This neck is connected to the trolley by an axle pin, and can more or less adapt itself to the upward pull of the airship without interfering with the free movement of the trolley. Two arms pivoted to the mooring neck, above the slot, with their ends resting one on the forward and one on the rear end of the trolley carriage, guide the trolleys along the slots. When it is required to turn a trolley from a radial slot to a concentric The Ullman Mooring Platform for Air- ships : Fig. 1. Side elevation and plan, showing the airship moored to the trolleys within the slot-rails. In the plan view the ship is shown travelling across the platform along one of the radial slot-rails. Fig. 2 (below). Detail views of the mooring trolley, slot-rail, etc. and lead out to various points on the landing ground or to the hangars. On landing, the airship is anchored by its mooring ropes to the arms of the trolleys, which are suitably disposed along one of the radiating slot-rails. The airship, now held down by the trolleys, is then towed along the slot-rails to the " platform," where the trolleys are guided into respective concentric slot-rails. The airship, it should be pointed out, is lying head to wind. (See Fig. 1.) The purpose of this arrangement is such that, as the direction of the wind changes, the airship can swing round with it, the trolleys travelling round, also, within the concentric slot-rails. It is obvious that there is a variety of ways in which this arrangement may be carried out constructionally, but the following particulars refer to that described in the patent specification. The slot-rails are not unlike those employed for the conduits of electric tramways, special attention being paid to giving increased strength to withstand the upward pull of the airship. The rails are built up in sections bolted Fie, 2 one, or vice versa, these guide arms are raised above the slot and using them as levers the trolley is turned to the required position and the arms again dropped into the slot. In order to check side sway, it is proposed to carry mooring ropes out from the bows to trolleys located in suitable slots on the port and starboard sides of the airship. These trolleys are connected by a tie rod, which keeps them the correct distance apart as they travel along the slots, as with the other trolleys, in response to the swinging of the airship. It is suggested to have two sets of these lateral trolleys, one at the bows and one at the stern. At the centre of the "platform," where the radial slots intersect, provision is made for a telescopic mooring mast, which when closed disappears below the slot-rail, leaving a clear passage for the trolleys. Gang-planks, it is suggested may be raised to the gondolas, the upper ends being readily hooked into staples on the gondola sides, whilst the lower ends would be carried on rubber-tyred caster wheels. The Pescara .Helicopter "Flies " FROM Barcelona it is reported that the Pescara helicopter has been tested in the garden of its inventor. Although weighing a matter of 880 kilograms (1,760 lbs.), and having an engine of 120 h.p. only, the machine is aid to have risen easily, and to have remained at a height of one foot for a considerable time. One presumes that the height attained does not represent the ceiling of the machine, but that she was kept there by anchoring arrangements of some sort. Later M. Pescara intends to have the machine transferred to the Barcelona aerodrome for the official tests. Commercial Aviation in Queensland BY means of aviation the railheads of Central Queensland are being linked up with the far western centres of the State, most of the work being done by the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service, Ltd. This Company has just introduced the first Avro commercial triplane ever seen in the Commonwealth. The machine is provided with a comfortably-fitted enclosed cabin, with accommodation for four passengers, who are protected from the weather and most of the noise. The power is supplied by a 160 h.p. Beardmore engine, and a speed of 90 miles an hour is attained.
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