Method and equipment for aerial transport
OwnerJohn Lester Chipper, Donald Bruce Ownerinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and equipment to aerially transport loads between two sites. A winch is provided at each site and a load carrying balloon is coupled by cables to each winch. Auxiliary balloons are provided to maintain the cables at a height above objects in the line of travel of the balloon.
Claims6
A method of aerially transporting loads between two sites, said method including the steps of locating a winch assembly at each of said two sites, attaching a ballasted inflated lift balloon by a cable to each winch assembly so that the lift balloon can be moved from one site to the other by winding cable on to a winch of one assembly and releasing cable from the winch of the other assembly, connecting removable support balloons to each cable to support the cable above any obstacles between sites, winching the lift balloon to one site whilst progressively removing and adding support balloons to the respective cables, loading the lift balloon at one site by suspending a load from the lift balloon, ejecting an amount of ballast corresponding to the load added to the lift balloon, winching the lift balloon to the other site whilst removing and adding support balloons to the respective cables, removing the load from the lift balloon at said other site and reballasting the lift balloon and repeating the steps as above to return the ballasted balloon to said one site.
Equipment for aerial transport of loads between two sites comprising an inflated lift balloon, a dischargeable ballast holder connected to said balloon for ballast thereof, means for attachment of said load to said balloon, two winch assemblies each of which includes a winch, cables connecting the lift balloon to said winch assemblies and to each site, means for storing support balloons at each site, means for coupling said support balloons to said cables connecting said lift balloon to each said site, and means at at least one of the sites to add ballast to the ballast holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.