W. I. PENNOCK.

APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING ELECTRICAL ENERGY,

APPLICATION FILED JAN, 4, 1911,
1,014,719. Patented Jan. 16, 1912.
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 W. I, PENNOCK.
APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING ELECTRICAL ENERGY,
APPLICATION FILED JAN 4 19ll,
1,014,719. - Patented Jan. 16, 1912.
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A 6%av% are ATTornweY
 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
WALTER I. PENNOCK, of PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,
APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING ELECTRICAL ENERGY..
1,014,219. Specification of Letters Patent, Patented Jan. 16, i912.
Application filed January 4, 1911. Serial iro. 600,777.
To all whom, it may concern of, a plurality of balloons 1 of any suitable
Beit known that I, WALTER I. PENNOCK, type is shown, each of which embodies hol
a-citizen of the United States, residing at low metallic
Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and elongated gas tanks 2, extend
5 State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer ing from the rear of which are single,
tain new and useful Improvements in Appa rigidly affixedarerudders
of the tanks 3, while
secured on thelifting
stationary sides 55
ratus for Collecting Electrical Energy, of planes 4.
which the following is a full, clear, and ex To the bottom and slightly to the rear of
act disclosure.
O . The present invention relates to an im
the center of the tanks 2 is secured a suit
proved means for collecting the charges of able swivel 5, by which the anchor ropes 6 60
electricity from the upper atmosphere and and the suspension ropes 7 for the metallic
conductor 8 are secured to the balloons i.
more inparticularly
sists one or
to captive
more
that form which from
balloons
con A suitable form of swivel joint is illustrated
5 which is suspended a suitable form of me in Figs. 3 and 4, but any type can be used
that embodies the essential features shown 65
tallic conductor. - therein.
The principal objects of the device are: to The swivel joint illustrated consists in the
provide a collector for atmospheric and base plate 9 haying a looped portion 10 in
static electricity, which when in operative
20 position will present a large surface to cur tegral therewith and projecting from the
upper face thereof. Secured to the loop 10 70
rents of air, but which will offer compara is a set of three light electrically conductive
tively little resistance thereto, to provide a supporting ropes or cables 11 which extend
collector of such material and construction upwardly and are secured at intervals to the
as will be more efficient in its operation than
25 any previously constructed for a similar bottom 12 of the balloon above.
The lower or revoluble member 19 of the 75
purpose, to provide a means for maintain Swivel joint preferably comprises three up
ing such a collector suspended in the air and wardly directed curved arms, 20, 21, and 22,
at right angles to opposing currents thereof, respectively, forming at their junction a T.
and to provide a suitable anchorage for shape as shown, said arms at their upper ex
30 holding said means captive. - tremities being integral with the plate 23. 80
With these principal objects in view, the The member 19 is revoluble below and con
present invention consists in further ad centric with the plate 9, and the two mem
vantages which are brought out in the fol bers are lightened in weight by opposed con
lowing specification, and accompanying
35 drawings, in both of which like numerals centric grooves as shown at 24. Contact be
refer to like parts, and in which drawings tween
roller
said members is made through the 85
bearings 25, which are carried in the
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the com opposed concentric
plete device in operative position, Fig. 2 is respective upper andgrooves
lower
26 and 27 of the
plates. Further
an enlarged detail view of the wire mesh
40 and the manner in which it is attached to more, said plates are maintained in coöpera 90
tive relation with each other by means of a
the supporting balloons, Fig. 3 is a detail bolt 28 passing through centrally drilled
of the manner of securing the collector holes 29 and 30 in the respective lower and
supporting and anchor cables to the bal upper plates, the drilled hole 30 opening up
loons, Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of wardly into an enlarged recess 31, in which
45 the swivel connection shown in Fig. 3, Fig.
5 is top plan view of the reinforcing braces isthesunken the nut 32 on the bolt 28. Two of 95
arms 20 and 22 of the lower revoluble
on the screen, Fig. 6 is an elevation of the member 19 extend in diametrical alinement,
- same and Fig. 7 is an end view of the struc while from the central point thereof extends
ture shown in Figs. 5 and 6. the third arm 21 at right angles thereto, and
50 Referring to the drawings, in Fig.1 there upward to the plate 23. 100
 9. 1,014,719
To use the electrical charges thus ac
Suspended below the plurality of balloons quired, a plurality of Leyden jars 50, or 65
is a hollow rod 35, of any suitable material, other suitable collectors are supported above. .
connected at regular intervals such as at
points 36, by metallic ropes, to the alined the surface of the earth and insulated there- .
from by any suitable means as represented .
arms 20 and 22 of the swivel joint 5. Be by the R. 51. Either the inner or outer
low and parallel to the rod 35 is a similar
but smaller rod 38 suspended therefrom by conducting surfaces of the jars may be con- 70
means of suitable couplings 39. From the mulated charge.andInenergized
nected together by the accu
rod 38 hangs a wire mesh 40 of any suitable the inner surfaces of the present instance, , ,
the accumulators are
O form, such as can be extended over a con
siderable area and which will offer com shown to be connected, and the connecting 75
paratively little resistance to the passage of means 52 is in turn connected to the ropeg 6
air therethrough. The metal in such a by means of wires 53. These wires are set
screen is preferably rough, sharp or jagged cured to the ropes mentioned by means of
15. and a convenient form embodying these suitable binding posts 54.
characteristics is expanded sheet metal such areInofthesubstantially
device described the anchor ropes 6
as is used for lathing and for reinforcing when the apparatus istheraised same length, and
concrete construction. Instead of the single altitude and is being blown bytothe the desired
currents
hollow rod 35 alone, applicant contemplates
the use of reinforcing means to prevent the of air, the balloons are turned by
20 buckling of the rod in a stiff wind, such, for the vanes 3 to parallel relation with eachmeans of
instance, as the arrangement of wire brac other, and furthermore, from the manner 85
ing shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 in which cross collectingthe
in which device is held captive and the
rods 41, secured to the rod 35 at the center loons, it isnet 40 is suspended from the bal
obvious that said net will at all
25. thereof are attached to the ends thereof by
means of stretched wires 42. Between the times readily swing into a plane substan 90.
rods.41 and the ends of the rod 35, are se tially perpendicular to any current of air
cured sets of cross rods 43 which support acting upon the balloons above. The pur
the wires 42 and 'strengthen the rod 35 at pose of the swivel joint shown in Figs., 3
and 4 is principally for allowing the bal
30 as many points as they may be placed.
For the purpose of maintaining the bal loons to readily aline themselves with any 9 5
new direction of the wind before the ap
loons and apparatus suspended therefrom paratus,
captive, the light metallic cables 6 terminat swing about including the suspended screen, can
ing downwardly in insulators 45 are em will also prevent the swivel. 48, and said joint
35 ployed. These insulators in turn are con the twisting of the ropes,
nected by means of short sections of rope 46 when any rapid shifting of the air currents
to the eye 47 of a suitable swivel 48, em may occur. .
While applicant has shown a set of Ley
. . . .100
bedded in the anchorage 49.
When the balloons with the metallic den jars as the accumulators in the accom
40 screen suspended therefrom are allowed to panying drawings, it is obvious that any
rise into one of the higher altitudes, the other suitable form may be used, and fur
entire apparatus being of metallic construc thermore, that although not illustrated, an 0.
tion and uninsulated will become energized suitable apparatus may be run, thereby, suc
by contact with the surrounding natural as for instance, wireless telegraphic in
45 charges of electricity. From the above de struments.
scription it is evident then that, while the ment Furthermore, although but one embodi
screen 8, on account of its great extent, will it is toof betheunderstood
invention has been described,
that various modi
be the greatest collecting agent, it will be
seen that the balloons themselves and the severalficationsare
maycontemplated
be made therein, and in fact
by applicant that
50 suspending wires will also coöperate as one
large collector, since no parts of which are are of such structure as fall well within the
insulated from any of the neighboring parts scope of the appended claim. .
Having thus described my invention, what
11.
thereof. Consequently, when the apparatus I claim and desire to protect by Letters Pat
described has reached an altitude of strata
55 of the atmosphere abounding in static ent of the United States, is:
charges of electricity, an amount of the said A collector for charges of electricity, com
charges proportionate to the surface area prisingmetallic
a plurality
gauze
of supporting
sustained thereby to
means,
lie in
aa 10
of the metal exposed will collect upon the plane and substantially equidistant from
apparatus as a whole and will be conducted
60 downwardly toward the earth by means of each of said supporting means,' anchoring
means emanating from a common point to
the various anchor ropes. 6, but will not pass each of said supporting means, means op- 12
into the ground on account of the interposi erative to maintain said supporting means
tion of the insulators 45.
 1,014,719 &
in their normal positions, and means be my hand this 28 day of December, A. D.
tween each of said supporting means and 1910.
said gauze to permit each of said support WALTER I. PENNOCK.
ing means to readily and independently
aline itself to accord with any alteration in Witnesses:
the direction of opposing air currents. MILDRED S. TEMPLE,
In witness whereof I have hereunto set E. EUGENIA PENNock.