Airopaidia : $b Containing the narrative of a balloon excursion from Chester, the eighth of September, 1785, taken from minutes made during the voyage; hints on the improvement of balloons ... To which is subjoined, mensuration of heights by the barometer, made plain; with extensive tables. The whole serving as an introduction to aërial navigation.Baldwin, Thomas
History
Airopaidia : $b Containing the narrative of a balloon excursion from Chester, the eighth of September, 1785, taken from minutes made during the voyage; hints on the improvement of balloons ... To which is subjoined, mensuration of heights by the barometer, made plain; with extensive tables. The whole serving as an introduction to aërial navigation.
Baldwin, Thomas
Aeronautics -- Early works to 1900; Balloons -- Early works to 1800
Each of the 2 smaller fermenting Vessels was furnished with a cylindric
Tin-Tube; each Tube 4 Inches and a half Diameter, nailed on the Outside
of a circular Opening in the Top or Head of each Vessel; communicating
by additional rectangular Bends under the Funnel and Water in the
Cistern: the great fermenting Vessel had 2 Tubes, each 4 Inches and a
half Diameter; communicating with the Funnel.
[Sidenote: Improvements suggested.]
340. The Process woud have been more complete, if the fermenting
Vessels had been sunk till their Tops were even with the Ground: and
plaistered round their Outsides with soft moist Clay, six Inches thick,
to keep them Air-tight.
Also, if the common Conductor had been only 1 Foot high: its horizontal
or rectangular Arm only 6 Inches long: the Linen Trunk but 3 Feet,
joining the Connecter on the Stillage 1 Foot high, to communicate with
the Neck of the Balloon; which Neck shoud be 3 Yards in Length, and its
circular Opening 1 Foot, at least in Diameter.
CHAPTER LXVIII.
[Sidenote: Inflation began about X. in the Morning.]
Section 341. The Process of inflating the Balloon began about X. in the
Morning, by pouring 4 Bottles of Vitriol, immediately one after the
other, into the occasional Tub, properly placed over one of the smaller
fermenting Vessels: the Tub being instantly rinced with a few Quarts of
Water, which was suffered to fall into the same Vessel.
The oblong Hole was left purposely open for a Minute, till the strong
Smell of the Gass was perceived above the Orifice: i.e. till the Gass
had pressed out all the common Air that remained floating over the
Surface of the Mixture in the fermenting Vessel: which Smell being
_plainly perceived_, the _solid_ Plug was immediately _driven_ down.
And presently the Gass was known to press forward with an elastic
Force throu’ the Tin Conductor, by the Motion it communicated to the
Surface of the Water in the Cistern: thence upwards throu’ the common
Conductor: at its Departure from both of which throu’ the Linen Trunk,
and Neck into the Balloon, the Gass makes a guggling obtuse Sound by
quick Intervals according to the Quantity of Gass protruded.
And as the Intervals encreased, a Judgment was formed, that the
Operation began to be less vigorous: and consequently that it became
necessary, either to renew it by an Addition of more Vitriol and Water
in the same Vessel, or to set the other small Vessel in Fermentation,
the latter of which Mr. Lunardi preferred: this happened about half an
Hour after the Vitriol was poured into the first Vessel.
342. After the second half Hour, eight Bottles were poured, by four at
a Time, into the great Vessel.
And at one o’Clock, the Balloon, without any farther Trouble was
beautifully inflated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account