Fabric

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Enclosing categories Balloons
Subcategories Silk, Goldbeater's skin, Rubber
Keywords USPC 244/128
Start year
End year


Of woven materials, the most important are silk and cotton. Linen is sometimes used in forts in time of war, but seldom otherwise. Silk is both light and strong, but also expensive, and little capable of resisting the weather. Vegetable substances withstand atmospheric influences better than those of animal origin. In France, the military balloons are made of the so-called "ponghée" silk, which is of an inferior quality, and therefore cheaper. One layer is sufficient on account of the great strength of the material. When cambric is used, it is necessary to have two layers, which are placed diagonally, one on top of the other, so that the pattern of one is at an angle of 45 degrees to that of the other. This much increases the strength of the covering. It is necessary that it should be very closely woven throughout, and that it should be in all places of the same strength, special machines having been designed for testing its resisting power. All envelopes made of silk or cotton require to be varnished in some way. The oldest method is to coat it with rubber solution, as proposed by Charles, applied by hot rollers. This is also vulcanised with sulphur, which helps to preserve it. However, light has the effect of gradually disintegrating rubber, and this can to some extent be prevented by colouring it with a yellow paint. A better plan is to varnish the envelope with linseed oil, though it must be admitted that it has the unpleasant property of becoming very sticky in hot weather. Great care must be taken in storing such balloons, as they are very liable to catch fire spontaneously. The methods that were employed in making the old varnishes are unfortunately no longer known.[1]

This wiki has 75 patents in category "Fabric". Other techtypes related to Fabric: CPC C14B1/00, CPC D06N7/00, Texture, USPC 114/68

Patents in category Fabric

References

  1. ↑ Hildebrandt, 1908, Airships Past and Present, pp. 180–181.
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