CA1247158A - Apparatus for the artificial production of an airstream - Google Patents

Apparatus for the artificial production of an airstream

Info

Publication number
CA1247158A
CA1247158A CA000488884A CA488884A CA1247158A CA 1247158 A CA1247158 A CA 1247158A CA 000488884 A CA000488884 A CA 000488884A CA 488884 A CA488884 A CA 488884A CA 1247158 A CA1247158 A CA 1247158A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
air
net
supporting frame
layer
accelerating unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000488884A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Dieter Albuschkat
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
RODENHURST Ltd
Original Assignee
RODENHURST Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by RODENHURST Ltd filed Critical RODENHURST Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1247158A publication Critical patent/CA1247158A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64DEQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
    • B64D23/00Training of parachutists
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63GMERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
    • A63G31/00Amusement arrangements
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63GMERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
    • A63G31/00Amusement arrangements
    • A63G2031/005Skydiving

Abstract

ABSTRACT

For the artificial production of an airstream, intended for suspending persons in air, there is used of a collapsible and transportable apparatus in the form of a supporting frame which is adapted to be set up on a flat base and which comprises a wind tunnel in which is located an air accelerating unit with an associated flow rectifier. The wind tunnel is desirably in the form of a cylinder or a truncated cone. The suspension area is restricted by means of nets in order to protect the floating persons. One net is arranged above the flow rectifier and another one above the device as a whole. The top net is arched upwardly by the airstream produced, and for the purpose it com-prises a central layer which is impermeable or almost impermeable to air. A stand for spectators is arranged around the supporting frame and also provides access for persons proceeding to the air stream.

Description

~ f iS;8 The invention relates to an apparatus for the artificial production of an air stream for the purpose of suspending persons in air.
It is known to produce an artificial airstream, in a stationary installation, for the purpose of sus-pending persons in air. In such a case, the airstream is circulated in a fully enclosed structure. Since the air is circulated, an installation of this kind must be considerable structural height, requires a considerable investment and is costly to maintain.
One particular disadvantage of an installation of this kind is that the circulated air has to be cooled by means of s~ecial equipment.
It is an object of the present lnvention to provide an apparatus of the type mentioned heretofore, by means of which an artificial airstream, for the purpose of suspending ~ersons in air, can be produced at a considerable lower cost, using less material and taking up less space. More particularly, the apparatus according to the invention enables to dispense with the cooling of the air.
According to the invention, this above object may be achieved by means of a collapsible and transport-able supporting frame which is designed to be set up on a flat base and comprises an air accelerating unit, more particularly a propellor, and a associated flow rectifier. The wind tunnel is preferably in the form of a cylinder or a truncated cone.
According to the invention, a stretched net is arranged above the flow rectifier, while the external parts of the supporting frame are extended upwardly above this net and are partly or wholly surrounded 4~

~z~
by a restricting net. This enclosed space serves as the suspension area which, for the sake of sa~ety, is closed off at the top by a roof restricting net.
It is desirable for the latter to comprise a central layer which is impermeable, or almost impermeable, to air. The air stream produced by the propellor im-pinges upon this layer from below, thus causing the said roof net to arch upwardly. In order to ensure that there is adequate room for floating, as compared with the length of the supporting frame below the net, the length of the parts of the said supporting frame extended beyond the net is approximately 1 : 1 to 1 :
0.5.
In order to provide insulation against noise, the supporting frame may be lined with a noise insulating wall from the flat base to the level of the horizontally stretched net, the said wall comprising one or more nolse insulated air inlet apertures arranged at a level below that of the propellor. In order to prevent the entry of foreign bodies, the said air inlet apertures are preferably covered with a grating or a net. As seen in plan view, the supporting frame may be circular or polygonal, and the whole floor area may be covered with a noise insulating layer.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a peripheral resilient layer is arranged in the form of an annular disc on the same level as the horizontally stretched net, the said disc being preferably in the form of a layer of air cushions divided into individual independent sectors. The design selected for the supporting frame makes it possible to surround it, at no great expense, with a stand for spectators,
- 2 -~L2471~i~

the said stand also providing access Eor persons proceed-ing to the air stream and accommodating a control- and switching cabin. In view of the purposes for which the said stand is intended, it will start approximately at the same level as the horizontally stretched net.
The apparatus according to the invention may easily be erected and dismantled at any desired location. It allows persons to float safely and, at the same time, to be observed. Also the maintenance, erection and dismantling are extremely economical, especially since the necessary cooling of the air is eliminated.
The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings which represent a preferred embodiment thereof and is described hereinafter in greater detail.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a vertieal seetion through an appa-ratus according to the invention, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal seetion through the same apparatus.
The apparatus according to the invention which is illustrated in the drawings comprises a collap-sible and transportable supporting frame 4 designed to be set up on a flat base 6. As may be gathered from Fig. 2, the vertical supports of frame 4 are ar-ranged in a circle. A cylindrical wind tunnel 1 contain-ing a propellor 2 which produces the air stream is located centrally of the apparatus. The propellor is connected to a drive 8 through a gearbox 16 and a cardan-shaft 17. A flow rectifier 3 is arranged above propellor 2, in the wind tunnel 1. The top
- 3 -_ _ _ . . . .. .... .

~4~

of the said wind tunnel is closed off with a horizontally stretched net 5 which may be made of steel wire or plastic. There is thus no danger that persons floating in the air stream will slide down into the wind tunnel 1. ,, In order to reduce the noise arising from the propellor 2, supporting frame 4 is lined with a noise insulating wall 7 from the flat base up to the level of the horizontally stretched net 5, the said wall containing a plurality of noise insulated air inlet apertures 8 which are arranged below the level of propellor 2 and are covered externally with gratings or the like.
Above the horizontally extending net 5 there is provided outside the area of the wind tunnel 1 a peripheral layer of air cushions 9. The outer parts of the supporting frame 4 extend upwardly above the net 5 and carry a restricting net 10. The extension of the supporting frame 4 is larger than the supporting frame 4 under the horizontally extending net 5. As an upper closure of the suspension area l9 there is provided a roof restricting net ll which has a central impermeable layer 12. By means of this impermeable layer 12 the roof restricting net 11 will be arched upwardly by means of the air stream generated by the propellor.
It is possible to provide the apparatus with a peripheral stand 13. On this stand there can be provided a seating arrangement 20 for the spectators as well as a control and switching cabin 15 for the equipment. In addition this stand 13 is used as an entry to the suspension area 19. For security purposes 3L2~

as well as for the spectators, and also for the persons suspended in the suspension area the stand 13 for the suspension area 19 is provided with a transparent lining made of Plexiglas TM The stand 13 is covered with a roof 21.

Claims (23)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-
1. An apparatus for the artificial production of an air stream intended for suspending persons in air, the said apparatus comprising a collapsible and transportable supporting frame which is designed to be set up on a flat base, said frame containing an air accelerating unit associated with a flow rectifier direct-ing air into a wind tunnel.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the wind tunnel is in the form of a cylinder or a trun-cated cone.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, which comprises a horizontally stretched net arranged above the flow rectifier.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the suppporting frame is lined, from the flat base up to the level of a net disposed above said air accelerating unit and said flow rectifier by a noise insulating wall.
5. An apparatus according to one of claims to 3, wherein the whole floor area is covered with a sound insulating layer.
6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein one or more air inlet apertures are arranged in the noise insulating wall.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the air inlet apertures are arranged at a level below that of a propeller, defining said air accelerating unit.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the air inlet apertures are noise insulated and are covered with a grating or a net.
9. An apparatus according to one of claims to 3, wherein said supporting frame is circular or polygonal.
10. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a peripheral layer of resilient material is arranged in the form of an annular disc at the same level as the net.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the resilient layer is in the form of a layer of air cushions.
12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the layer of air cushions is divided into individual independent sectors.
13. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein outer parts of the supporting framre are extended upwardly above the net.
14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the upwardly extended outer parts of the supporting frame are partly or wholly enclosed by a restricting net.
15. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein as compared with the length of the supporting frame below the net, the length of parts of the said supporting frame extended beyond the net is approximately in the ratio of 1 : 1 to 1 : 0.5.
16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a roof-restricting net is arranged as an upper closure.
17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the roof-restricting net comprises a central layer which is impermeable or almost impermeable to air.
18. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a peripheral stand is arranged externally of the support-ing frame approximately at the same level as the net.
19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the stand comprises, in part, a transparent lining impermeable to air.
20. An apparatus according to one of claims 18 or 19, wherein a control- and switching-cabin is provided on the stand.
21. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air accelerating unit is arranged externally of the wind tunnel.
22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the air accelerating unit is disposed in a noise insu-lated room.
23. An apparatus according to one of claims to 3, wherein the air accelerating unit consists of a propeller.
CA000488884A 1984-08-16 1985-08-16 Apparatus for the artificial production of an airstream Expired CA1247158A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19843430106 DE3430106A1 (en) 1984-08-16 1984-08-16 Apparatus for the artificial production of a slipstream
DEP3430106.2 1984-08-16

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1247158A true CA1247158A (en) 1988-12-20

Family

ID=6243168

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000488884A Expired CA1247158A (en) 1984-08-16 1985-08-16 Apparatus for the artificial production of an airstream

Country Status (4)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1247158A (en)
DE (1) DE3430106A1 (en)
ES (1) ES288632Y (en)
IT (1) IT209185Z2 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4241574C1 (en) * 1992-12-10 1994-03-17 Istvan Szekely Flying with closed flying chamber and mesh floor - comprises track with fans under flight path producing air currents upwardly and forwardly inclined through floor and lateral limiting walls
AU2935999A (en) * 1999-03-30 2000-10-23 Escandar, S.L. Installation for simulating skydiving of individuals by the action of an air stream

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3484953A (en) * 1967-05-15 1969-12-23 Ray H Norheim Jr Apparatus for simulating free fall through air
US4174020A (en) * 1975-07-01 1979-11-13 Challis Louis A Acoustic treatment for fans
GB2062557B (en) * 1979-11-03 1983-11-02 Louttit I A Apparatus for simulating free-fall conditions
US4457509A (en) * 1981-03-05 1984-07-03 Airflite, Inc. Levitationarium for air flotation of humans
DE3144286A1 (en) * 1981-11-07 1983-05-19 Tepla Trading Co. S.A., Panama Apparatus for floating

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3430106A1 (en) 1985-01-17
IT209185Z2 (en) 1988-09-20
ES288632U (en) 1986-03-01
DE3430106C2 (en) 1987-05-14
ES288632Y (en) 1986-10-01
IT8522774V0 (en) 1985-08-12

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
MKEX Expiry