A hot air balloon of conventional construction with a balloon envelope having an inlet aperture for hot air received from a heat generating device coupled with the envelope and directed into the aperture is provided with a hood coupled with the envelope adjacent the aperture. The hood extends part way round the aperture and is of scoop form extending outwardly from the aperture and partially around the heat generating device and serves to direct wind and hot air into the aperture to facilitate inflation when the scoop is directed windwardly.
A balloon member includes a plurality of partition walls coextensive within the balloon to divide the balloon into equal quadrants to accommodate safe descent and enhance inflation of at least a plurality of the quadrants during a leakage of air from the balloon.
A solar powered hot air balloon is disclosed having an envelope with an opaque portion and a transparent portion arranged so as to utilize solar heating to heat air within the envelope. The solar heating air may either by sufficient to provide the entire free lift or may be combined with air from a hot air generating system carried by a gondola supported by the envelope. The opaque portion of the envelope has a substantially black inner surface and a light reflecting outer surface with the black inner surface being positioned so as to receive a maximum amount of sunlight through the transparent portion for a given average position of the sun.
The present invention provides an imitation lighter-than-air craft envelope assembly for use in conjunction with an attached imitation gondola. The assembly comprises an inflatable gas bag capable of containing a gas, and an imitation envelope which surrounds the gas bag. The imitation envelope simulates an actual lighter-than-air craft envelope when the gas bag is inflated within the envelope.
The present disclosure is directed to life spotting package comprising a lighter than air inflatable cylindrical device of an international orange composite having an inflated diameter of the order of one foot in diameter and a length of the order of five feet. A mirror finish helical strip of highly light reflective material runs from the top of the cylinder and winding axially 360.degree. down and around the cylinder to its bottom. The cylinder is of a metallic foil over plastic composite and is radar reflective. The bottom of the cylinder has an apron for the attachment of signaling devices by way of grommet eyelets and velcro patches. The cylinder is provided by a helium charged no return cannister. There is provision for introducing the helium from the cannister into the inflatable cylindrical device making the cannister part of the airborne lighter than air cylindrical device. A length of nonconductive line is provided as a tether, one end of which is to be secured to the bottom of said inflatable cylindrical device and the other end of which is to be secured to a person to be rescued or an earth secured fixed object to identify the subject to be rescued identified by the airborne cylindrical device and a transport container retains said cylindrical device, helium cannister, helium introduction means and nonconductive line for transport by an individual.
