Load Transporting System

Abstract

A load transporting system in which a balloon supports a flexible electric line leading from a source of electricity to a load carrying device. The load carrying device includes hand operated controls, a ground effects helium filled rotor driven by an electric motor and means for releasing gas to provide a load carrying force.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field Of The Invention

The present invention relates to portable load carrying devices which are hand controlled and guided to carry loads over limited distances around a source of electricity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a load transporting system which can be used for the transport over limited distances of material such as food, books, hardware, clothing, medicine and the like and eliminates the need for shopping bags and shopping carts removing groceries from the store to the home.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a load carrying device powered from conventional house current and which is completely under the control of the user.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specifications when considered in light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the balloon ring taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the load carrying device shown partially broken away for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the load carrying device;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the funnel wheel taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end elevation of the rotor taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the load carrying device illustrating it in use with an operator handling the hand controls;

FIG. 9 is an end elevation of the device illustrated in FIG. 8 shown being transported from place to place by rolling on its outer circumference;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 taken from the opposite end; and

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of the structures illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures the reference numeral 20 indicates generally a load handling system constructed in accordance with the invention.

The load handling system 20 includes a helium filled balloon 21 in the shape of ring having a guide fin 22 mounted thereon to stabilize the balloon in the transient air currents. A flexible electric line 23 extends from the balloon 21 to a house or building 24 where it is connected to the conventional electric circuits. An electric wire 25 depends from the balloon 21 and is a continuation of the electric wire 23. The electric wire 25 is secured to a load carrying device generally indicated at 26 and described in detail below. A grocery store is generally indicated at 27 in FIG. 1 to illustrate the usefulness of the device in transporting groceries from the grocery store 27 to the building 24.

The load transporting device 26 includes a fan wheel housing 28 of generally cylindrical form and having perforations 29 formed in its outer periphery. The fan wheel housing is formed of plastic or aluminum and has a pair of funnel members 30, 31 secured respectively to the upper and lower faces of the fan wheel housing 28. Perforations 32 are formed in the upper and lower faces of the fan wheel housing 28 and communicate the interior of the fan wheel housing 28 with the interior of the funnels 30, 31. A four-bladed helium filled rotor 33 is mounted centrally of the fan wheel housing 28 on a shaft 34 which extends to an electronic motor 35 which is adapted to rotate the rotor 33. The rotor 33 is provided with valves 36 at the end of each blade through which helium is released at a predetermined R.P.M. of the blade.

An inflatable air tube 37 is secured to the funnel 30 in encompassing relation thereto and in contact with the fan wheel housing 28. A second air tube 38 identical to the balloon ring 37 is secured to the funnel 31 in encompassing relation thereto and in contact with the fan housing 28. The air tubes 37, 38 are formed of flexible gas retaining material and are adapted to contain air or helium as desired. Tubes 39 extend from a manifold 40 to the balloon rings 37, 38 and provide means for filling the air tubes 37, 38 with air or helium.

A control handle 41 is pivotally secured at 42 to a frame member 43 depending from the fan wheel housing 28 in axial alignment therewith and the control handle 41 contains a plurality of control switches (not shown) for controlling the operation of the system by hand. A balloon chute 44 completely encompasses the load handling device 26 and is open centrally of the bottom thereof at 45. The chute 44 is closed with a zipper 46 at the op thereof.

A plurality of air rings 47 are mounted in the funnel 30 and a second plurality of air rings 48 are mounted in the funnel 31. The air rings 47 assist in supporting the payload carried by the device 26 which can be inserted therein by opening the zipper 46. When it is desired to transport the device 26 from place to place it can be rolled on its circumference by using the handle 41 as can be seen in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 and it can be rolled on wheels 49 mounted on the funnel 31 if it is desired to maintain the device 26 in an upright position.

Air is drawn down through the funnel 30 by the rotor 33 and some of the air is expelled through the funnel 31, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 3.

In the use and operation of the invention the fan wheel housing 28 delivers air from its outer rim and also delivers air from the center up or down and can deliver helium from the outer rim. The balloon chute 44 is inflated with air and when helium is delivered by the outer rim of the fan wheel housing 28 the air forces the helium to the top of the chute 44 and the air then passes by the air tube 38 and out the bottom opening 45 of the chute 44. Rotation of the rotors 33 creates the air flow necessary to float the device 26 and carry the required payload. In the event that a source of electricity is unavailable the motor 35 can be operated with batteries independently of the cable 25.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A load transporting device comprising a fan wheel housing, a helium filled rotor blade mounted for rotation and the discharging of helium therefrom during rotation in said housing, power means connected to the device for actuating and driving said rotor blade, inflatable means mounted at each side of said housing, load carrying means within each said inflatable means having the longitudinal axis thereof coinciding with the center axis of said housing, and chute means encompassing said inflatable means, said chute means itself being inflated by the discharge of the helium from said rotor and having an opening centrally of the top for the inlet of air and of the bottom thereof for the discharge of air and helium therefrom.

2. The device of claim 1, including control means pivotally and slidably connected to and extending outward from the device for rollable movement thereof over the ground.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said power means includes a motor connected to said housing, current carrying means connected between said motor and ground, said current carrying means including second inflatable means connected to and spacedly positioned above the device.