It is as if three sausage-shaped balloons
were disposed pyramidally--two lying side by side with one
super-imposed, with the bags connected at the points where the
circular sections come into contact. Thus the external
appearance of the envelope is decidedly unusual, comprising three
symmetrical ridges. At the points where the three bags come into
contact cloth bands are stretched across the arcs, thereby
forming a cord. The suspension system is attached to the upper
corners of the inverted triangle thus formed, and converges in
straight lines through the gas space. The bracing terminates in
collecting rings from which a short vertical cable extends
downwards through a special accordion sleeve to pass through the
lower wall of the envelope. These sleeves are of special design,
the idea being to permit the gas to escape under pressure arising
from expansion and at the same time to provide ample play for the
cable which is necessary in a flexible airship.
This cable emerges from the envelope only at the point or points
where the car or cars is or are placed. In the British airship
of this type there is only one car, but the larger French vessels
are equipped with two cars placed tandem-wise.
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