US1036178A - Flying-machine. - Google Patents

Description

, .L A. BLUNMN.

FLYING MACHINE. i APPLIOATIONFILBVD AUG. 8, 1910.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

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JOSEPH A. BLONDIN, 0F LCS ANGELES, CLCFORNA.

FLYNG-MACHINE.

To all whom if may concern .Be it known that I, JosnrH A. BLozvnN. a citizen iet' the United Stat-es, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ot California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to yi'ng machines.

It has for its object to provide improvements in several features of flying `machine Construction and organization, relative to structure, control, and operation, which will be superior in point' of relative simplicity inexpensiveness, positiveness, durability, sensitivene'ss and responsiveness and which will be generally superior in point of etticiency and serviceability.

AThe invention consists in the novel provision, formation, construction, combination and association ct'- parts, members and t'eatures, allas hereinafter described, shown in the drawings and linally pointed out in claii is.

In the drawings :-Figure l is a top plan view ot a flying machine constructed and.

organizedin accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a front end elevation ot the same; iiig. 3 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. i'- is a vertical transverse ysectional view, partly in full lines for :fullness of illustrai, tion,'and parts being omitted for clearnessl of illustration, taken upon the, line o o. Fig. 3; the same being upon an enlarged scale; Fig.A 5 is a detail fragmentary'view, upon a similarly enlarged scale, of lateral stabilizing means and the controlling means therefor organized aecordimg` to the inven` tion; Fig. t' is a front elevation ot' an aviators seat in detached position, shown in the other i'igures, `the same` being included in the controlling means for the lateral stabilizing means. and being likewise 'shown upon a similarly enlarged scale; Fig. 'T is a fragmentary view, upon a .similarly enlarged scale, showing the construction and operation of longitudinal stabilizing means` organized according to the invention; and Fig. S is a similarly enlarged fragmentary sectional view ot the rearward portion of one of the supporting structures which coacts with the atmosphere in sustentation ot the tlying machine. and showing the disposition ot a certain feature of the controlling means for the lateral stabilizing means.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 8, 1910.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912. sei-iai No. 576,211.

Corresponding parts in all the tigures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Referring with particulari'ty to the ldrawings, A. and l designate, respectively, aerocurves or supporting structures upon which the aimes-ph reacts 'to sustain the flying y said structures hereina'lter io as wings, and being each forwardly and rearwardly bevondthe saine,

there being an elevator or horizontal steering means G mounted upon the toward projecting portion of the gear E, and a rudder or vertical steering means Il mounted upon the rearward projecting portion of the gear l( designates controlling means lor the elevator G.; and L designates vcontrolling means for the rudder H.

)it designates a supplemental rear supporting structure which is mounted upon the rearward portion ot the alighting gear, and co-acts u ith the wings A and B. The starting and alighting gear E comprises two members, a vwheeled member c anda skid member f respectively, the same being mounted tor relative -movement', preferably by positive actuation ot the wheeled member c, throiign controlling means N, the wheeled member e. being movably mounted in connection with the skid member f, which latter member is directly connected wi-,h the body or car F.

t) designates propelling means 'for the fly-ing machine, the same being disposed vrearwardly ot the body or carl F, and bee tween the wings A. and B and the rudder H, a wheeled steering element /1 is connected with the rudder lil. The wingsl A. and l constitute the supporting strlictures ot a monoplane, and such suppta'ting structures or wings are. in accordance with the invention, disposed between the elevator and the propelling means, the propelling means being in turn disposed between the supporting structures or wings and the rudder.

poi-steriel margin, and adja- 'lhecar or body F contains and accommodates the aviators seat D, and the operating means or motive means-for the pro peiling meansV O, (indicated in dotted lines, and ol' any suitable type), together' with terminal .portions of the controlling means K, N and L, the aviators seat l) being the terminal portion of the controlling means (l, all as above outlined.

The walls of the car or body F are transparent, being formed of or provided with large expanses of suitable transparent sheeting; the aviator being thus entirely Ahoused within `the body or car and thus protected from air-rush, at the same time having an unobstructed view of the region and territory traversed by the machine, and of the actuating an`d working portions and elements of the latter.

The elevator G is differentially actuated by the controlling means K, comprising two relatively movable members g and` g1; and the ailerons a and Z7" are differentially actuated by the controlling means C, to produce a more positive, accurate and responsive action, and a moreperfect definition of course of ii-ght and the relation of the entire tlying machine structure thereto.

A particular or preferred vform of construction, organization, arrangement'. and association of parts, members and features, inclusive of the main features herein above recited is as follows: The wings A and B are demountably connected with the car or body F, which latter may be framed in any suitable manner, by baseboards or endboards 9, and are of the usual or any pre-- ferred formation and construct-ion, having textile surface -portions 10 stretched over frames 11, and 'preferably having fore andA aft curvature Awhich is participated in, or continued by, the ailerons a and b which are organized similarly to the Wings A and B,\or in any preferred manner. Each aileron and b is rigidly connected at its anterior portion with a 'rocking shaft 12 -which is accommodated within the structure respectively of the wings A and B, and between the upper andlower textile surfaoings thereof. The shafts 1Q extend throughout the length of the respective wings A and B, and the rocking of each of the same varies the inclination of the respective aileron in the well-known manner. Each shaft 19 is provided at its inner end with a crank 13; and said cranks 13 are respectively connected by links 14 with other cranks 15 respectively connected with the outer ends of rocking shafts 1G journaled upon the body or car and provided respectively with bevel gears 17 oppositely operated by a bevel gear-18 fixed to the rearward end of a shaft 19 ranging longitudinally of and within thebody F; the seat D being fixed to the forward'end of 4shaft 19 which is suitably supported and opposite sides of journaled, as at 20 at said forward end, and as at 21 at the rearward end. The seat D is normally maintained in a horizontal position by tension means consisting of coil springs QQ disposed respectively between the the seat and frame portions of the body. The propeller o of the propelling means is suitably journaled at the rear end of the lbody F and the/motive means therefor are aceon'nulated within the body lrearwardly of the shaft 19. The skid member f of the gear lil is built up of'triangular truss factors, constructed of suitably connected frame rods Q4, the'entire skid constructior lnfmidening laterally in downward projection, in spaced portions, and being connected with the body F in such suitable manner as shall permit the forward and rearward projecting portions of the skid to be detached and compactly 'acked within the -central portion of the ski construction for shipment or storage. The skid construetion may be jointed in any suitable manner, not shown, to this end and whereby the body 'and the starting and alight-ing gear,'together with the wings A and B, may be reduced to vcompact form and /the several parts arranged side by side in vertical extension.

The wheeled member e of the gear E comprises transversely arranged spaced wheels carried upon a triangle frame 26 adapted to be moved substantially vertically by the controlling means N; the frame 2G being movably connected with the skid member f by link arms 2T, confining the frame and the wheels in their vmoven'ient and bracing the entirety substantially fore and aft.; as well as laterally. From the upper' end of the frame 26 extends a shaft Q8 guided in a sleeve 29 tiXed 'tothe frame ofthe body F,

and in transverse braces 30 and 31. within said body. The upper end of the shaft 2S is threaded as at 32, and a hand wheel 33 is mounted upon the same, having threaded engagement therewith, betweenthe braces 3() andv 31, and whereby the shaft 28 may be vertically adjusted to raise or lower the wheeled member c, in the operation of the controlling means N. y

The elevator (l, comprising the two pivoted members g and 471 movably connected at their anterior portions,as at 34 and 35, with the forwardly projecting portion of the skid member f, in spaced superposed re lation, are operated through the controlling means` K, differentially. Such controlling,y means comprise a bell-crank 3G mounted upon the skid member f, pivotally, as at 2li', said bell-crank having an upper member 23h, an intermediate menlber Bti, and a lower member 35C, of which the upper member is connected with the upper elevator member g1 by a link 38; the intermediate member is connected with the lower elevator mem ber g by a link 39; and the lower member 42 mounted is connected with a link rod 40, or pushrod, which ranges rearwardly into the body F, through a suitable opening, and is pivotally connected at its rearward end, which isl bifurcated to straddle the shaft 28, with a pendent lever 4l, which movably supports the inner `end of said rod 40.

The rudder H is fixed upon a rudder post at the rearward end of the skid member j', beneath the supplementary rear supporting structure M, which latter, as well as the rlldder H,i\may-beof framed textile construction,'or otherwise, as maybe the elevator member g and glfsuch structure M being pivotall'y supported adjacent to its rearward edge portion,-as at 421, and adj ustably connected-at its. anterior edge portion at each side with a vertical side skid member 43. The controlling means L for the rudder H comprises a. foot lever 44 within the body F, centrally loosely pivoted upon the shaft 28, together with the tiller ropes or cords 45 guided rearwardly from the respective ends Aof the foot lever 4t andl connected with the rudder H. The wheeled steering clement /t comprises a small wheel 46 which is mountedu'pon the lower end of the rudder post 42, and is normally out of Contact with the ground, being only so in contact when the wheels 2G of theA member e are depressed and the skid member f is raised clear of the ground. The operation, method of use and advantages, and the features of superiority with reference to prior practice of and attaching to the improved flying machine constituting the invention as herein above described are as follows: ln starting the operation of the flying machine, or in init-iating flight, the wheeled member e is depressed through the controlling means N, raising the skid member j from the ground, and supporting the ent-ire machine upon the wheels 25 and 4G. After the machine has left the ground, or before descentthereof, the wheeled support e is'elevated, 4by the controlling means N, so that the machine returns to the ground upon the skid member f, which frictionally terminates the move- Thus the wheels areV ment vof the machine. only used in initiating flight, and are not subjected to the disruptive and racking effects of receiving the impact of the descending machine and acting topartially or wholly support it during the period of terminating motion. 'y

It will be noted thatwhen the machine in entirety is raised, as vabove described, as it rests solely upon the Wheels 26 and 46, the forward portionof the machinel is elevated relatively more than the rearward portion of the machine, Yas'indicated in Fig. 3 in the ldrawings; whereby. the angle of incidence .at the' 4wings kA Tand B is increased, imparting a greaterflifting ef- .sans

feet of the impingement of the atmosphere uponv the wings in initiating flight.

By projecting' the skid member both foP-.vardlY and rearwardly beyond the body if, l provide suitable and advantageous mountings for the elevator-md 'the rudder, the former being in a higher plane than the latter, which latter is disposed beneath the center of gravity of the machin-e, and t-hus augments the ion of thc lateral stabilizing means comprised in ailerons i and Z1. These l ailerons actuated throu i the controlling` means C, b v 4Vhe lateral oscillation of the entire body of tne aviator resting upon the seat D and such movement of the body will be accompanied instinctively by actuation of the foot lever -l-t of the controllingmeans.L of the rudder lll in such manner that the rudder will present increased resistance at the side of the machine which has risen from normal balanced position, thus tending to restore equilibrium or stability. As the seat D is rocked with the shaft 19, the rock shafts l2 are differentially affected, as will be evident by inspection of Fig. 5 of the drawings in which the aileron Z), shown in full lines in normal position, and in dot-- ted lines .in operative depressed and elevated positions, respectively. As one rock shaft l2 Acauses the depression of its respective aileron, the other rock shaft lcauses thc eleof its respective aileron, and through different arcs of travel, due to the variations in angular travel of the cranks 13 of the rock shafts l2, under actuation of the links la and the cranks/l5 on the shafts 16. The normal position of each aileron, above referred to, is one of slight depression from the horizontal, and suchaileron may be4 either of plane formation or of curve formation as above set forth. The differential operation ofthe aileronsv c and Z), consisting of relatively greater angular elevation than angular depressiomcauses relatively greater deflection of the elevated aileron than that of the depressed aileron..

As the air beneath the aileron and the wings is always more compressed or 'dense than that above the wings and ailerons, such lower strata of air being cushioned or compressed, so to speak, by .the weight and impactof the machine, it requires less downward inclination of each aileron than up- -ward inclination of the opposite aileron t0 produce the same stabilizing tendency or effect. Thus, the ailerons differentially actuated, respectively upwardly and downwardly, exert .substantially equal stabilizings effects, transversely, Aupon the machine. It will be noted that the ailerons a and l), in operation, move through paths of predetermined unequal extent, because of the particular and peculiar organization of the controlling means C, comprising the shafts lythe ks 13, the cranks l5, the links 14,

' ments of the ailerons are always unequal in and the rocking shafts 16, in combination with a single shaft 19, and operative connections between the same and the shafts 1G, said shaft ll) primarily, a'nd by a single simple movement, actuating the other parts and features to` produce always exactly the same operative results with respect to the ailerons, and whereby the unequal move'- thesame mannerand to the same extent when the shaft 19 islactuated so as to kcause it to turn to the same extent. Thus, rocking of the seat D to any degree of angularity, al- Ways produces an exactly' proportionate unequal actuation of the ailerons., The elevator G acts also upon the differential principle,in the followingmanner. Because ofthe relative arrangement of the members 3G,

36", and 36C of the bell-crank 36, and their relative angularity with respect to their pivotal support at 37, the rocking of the bell-` crank through the push-rod 40 will cause the lower member y to play through a lesser arc, upon its descent below the normal, than the member g.

that traversed by the upper' member g1. And, conversely, operation of the push-rod 40to elevate the members g and g1 above the normal, will cause the upper member g1 to describe a lesser arc than that described by These `operations and the effect thereof are clearly shown in Fig. 7, in Whichthe normal positions of the members g and g1 are shown in full lines,-the elevated and depressed positions beingl shown in dotted lines. The bell-crank 3G is also shown in full lines in normal position, and in dotted lines in the position accompanying depression of both members of the elevator.

Thel differential action ofthe elevator mcmbers is such that inthe operation of? the same to cause depression of the machine, longitudinally, the ripper elevator member is given the relatively lesser inclination; and in operation of the elevator to longitudinal' elevation ofthe machine, the

" lower elevatormeinber is given lesser reltio ` receives thev greatest deiiection,

ative depression. Thus, in either depression or elevation of the machine longitudinally,

to vary the travel. thereof with respect to a course theoretically parallelwiththe surface of the earth, the elevator member vwhich takes the inner Aarc of travel of the elevator,

and its; coaction with the airi is .thus substantially equalized with that of the other elevator member.

The supplemental rearV supporting structure M, which, is auxiliary in its action to thatof the wings A and B, may be adjusted at its anterior portion to vary v'ts working an gle of incidence, all in accordance taining working conditions relative to speed of propulsio' il imposition of load.

'the ma the ground,`in inil. eel 4 upon the ,members and *for imparting' with obi' rudder post supplements the action of `the rudder in directing the` course of the machine. l The transparent Walls of the body or car F allow the aviator, at all times, to have unobstructed vision of the course -of the movement of the machine and of the various working partsand elements thereof.

The braces P, which I have not herein above defined specifically as to extension, connection and relation, serve vto effectively brace the wings in connection with the body of the machineand also in connection with the skid member of the frame; this. latter bracing, particularly the fore and aft feature thereof, results in a stability and rigidity of'mountingand holding of the -Wings which it is not possible to obtain in connection with the standard types of monoplanes which are lacking in the forward and rearward projection of frame structure.

I desire to particularly point out the advantage of includingthe aviators seatin entirety for the lateral in thecontrolling means C stabilizing means. Thus utilizing the seat, and mounting it to rock laterally, the entire Weight of the aviators body may be utilized in the proper direction of inclination of the body to rock the ailerons; and the aviators body will instinctively incline toward the side of the machine which becomes relatively elevated in disturbance of transverse e ui librium. The inclination of the body in diat direction will cause the lseat to rock properly to actuate the ailerons in the proper manner to restore transverse equilibrium.

I do not desire to hennderstood as limiting myself to the specific provision, construction, combination, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features shown-'and described; but reserve the right to vary the saine, in adapting the improvements to varied conditions of use and service, without'departing from the spirit of the inventionand the terms of the follow ing claims A Having thus describediny invention. I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:--

1.v In a flying machine, an elevator, comprising a plurality of members adapted for co-action with the air, and means for jointly moving the members through paths of predetermined unequal extent.

2. In a flying machine, an elevator', comprising two pivoted super-posed members, and means for jointly pivotally moving the relatively greater pivotal Amovement to the member having the shorter course of travel.

In a flying machine, an elevator, comprising two pivotally4 supported superposed members, a bell-crank, members of which are respectively and directly operatively corn nected with the elevator members, and means operating the bellncrank.

of the., machine; members" through paths unequalextent 'i iinayillg-machine, laterali stabilizing means, comprising members-at opposite sides.

andmean's forv moyng. the' o f prede rmined 5.. In a1 :dying machine, lalera1 v .Otally'connected wit the shaftsupon which" tlie'gaileronsare mol'lnted cranks upon the -s'hafts`,' a rockfsha'ft, 'a seat paths of predeterminedp-nequal extent.' 1

jectihglaferally fr `fixed upony the 1'"ock'sl1aft', and operative .dif-A ferential connections vbetwe jn the rock Vshaft i andsaid' -cranks wherebyl the, ailerons are type',

moved thfouuglll Paths of predetermined u nequal extent.. a .l

having frame, a' rudder 4molinted wings projecting laterally `from the connected with the respective wings,"shaft`s upon whlch the ailerons are mounted, l cranks upon'v the nected with the rock means, 'comprlsingmembers ,at opposite sidesl ma mefilbiodygwlngs pro'- e'body, ailerons piyg respective wings',

7. Alying machine of" the `monoplane a frame projecting forwardly" and rearwardly yofthe wing surface, an "ele-, Vator mounted uponth'e forward projecting-- portion of" the upon the rearward' projecting portion of the "frame,

body," ailerons piyotally shafts, a rock shaft, a. seat iixed'upon 'the rock shaft, and 4other cranks operativi-'ely con- Shaft and voperatively connected with said first named cranks and whereby the aileron-sare moved through -paths o funequall extent.

bers, fand means for'j ointlymo'ving themem- ,bers both upwardly/vor downwardlythrough paths of pnedetermined unequal extent.

9. In a ying'ma'c'hine,1ateral stabilizing means, comprising members at opposite sides ofi-the machine, cranks with which the members arerespectively operatively connected, other, cranks, links connecting the firstnamed cranks and the second-named cranks.

1n pairs, and'sngle-` pivotal means for actu.-

vating all of said cranks and links and where- A by the members are 'through paths of have signed my i the'presence ofy

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