US1604291A - Buoyancy unit for aeroplanes - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 26 1926. 1,604,291

Y. H. KouN BUOYANGY UNIT FOR AEROPLANES Filed Jan. 26, 1926 ATTORNEY Patented oct. 26, 1926.-

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YO'UNG H0 KOUN, 0F NEW YORK, N'. Y.

BUQYANCY 'UIS'IT EROPLANES. u l

App'i'canon mammary 2e, i926.l serial No. 83,829.

The main object of this invention `is to provide means for rendering an aeroplane buoyant when it can be in no other way controlled. The means comprises aplurality of tl` silk bags which are mounted upon the wing surface of an aeroplane and are adapted to be illed with hydrogen gas thru a novel type of valve, which when operated, controls the circulation ofthe gas thru these bags.

Another object is to provide a buoyancy lunit for aeroplanes having Ja plurality otA silken bags which communicates with a hyy drogen tank, the communicating pipe between the hydrogen tanks being equipped with valves whichare operated by a novel type of mechanism' rlhe above and other'objects. will become apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in' the drawing. f f Y Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure l illustrates a".top plan view of the front portion oit an aeroplane, showing the buoyancy unit mounted on one of the plane surfaces "l a,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view ot the buoyancy unit, showing vthe relation ot' the p valve operating means to the remainder of the device.y l

Figure Sis 'a longitudinal sectional elevational view oit the valve operating means.

Figure fl is a side elevational view of Fign ure 3. l Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view, showing the valvefconstruction. Referringin detail to the drawing, the

,f numeral indicates the upper wing oit an aeroplane. From this upper wing, a Jruselage'is usually suspended. The cowl at the front of the tuselage covers the motor which rotates a Vpropeller 12. rlhe buoyancy unit may be mounted upon either plane surface andconsists ol a plurality oit-circular bags 13. Thesebags can be made of such dimensions as will provide a volume suitable lor buoyng the weight ot the craft to which the bagsare attached.' lln the drawing, the

buoyancy y-nnit is provided with eight bags, each pair of bags being joined in series vand, communicate thru a pipe l5 with a hydro A gen tank 16 which is located on the side ot the fuselage. At a/ point in the 'fuselage above the level. of the pipes 15, a hollow casing 17 is lined. This casing has recessed portions 18 at its lower Aend `and into these recesses, the ends/oit prvoted plates l9 are la spring 32 which 'rests on a threaded cap inserted. rlhe plates 19 arey mounted upon hinges 20 and at their outer free ends have.` eyelets 21 to which wires 22 are attached. A

plunger 23 is slidable vertically in the casing 60 17 and hbasa handle 24 at its upper projecting end. This plunger is` provided with a collar 25 Within the casing fand .forms a shoulder for a spring 26 coiled about the plunger and .retained onv the latte-r by a stationary or fixed flange 27 upon whichfthe spring 'is seated. rlhis spring is normally adapted to lift the plunger upwardly so that the lower lend 28 of the latter permits the plates 19 to normally rest in a horizontal position as indicated in Figure 3.

Fach one of the pipes 15 is provided with a valve illustrated in Figure 5. 7 rlhis valveY comprises'a circulanwall 29 1formed withinv the cross section of the pipe. The wall has isslidable. 'iThe latter normally takes up half the volume of the chamber within the wall. 29 and is normally lifted upwardly by 33, the cap being provided to permit access to the chamber bounded by the wall 29. The piston has a diametrically extending opening 8d passing therethru which normally rests above the openings 30 when the piston is in lifted position, as shown in Fi 'ure 5. A stud projects from the piston t ru an opening in the wall of the pipe l5 and is adapted to be engaged by one end 36 of the lever 37. This lever is vpivotally Jmounted at a position intermediate its length onva pin 38 supported onlugs 39. YThe opposite end oit'the lever has an upwardly extending ear l0 thereon in whichian opening is provided, the opening being lformed to permit the wires 22 to be secured to the levers.

'llhe device is adapted to be used as a i buoyancy agent when an aeroplane` or heavier than a1r craft becomes unmanage 3100 able. As an aeroplane is lost control of, the handle 241 is depressed pivotally and as the loweriend 28 ot the `plunger 23 `contacts with the inner ends or the plates 19, the latter have their outer ends lifted. The eyelets 2l at the outer ends of the a pair oit aligned openings 30, lWithin the chamber formed by the wall 29, a piston 31` lll] tot lates have the f wires 22 secured thereto an' as these wires Y 32 to a position Where the diametrically eX- tending opening 34 in the piston registers with the openings 30 in the .Wall 29 and permits hydrogen, gas With which the tanks are {illedto lovv from the tanks thru the. pipes l5` and into the bags 13 which then become buoyant and aid in lkeeping the aeroplane in a floating condition so that the saine may drift to earth slowly;

l. In an aeroplane, a buoyancy unit coinprising bags adapted to be mounted on the wings, hydrogen tanks communicating with said bags thru pipes, said tanks being norinal-ly lilled with hydrogen, pipes mounted and connecting the bags and tanks, valves mounted in said pipes comprising lever operated pistons normally closing eommunication between the bags and tanks, means beneath said pistons for closing communication between the bags and tanks, pivoted levers cooperating with said pistons for depressing the latter, means for rotating said levers comprising a plunger, a easing receiving said plunger, plates adapted to be rotated, saidfplates being connected' to said levers.-

2. In an aeroplane a buoyancy unit conrprising bags adapted to be mounted on the Wings, hydrogen tanks communicating-With said bags thru pipes, said tanks being normally filled with hydrogen,`pipes mounted yand connecting the bags and tanks, valves mounted in said pipes comprising lever Leoaaei pressing tlie latter, means for rotating said levers comprising a plunger, a casing receiving said plunger, plates adapted to be \`rotated, said plates being connected to said levers, hinges kconnecting said plates to the casing, said plates' extending outwardly in i opposite directions, and a spring mounted on said plunger being adapted to lift the latter and permit horizontal alignment ot the hinge plates `when said valve pistons are in closed position. i

3. lin an aeroplane, a buoyancy unit comprising circular bags, hydrogen tanks coupled Fto said bags, pipes connecting said tanks and bags, valves mounted in said pipes comprising a lever pivoted intermediate its length on said pipe, pistons slidabliin said pipe adapted toclose communication Vbetween the bags and tanks, means for rotating said levers comprising a vertical slid- 'able plunger, a cylinder in said casing slidably receiving said plunger, hinged plates having one of their ends projecting beneath said plunger, said plates being pivotally secured to said casing, and means for connectingsaid levers tosaid plates.

In testimony whereof l atiix my signature.

YOUNG H0 KOUN.

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