US1868468A - Heater for airplane wings - Google Patents

Description

July 19, 1932. A. F. THOMPSON 8 HEATER FoR- AIRPLANE WINGS Filed Oct. 11. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR /7I'a'fi/Z/I' 777003050 ATTORNEY July 19, 1932. A. F. THOMPSON HEATER FOR AIRPLANE WINGS Filed Oct. 11. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR flm/r/a fz' Thompson ATTORNEY Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCHIE F. THOMPSON, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR TO IGELESS AIR WING COR- PORATION, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION OF OKLAHOMA HEATER 30B AIRPLANE 'WINGS' Application filed October 11, 1930. Serial No. 488,069.

My invention relates to heating devices and more particularly to apparatus of that character for heating wing and like surfaces on airplanes.

The hazards of flying, incident to ice accumulating on airplane wings and stabilizers at high altitudes or in cold Weather is well known, the additional load of the ice on the plane often seriously interfering with safe aeronautical transportation.

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide apparatus for effectively heating an airplane, particularly the wings and stabilizers, to prevent accumulation of ice and snow thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide for heating such portions in individual sections so that inoperation of'one of the sections will not interfere with the heating conditions of adjacent sections.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention I have provided improved details of structure the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an airplane equipped with heating apparatus embodying my invention and shown diagrammatically to moreclearly illustrate the method of wiring preferably employed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a wing portion wired in accordance with my invention,

a cover plate being shown in disassembled relation therewith.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a wing portion showing the cover plate in functional position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred form ,of insulatorv used.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified I form of an insulator.

Referring more in detail to the drawings 1 designates an airplane having the usual wings 2, stabilizers 3 and a rudder 4. In

order to equip a plane of this character with means for heating the wing surfaces and other portions'of the plane, particularly susceptible to the accumulation.

of ice, I have provided electrical heating means including a generator 5 mounted at a convenient location on the plane as, for example, beneath one of the wings as shown in Fig. 1.

The generator. is preferably driven by a propeller 6 actuated by air pressure produced by the rapid travel of the plane through the air, it being obvious however, that batteries or any suitable means for supplying current may be substituted for the generator.

In wiring the plane to lead the electrical threadedly engaging sockets 11 in one end of 7 the insulators.

An opening 12, or a slot 13, adjacent the opposite ends of the insulators is adapted to receive a heating wire 14.- tapped from lead wires 15 and 16 leading from the generator.

The insulators are preferablyiarranged in lon 'tudinal and transverse rows, as shown in ig. 2, and individual wires are strung on a lurality of the insulators .to produce indivi ual series of heating sections for preventing damage to onecsection when an adjacent section may, for some reason, cease to operate.

The sections on the front edge of the stabilizers and rudders are arranged in like manner and connected to the lead wires in parallel to heat the front edges of the surfaces. The amount of current flowing through the wires and consequently the amount of heat radiating therefrom, is controlled by a rheostat 17 preferably mounted on the instrument panel of the cock pit.

After threading the wires over the insulating spacers, a cover plate 18 formed of light metal or the like is mounted over the sections and is secured to the metal covering of the plane portions by welding, as indicated at 19, or other suitable means such as screws.

A chamber 20 formed in this manner between the outer covering and the asbestos msulation constitutes a dead air space and conserves the heat supplied in the chamber by the heated wires.

, With a plane equipped with heating apparatus, as above described, it is obvious that the travel of the plane through the air will cause an air stream to be forced; against the generator propeller, thereby rotating the propeller and driving the generator at a speed sufficient to generate current for heat- I ing the wires in the heating chambers.

jlhe amount of current supplied to the wires may be easily controlled by the rheostat and the pilot can readily determine the extent to which the wires are heated by the coloring of the metal covering 18.

'By providing the heating wires adjacent the front edge of the wings, stabilizers, rudders and other portions of the plane which are to be heated, it is apparent that the heat will be carried along the entire surfaces of such portions by the stream of air flowing over these parts, thereby preventing accumulation of ice on any part of the plane.

Due to the layer of asbestos insulation covering the surfaces to whichheat is directly applied, danger of fire is obviated, and with the sectional wiring as particularly shown in Fig. 1, operation of one section is independent of an adjacent section, it'being noted that two sections of the apparatus are always in series in order to provide for control-of the wing, stabilizer and rudder sections by a single rheostat.

As a result of he dead air chamber between the layer 'of insulation and the outer covering, a minimum amount of current is necessary to supply suflicient heat to maintain the plane surfaces above freezing temperatures.

While Fig. 1 shows only one wing provided with heating wires, which is deemed to be suflicient for illustration purposes, the lead wires are continued to the opposite wing and heating wires are tapped therefrom in like manner to produce individual heating sections.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with aircraft including a source of electrical energy, heating wires arranged on a selected surface of said craft, a layer of insulation between said surface and wires, feed wires leading from the source of energy to the heating wires, means interposed in the feed wires for controlling the amount of current flowing through said wires, and a covering for said insulation and heating wires substantially conforming in shape to said surface and spaced therefrom to form a dead air chamber.

2. In combination with aircraft including a source of electrical energy, feed wires leading from said source of energy, individual sections of heating wire connected to the feed heating wires substantially conforming in I shape to said surface and spaced therefrom to form a dead air chamber.

3. In combination with aircraft including a source of electrical energy, feed wires leading from said source of energy, individual sections of heating wires connected to the feed wires and arranged on separated members of the craft. the sections of each member being connected in parallel to the feed wires and a section of one member being connected in series with a section of another member, and means interposed in the feed wires for controlling the amount of current flowing through the wires.

4. In combination with aircraft including a source of electrical energy, feed wires leading from said source of energy, individual sections of heating wire connected to the feed wires and arranged on the forward edges of separated members of the craft, the sections of each member being connected in parallel to the feed wires, and a section of one member being connected in series with a section of another member, means interposed in the feed wires for controlling the amount of current flowing through the wires, and a layer of insulation between each member and its respective heating wires.

5. In combination with aircraft including a source of electrical energy, feed wires leading from said source of energy, individual sections of heating wire connected to the feed wires and arranged on the forward edges of separated members of the craft, the sections of each member bein connected in parallel to the feed wires, an a section of one memher being connected in series with a section of another member, means interposed in the feed wires for controlling the amount of current flowing through the wires, insulation between each member and its respective heating wires, and a covering for said insulation and heating wires and spacedtherefrom to form a dead air chamber.

6, .In combination with aircraft including a source of electrical energy, heating wires arranged on a curved forward surface of said craft and insulated therefrom, feed wires leading from the source of energy to said heating wires, and a cover for said heating wires conforming in shape to said curved surface and spaced therefrom, said cover having edges secured to the craft to form an inclosedchamber.

7. In combination with aircraft including a source of electrical energy, feed wires leading from said source of energy, insulators arranged in transverse and longitudinal rows on leading edges of said craft, heating wires strung on said insulators and connected to the feed wires, means for controlling the amount of current flowing through the wires, and acovering for said insulation and heat-' 'ing wires and spaced therefrom to form a dead air chamber.

8. In combination with aircraft including a source of electrical energy, feed wires leading from said source of energy, insulators arranged in rows on a selected surface of said craft, heating wires strung on said insulators and connected to the feed wires, a layer of insulation between the heating wires and said surface means for controlling the amount of current flowing through the wires, and a covering for said insulation and heating wires and spaced therefrom to form a dead air chamber. 2 In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

ARCHIE F. THOMPSON.

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