US2194796A - Airplane control surfaces - Google Patents

Description

"r, N. JOYCE AIRPLANE CONTROL SURFACES I March 26; 1940.

Filed July 20, 1938 Patented Mar. 1940 UNITED STATES j PATENT OFFICE f v 2,194,796 AIRPLANE CONTROL SURFACES 'l'empleN. Joyce, Arnold, Md., assignor to Zap Development Corporation, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Delaware Application July: 20, 1938, Serial No. 2201360 3 Claims, (01. 244-42) This invention relates to airplanes and more particularly to control suriaces for airplanes.

The present invention is generally similar to that covered in my co-pending application 220,359

filed concurrently herewith but includes additional important features.

An object of the present invention is to'pro-'- vide a flap and aileron construction in which the flap can extend substantially the full length of m the airplane wing.

Another object of my inventionis to provide an airplane wing that will have proper lateral control when the plane is flying at either high or low speeds. I

Yet a further object 0! my invention is the provision of a flap and aileron combination that will form the trailing edge of the wing.

Yet another object of my invention is the provision or spoiler, flap and aileron surfaces so associated that the aileron cannot be operated as long as the flap is in its inoperative position.

. To accomplish the above and additional objects, this invention comprehends the employment of a wing having spoiler, flap and aileron surfaces that are so associated that'when the airplane is flying at high speeds, the flap and aileron are in their'inoperative' positions. Due

to the manner in which these surfaces arec'onnected, it is not possible to actuate the aileron so as long as the flap is in its inoperative position. The spoilers, however, are free to be operated at high speeds, thereby giving the necessary lateral control for theairplane.

When the airplane is flyin at low speed and the flap is lowered by the pilot, means are pro-. vided whereby the aileron can be operated.

In order to readily comprehend my invention, attention is directed to the ,accompanying drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment 0 of my inventive concept, it being understood, however, that numerous changes may be made by those skilled in the art without exceeding the scope of the invention as described by the annexed claims. a

In the drawing in which like numerals designate similar parts: v

Figure 1 is 'a view in side elevation,. partly in section, 01 an airplane wing depicting my invention.

Figure 2 is a iragmentalsectional view of the.

trailing edge of the wing-shown 'in Figure 1 illustrating the flap in its lowered position and the aileron free to be actuated.

Flgure3 isaviewtaken along line l3 of 5 Figure 1 looking lathe direction or the arrows.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, there is shown an airplane wing I having a front spar I and a rear spar 3. The wing is provided with a flap l and an aileron 5 which, it will be noted. form the trailing edge of the wing I. 5

' A spoiler 8 which is hinged to the upper leading edge of the wing I as shown at i is adapted to fit within a, well 8.-when the spoiler is in its inoperativeposition. Of course, it is to be understood thatthe spo'iler can-be disposed at any 10 location-on the upper area oi. thewing, or it. plurality oi spoilers can be used.

To move the spoiler about its pivot 1, it can be seen that a bell crank 9 ispivotally mounted at Ill to a support II secured to the front spar 2, '15 A link I! is attached at one end to the bell crank and at its opposite end to the undersurface of the spoiler t; The other arm oi the bell crank 9 is attached to an operating-cable ill by a pivotal connection It. A coil spring II, one end of which a any desired manner with the pilot's controls (not shown).

As shown in Figure 2, the flap I is provided with upstanding supports it in which is journalled a stub shaft II. A link It is attached to the shaft n and the outer end is fixed by pivoting to a tube 19 extending through the leading edge of the aileron B.

It can be noted that a pair-oi the braces for the interior oi" the wing are provided with elongated slots 2|.

rollers 22 that ride in the slots 20.

An operating link 23 is-attached to the shaft TH and extends through an aperture 24 in the rear spar t. The oppodte end or the-link 23 is 5 pivotally attached as shown at 25 to operating arms 2} that are in turn secured to a torque tube 21 journalled in the Wing's interior bracing members.

' A control rod 28 that extends toa position 50 convenient for the pilot is pivotally attached to asleeve Itseouredto thetorquetube'TL,

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that when the flap 4 is inthe position shown. in Figure 1 it is not possible to lower the as A shaft 2i that extends through 40 apertures in the supports it of the flap I carries aileron 5. However, the spoilers l are free to be operated andprovlde tor the necessary lateral control.

when it is desired to lower the flap 4, it will be appreciated that by actuating the control rod 28, the torque tube 21 will be rotated and the arms 26 will move through an are forcing the link 23 rearwardly and causing the rollers 22 to ride in the slot 20 moving the flap to the position shown in Figure 2. While I have shown the I control for airplanes that will be highly eflective under all conditions of flight. By having the aileron 5 and the flap 4 connected in the manner shown, the aileron cannot be moved to its operative position as long as the flap is in its inoperative position.

The spoilers 6, however, are free to be operated when the flap and aileron are in their inopera-' tive positions. By employing the spoiler surfaces 6 to afford lateral control at high speeds, parasitic drag is materially reduced.

On the other hand, when the plane is flying at a low speed and the flap is lowered, the'aileron 5 can then be operated by the pilot. The aileron is highly eilective at low speeds inasmuch as it is stimulated by the flow of air over the top surface of the wing by the flap 5.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is, of course, to be understood that I am not limited to the precise details herein set forth but that the scope of my invention is to be determined by the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In an airplane, a wing, a flap adapted to be raised and lowered, an aileron adapted to be actuated downwardly, said flap and aileron forming the trailing edge of the wing, a link pivotally mounted at one end to the flap and at the opposite end to the aileron, a second link pivotally attached to the flap at a point forward of the pivot point of the other link to the flap, means associated with said second-mentioned link to lower the flap, said flap when raised lying adjacent the aileron so as to prevent downward actuation of the aileron, and means to actuate the aileron when the flap is lowered.

2. In an airplane, a wing, a flap, an aileron, said flap and aileron forming the trailing edge of the wing, a rotatable shaft fixed to the leading portion of th aileron tor swinging the aileron upwardly and downwardly, means for slidably and pivotally supporting the leading portion of the flap on the wing, and a link pivoted between said shaft and the flap for guiding the flap for downward swinging thereof, said flap when raised lying adjacent the aileron so as to prevent downward swing of the aileron.

3. In an airplane, a wing,.a flap adapted to be raised and lowered, an aileron adapted to be actuated downwardly, a link interconnecting said flap and aileron for guiding downward swing of the flap independently of movement of the aileron,

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