US3613295A

US3613295A - Aerial toy

Info

Publication number: US3613295A
Application number: US884556A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert A Everett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-12-12
Filing date: 1969-12-12
Publication date: 1971-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-19

Abstract

THE DISCLOSURE IS OF A HOLLOW UNITARY BODY, WHICH HAS A SERIES OF AIRFOILS JOINED TOGETHER AND EXTENDING FROM THEIR CENTER TO FORM A UNITARY COMPOSITE AIRFOIL. EACH OF THE AIRFOILS HAVE A NEGATIVE DIHEDRAL DESIGN AND ARE WEIGHTED AT THEIR PERIPHERICAL TIPS. IN PROFILE, THE COMPOSITE AIRFOIL IS SHOWN AS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOTTOM.

Description

Oct. 19,1971 R. A. EVERETT 3,613,295

AERIAL TOY Filed D60. 12, 1969 PoAert A. Everctt INVENTOR.

United States Patent Otfice Patented Oct. 19, 1971 3,613,295 AERIAL TOY Robert A. Everett, 704 S. 142ml East Ave., Tulsa, Okla. 74108 Filed Dec. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 884,556 Int. Cl. A6311 27/00 U.S. CI. 46-74 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is of a hollow unitary body, which has a series of airfoils joined together and extending from their center to form a unitary composite airfoil. Each of the airfoils have a negative dihedral design and are weighted at their peripherical tips. In profile, the composite airfoil is shown as having a substantially fiat bottom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention This invention relates to an educational and amusement device, which also has utility in aircraft design and military missiles.

More specifically, to a unitary body with an airfoil configuration; with extended negative dihedral airfoils, which is adapted for launching into flight and thereby sustaining flight by its aerodynamic and gyroscopic embodiment of the invention, when force and spin is im parted to said device simultaneously. By negative dihedral, I mean to define an airfoil with a downward inclination. This term and definition is found in at least NASA Aeronautical Dictionary by Frank Davis Adams 1959 page 117.

(2) Description of prior art These extended negative dihedral airfoils are not shrouded or connected at their outer perimeter as found in the prior art. A connecting ring or shroud of the the prior art produces drag, but does add strength. My invention avoids this drag, and strength is gained by the cantilever construction, thereby enabling the extended negative dihedral airfoils to generate their full lift capabilities.

The extended negative dihedral airfoils themselves embody an airfoil with its own lift characteristics, which other prior art omit.

These extended negative dihedral airfoils contain weight at their very tips and with which a centrifugal force is created, which gives stability and sustains the device in flight. This polar moment of inertia force, creates its own gyroscopic characteristics.

The hollow body has a bottom which is substantially flat and adds rigidity, stability and eliminates much of the drag that would be created in this area; and so, it allows for a smooth flow of air, but most prior art do not contain a bottom to their inventions.

The prior art have airfoils with positive dihedral and with pitch to their airfoils, but none contain or describe airfoils having negative dihedral.

The prior art also show that their airfoils, pitched and positive dihedral design radiate from a body; whereas my invention the radiating airfoils make up a composite airfoil.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A principal object of this hollow unitary type inven tion, is that it combines gyroscopic and aerodynamic principles simultaneously, in a single unit.

Another object is that the extended negative dihedral airfoils add their lifting qualities whenthe device is put into a spinning motion with the airfoils facing into the direction of the spin.

It is another object that the unitary hollow body, which is itself a composite of airfoils and is itself a configuration of an airfoil and creates its own lift characteristics.

A further object of the invention is the weighted tips of the extended negative dihedral airfoils; when put into flight with a spin, the centrifugal force gives the device stability and sustains the spin and flight.

A still further object is that the bottom of the device is substantially fiat, which allows for a smooth flow of ai and completes the configuration of a hollow body and also gives it buoyancy should it land on Water.

More particularly it is an object, to provide a device which can be launched on a desired flight path with an easy throwing motion, this motion being such that a person, after very little practice, can launch the device into flight by holding one of the extended airfoils and throwing said device into the air with a side arm throwing motion, which when released will automatically impart a spinning motion and lift force.

Yet a further object is to so arrange the device as it travels into the air, it will create gyroscopic and aerodynamic forces simultaneously, which forces coact upon the device in a manner that will create variable flight and hovering paths, due to angle attack, wind velocity, weight distribution, size and shape of the extended airfoils.

Another object is that the weighted tips of the extended airfoils will produce centrifugal force in a segmented or surging manner, so much so that it will produce a snap roll in the first, approximately, seventy-five feet of flight.

It is still a further object to provide a device in which the component parts are such that the device is easily and economically manufactured and which is of such rugged construction as to withstand rough and frequent usage and is constructed of a top and bottom which are sealed at their perimeters.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a unitary body embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the body of FIG. 1.

'FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is shown a hollow body 15, made in two parts 10 and 13. This body 15 embodies a plurality of radially extended negative dihedral airfoils 11 extending at equal angular intervals, radiating from a common center.

To describe the airfoils 11 more particularly, each airfoil 11 having a decided negative dihedral design with a leading edge 12 that must face into the direction of the spin in order to produce its optimum lift characteristics. These extended negative dihedral airfoils when spinning create a hovering type of aerodynamic force.

Located at the very outer tips of each airfoil 11 are solid or weighted portions 14. These weighted tips 14 create a centrifugal force by the spin imparted automatically when the device is thrown into the air. These weighted tips add stability and sustains the spinning action.

The bottom 13 is substantially flat and sealed to the top section 10 at the edge of their perimeters, forming a unitary hollow and buoyant body 15. This body 15 as shown in the elevation view in FIG. 2, the radially extended negative dihedral airfoils 11 seen as comprising one large configuration of an airfoil 15 FIG. 2, which creates its own aerodynamic lift characteristics when in flight.

The radial extended airfoils 11 make a very convenient structure to grasp by hand when throwing "said device into the air. In fact, it is highly suited for a hand hold and allows for a sure and positive grip. The body 15 is held approximately parallel to the ground and, in a side arm motion, it is thrown into the air at a slightly inclined angle and preferably into the wind. When released, an automatic snap to the wrist imparts the spin action and forward flying motion. The more force and spin imparted to the device, the more likely of longer flight, depending on the angle of attack, wind velocity, weight distribution etc. It will take off in a gradual upward and forward manner. In approximately the first seventy-five feet of flight, the device, which contains most of the surging spin and force in this distance; the coaction of aerodynamic and gyoscopic forces will create so much lifting force in this space of the flight that the lift forces become unbal anced and the device will make a snap roll and then level out into a normal flight path. This normal flight path may be one in which it reaches a point where it will hover until the spinning and lift forces are lost; the device will then break downward to the left or right or back down to the approximate point of launch. If thrown at an oblique angle to the wind, it will do the same as before mentioned; but it will not hover, but will continue on an extended flight path.

The precise manner in which the air velocity, gravity, aerodynamic and gyroscopic forces coact on the invention is rather complex. However, it can be theorized, with some justifieation, that some aspects of the interaction may be explained in the following manner. When the device begins its initial trajectory in a horizontal plane, the forces imparted to it, creates lift by the very fact of its overall shape FIG. 2. And as the thrower releases the device it automatically is given a spin, which sets up another lifting force; which is the lift produced by the spinning extended airfoils 11. This spinning action also brings in a gyroscopic action, that produces stability and sustains this spinning action that, in turn sustains the lift action of the extended airfoils 11.

So, it can be said or assumed that the more force and spin produced by a throwing motion, including the wrist action at the release point, will produce the best flight. The wrist snap upon release is similar to a ball player throwing a ball and automatically snapping the wrist and imparting spin to the thrown ball. Any man or boy having ambitions in the sports world that involves throwing a ball of some kind, knows the advantage of developing the wrist, forearm and shoulder. This is the exact area of the body that this device uses, in unlimited quantities.

The bottom 13 of the invention, being substantially flat eliminates much of the drag in this area, and adds to the stability and rigidity and gives the device buoyancy. So with a hollow buoyant body it lends itself to its use over Water, which is a very ideal area. Flying space may be hard to come by, but any body of water is made to order, plus the added feature of the good air currents found there.

It is to be understood, of course, that the precise manner of the interaction of the various forces involved will vary,

depending on the wind velocity, locomotion force used and the amount of force imparted to the device etc. Also slight changes in such things as the relative weight distribution etc., can be utilized to vary the flight characteristics, without departing from the teachings of the invention. Thus any discussion of the interaction must of necessity, be replete with generalities.

This unitary type invention has embodied in it several principles that coact and produce flight and hovering characteristics, and as applied to aircraft with the use of power means, will produce a flying saucer type aircraft or space craft.

This invention can be applied to military arms, such as a hand grenade; a grenade embodying this invention will greatly add to the range of the grenade, when thrown.

The toy aspect of this invention is that it can be put into flight by throwing, mechanical means, or by use of power at the tip ends of the extended airfoils, such as jet power of some means at jet openings facing away from the direction of its rotation.

This device readily lends itself to be molded from plastic, metal, heavy ply card stock or other suitable material.

It is thought that the invention will have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of the illustrated preferred embodiment. Minor changes will suggest themselves and may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit'of the invention and particularly that the figure may assume a variety of forms other than that shown. Wherefore it is my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given a scope fully commensurate with the broadest interpretation to which the employed language admits.

The invention I have described and what is claimed is:

1. An aerial toy comprising a unitary body having an upper and lower surface, said upper surface comprising a plurality of radially extending and downwardly inclined dihedral airfoils, said airfoils extending at equal angular intervals and radiating from the center of said upper surface, said lower surface being substantially flat and sealed to the upper surface at the perimeter of the body joining said airfoils and said lower surface.

2. The body of claim 1, including Weights mounted at the outer edge of at least one of said airfoils.

3. The body of claim 1, in which the leading edges of the radiating airfoils face in the direction of the spin imparted to the body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1953 Garbo 273l06 5/1958 Dame 4676 US. Cl. X.R. 273l06B