GB1073542A - Improvements in jet propulsion units for aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

1,073,542. V.T.O.L. aircraft power plant. H. A. KERSHAW. Dec. 2, 1963, No. 47446/63 Heading B7G. [Also in Division F1] A jet propulsion unit provided with two pairs of swivelling propulsion nozzles, which when the unit is installed in an aircraft are positioned respectively fore and aft of the e.g. of the aircraft, whereby direct lift and control movements may be applied to the aircraft by simultaneous or differential adjustment of the nozzles, comprises an injector unit 25 which extends in flow series into a combustion section 26, discharge manifold 30 and swivelling propulsion nozzles 11a and 11b. The combustion section 26 comprises a forward plenum chamber 26<SP>1</SP> which is divided from a plurality of individual chambers 26a, 26b by a perforated baffle 29. Scoops 12a, 12b positioned adjacent the outlet nozzles of the combustion chamber direct jet efflux through conduits 14a, 14b and a ring duct 31 to injector nozzles 8a to entrain air for combustion through intake 25b. Plenum chamber 26<SP>1</SP> has outlets extending into ducts 32, 32a formed respectively with valves 33, 33a and extending into supplementary swivelling propulsion nozzles 11c, 11d. The ducts 32, 32a may have supplementary combustion chambers 34, 34a and in operation in space, with valves 33, 33a closed, they may be operated as puffer control jets. Plate 29 is so perforated that air may enter the combustion chambers through peripheral slots 27a and the whole may be insulated by an outer casing 36. Oxygen may be injected to increase thrust and it is stated that water or water/alcohol mixture could be used to lower the temperature of combustion. Each swivelling nozzle, Fig. 3, comprises an outer casing 11e mounted on duct 30b by bearings 37, 40a and is formed with a sealing gland comprising spring rings 39. In a further embodiment (Fig. 5, not shown), an injector device (60) supplies multiple combustion chambers (61) which are provided with cooling fins and which discharge into a manifold (62) which in turn discharges through two ejector nozzles (63) to supply swivelling jet nozzles (66), (66a). Gas from the manifold (62) is tapped by conduits (68), (68a) to supply ejectors (60a), (60b) in flow series therewith, the flow from the ejectors being controlled by valves (67b), (67c) to control the flow to supplementary combustion chambers (67d), (67e) and supplementary nozzles (66b), (66c). The casing in the region of ejector nozzles 63 is formed with openable air intake shutters (64c).