GB1578526A

GB1578526A - Gliders

Info

Publication number: GB1578526A
Application number: GB990976A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: WALTON F
Current assignee: WALTON F
Priority date: 1977-05-27
Filing date: 1977-05-27
Publication date: 1980-11-05

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO GLIDERS (71) We, LEONARD GABRIELS, a British subject, of Thornlea Avenue, Hollinwood, Oldham, and FREDERICK WALTON, a British subject, of 61 Ashworth Street, Failsworth, Manchester, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to gliders.

According to one aspect of this invention a glider comprises a main frame comprising a fore and aft boom or keel member, a cross member secured to the boom intermediate the ends of the boom, and leading edge members connected at their forward ends to the boom and in use connected to outer end regions of the cross member; a control frame which in use depends from the cross member and includes a control bar transverse to the boom, in which the control bar is in the form of two tubular parts which are axially separable, a first bottom rigging wire connected at one end to the outer end of one of the tubular parts and extending through the two tubular parts and connected at its other end to the main frame in the region of an outer end of the cross member, and a second bottom rigging wire connected at one end to the outer end of the other of the tubular parts and extending through the two tubular parts and connected at its other end to the main frame in the region of the other outer end of the cross member.

Preferably the control frame comprises two frame members extending downwardly from the cross member and diverging, the control bar extending between the lower ends of the two control frame members.

The end pieces preferably have connected to them top transverse rigging.

The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. lisa perspective view of a hang glider; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the hang glider of Fig. 1 from the rear; Fig. 3 is a view of part of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of part of the hang glider of Fig. 1 also on an enlarged scale.

The hang glider comprises a main frame having a front-to-rear tubular boom or keel 10 to which is secured between its ends an upright tubular king post 11. The king post 11 is hinged to the boom 10 so that the king post can be brought to lie against the boom 10. A releasable detent or lock (not shown) is provided to hold the king post in the upright, operative, position. A plate structure 12 is rigidly secured to the front end of the boom 10 and the front ends of tubular beams 13, 14, forming so-called leading edges which are secured to the plate 12 for pivotal movement about respective vertical axes parallel to the upright king post 11. A tubular cross-member 15 extends transversely to the boom 10 and is secured thereto for pivotal movement about the axis of the erect king post.A releasable detent or lock (not shown) is provided to hold the cross-member 15 at right angles to the boom.

Each end of the cross member 15 telescopically receives a tubular end piece 16 detachably held in place by a removable locking pin 17. The outer end of tube end piece 16 has an arm 19 pivoted to it on pin 18. A top rigging wire 20, 21 passes through a transverse slot in the top of the king post 11 and at its ends is respectively connected to the arms 19. The wire 20, 21 includes a conventional overcentre tensioning device 22a which enables the tension in the wire 20, 21 to be adjusted as required and enables the wire to be relaxed sufficiently to enable the end pieces 16 to be removed from tube 15, possibly with separation of the wire 20, 21 from the device 22.

The leading edge tubes 13, 14 are secured to the respective end piece 16 by a stud 23 receiving nuts 24, 25 and washers 26, 27, 9 and serving to secure an eye member 28.

A control frame 29 comprises two tubular arms 30, 31 whose upper ends are pivoted to a bracket 32 fixed to the cross tube 15 beneath the king post 11. The arms 30, 31 can pivot about an axis parallel to the cross tube 15 to control the glider and about axes 7, 8 parallel to the boom 10 to enable the arms to be brought parallel to the cross tube 15 for transport purposes. Releasable detents or locks (not shown) are provided to prevent undesirable pivoting in use. The arms in use diverge as they extend downwardly. The lower end of arm 30 has fixed to it a U-shaped bracket 30b Fig. 4 which carries pin 30c between its arms to which pin is pivotally connected a tube 30a which can be brought parallel to the tube 30 for transport and storage. A tubular member 3 lea is similarly connected to the arm 31.A small tube 32 is removably received in the inner end of the tube 3 lea and is riveted or otherwise fixed at 33 inside the end of the tube 30a. Thus the tubes 30a, 31a may be separated by relative axial movement. In operation, the tubes 30a, 31a are held in compression by left-hand and right-hand bottom rigging wires 34, 35. The upper, outer ends of the wires 34, 35 are secured to the respective eye members 28.

The other end of the wire 34 is secured to the pin 31c which secures the bracket 31b to the tube 31a and the other end of the wire 35 is secured to the pin 30c which secures the bracket 30h to the tube 30a.

A conventional seat and harness 40 are swingably connected to the cross member 15 beneath the king post 11. In operation, a uscr sits on the scat 40 in the safety harness and controls the flight of the glider by fore and aft movement of the control bar 30a. 31a.

A continuous wire forms bottom fore and aft rigging wires 50, 51 provided at each side.

The wires 50 extend at their front ends around a removable pin (not shown) extending through opposed sides of a channel plate structure 12 and respectively at their rear ends to the outer ends of the members 30a, 3 1a. The wires 51 are connected at their rear ends to the boom 10 somewhat forwardly of its rear end. and at their front ends rcspectively to the outer ends of the members 30a, 31a.

A top fore and aft rigging wire 60. 61 is provided. The wire 60 is connected between the plate structure 12 and a location for wardly of the rear end of the boom 10, and passes through a front-to-rcar slot in the top of the king post 11. The wire 60, 61 includes a tensioning device 22. which may take the form of a turnbucklc.

The glider includes conventional sails 70, 71, secured between the boom 10 and the respective leading edge 13, 14.

It will be appreciated that when it is desired to collapse the glider for transport and for storage, the detents are released, the tension devices 22, 22a in wires 20, 60 are adjusted to relax the tension in wires 20, 21, 60, 61; the pin in structure 12 is removed so that the tension in wires 50, 51 is relaxed; the locking pins 17 are removed, the end pieces 16 are separated from the tubes 15; control member parts 30a, 31a are separated to enable the arms 30, 31 to be folded up to lie in the plane of the boom and the cross tube, and are then bent in to lie against the boom; the leading edges 13, 14 are folded in to lie against the boom 10; and the control bar parts 30a, 31a are bent in to lie against the parts 30, 31. The cross tube 15 is rotated to lie beneath the boom and the king post is bent down to lie against the boom.The sails are wrapped round the collapsed parts and the whole can be inserted into an elongate bag. On re-erection, the main frame has a degree of flcxibility or resilience so that when the devices 22, 22a are operated to tension the rigging wires the parts of the main frame are held in the apppropriate relative positions.

It will be appreciated that in use the control bar 30a, 3 1a is in compression so that the weight of a user does not tend to bend the bar 30a 31a. Spanners are not needed for stowage and re-erection.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A glider comprising a main frame comprising a fore and aft boom or keel member. a cross member secured to the boom intermediate the ends of the boom, and leading edge members connected at their forward ends to the boom and in use connected to outer end regions of the cross member; a control frame which in use depends from the cross member and includes a control bar transverse to the boom, in which the control bar is in the form of two tubular parts which are axially separable, a first bottom rigging wire connected at one end to the outer end of one of the tubular parts and extending through the two tubular parts and connected at its other end to the main frame in the region of an outer end of the cross member, and a second bottom rigging wire connected at one end to the outer end of the other of the tubular parts and extending through the two tubular parts and connected at its other end to the main frame in the region of the other outer end of the cross member.

2. A glider as claimed in Claim 1, in which the control frame comprises two frame members extending downwardly from the cross member and diverging, the control bar extending between the lower ends of the two control frame members.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 22. The leading edge tubes 13, 14 are secured to the respective end piece 16 by a stud 23 receiving nuts 24, 25 and washers 26, 27, 9 and serving to secure an eye member 28. A control frame 29 comprises two tubular arms 30, 31 whose upper ends are pivoted to a bracket 32 fixed to the cross tube 15 beneath the king post 11. The arms 30, 31 can pivot about an axis parallel to the cross tube 15 to control the glider and about axes 7, 8 parallel to the boom 10 to enable the arms to be brought parallel to the cross tube 15 for transport purposes. Releasable detents or locks (not shown) are provided to prevent undesirable pivoting in use. The arms in use diverge as they extend downwardly. The lower end of arm 30 has fixed to it a U-shaped bracket 30b Fig. 4 which carries pin 30c between its arms to which pin is pivotally connected a tube 30a which can be brought parallel to the tube 30 for transport and storage. A tubular member 3 lea is similarly connected to the arm 31.A small tube 32 is removably received in the inner end of the tube 3 lea and is riveted or otherwise fixed at 33 inside the end of the tube 30a. Thus the tubes 30a, 31a may be separated by relative axial movement. In operation, the tubes 30a, 31a are held in compression by left-hand and right-hand bottom rigging wires 34, 35. The upper, outer ends of the wires 34, 35 are secured to the respective eye members 28. The other end of the wire 34 is secured to the pin 31c which secures the bracket 31b to the tube 31a and the other end of the wire 35 is secured to the pin 30c which secures the bracket 30h to the tube 30a. A conventional seat and harness 40 are swingably connected to the cross member 15 beneath the king post 11. In operation, a uscr sits on the scat 40 in the safety harness and controls the flight of the glider by fore and aft movement of the control bar 30a. 31a. A continuous wire forms bottom fore and aft rigging wires 50, 51 provided at each side. The wires 50 extend at their front ends around a removable pin (not shown) extending through opposed sides of a channel plate structure 12 and respectively at their rear ends to the outer ends of the members 30a, 3 1a. The wires 51 are connected at their rear ends to the boom 10 somewhat forwardly of its rear end. and at their front ends rcspectively to the outer ends of the members 30a, 31a. A top fore and aft rigging wire 60. 61 is provided. The wire 60 is connected between the plate structure 12 and a location for wardly of the rear end of the boom 10, and passes through a front-to-rcar slot in the top of the king post 11. The wire 60, 61 includes a tensioning device 22. which may take the form of a turnbucklc. The glider includes conventional sails 70, 71, secured between the boom 10 and the respective leading edge 13, 14. It will be appreciated that when it is desired to collapse the glider for transport and for storage, the detents are released, the tension devices 22, 22a in wires 20, 60 are adjusted to relax the tension in wires 20, 21, 60, 61; the pin in structure 12 is removed so that the tension in wires 50, 51 is relaxed; the locking pins 17 are removed, the end pieces 16 are separated from the tubes 15; control member parts 30a, 31a are separated to enable the arms 30, 31 to be folded up to lie in the plane of the boom and the cross tube, and are then bent in to lie against the boom; the leading edges 13, 14 are folded in to lie against the boom 10; and the control bar parts 30a, 31a are bent in to lie against the parts 30, 31. The cross tube 15 is rotated to lie beneath the boom and the king post is bent down to lie against the boom.The sails are wrapped round the collapsed parts and the whole can be inserted into an elongate bag. On re-erection, the main frame has a degree of flcxibility or resilience so that when the devices 22, 22a are operated to tension the rigging wires the parts of the main frame are held in the apppropriate relative positions. It will be appreciated that in use the control bar 30a, 3 1a is in compression so that the weight of a user does not tend to bend the bar 30a 31a. Spanners are not needed for stowage and re-erection. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A glider comprising a main frame comprising a fore and aft boom or keel member. a cross member secured to the boom intermediate the ends of the boom, and leading edge members connected at their forward ends to the boom and in use connected to outer end regions of the cross member; a control frame which in use depends from the cross member and includes a control bar transverse to the boom, in which the control bar is in the form of two tubular parts which are axially separable, a first bottom rigging wire connected at one end to the outer end of one of the tubular parts and extending through the two tubular parts and connected at its other end to the main frame in the region of an outer end of the cross member, and a second bottom rigging wire connected at one end to the outer end of the other of the tubular parts and extending through the two tubular parts and connected at its other end to the main frame in the region of the other outer end of the cross member.

3. A glider as claimed in Claim I or

Claim 2, in which the leading edge members are connected respectively to end pieces respectively removably connected or connectable to the ends of the cross member.

4. A glider as claimed in Claim 3, in which the end pieces have connected to them top transverse rigging.

5. A glider as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the forward ends of the leading edge members are pivotally connected to the boom so that when the end pieces are disconnected from the cross member the leading edge members can be pivoted to lie against the boom.

6. A glider as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims 3 to 5, in which the cross member is pivotally connected to the boom so that when the end pieces are disconnected the cross member can be pivoted to lie against the boom.

7. A glider substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanymg drawings.