GB190821445A - Improvements in Flying Machines. - Google Patents

Abstract

21,445. Degn, P. F. Oct. 24, 1907, [date applied for under Section 91 of Patents &c. Act, 1907]. Aerial machines without aerostats; aeroplanes &c., construction of; propelling; steering.-To prevent the pressure on the vanes on one side of supporting-propellers for aerial machines from being greater than that on the other side owing to the horizontal velocity of the machine, the advancing edge d of the flexible vane is secured to the rim of a wheel c fixed on the propeller shafts a, b, while the trailing edge is secured by a cord f to a point nearer the shaft as on a collar g. The pitch of the vanes on that side of the propeller which is moving in the same direction as the machine is thus decreased by their being raised in consequence of the increased pressure. Further, should the motors break down, the descent of the machine causes the pitch of the vanes to reverse as shown in the dotted lines, and to continue to revolve in the same direction, this being permitted by the ratchet device, Fig. 4, interposed in the driving-mechanism. To ensure this reversal, and also to cause the angle of pitch to decrease from the shaft outwards, the outer ends of the vanes are formed of a trapezoidal piece of sheet metal t having its broader side at the advancing edge so as to increase the tension at that edge. The edges of the vanes are also braced by triangular pieces of metal s. Two such propellers are mounted on co-axial shafts a, b revolved in opposite directions by bevel-gearing k ; and by means of a cord q running on pulleys r the collars g may be slid on the shafts so as to vary the pitch of the propellers and thus render their resistance to rotation unequal. By the consequent rotation of the car, steering is effected.