GB2325203A

GB2325203A - Rotating-wing aircraft

Info

Publication number: GB2325203A
Application number: GB9709745A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Philip Huggett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-05-14
Filing date: 1997-05-14
Publication date: 1998-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-14
Also published as: GB9709745D0; GB2325203B

Abstract

A rotating-wing aircraft, capable of vertical take-off, is described, having wings 15 in pairs rotatable upon spindles 14 fixed perpendicularly to rotor arms 13 forming rectangular frameworks rotatable symmetrically about axes through bearings attached to projections 11, 12 extending laterally from either side of fuselage 10, the said axes being parallel to the said spindles and to the length of the fuselage. Rotation of the wings about the spindles is synchronised to that of the rotor arms by means of timing belts and pulleys such that each revolution of the rotor arms is accompanied by one half revolution of the wings in the opposite sense, direction of the thrust produced being controllable by the angular setting of double-section toothed pulleys fixed to shafts mounted on the lateral projections extending from the fuselage and about which shafts the rotor arms revolve.

Description

ROTATING-WING AIRCRAFT.

The invention relates to rotating-wing aircraft capable of vertical take-off.

Present cay conceptions of vertical take-off rotating-wing aircraft are generally restricted to the helicopter in all its many we#l-known forms. Other types of vertical take-off machines described in the literature remain historical curiousities, among which the "paddle- wheel" aircraft has its place. In such machines the sings are arranged in a manner reminiscent of the floats of a paddle-wheel propelled boat, the vrings being arranged either to revolve about an axis perpendicular to the fuselage or to revolve about axes parallel to the length of the fuselage the attitude of the wings being automatically varied curing rotation in a manner comparable to that employed to "feather" the floats of a pacole-wheel propelled vessel.

In the invention two pairs of parallel-opposea rotor arms are fully rotatable about axes between projections extending from either sice of a fuselage the said axes being parallel to the length of the fuselage each pair of rotor arms forming the ends of a rigia rectangular assembly naving sines symmetrically place about the rotational axis each side being comprise a of a spindle as a core about which a wing rotatable in synchronis Prith the rotation of the associated rotor arms such that each rotation of the rotor arms is accompanied by one half rotation of the wings in the opposite sense.

As an illustration of the behaviour of a model constructed according to these specifications it was found that wit: a total wing area of 1.1 sq. metres each wing having a rectangular plan form with a chord of O.34 metres a vertical lift of 1 kilogram was observed when the rotor arms were rotated at 3.3 revolutions per second the diameter of the circle of rotation of the spindles being 0.27 metres the total power consumption by the electric motor used in this instance being 70 watts.

A specific embodiment of the invention will no be described tith reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a drawing of the machine as seen from below with both inner wings vertical at the same instant at which both outer wings and the rotor arms are horizontal. figure 2 is a sectional elevation illustrating the attitudes of the wings when the rotor arms are vertical and further illustrates the arrangements of gears, timing-belts and pulleys employed.

Figure 3 illustrates diagrammatically the loci of te leading and trailing edges of a wing associated with rotation of a rotor arm as an indication of the relative volumes swept out and of the average relative velocities of the two features.

Figure 4 illustrates diagrammatically the separation between corresponding airs of leading and trailing edges accompanying the rotation of the rotor arms the open area between trailing edges becoming a minimum when the rotor arms are vertical simultaneousl with the separation of the leading edges becoming a maximum.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate outlines of the typical wing sections preferred for use with the machine.

Referring to figure 1 fusela 10 es projections 11, 12 extending laterally from either side bearing rotor arms 13 spaced apart as parallel-opposea pairs by spindles 14 about which wings 15 are rotatable by means ol timing belts 16 linking toothed pulleys 17 with double- section toothed pulley wheels lo fixed to shaft 19 tne larger pulley 17 being fixed to wing 1 concentrically with respect to spindle 1 the said pulley 17 having twice the number of teeth borne by each section of pulley 18 shaft 19 being ### rotatably adjustable in its seating in projection 11. Rotor arm 13 is rotatable about shaft 19 by means of toothed pulley 20 fixed to the said rotor arm symmetrically between spindles 14 pulley wheel- 2O being linked by timing belt 21 to toothed pulley 22 which is combined concentrically with gear wheel 23 rotatable together on spindle 24 gear wheel 23 meshing with 25 fixed concentrically upon rotatable shaft 26 pinion 25 meshing with its fellow member of the corresponding gear train associated With the rotor arm attached to projection 12, connection between shaft 26 and the rotor/ gear box assembly 27 beneath fuselage 10 is made by shaft 26 and flexible couplings 29, 30.

Figure 2 shows the wings 15 in section at 450 to the horizontal rotor arms 13 being correspondingly vertical. figure 3 snows diagrammatically locus 31 of leading edge 32 of wing 33 relating to the rotation of rotor arm 34 and locus 35 of trailing edge 36 the ratio of chord length to the diameter of the circle of rotation 37 being 1,25 : 1 in this instance. Points A and C mark The positions of interchange from trailing edge to leaching edge and the reverse respectively when the rotor ar 34 revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow the corresponding direction of the leading and trailing edges along their respective loci being indicated by the points labelled ABC and CDEDA, Rigure 4 illustrates te relative positions of the rotor an 41 and wings 42 at the instant of minimum separation of the trailing edges 43 occuring simultaneously with that of maximum separation of leading edges 44.

Figure 5 illustrates a typical viing profile of elliptical outline.

Figure 6 illustrates a typical wing profile in which both leading and trailing halves of the section are identical when rotated througn 1çO the upper surf ace cl of the leading half of the section exhibiting sharper convexity tan that of the lower surface 62 of the same nalf.

Figure 7 illustrates a topical wing profile in which both leading and trailing halves of the section are identical when rotated through 180 the upper surface 71 of the leading #### half of the section being convex and the lower surface 72 of the same half of the section being predominantly concave.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. A rotating- wing aircraft having four wings individually rotatable about spindles separating to pairs of parallel-opposed rotor arms comprising sides of a rectangular structure te said rotor arms and spindles being symmetrically rotatable about horizontal axes through bearings located upon provections extending laterally on either side of the fuselage saia axes being parallel to the lengtn of the fuselage an arrangement of gears timing belts and toothed pulleys being employed to synchronise the motion of tne rotor arms and wings such that the angular velocity of each pair of rotor arms about its axis of rotation is tice that of the corresponding wings about their respective spindles in the opposite sense.

2. A rotating-wing aircraft as in claim 1 in which the two pairs of rotor arms are powered separately by suitable division of the gear- trains with or without an additional motor.

3. A rotating-wing aircraft as in claims 1 and 2 in which the attitude of each wing pair may be varied according to the angular setting of the shafts about which te rotor arms evolve.

4. A rotating-wing aircraft as in claims 1 to 5 ir which the toothed pulleys and timing belts are replaced by suitable sprockets and chain respectively.

5. S rotating-wing aircraft as in claims 1 to 3 in which tne tootnea pulleys and timing belts are replaced by a suitable combination of gears and shafts.

6. A rotating-wing aircraft as in claims 1 to 3 in which the system of gears pulleys and timing belts are replaced by a suitable combination of gears sprockets chain or other components as necessary to preserve the synchronised motion of wings and rotor arms.

7. r rotating-wing aircraft as in claims 1 to 5 in which a fan is attached capable of providing additional air flow in the horizontal plane.

A A rotating- wing aircraft as in claims 1 to 7 in which the fuselage is shaped longitudinally to conform to an aerofoil outline able to induce additional lift then moving forward or backwards against a component of air flow.

9. A A rotating-wing aircraft substantially as described herein with reference to figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.