GB414546A - Improvements in aircraft with aerodynamically rotatable wings and power plant therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

414,546. Aircraft with rotary-wing systems. CIERVA AUTOGIRO CO., Ltd., Bush House, Aldwych, London. Oct. 17, 1933, No. 28701. Convention date, Oct. 28, 1932. [Class 4.] A machine supported by an autorotative wing system has means for starting the rotor comprising reducing gear and clutch incorporated in the casing of the main engine which drives the tractor screw, the clutch driving a power shaft parallel or inclined to the propeller shaft and adapted to be connected through transmission means to the rotor. A plate clutch is shown adapted to couple a gear wheel 25, driven by a gear wheel 24 on the engine crank shaft, to a shaft 32. The gear wheel is mounted on a shaft 26 having a bearing in an inwardly extending part of the engine casing 3<a>. The shaft 26 may be coaxial with instead of parallel to the crank shaft. The clutch is engaged by a cable 53 and lever 54 acting in a sliding sleeve 50 to press balls 52 against an abutment 51. The abutment 51 is screwed into a ring 44 splined to the shaft 32 and engaging a ring 42 bearing against the end plate of the clutch, and adjustment is effected by turning the ring 44. When declutched, the shaft 32 is prevented from rotating by a conical surface 48 engaging a brake-surface 63. The shaft 32 is coupled through a universal joint 58 to a telescopic shaft 18 which is coupled through another universal joint to bevel gear driving an inclined shaft provided with a torque limiting device for driving the rotor through another universal joint and bevel gear. Bevel gear of different angles may be substituted to adapt the apparatus to different machines. The torque limiting device comprises two discs 83, 87, Fig. 3, with inclined edged teeth, the disc 83 being formed on a sleeve 82 pinned to the driving shaft 20 and the disc 87 being splined to a shaft 89 connected by a universal joint to the rotor driving gear. The discs 83, 87 are pressed together by a rubber block 90 held in compression by a screw 92. A screw 94 holds the sleeve 82 against the end of the shaft 89 and takes all end thrust from the shaft 20. A modified driving gear is described in which a clutch similar to that shown in Fig. 2 is mounted on an inclined shaft mounted in the engine casing and is driven by bevel gear, the power shaft extending directly to the rotor drive.