GB439365A - Improvements in aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

439,365. Ornithopters. DOWNING, A. E., 35, Clive Street, West Bromwich, Staffordshire. June' 13, 1934, No. 17484. [Class 4] An aircraft comprises a series of fixed or adjustable wings B and a series of wings A, which are reciprocated for effecting propulsion, each transversely opposite pair of which is actuated by a complete driving unit. As shown, the wings A are carried on members F, F1, and are reciprocated against the action of resilient members N. The driving-units are actuated by e.g. steam, or compressed air, the motion of pistons being transmitted to the wings through levers I linked to supports O1, bearing on adjustable fulcrums P and connected to pulleys C1 by a cord K. The pulleys C1 are integral with wheels C, the peripheries of which carry cords connected to the wings. Steam is admitted to the cylinders by means of a rotary disc-valve rotatable against the action of a spring H4. The apertures in the valve are closed, when the piston is at the upper end of its stroke, by projections on the piston. The wings are operated alternately along the body and valve-mechanism may be adjusted to give the desired sequence and length of stroke. This valve - mechanism is operated by the motion of the wings and includes reciprocatable rods H7, H8 which each carry projections H6, the projections on one rod engaging levers H5 on the valves alternate to those engaged by the other rod. 'When the inlet valves close exhaust valves are opened by members fixed to the rods or to the levers H5. The links I2 engage rollers J16 so that downward motion of the piston depresses members J4 against the action of a spring J15; the members J4 engage a projecting piece J5 to cut off steam and to rotate bell-crank levers J6, J10, J18 articulated on the aircraft frame to move either one or other of the rods H7, H8 ; the valves are meanwhile held closed by a stop J9 contacting with a member J8 on the rods H7, H8 until they are released by mechanism actuated by the series of wings about to commence their return stroke. Projections J17 on the lever J6, J10 engage trunnions on the member J5 which is articulated on a lever J11 pivotally mounted on a rod J12 pivoted to links J which carry the fulcrums P. Thus adjustment of the rod J12 simultaneously varies the instant of cut-off and the effective leverage of the lever I. Stability is maintained by a pendulum-actuated valve situated between the boiler and the inlet valves. Landing runners T1 are sprung by torsion springs and are retractable on removal of an abutment. The Provisional Specification describes resilient members N actuating two wings, valve-mechanism operated by rack-andpinion and a machine having a relatively large cambered main plane in addition to the series of wings.