GB479826A - Improvements in and relating to aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

479,826. Aero-engines; aircraft cabins; heating aircraft surfaces. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. June 28, 1937. No. 17962. Convention date, June 26, 1936. [Class 4] An aircraft includes an engine operated by a medium including air, a sealable compartment and a supercharging device arranged to conduct air to the engine through the compartment. In one form, an aeroplane includes sealable passenger and pilot compartments 16, 16a respectively. Air is drawn through an inlet 20 by the first stage 19 of a two-stage supercharger 18 and is discharged through a surface heatexchanger 24 to the compartment 16 through distributed discharge orifices 26. Air from the compartment 16 passes through a cooler 32 and a carburetter 34 to the second stage 29 of the supercharger, from which it is supplied through pipes 30 to the engine cylinders. An engine exhaust manifold is connected to a pipe 42 connected to pipes 44 and 40. Manuallycontrolled valves 41, 43 and 45 are provided such that the exhaust gases may wholly or in part escape direct to the atmosphere through the pipe 44 or pass wholly through or be hlended with air from the airscrew slip-stream and pass through the heat-exchanger 24. The first-stage may be rendered inoperative, in which case air is drawn through an intake 36 having a manually-controlled valve 37. Valves 35, 31, 49 and 47 are arranged as shown and a relief valve 33 is provided. Air passing through the heat-exchanger may pass through a pipe 48 to prevent the formation or accumulation of ice and snow on the surfaces of the aircraft. In a modification, the two stages of the supercharger are separated, the first stage being driven by the engine exhaust and the second stage by the engine direct. The exhaust passes to the heat-exchanger after passing through the impeller which drives the first stage of the supercharger. In a further modification, the first stage of the supercharger is disposed to the rear of the compartment 16 and is driven by an auxiliary engine, e.g. electric motor. In a still further modification, the second stage of the supercharger is omitted. In a further form in which the aeroplane includes three power units, the central unit is supercharged direct or by air drawn from the compartment, valves being provided so that the compartment can be ventilated direct. An exhaust driven supercharger supplies air through a heatexchanger to the compartment whence it passes to supercharge the laterally disposed engines. The temperature of the compartment 16 may be automatically controlled by a thermostatic device including an expansible capsule which through opposed springs and lever-and-link mechanism actuates the valves 41, 43 and 45. An overriding manual control is furnished.