GB582443A - Improvements in or relating to internal combustion power plant assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

582,443. Propelling aircraft. FAIREY AVIATION CO., Ltd. May 17, 1943, No. 7841. Convention date, May 16, 1942. [Class 4] [Also in Group XXVII] A power unit A for aircraft and the like comprises two internal combustion engines 2 having a common crankcase, the two crank-shafts 4, 6 extending through an end wall E of the crankcase and the said wall having a facing 8 for the attachment of various housings containing gearing which is further connected to two propeller hubs. In Fig. 1 each engine consists of a flat 12-cylinder arrangement, the complete unit thus being of H type. The crank-shafts run in opposite directions and the ends are splined to facilitate connection to the gearing. Other facings 10 near the rear of the engines are adapted to receive superchargers B driven from bevel gears on the crank shafts. In one example, a single unit A is arranged to drive contra-rotating propellers 22, 24 on concentric shafts 18, 20, by the attachment of a housing 14, Fig. 10, encasing gear pairs 32, 34 and 26, 28 driven from the respective crankshafts 46. The shaft 20 is received in a socket 7 in the unit A. In a modification, Fig. 11, the crank-shafts of a unit drive extension shafts 40, 42 connected through gearing contained in another housing 50 to the two propellers. In this form a cannon may be arranged to fire through the hollow shaft 62. In another modification, Fig. 5, two units arranged rear to rear may drive contra-rotating propellers. In another modification, Fig. 7, a unit A may be associated with a gear housing 64 including bevel gearing driving a pair of shafts 74, 76 which through further bevel gearing drive propeller shafts 82, mounted in the wings of the aircraft. In another modification, two units having a common gear housing are arranged to drive two pairs of axially arranged shafts 90, Fig. 13, connected to contra-rotating propellers mounted in the wings, each propeller having its individual driving motor. A similar arrangement may be used for a drive of the pusher type. Each motor of a unit may have an attached supercharger B1, Fig. 15, driven from the crank-shaft Fig. 1. Alternatively additional superchargers may be mountedat the front of a unit. This is effected by means of an extension casing 104, Fig. 20, with side facings 106 the superchargers being driven from bevel gears 112 on extension shafts 110 connected to the crank shaft splines. The gear housings are mounted on the front facing 116. In this arrangement each motor has a throttle-controlled carburetter 115 connected with the delivery conduit 117 of supercharger B1 so that either the supercharger B or both superchargers may be used. In another form the unit may operate either without supercharge or with a supercharger controlled by a hydraulic clutch. In a further arrangement, one or both of the superchargers may be clutched in to supply air to centrally disposed carburetters or the motors may be normally aspirated. In another form an exhaust turbosupercharger delivers to a carburetter connected to a two-speed mechanically driven supercharger and two units may be joined front to front each unit being provided with superchargers delivering to down-draught carburetters, throttles being arranged so that either or both units may be operated with or without supercharge.