GB595494A - Improvements in aeroplanes - Google Patents

Abstract

595,494. Controlling aircraft. VICKERS - ARMSTRONGS, Ltd., and WALLIS, B. N. March 28, 1946, Nos. 9615 /46 and 2376/47. [Class 4] The wings of an aeroplane are so mounted that they may be adjusted simultaneously or differentially about their spanwise axes, and also in a fore-and-aft direction such that the centre of pressure of the wings may be moved in relation to the centre of gravity of the aeroplane. Fig. 1 shows a mechanical linkage for supporting each wing 10 comprising members 12, 13, 14, 15, and a lever 16, the mid-point of the latter being pivoted to the butt of the wing. The ends of the members 14, 15 are pivotally connected at a point 21 near the leading edge of the wing, while the members 12, 14 and 13, 15 are connected to roller carriages 17, 18 respectively, movable by means of lead screws 28 along channel tracks 19, 20. Rotation of the lead screws may be effected manually or by electric motors through wormgearing 29, 30. Change of wing incidence without movement of the centre of pressure is effected by moving both upper and lower carriages simultaneously in opposite directions by equal amounts, while differential movement for control in roll is obtained by moving the upper carriage on one side and the lower carriage on the other side through equal distances. Where incidence is changed to suit a permanent change of speed, as in the case of an aircraft without a conventional empennage, such as described in Specification 595,464, the position of the centre of pressure in relation to the centre of gravity of the aircraft may be adjusted by simultaneous movement of both upper carriages, the lower ones remaining stationary, or conversely. As shown in Fig. 3, the wings 10A, 10B are connected by beams 22, 23 through ball-joints in brackets 25A, 25B, 26A, 26B, the beams being connected by a single pin 24 providing for relative pivotal movement and also slight relative movement along the axis of the pin. Fig. 6 shows an arrangement in which each wing 110 is connected by frame members 111, 112 to co-axial cylinders 113, 114 containing pistons 115, 116 mounted on rods 117, 118 carrying rollers 119, 120 at their outer ends, the rollers engaging channels 121, 122. Transfer pipes 123, 124 connect the upper and lower ends respectively of the cylinders 113, 114, and are connected by an equalising pipe 125 provided with a pump 126. Movement of the rollers for wing adjustment purposes causes transfer of liquid between the upper and lower ends of the respective cylinders, while the wings may be adjusted vertically by pumping liquid from one of the hydraulic systems to the other. Where the wings are connected by the structure described in Specification 595,490 they may be adjusted about a vertical axis, for control in yaw as described in Specification 595,464, by moving the roller carriages on either side in opposite directions.