GB788852A - Improvements in or relating to aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

788,852. Aircraft. JONES, T. July 11, 1955 [April 12, 1954], No. 10643/54. Class 4. An aircraft comprises means for generating at least two jets of gaseous fluid each of elongated cross section normal to the direction of flow of the gas and so arranged that, in combination with a movement of ambient air substantially in the direction of said cross-section, a force will be created tending to support the aircraft. The aircraft comprises a fuselage 10, tailplanes 36 and laterally disposed stabilizing fins 45. A gas turbine engine 37 discharges into a jet pipe 39 through a valve 40 which may be adjusted to deflect a portion of the exhaust gases through branch ducts 41 each discharging into a diffuser element 42. Such elements are formed with apertures 43 of elongated aerofoil cross-section and it is stated that the streams of gas 44 cooperate with the flow of ambient air to produce a lifting force which supports the aircraft thereby dispensing with wings. A further embodiment is described applied to an aircraft of lenticular form wherein the gas turbine engine is arranged in a normally vertical position within a duct which connects the upper and lower surfaces of the aircraft. The engine drives a fan located in the upper part of the duct which assists the flow of air into the engine intake and also supplies cooling air to an annular cavity surrounding the engine. The lower end of the duct is closed by a freely rotating inverted dome formed with a plurality of elongated slots of aerofoil crosssection in its outer surface and formed internally with vanes whereby issuing gases react with the vanes to rotate the dome so that the gas streams flowing through the elongated slots co-operate with the ambient air to provide a lifting force in the manner of a rotary wing system. The outlet end of the jet pipe 39 may be provided with a universally adjustable nozzle which may be deflected for control or braking of the aircraft.