GB893054A - A controllably articulatable vane - Google Patents

Abstract

893,054. Controlling aircraft, ships and submarines. DOAK AIRCRAFT CO. Inc. Feb. 11, 1960, No. 4838/60. Classes 4, 113 and 114. A controllably articulatable vane adapted to be positioned on an aircraft or ship in a fluid stream and adapted to be varied between positions wherein the upper camber is fully positive, neutral and fully negative, comprises a central section, a nose section and a flap section, each section being symmetrical about its median line, said nose and flap sections being pivotally connected respectively to the upstream and downstream portions of the central section about axes passing through said control section, whereby in neutral position of said articulated vane the median lines of all of said sections are in alignment to provide a symmetrical vane having substantially continuous outer contours and means for imparting partial rotation to said nose and flap sections about axes passing through the median line of the central section and in opposite directions of rotation on either side of said median line to produce a vane having a fully positive and negative upper camber. A main surface 12 carries a shaft 18 mounted in fixed bearings 19, the shaft being located in the forward third of the chordal length of the surface. Other shafts 14 and 14<SP>1</SP> are positioned at the leading and trailing edges of the surface to pivotally support a nose section 11 and a flap 13, which respectively carry brackets 15 and 17, pivotally connected by links 22 and 23 to lugs on bearings 19, which are braced to structure, not shown, by arms 20. Shaft 19 carries an arm 21 operated by a rod (not shown). The three elements 11, 12 and. 13 are each symmetrical about their median chord line and these lines are co-planar in the neutral position of the surfaces. The trailing edge of surface 12 has a bird-beak section as shown in Fig. 3, but in an alternative embodiment the trailing profile is tapered uniformly. Operation of lever 21 gives surface 12 a positive or negative incidence and, by the associated linkage, the flap 13 is caused to move, through a smaller angle in the same direction and section 11 through a smaller angle in the opposite direction. An embodiment is shown in Fig. 5 for a propelling unit comprising an annular casing 31 and a fan 32 faired by a central bullet, a plurality of aligned elements as previously described being mounted between the casing and the bullet to directionally control the airflow leading to or from the fan.