US1011139A - Aeroplane. - Google Patents

Description

W. E, ADAMS.

AEEOPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1910.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

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WILLIAM EDWARD ADAMS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Application filed June 25, 1910. Serial No. 568,908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM EDWARD ADAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of whichthe following is a Specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and has for its object to provide a machine which may be readily and easily controlled, which shall be of simple construction, and which shall be stable in flight. Generally stated, the invention includes front and rear supporting surfaces or planes mounted on a suitable frame-work or chassis, the front plane being formed in two independently movable parts or sections, and preferably suitable propelling means and means for controlling the'movements of the sections of the front supporting surface. The sections of the front supporting surface are movable either independently or together, and by appropriate movements thereof, the machine may be made to rise or descend, to turn to one side or the other, or to vary its speed. The rear supporting surface or plane has a particular contour. It is not essential, however, but when present acts in connection with the first-mentioned supporting surface to .counteract gusts of air tending to tip the machine, thereby tending to maintain the stability of the machine.

The invention further includes a suitable plate or surface mounted upon the lower part of the frame of the machine,adapted to act as a deflector, should the machine come in contact with the surface of the water. 'It also acts as an additional supporting surface while in the air.

For a more complete understanding of the invention it will now be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 a' top view of the machine.

In said drawings, A indicates the frame or chassis of the machine; B the front su-pporting-plane and C the rear supporting plane.

The frame A of the machineis preferably of rectangular shape being composed of the longitudinal strips a, vertical rods a? and horizontal strips a, and the whole their extremities.

may be braced by cross-rods or wires a,

as desired.

Supporting-plane B is composed. of the two sections 6 and bfleach of which'is pivotally mounted on the front end ofthe frame A of the machine. These sections 6 and b"' may be pivoted on the frame in any sultable manner, but they are preferably hingedJas by the straps b to a crossbar a extending horizontally across the front part of the frame. This cross-bar a may be braced by the bars a. andv a.

. I The sections b and b may be of any suitable contour, but as shown preferably have a slight convex curvature on their lower faces from front to rear, and curve -upwardly toward their tips o the. curve being quite pronounced at the extremities so as to constitute in effect vanes or fins. They are also preferably tapered toward The object is to have these sections of the plane generally correspond to the contour of the wing of a bird. The sections'are also preferably hinged. to the bar a along their medial line, as the resistance of the air will be thereby distributed equally on both sides, and the sections will be more readily moved on their pivots or hinges. Y

The plane C is attached to the frame A in rear of the plane B, and is preferably in a plane slightly higher than the plane B so as to catch the current of air thrown off from the front plane and also to be in a stratum of air above that of the front plane. This plane is of opposite curvature to plane B, curving downwardly toward its extremities and is preferably concave on its under side and is of somewhat greater curvature at its rear than at its front. -The effect of this is to drive the impingingair toward the center of the plane and thereby obtain. a steadying action of the air upon the machine. The ends of the plane may be braced by the guy-wires or ropes 0. A convenient way of mounting this plane on the frame is to secure itfixedly upon upright bars a a", which latter may be prolongations of the vertical bars a Any suitable means may be employed for moving the sections 5' and b of the plane B. Those illustrated, comprise the rods (1! 0'! connected at one end to the edge portion d 03 20th in the direction.

ends of shafts (Z (Z Handwhecls (Z cl" are provided on the ends of shafts d (Z for operating the same. ()ne of these shafts may be tubular, as shown, the other projecting through it, or they may be separate. Additional rods (Z d may be provided between the planes and the racks so as to distribute the force applied in operating the planes. The machine is also preferably provided with a rudder E, though this is not indispensable. This rudder is mounted vertically in the rear frame-work of the machine, and is preferably operated by the foot-lever 0 connected to the same by ropes c running over the pulleys e attached to the upper and lower parts of the frame.

The machine is driven by a propeller F operated by any suitable motor G. This motor and the operators seat are prefer ably mounted on the lower part of the frame-work, in order to lower the center of gravity, and also so positioned in respect to the front and rear planes as to bring the center of gravity about midway thereof. This makes the machine exceedingly stable in flight.

Wheels H, on which the machine can travel while on the ground, are preferably attached to the lower parts of the framework, and there is also preferably attached to the front end of the frame preferably beneath it, a dished plate I. The purpose of this plate is to cause the machine to rebound, should it strike the surface of the water while in flight. It also acts as an additional supporting surface while the machine is in the air.

Operation: The motor being set in motion, the machine may be made to rise by moving the two sections of the front plane so as to slant upwardly, thereby presenting a greater angle of incidence to the air, and conse uently causing the machine to rise. This is done by turning the hand-wheels d d", in opposite directions. When the desired elevation is obtained, or when it is desired to descend, the sections of the front lane are both moved so as to present a esser angle of incidence to the air, this also being done by moving the hand-wheels d d", in o posite directions. When, however, it is desired to turn to one side or the other, it is simply necessary to move one of the sections of the front plane so as to present a greater angle of incidence to the air, causing the machine to turn in that direction in a manner well understood. The other section of the front plane may remain stationary, or it may be made to assist in the turning movement by moving it to present a less angle of incidence to the air. These movements of the sections of the plane are accom lished by turning the l1andwhcels Turning may alsobe accomplished by the rudder when such is used, either independently or in conjunction with the sections of the front plane. The speed of the machine may be slackened by turning both sections of the plane B sharply upward. This will cause the air to offer a great resistance to the advance of the machine and but slight lifting force, and will result in rapidly slackening the speed of the machine. If the lifting force should prove too great in this movement, the force of the engine may be simultaneously decreased, as by retarding the spark when a gasolene motor is employed, or in any other well-known way.

Normally, the machine will be sustained in stable equilibrium in the air, as the center of gravlty is low, and located about mid way between the front and rear plane, the weights of the motor, operator, etc., being concentrated on the lower parts of the frame and appropriately distributed to this end. The upward curve of the front supporting plane toward its extremities also contributes to maintain the stability.

Tipping of the machine to one side is counteracted by the plane C, as any force acting on the under side of plane B should act on the upper side of plane C, or would cause the upper side of plane C to react against the air, and thereby neutralize the same. Consequently any current striking the machine from one side would act equally on the under surface of the front plane and on the upper surface of the rear plane, and thereby have no effect on tilting or tipping the machine. This plane also, by its action on the current of air passing under it, further acts to maintain the stability of the machine.

In turning and in other movements, slipping of the machine sidewise or drifting is counteracted by the upturned extremities of the plane B, these extremities presenting surfaces which react laterally on the air.

While I have illustrated and described one form of the invention, it is not to be understood that I limit myself thereto, as many changes and modifications may be made therein within the spirit of the invention.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In an aeroplane, the combination with the frame thereof, of a supporting plane in two sections, one on either side of the machine, each movably mounted on the frame, whereby they may be turned to present different angles of incidence to the air, and a second plane concave from tip to tip and of greater concavity at its rear than at its front, whereby greater angles of incidence are presented progressively toward the tips thereof and the air deflected in a stream toward the medial line of the surface.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination with the frame thereof, of a supporting plane 'in two sections, one on either side of the machine, each movably mounted on the frame, whereby they may be turned to present different angles of incidence to the air, and a second plane concave from tip to tip and of greater concavity front, whereby greater angles of incidence are presented progressively toward the tips thereof and the air deflected in a stream toward the medial line of'the surface, and

at its rear than at its In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed 15 my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM EDWARD ADAMS.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. HATCH, CHAS. B. DINGLEY.

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