US1016020A - Aeroplane. - Google Patents

Description

Patented .12113111912 3 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

A. R. LASSEL.

AEROPLANE.

A'PPmoATIoN PILED'Nov. 11, 1909.

A. R. LA'SSEL. ABRQPLANE.`

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1.1, 190g. 1,016,020. A

Patented Ja'n. 30, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'UNITED sTATEsPATENT OFFICE.

` f anensrgn.; L'AssnL, `orl WASHINGTON, nrsrarc'r loF- COLUMBIA..

AEROPLANE.

"l Specification of Letters Patent.

'yk Application led November 11, 1909. Serial Np. 527,544.

25.521wfifmetmeacenmf f Beit? known'tha t AUGUsr R.' LAssnL,

subject of. the Czar of Russia,` residing at Vashngtomin the District of Columbia, have invented/ certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the followinglis a specification.

The present. inventon relates in general to aerial navigation, and more particularly tn ari4 airshipof.the heavier t-han air type, such; as are commonly called aeroplanes.

Y The objectofthe invention is the provision of. vc( )mp a1'atively simple, light, and rigid constructionof aeroplane which embodies no vel -features of construction for producin andfor irectinr-themovements of the; ma-

chine masia-iight.

'The invention `further ,contemplates fan aertoplane whichl will be ,completely `under thecontroL-of'the'.io erator at all times, the

stabilizing and ing elements being controlled byasingle llever which is mounted to swing about a "universal'joint With these and other objects in view, the

invention-consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will morefully 'appear as the description proceeds,-4 the. novel features thereof being pointed out inthe appended claims.

e For a-,full/understanding of the invention, I eference` is to bfehad to the following description andA accompanying drawings in which: v y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an aeroplane-constructedfin accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is afront view 'ofthe sameportions,being broken away. Fig. 3

is a top planfview of the aeroplane, por-- tionsbeing'broken' away yand shown 1n section.. Fig. 4 is anenlarged side elevation Aof the mainv operating leverg; portions being shown in section.H Fig; 5 is an enlarged detail view ofthe rea-r wheel and the shock absorbing mechanism employed in connection with the same, portions bein-g shown in sec` tion. FigQG is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Figi-1'. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the 'outer end of one ofthe main planes, the auxiliary plane being shown in an operative position, and Fig. 8 is a similar view with theauxiliar'y plane inan inoperative position. f l

, Corresponding and like parts are referred to. inethe. following2 description and india-nd maintaining equilibrium operator.

cated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. A

Specifically describing the aeroplane illustrated on the drawings, the main frame thereof comprises a substantially vertical mast 1 having a skeleton frame 2 at the upper end thereof, the saidskeleton frame constituting the body portion of the aero plane and being covered with aiabric so as to reduce the resistance thereof to the air. The engine 4 andthe seat 5 of the operator are arranged within the skeleton frame 2 and the propellerl 6 is mounted at the rear of the skeleton fra-me, the various parts beingy preferably so disposed that the center of resistance is in substantially the same horizontal line as the center of screw thrust,

and the 'center of buoyancy in substantially the same vertical linecwithl the center of,k

gravity. Projecting` laterally from opposite sides of the skeleton frame or body 2 `and hinged thereto at 7 -arefthe wings of the sustaining planes 8. These sustaining planesmay be constructed in any suitable manner and may be held either in alinement with each other or at any desired dihedral angle by an suit-- able means such as the wires 9 whic lead from the wings to the mainframe.

' Projecting forwardly from the main frame of they aeroplane is an upper arm 10 and a lower arm 11 and these arms are disratenteaaan. 30,1912.- e

posed inthe central vertical plane of'the.

-machine The extremityY of the upper arm 10 is providedv with a sleeve or guide member 12 loosely receiving a longitudinal rod 13, the rear end o fwhich is connected 'to a lever let arranged adjacent the -seat 5 of the Any suitable means, such as av pawl and ratchet, may be utilized for, locking the lever 14 against movement, and a vertical plane or rudder 15 is `pivotally mounted between the forward end of the connecting rod 13 and the forwardend of the lower arm 11 so as tofturn freely about a vertical axis and serve` as ay means for guiding the machine either to. the right o` to the left. Intersect-ing this vertical plane 15 and arranged" vat substantially right angles thereto is a stabilizing pla-ne 16, the outer edges of the said planes being con, nected by the wires or tie membersl? whlch serve to hold the planes rigidly in their proper relative position. Through the medum of the lever 14 the rod 13 canbe .shifted longitudinally so as to cause the stabillzing plane 16 to assume any desired angle `with respect to the main sustaining planes 8, thereby compensating for the con sumption of fuel for the engine and thecon` sequent decrease in weight at that portion f the machine where the said fuel may be r manner, and as shown in the present in stance, it comprises a closed frame 16a hav.- ing a U shaped frame 4meinber 16b pivotally connected to the rear portion thereof so as to swing freely up and down, both the olosed frame 16a and the Uv shaped frame thereto.

` y part of the stabilizing plane 16 is an endless the mast 1 by a spring 23, and thence for-v 40 member 16" having the fabric 16c applied Secured to the rear edge of the flexible cable 18,- one section of the endless cableextending up and around a pulley or guide member 19 upon the vertical plane 15 and then down through the inside of the vertical plane 'and around one roller of a twin pulley .'20 arranged adjacent the pivotall connection between the vertical. plane andthe lower' arm 1,1, the said section of the endless cable extending rearwardly Vfrom the twin pulley 20-'and being connected to the lower end of a main'operating lever 21, while the opposite section of the endlesscable extends down.-

4wardly from the stabilizing plane. 16, around the opposite roller of the twin pulley '20, rearwardly to a pulleyl22 connected to wardly-to thelower end ofthe main operatlever,21'. It will thus b'e obvious that as thelower-end of the main lever 21 is moved leither toward the front or rear of the machine-the. endless eable18 will operate to lex the rear portion of the stabilizing plane 16, sny'slack within the said endless cable being taken u by the spring 23, and struts 24 prolootingv oth above and below the equalizing plane engage the endlesscable so as to enableJ the movements of the cable to operate readily to 'produce the desired flexing of the stabilizing frame without any binding a'etion;

Thermain Voperating lever 21 is mounted at an intermffliate point in its length upon a. universal d .nt and while this may be accomplished in any 4desired manner, the lever is shown in the present instance as pivotr 1 upenn. transverse bolt 25 carried by a ri. 26 arranged at an intermediate point in the length by a wire 27. A sleeve 28 is slipped upon vthe upper end of the lever 21 so as to rotate freely thereon, and is provided at its .upler end with a wheel 29whieh 'is designedV e gasped by the-,operaton The lower .Lore-,oso

end of the sleeve 28 is connected by the bev` eled gearing 30 to a drum 31 mounted upon the lever so as to turn about an axis at right members 33 applied to the ring 36. From' these pulleys 33 the ends of the cable extend forwardly where they are connected to the tie wires 17 upon opposite sides of the vertical plane 15 and also to the forward edge of the said vertical plane. With this co11- struction, it will thus be obvious that by turning the wheel 29 the cable 32 can be controlled inA such a manner as to turn the vert-ical plane 15 and guide the machine either to the right or to the left.

The invention also contemplates 'means for producing lateral equilibrilun, and for this purpose an auxiliary plane 34 i's mounted upon the outer end of each of the sustaining planes 8, the said auxiliary planeseach normally assuming a vertical position parallel to the line of flight, and being mounted to turn about an axis parallel to the main plane and inclined to the line' of flight so as to have after a revolution' of 90 degrees an angle to the sustaining plane. Each of these auxiliary planes 3.4 1s shown' as pivotally mounted between the two limbs of a U shaped member-35 rigidly applied to and carried by the tip of the main plane 8, the base of the said U shaped frame 35 extending below the main sustaining plane S and being covered with a fabric as indicated at 36 so as to provide a downwardly projecting Wing for producing what is termed the end slip. The upwardly projecting limbs of the U shaped frame 35 are arranged in a vertical plane which is disposed parallel to the line of flight, and in the construction illustrated on the drawings, the forward limb is provided at its upper end with an inwardly projecting laterall arm 35, the rear edge of the auxiliary plane 34 being pivoted directly to the rear limb of the member 35, while'the forward edge of the auxiliary plane is provided'with a laterally projecting arm 37 which' is pivoted to the end of the before mentioned arm 35a of the forward limb.

This lateral arm 37 is of such a length that the fact that the arm 35a which was previ-A ously horizontally disposed is now vertically di` osed and hence elevates the forward end .of .t e .auxiliary plane with respect lto are secured to coil springs 40 vwhich are. preferably arrangedbetween the upper and'y lower fabric coverings of the main sustainmg planes, although theymaybe mounted nectedto the lWires or.cables 41v which pass around the pulleys or guide members 42 and through the main sustaining planes 8 at .sub-- stantially the middle portlons thereof,`the ends ofthe said wires being secured to the main lever' 21. It will thus be obvious that by swinging the main operating lever 21v laterally either one'of the auxiliary planes 34 may be swung upwardly into an operative position for lifting that side\fof the` machine to produce equilibrium, the opposite auxiliary plane remaining stationary,

that by swinging the main lever 21 to the front or rear the rear edge of the stabilizing plane '16 can be liexed for causing the machine to ascend or descend, and that by turn- 4 ing the wheel 29 and causing the sleeve'28 to rotate upon the upper end of the operating lever the vertical plane 15 may be turned so as toguide themachine either to the right or tothe left.

A wheel 43 is carried by the lower arm 11 ofthe frame at an intermediate point inthe length thereof, while a second wheel 44 is journaled upon Ptwo pivotall'y-connected levers 45 and 46 at the junction thereof, the lever 45 having the free end thereof pivoted to*I the lower end of the mast 1 While the lever 46vhas the 'free end thereof pivotally connected to a slide 47 mounted upon avertical rod or guide 48 which has the upper end thereof secured to the seat 5 while the lower end isreceived within a Slot in the upper portion of the mast 1 and secured to the mast at the base of the said slot. A coil spring 49 surrounds this vertical rod 48 and bears yiel'dingly 'against the slide 47. The .two wheels 43 and 44 are brought into use in the usual manner when. the machine is on the ground, and the peculiar manner of mounting the rear wheel 44 serves to absorb all sudden shocks and prevent injury to the machine when alighting at the end 'of a flight. The two wheels 43 and 44 are preferably covered with a fabric so as to reduce the resistance .thereof to the 4air when the .machine is in flight.

cally arranged rudder-an v@Lal,i horizontallyrE arranged stabilizing plane intersectingjthe, rudder and formed, with affilex'ible portion. means for turning the 'rudderf'aboutfa vertiv cal axis to guide the aeroplane -laterally, 70 means 'for swinging the rudder about-a-.hori zontal axis to vary'thetangleofthe-stabiliz-- ing plane, and means Ifor -lcx'ing 'thefstabilizing plane for causing the aeroplane dto. as;y cend or descend. f p 'Eff as* 2. An 'aeroplane providedv with-,a'rudder and a stabilizing plane intersecting v1the rnd-f.Y der and rigid therewith,-a portionof the 'said stabilizing plane projecting -beyondwtherud-y der and being iexible, meansforfturningthe; 80 rudder abouta verticaleaxis; to yguide-the? v aeroplane laterally, meansfor swinging-the. rudderabout a horizontal.axis-to vary the angle of the v stabilizingsplandf@and-f means I'Od.A f 4.'In an' aeroplane, thecconibination;'of-1a.; main frame, sustaining planes carried b vwthe main frame,l a pairl of spaced: armsfprojecting from the main frame 'and-arrangedfina substantially vertical. plane, V.a xguidehnmem^ 105 ber at the end 'of'one-ofv the" arms; aj'rod' slidably .mounted within fthe` guidev member.

a Vrudder pivotally monntedzbetween ther-end'l of the rod and the opposite arm, means-for lizing plane carried` by ethe'--'I'1'L1dder 'fandformed with a flexibleportion, the "angle I. of the stabilizing plane being/varied yby sliding the before mentioned rod,fandmeans for flexing the stabilizing plane." 'f 115 5.4 An aeroplane proviled .with ay rudder, a stabilizing plane carried bythewrudder and formedwith a lexibleiportion, alever, means actuated by the swinging of th'lever for' flexing the stabilizing'"plane,1;a `-sleeve 120 loosely mounted upon 'the'levergrandfm'eansV actuated by the sleeve 4for turningthe rud.Y der. l i

6. Anaeroplane provided; with a 'rudder and a'stabilizing plane-carried by the ruddeig 125 a portion of the stabilizing plane being tlex-i' ble, a lever mounted upon the aeroplane,` means coperating with the lever to flex the stabilizing plane, a drum mounted uponthe lever, means upon the lever for controlling 330 for flexing the projecting. -portion Iof the 85 i adjusted by slidingthe-before mentioned v the drum, and a cable wound upon the drum and having an operative connection with the rudder.

7. An aeroplane provided with a rudder and a stabilizing plane carried by the rudder, a portion of the .stabilizing plane being flexible, a lever mounted upon the aeroplane, means cooperating with the lever to' -flex the stabilizing plane, a sleeve loosely mounted upon the lever, a drum mounted upon the lever and geared to the sleeve, and a cable wound upon the drum and having an operative connection with the rudder.

8. An aeroplane provided with a rudder, a lever pivotally mounted upon the aeroplane, a sleeve slipped over one end of the lever so as to rotate freely thereon, a drum carried by the lever and geared to the sleeve, and a cable wound upon the drum and having an operative connection with the rudder.

9. An aeroplane provided with a rudder, a lever pivotally mounted upon the aeroplane, a sleeve rotatably mounted upon the lever, a drum carried by the -lever and geared to the sleeve, guide members adjacent the pivot point of the lever, and a cable wound upon the drum and passing around the said guide members and having an operative connection with the rudder.

10. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main frame, sustaining planes carried by the mai frame, a pair of arms projecting from the main frame, a guide member upon .one of the arms, a rod slidably mounted within the guide member, a rudder pivotally mounted between the rod and the opposite arm, a stabilizing plane intersecting the rudder and rigid t-herewith, a lever pivot-v ally mounted upon the main frame, means cooperating with the lever to turn the rudder about its axis, and means :for sliding the before mentioned rod within the guide lnember for adjusting the angle of the stabilizing plane with respect to the sustaining planes.

11. IIn an aeroplane, the combination of -a main frame, sustaining planes carried by the main frame, and auxiliary balancing planes mounted to turn about an axis inclined to the line-of flight and parallel to the sustaining planes so that they are inoperative when in a verticalposition but have a lifting power when swung into a substantially horizontal position.

12. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main frame, sustaining planes carried by the main frame, a pair'of limbs projecting from each of the'sustaining planes, and anl auxiliary balancing plane pivotally mounted between each pair of the limbs, one-end of the balancing plane being pivoted directly to one ofthe limbs while the ,opposite ,end

'is provided with a lateral arm which is pivoted to the other limb, the said lateral arm causing the auxiliary plane to assume an inoperative position parallel to the line of flight when swung into a vertical plane, but to have a lifting power when turned into a substantially horizontal plane.

13. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main frame, a sustaining plane carried the end of the sustaining plane, the base of the said U shaped frame extending below the sustaining plane while the limbs thereof project above the sustaining plane, means coperating with the said downwardly projecting base of the U shaped frame to prevent end slip, and an auxiliary balancing plane pivoted between the upwardly projecting limbs .of the U shaped frame.

14. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main frame, sustaining planes carried by the main frame, a rudder, a stabilizing plane having a portion thereof flexible, an auxiliary balancing plane, a lever mounted upon the main frame to--turn about a universal joint, an operative connection between the lever and the balancing plane whereby the latter is operated when the lever is swung in one direction, an operative connection between the lever and the stabilizing plane for flexing the latter when the lever is swung in a direction 'at right angles to its previous direction of movement, and means upon the lever for cont-rolling the rudder.

15. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main frame, sustaining planes carried by the main frame, a pair of arms projecting from the main frame, a guide member upon one of the arms, a rod slidably mounted within the guide member, a rudder pivot-- ally mounted between the rod and the oppo site arm so as to=turn about a substantially vertical axis, a stabilizing plane intersecting the rudder and rigid therewith, a portion of the stabilizing plane being flexible, auxiliary balancing planes upon the sustaining planes, a lever mounted upon the main frame to turn about a universal joint, an operative connection between the lever and the auxiliary planes for operating the latter when the lever is swung in one direct-ion, an operative connection between the lever and the stabilizing plane for flexing the latter when the lever is swung in a direction at right angles to its previous movement, and means upon the lever for controlling the rudder.

In4 testimony whereof I hereby vaiiix my signature in presenceof two witnesses.

AUGUST R. LASSEL. Witnesses:

Josm A. GORMAN, H. B. CoRNwAm..

`by the main frame, a U shaped fra-lne, at

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