US1021129A - Aeroplane. - Google Patents

Description

WQA. BREWER.

ABROPLANB.

APPLIOATIN FILED sEP'r.22,1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

' mvsm'on .Y IMA-Brewer. EyA

wlTNEss'Es W. A. BREWER.

AEROPLANB.

APPLICATION HLBD sEPT.22,1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nn 4 ld wr-Nssses l 0mg OSE/t] W. A. BREWER.

AEROPLANE.

APPLIOATION FILED sBPT.22,1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' WITNESSES 1 W. A. BREWER.

AIIROPLAIIEf- APPLICATION lfILED s131222. 1911.

1,021, 1,29. Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

,4 BHEETB-SHEBT 4.

WITNESSES n INVE'NTOR 14C/q. Breuf" J@ l 1 To all/whom, t may concern l Uivrrnn STATES PATENT oFFloE.

. WILLIAM A. BREWER, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AEROPLANE.

Beit known that I, WILLIAM A. Bmwnn, a citizen -ofthe United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, in the countyof Alf legheny and State of Pennsylvania, have yinvented certain neuT and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following isa specification, reference being had there in to the accompanying drawing.

This inventio-n relates to aeroplanes, and

. my invention aims to provide First, an air craft havlngsteermg planes Independent of the sustaining planes, whereby it will not be necessary tol move or Warp the mam sustaining planes to steer'or guide the air craft. ,y Second, an air crafthaving a body A.that o "rs the least resistance possible to air whe f in Hight. Third, a body, or frame work that is`rigid and durable, thereby in- 20,suring stability when in flight or when landing. Fourth, an air craft having a boat shaped sub-structure that facilitates the 4landing upon water, the safety of the aviator, and the ascent or flight of the air craft. Fifth, afsteering mechanism for aeroplanes that is easy to operate and highly efficient `for thepurposes for which it is intended.

Sixth, an adjustable starting gear for air crafts that can be swung to a position to facilitate the ascent of t-he craft from a body of water.

The invention further aims to accomplish the above results by a combination of mechanical elements that will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawings wherein like numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views inwhich:-

Figure 1 isa plan of the aeroplane. Fig. 2 is a rear: viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a front view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan of the steering mechanism.

Fig.5`is a side elevation of the aeroplane.V

intermediate frames. -The front frames l and 2 are smaller than the intermediate as wellasthe rear frames, and said front, rea

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 22, 1911. Serial No. @$0,702. l

Latented Mar. 26, 1912.

and intermediate frames are connected by longitudinal rods 6 and 7, thereby forming a skeleton body portion or frame that tapers from the rear end thereof to the forward en d. The skeleton frame is provided with a cover 8 lthat is inverted V shaped interme- 'diate the ends thereof and W shapedat the ends. `The'cover can be made of canvas,4

lightI and durable sheet metal or other material. and suitably secured to the frames and the rods. l

The front frames 1 and 2 are provided with a transverse plane frame 9 that is suitablyl connected to the upper edges ofthe -frames 1 and 2,;these plane frames supporting covers or sheets 10 made of silk or other vmain plane, whereby the rear or free ends of the sub-planes can be raised or lowered. To accomplish this movement of the `sul planes. each sub-plane has the hinged edge thereof provided with a vertical mast 13 that Vextends above and below the sub-plane. The ends of the mast are connected byv cables 14 to the rear end of the sub-plane, as at 15. The ends of the mast'are also connected to cables 1G and 1,9"that extendl over sheaves or pulleys 17 and 18, carried by the forward edge of the main plane frame 9. The sheaves 17 are in longitudinal alinement with the axes of a sub-plane and the sheaves 18 are located at the forward end of the skeleton frame of the craft, whereby the cables, 16 and 19 can extend rearwardly between the intermediate frames 5 of the air craft. The rods 7, adjacent to the rear vend of the air craft, supports a transverse revoluble steering shaft 20 and mounted upon this shaft are drums 21 and 22 yto which the cables 16 and 19 are connected. The cables 16 are connected to the drums whereby they will wind upon said drums while the cables 19 unwind, or vice versa, the cables 16 and 19 being maintained taut, whereby a movement of the shaft 20 will elevate or lower-the sub-planes.

The cables attached'to the drum 21 operate the reverse of the cables which are at- 'zol tached to the drum 22 without interfering with each other-` The shaft is a tube or sleeve formed of two sections having a shaft extending therethrough, the latter providing a spindle on which thef'sections of the shaft'.` 20 turn, and 'by such" an arrangement the sub-planes upon one side maybe elevated,

and the sub-planes on the other. sidelowered, at 'thesame time permitting ofthe craft be v ing steered to right or left, or the sub-planes sub-planes, however, can be. maintained 1n4 elevated .or lowered at thesame time. The

largersize, whereby the rear end of the l are rear sub-planes 25. These sub-planes craft will be sustained'and the-craft prop.

verly balanced. The rear Stationary plane 2 3 is :slightly curved and 'hinged or pivotally connected kto the rear'edge thereof, as at. 2 4,

are somewhat similar to the forward sub- 'planes 11, but ,they are arranged closertogether in order to move through a strata of air that is out of alinement with the' forward sub-plane.

y closer together, the rear subplanes and thel forward sub-planes, upon one sideof the craft can more readily coperatein steering the machine to the right or left, as' with the rear sub-plane closer to the longitudinal axis of the craft a sharper curve or elevation can be made by the airv craft. The rear subplanes 23 havev mast 26 and cables 27'and`128 arranged similar to )the mast 13 and the cables-16 and '19 of the forward sub-planes..

The cables 27 and 28 pass oversheaves 29 and 30, carried by the forward edge of the rear main plane 23. The cables 27 and 28 are attached to drums 31 mounted .upon the shaft 20, and said cables are adapted to wind and unwind upon the drum similar to the cables 16 a'nd 19 upon the drums 21 and 22. The shaft 20 is preferably made in two sections with the sections'of the shaft indef pendently supported by the rods 7, whereby one end of the shaft can be rotated and the opposite end of the shaft in the.other direc* tion. For instance, the sub-planes upon one side of the air craft can be'lowered while the sub-planes upon the opposite side can be elevated. To facilitate the movements of the shaft 20, the inner ends of the sections are provided with large hand wheels 32 andthese hand wheelsfare in proximity to the aviators seat, as will hereinafter appear.

The longitudinal rods 7 -throughout the length of the air craft are connected by transverse rods 33 and said rods at the for- Ward end of the craft support an engine 34 or other source of power for driving a propeller 35 located in frontV of the air craft and in the longitudinal axis of said craft In arranging the sub-planes 25l AThe'engine 34 is of an ordinary and well known type,.common to many aeroplanes o-r monoplanes and said engine can be controlled by a suitable mechanism extending in proximity to the aviators seat.

Suspended from the rods 33 by hangers 36 is a boat-shaped body 37 having a suitable frame-work covered with waterproof material, as especially prepared silk, canvas or other lightfand durable material. The boat-shaped body, 37 is of a siiicient size to accommodate Ipassengers or matter to. l

be transported, and adjacent to lthe rear end of the body there is an aviators seat 38 in proximity to theshaft 20.l

Pivotally connected to one of the rods 33, contiguous to--the rear Vend oft-he air l craft, vthereare 'depending guides 39 for posts 40, carried. by an axle 41 provided with wheels 42. The yposts 40- are movably mounted 'within .the guides 39 and the lower ends of said. guides are provided -with rearwardly extending arms 43.' lI he posts 40 are provided with collars 44 and encircling said posts betweengthe arms/43 and the collars 44 are coiled compression springs 45. The axle `41 has ,rearwardly extending inclined guides 46 having the upper endsA lthereof connected to the -arms 43. In the guides 45 are arranged rods 47 and the upper ends of said rods are provided with yokes 48 -tol engage over one of the rods 33. Encircling the rods 47, between the yokes 48 and the arms 43, are coiled compression springs 49. The yokes 43 are constructed and' arranged whereby they j can be easily shifted out of engagement with the rod 33,

when, it is desired to swing the axle 41 above axle 4 1 and the elements just described con- `the bottom-of the boat-shaped body 37. Thev stitute a rear truck for the air craft 'when upon land, and should the air craft land' in body of Water, therear truck can be swung upwardly to facilitate,the ascent of the craft from the body of water.

The rods 33, at the forward end of the air craft, supporta depending guide50'for the stem 51 of a wheel bearing 52, said bearing revolubly supportinga wheel 53 adapted to coperate with the wheels 42 when'the air craft is upon land. The wheel bearing 52 has a collar 54 and encircling the stem 51, between the collar 5 4 and the lowerend of the guide 50, is a coiled compression' spring 55. This spring. coperates. with the `springs 45 and 49 in cushioning the vair(- craft when landing.

-The air craft is equipped with a rudder 56 and this rudder is located between the rear subplanes 25. The rudder. 56 is of a greater -depth than the rear end of the main frame j head has. the ends` thereof connected tow v i cables60 thatextend over sheaves 61 downwardly into the boat body l37. The cables p'a'ssunder 'sheaves 62 to a pivoted foot rest 63." '1 he foot rest is connected by cables 64 totheends vof the' axle 65 of the wheel 53,

said `cables passing over sheaves 66 'arranged inl 'the forward" end of the boat body 37. The aviator upon the seat 38 can easily shift the rudder 56 or the wheel 53, said wheel serving functionally as a rudderwhen thebody also insuring a proper balance of the `machine when in iiight. VVha-t weight there is'in; the' boat body 37 is directly upon the center line of the' machine. I attach consid-v erable importance tothe forward and rear frames? of the' aeroplane, as these frames presenta greater varea at the upper ends thereofthan at the lower lends and it is yto vthe upperends thatthe -main sustaining planes are attached. .The shape of the body coperaties .with these'planes in preventingv they airfcraft from turning turtle, and

i should control be lost of the aeroplane when aty a' considerable height, the aeroplaney will lglide `to earth in a graceful manner with- 0ut`injuring the occupant of the aeroplane `jordamaging the machine.

@The sha e o'f the forward and rear frames provides' our openings beneath the main sustaining planes, and it is these openings that reduce head' resistance to -a minimum and prevents' the craft from turning turtle when a gust-of ,wind is encountered.

-L The boat body 35 of the air craft serves' functionally as a hydro-plane when ascending from abody of water and the trucks are lconstructed'to cushion the `air craft when alightig or when traveling over irregular ground. g

.What I claim is:,- 1. An air craft comprising front and rear W-shaped frames,'inte rmed1ate inverted V- shaped frames, longitudinal rods connecting lsaid frames, sustaining planes supported by said front and rear frames, and sub-planes "carried by the rear edges of said sustaining` planes.

2. An air oraftcomprising front and rear W-shaped frames, intermediate inverted .V- shaped'frames, longitudinal rods connecting said frames, sustaining planes supportedfby said, front and rear frames, sub-planes carried'by the rear edges of said sustaining planes, trucks arranged below said `front and rear vvplanes,v and a boat-shaped body suspendedl beneath said front, rear and 'intermediate frames.

-neath said' intermediate frames, -means at the shaped frames, longitudinal rods'connecting all -of said frames, main sustaining planes carried by said front and rear frames, adjustable sub-planes carried by -the rear edges of said main planes, means located adjacent to said rear frames for adjusting said sub-planes, a boat-shaped. -body suspended below said intermediate frames, a rudder carriedl by said rear planes, and means arranged in said `body foradjusting said rudder.

4. An aeroplanev comprising front Yand rear W-shaped frames, intermediate inl` verted V-shaped frames, longitudinalrods connecting said frames, curvedmain sus- 80 taining planes mounted upon said front and rear frames, adjustable sub-planes carried by the rear edges of said main sustaining planes, `la boat shaped body suspended be- 'upper edge of said body Vfor adjusting said "sub-planes, .a rudder carried by one of said rear frames, means extending into the bottom of said body for adjusting said rudder, -f trucks carried by said forward and rear frames, means supported by said trucks for cushioning said forward -and rear frames, and means carried by said forward frames for propelling said aeroplanes.l

5. An aeroplane comprising a frame including W-shaped end portions and a V- shaped intermediate portion.

6. An aeroplane comprising la frame including W-shaped endportions and an in! vcrtedr V-shaped intermediate portion, saidA frame gradually tapering from t-he front to the rear thereof.

7. An aeroplane comprising Afront andv rear planes arranged in parallelism, said rear plane of greater length and width than said front plane, a pair of rearwardly extending sub-planes pivotally connected to the rear edge of each of said front and rear planes, the sub-planes connected to the front plane being a greater distance apart than 4the distance between the sub-planes carried by the rear planes.

8. AnV aeroplane .comprisin front and rear planes arranged in paralle ism,said rear plane of greaterlength and width than said front plane, a pair of rearwardly extending sub-planes ,pivotally connected to the rear edge' of eachl 'of said front and rear planes,

the sub-planes connected to the front plane being a greater distance apart than thedis- 120 tance between the sub-planes Acarried by the rear planes, and means for operating the sub-planes simultaneously.

9. An aeroplane comprising a frame having a -Wshaped front, a W-.shaped rear and 125 an inverted V-shaped intermediate portion e'xtending from the front to the rear, said W-shaped 'ends of said-frames providing V- shaped openings at each side of the front and' rear, said V-shaped openings extending 130 longitudinally for a portion of the length of said. frame, planes mounted and secured upon the tops of the W-shaped end portions of said frame.

10. An aeroplane comprising a, frame having a W-shaped front, a W-shaped rear length ofv said frame, planes mounted and 4.secured upon the top of the W-shaped rear '15 end portions of said frame, and apair of sub-planes secured to the rear edge of each of said planes.

1-1. An aeroplane comprising a frame including W-shaped end portions and an inverted V- shaped 4intermediate portion, 'said frame gradually tapering from front to rear, sustaining planes Vmounted upon the tops of said W-shaped end portions and in connection with thesaid end portions pro-v viding longitudinally eztending air passages .frame gradually tapering from front 'torear, sustaining planes mounted uponV thel tops of said Wlsha-ped end portions-.and in connection with the said end portions-pro riding longitudinally extending air passages to cause the machine to sett-le on an even keel when the machine is lowering-and a pair of sub-planes pivotally connected tothe rear yedge of each of said sustaining planesi In testimony whereof I afx my signature in the presence. of two witnesses.

- WILLIAM A. BREWER.

Witnesses.' ,p

MAX H. SRoLov1Tz, CHRISTINA T. I-IooD.-

25 to cause the machine to settle on an even keel.

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