US1026304A - Hydroaeroplane. - Google Patents

Description

E. P. EKMAN.

HYDROAEROPLANB. 'APPLICATION FILED S,EPT.15, 1Q11.

1,0%;394. Patendmay 14,1912.

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E. P; BKMAN.-

HYDROAEBPLANE.

I APPLICATION TILED SEPT. 15, 19.11.. 4 11,026, 304 Patented May 14, 1912.

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' manned may 14, 1912;'

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EINAR P. EKMAN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EINAR P. EKMAN, a subject of the Kingdom of Sweden, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydroaeroplanes, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification. l

My invention relates to that class of iiying machines wherein the planes are arranged substantially in the same horizontal plane,

y thus producing the monoplane type of ma# chine, which is also adapted to tioat onthe water, as will be more fully understood from the following detailed description; the object of the invention being to provide a machine that will presentjas little resisting surface in the direction of travel as possible, and also to provide means whereby the machine may be readily and quickly operated and its d-irection controlled, -aS well as to provide mechanism whereby the means, which enables the machine to float., may be readily manipulated and the relative position thereof controlled, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.V

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elcvation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a partial .sectional View of the machine intermediate 'of the cock-pit and the mast.; the extreme frontend of the body portion of 'the machine being shown in side elevation, with a portion of the Lmechanism broken away. Fig.` 5 is a sectional view taken on the a-o of Fig. 2 through the cock-pit, and looking forward as indicated by the arrows.

G is a detail view of the means employed for maintaining the' .pontoon or air chamber in proper relation with the frame of the machine. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line b-b of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a `sectional view taken on the line c-c of Fig. 1. yFig 9 isa detail view in elevation of a modification of the ailerons; and Fig.

10 is an 'end view of same showing same in effective position.

In the exempliiication of my invention, I' show the body 15 made torpedo shape or,

cylindrical in forni tapering toward the rear end thereof; the taper being accom- Specicaton of Letters Patent.'

Patented May 14, 1912'.-

Application led September 15, 1911. Serial No. 649,526.

plished by a gradual reduction of the vertical diameter, thereby increasing the horizont-al diameter at the rear end as clearly indicated rby Fig. S. The rear end of the body portion 15 is provided with a top and bottom keel 16 and 17 respectively, which are firmly secured thereto. The body portion may be of any suitable material such as thin sheet metal; the keels 16 and 17 heilig constructed of similar material. The keels are made gradually increasing in a vertical direction, with their rear edges curved toward the end of the body portion as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The front end of the body portion 15 is preferably provided with the conical shaped hood or cap portion 18, sce Fig. 1, which provides a bearing for the shaft of propeller 19, to be driven by any suitable type of 4engine or motor and Iwhich may be mounted within the fore part of the body portion 15.

Secured in a convenient manner to opposite sides of the body portion 15, are the' supporting planes 20 and21; both planes being similar in construction and curved Vtoward the rear side thereof as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2; the planes being preferably reinforced longitudinally by the angle irons or T-shaped ribs 22. In order to preventtlie outer ends of the planes bending downward, I prefer to provide the tie wires 23 which pass over or are secured to the mast. 24, thereby giving support to the outer ends of the planes. Ata short distance from the free ends of the planes, I provide the rigidly braced, downwardly extending members 25 and 26,- said members being intended to extend at right angles to the planes and be held against any lateral movement. The lower edges of the members 25 and 26 arepreferably made to incliiie'iipwardly toward the rear as more clear] shown in Fig. 1. i

Hinged to the lowe'r edges of members 25 and 26 are the ailerons 27 and 2S; the rear portion of the ailerons being of larger dimensions vertically, corresponding with the incline of thc lower edges of members 25 and 26, see Fi 1. The ailerons 27 and 28"arc maintaine in their normal vertical positions by the springs 28" secured to the free ends of the planes, see Fig. 3, while the opposite sides of the ailerons are provided with controlling cables or .wires 29 and 30;-preferably ramified so as to exert a pull onboth lower corners of the ailerons-these cables are in turn passed through the planes and up over a pulley or pulleys at the top of the-mast, leading down through the mast 24. into the body of the machine where they are passed over pulleys 31, and secured to .foot levers'32 and 33, respectively, the levers 32 and 33 being pivotally mounted as at 34.Y lVith the cables or wires 29 and 30 madeV just long enoughVA to lreach from the end of the foot levers to the ailerons, when both theV levers-and the ailerons are in normal posi tion, it is apparent that the ailerons cannotbe drawn toward the springs beyond the vertical plane occupied by them as shown in Figa 3. I

The rear end of the body portion 15`is pro#V vided with a horizontallypivoted rudder 35,- which is provided withl the vertically extending arms 36 and 37, to the free ends of which are secured the cables or wires38 and 39,

V which lead forward into the body of the machine and are secured to the ends of lever 40, see Fig. 4, which Ais pivotally mountedv at 41 and has pivoted connection with the shaft 42. Shaft 42 is slidably mounted in *the collar 43, which in turn is securedto a a tion and out o l ,y

` cables or wires 38 and 39 are passed through cross member or bar 44. The shaft 42, whose outer end is Aprovided with operating wheel 45, may be moved longitudinally thereby moving lever 40 on its pivotal point, causing the lever to rotate about its pivotal point and cause the wires or cables 38 and 39 to pull on the vertical arms 36 and 37 as thc case may be.` For example, if shaft 42 is pushed forward, it is evident that the lower end of lever 40 will be moved forward and pull on cable 39, the other end of which is per end thereof to move forward, exerting a pull on cable 38, and incline rudder 35 upward. In order that the cables 38 and 39V may be held a ainst the side of the-body p0rthe way of. the operator, these suitable rings or loops 46, see Fig. 4.

Pivotally secured to the rear edges of both planes 20 and 21, and preferably near the outer'ends thereof, are the` vertically arranged: rudders 47 and 4,8. Any suitable means for supporting and pivotingthese rudderst'o the planes may be employed, so 'as to permit the ruddersA to swing in a lateral direction. Theinnergsides of therudders are... provided with brackets 49 of suitable construction, to which are pivotally secured'v links 50, the outer endsof are prefer# 'the double drum or spool 57, which is se-v cured to the shaft 42 so as to revolve therewith. rate cables or wires leading to the same lelver, a single cable orY wire might be employed, wound lseveral times'about the drum and made taut so astA prevent slipping, so

Of course, instead lof having sepa-- that when one end is wound vup the other will beunwound. It isapparent from thev construction shown and Vdescribed that if hand wheel 45 is turned' to the left in Fig. 2,' wires or cables 54 and 55, -will be wound up on the drum 57 thereby unwinding wires -or cables 53 and '56, thus causing levers 51= and 52 to be swung on their pivots; this'will cause link 50 to pull rudder 47 toward the y body of the machine, while the pull of'wirc ,55 will cause lever 52to1n'ove ladjacent link 50 outward thereby moving rudder 48 outward, as clearly indicatedindotted lines in Fig. 2. By reason of the relation betweenr the pivotal points, it is apparent that the movement of rudder 48 outward will be greater than the movement inward of rudder 47. With the rudders 47 and 48 in the position shown in dotted lines i'n Fig. 2, greater resistance will be presented by vrudder 48 which will cause the machine to swing about ina circle with the outer end of plane 21 describing a vsmaller 'circle than, that described by plane 20.

The machine is provided with suitable alighting gear composed of the frame 'mem-v bers 58, provided with suitable brace rods 59 and 60; the ends of the frame members providing bearings for the. journals 6l' to which the wheels 62 are secured. The frame members are suitably supported or securedA to the sides of the body 15 by the brackets sides of the body-portion as clearly shown. Each frame member 58 is provided with the vertically extending channel member V64, more clearly shown -in Fig. 6,' adapted/to receive the head portionV of the TA-shaped members 65, which are secured to the sides of a pontoon or .air chamber 66, and thus provide vertically extending slide ways for the pontoon. Theair chamber or pontoon 66 maybe of any suitable shape; it is shown provided with the upwardly sloping front end, while the sides thereof are made to eX- tend beyond the top of the'chamber or pontoon so .as to envelop the lower portion of -therbodyl 'see Figs. 1, 3, and 4. p li Secured to the different frame members 58 'and at suitable points, are the spring catches 67, 67, and 68, 68, the construction whereof is more clearly set forth in Fig. it being understood, of course, that each frame member 58 is provided with a spring catch 67 and catch 68. These catches are arranged to extend into the path of the head portion of the T-'shaped members 65, and have the cables or ` wires 69, 69, secured to the outer' or free arms thereof, see Fig. 5. These cables or wires 69 extend from the lower catches 68,-.-being also secured to the free arms of catches 67-up over pulleys 70 secured at the upper part of the frame portions 58 and pass into the body of the machine, where they are secured to the foot lever 71.

Instead of employing separate cables 69, it is apparent that a single cable may be employed, extending from the catches on one side of the machine to those directly oppositeon the other side of the machine, and so arranged that when foot lever 71 is depressed a pull will be exerted on the cables 69 thereby pulling catches 67 and 68 outward, until the head portion of the catches will be drawn out of the path and from beneath the members 65 secured to the sides of the pontoon 66. When this is done, it is evident that the pontoon will slide downwardly as far as the channel or slide ways 64 will permit. Catches 68 have their head'portions face in theo posite direction from those of catches 6 so that after the pontoon has been dropped, catches 68 will lock it in its lowered position and thus maintain the .pontoon or air chamber in proper position to float the machine on water. In order to return the pontoon or air chamber 66 to its normal position adjacent to the body portion 15 of the machine, foot lever 71 must be a ain depressed to exert a pull on cable or ca les 69 which will draw the catches 67 and 68 out of the path or slide `ways in frame members 58. While the lever is still depressed, hand wheel 72 is then operated which, byreason ofI the sprocket chain 78, will rotate the drum 74, 74, see Fig. 2, mounted onr the same shaft with sprocket wheel 74, and windl cables 75 and 76,-of which there are two sets, one to each side of the machinefanddraw the pontoon upward to its normal position. As shown in Fig. 4,` cables 75 extend forward from the drum, which is mounted near the cock-pit of themachine, over pulleys 77 secured to the front or 'body 15 of the mas chine.

Inthe operation of my machine when it is desired tovascend, the propeller of course being in operation, shaft 42 is drawn toward the operator, thereby swinging lever 40,

A,pulling on cablel or wire 38 which willA tilt rudder'35 upward; to descend, 'shaft 42 should be pushed from the operator thereby reversing the operation of lever 40, exerting a pull on cable or wire 39 and tilting rudder 35 downwardly.

In lorder to prevent-any skidding of the machine, I provide the vertically extending members 25 and 26, which enable the machine being held to its course.

Should the equilibrium of the machine be distiirbed, that is, for example, should the plane to the left of Fig. 8 be below the horizontal plane occupied by the plane to the right of said figure, and it is desired to right the machine, the operator will press on foot lever 82, exerting a pull on cable Vor wire 29, which will move aileron 27 against the action of its spring into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. By reason of the fact that the aileron is of greater vertical dimension at the rear, with the rear portion in a higher horizontal plane than the front edge thereof, it is apparent vthat the resistance offered will tend to pull that side of the machine downward until the aileron is released and the spring restores it to its vertical or normal position. Should the operator desire to lower the opposite side or plane of the machine, he will press foot lever 33, exerting a pull on cable or wire 30, and move aileron 28 toward the body of the machine. If the operator desires to change his course in a horizontal direction, as for example should he desire to turn the machine to the left, in Fig. 2, he will turn the shaft 42 toward the left c in Fig. 2, thereby winding up cables or strands 53 and 55, which will move rudders 47 and 48 into ythe position shown in dotted lines in said figure. With the construction of mechanism heretofore described, it is evident that greater resistance will be offered by rudder 48 to the direction of flight and compel the machine to turn to the left, in Fig. 2.

In order that the machine may be made as simple as possible it is preferable that the same mechanism be employed to operate both rudders, although as a matter of fact, it is evident that rudders 47 and 48 might be made to operate independently of each other, but I believe the construction shown and described to be a simple one. Also, instead of employing a pair of large ailerons, as illustrated in Figs. l and 3, ,it is evident that a number of smaller ailerons could be pivotally secured one vbeneath the other, with the ailerons to one side of the machine being operated simultaneously and thereby affording a greater resistance; for, example in Figs. 9 and 10, I illustrate a modification wherein a vertically extending frame 78 depends from members 25 and 26, between which a number afy ailerons 27, 27?, 27", are pivoted. The wire or cable 29 in this construction is secured to the different `operate together.

sections or separate ailerons so that allvof the ailerons on that side of the machineI will chine may be modified in certain other details without departing however from the spirit of my invention, as for example instead of having the extra chamber or pontoon 66, a section or part of the lower half 'of the tubular body between the alight-ing gear may be made into an air chamber and detachably secured in place; and I do not wish to be understood therefore as limiting myself to the exact construction shown and of the body, ailerons pivotally mounted be neath the planes and normally held in verdescribed, but 15 -ters Patent is What yI claim and wishto secure by Let- 1. A machine of the class described, comprising a tapering tubular body, the rear end of which is attened in a horizontal di rection, a pair of laterally extending sustaining surfaces or planes secured to opposite sides of the forward end ofthe body,

-ailerons pivotally ,secured to the under sides of the planes and normally at right angles tical position, means whereby the ailerons may be moved out of their vertical planes, a

' pair of rudders-pivotally secured to the rear sides of the planes and arranged to' move 4 about yvertical axes, and a pontoon slidably lmounted to the body portion.

' i 3.,v A machine'of the class described, comyprising a tapering tubular body, a pair of i sustaining surfaces orpl'ars rigidly 'secured' to opposite sides of the forward portion of the body, rigidly held members dependi-ng from the planes at right angles thereto, ailerons pivotally secured to the .lower ends of said members, means whereby the ailero-ns may be moved at an angle to the perpendicular plane o f said members, rudders arranged to move about vertical axes at the rear sides of theY planes, an ascending or descending rudder pivotally secured to the rear end' of the body, means whereby the rudders may be manipulated, and a pontoon slidably mounted beneat-hthe body of Y the machine.

4. A machine of theclass described, comprising a tapering tubular body, a pair of Furthermore, the ina-- sustaining surfaces or planes rigidly se-` cured at opposite sides to the forward part of t-he body, said planes being bowed downwardly toward t-he rear, anti-skidding members secured at right angles to the under surfaces of the planes, said members being of greater dimensions vertically at the front than at t-he rear, ailerons vpivotally mounted at the lower edges of said members, means whereby the ailerons may be manipulated, a pair of vertically disposed rudders mounted to the rear ofthe planes, means whereby said rudders are controlled, and a horizontally disposed rudder pivotally `mounted at therear end of the tubular body.

5. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of a tapering tubular body.

provided with sustaining surfaces or-planes rigidly secured to opposite sides of the forward portion thereof, with a pontoon slidably mounted beneath the body portion thereof and means whereby the pontoon may Vbe locked in its adjusted positions.

6. In a machine of t-he class described, the combination of a tapering tubular body provided vwith sustaining surfaces or planes, l

prising a tapering tubular body, the rear of which is flattened in ahorifzontal direction,

a pair of sustaining surfaces or pla-nes rigidly secured to the forward part of the body, vertically disposed members securedto the under surfaces of the imity to their ends, ailerons pivotally secured to the lower edges of said members, means whereby said aileron's'may be manipulated and maintained in normal position, a

lanes andin proxpair. of vertically disposed rudders secured i to theI rear of each of said planes and in proximityto the outer ends thereof, means operated, a horizontally disposed rudder portion, alightingfge'ar secured to the body portion and depending therefrom, a'nd a pontoon slidably mounted in the alighting gearfbeneath said body portion.

8. Ina machine of the class described, the combination of a tapering tubular body havin@ a pair of planes rigidly secured to oppo-l site sides of the forward part thereof, said planes being provided with portions extending at right angles to theunder surfaces thereof, and rudders vertically disposed and pivotally secured to the rear sides oft-the' 11.5. vwhereby said'rudders are simultaneously pivotally secured to the rear end of the body y 85 tally op osite sides of the forward part of the.

V bo y, members secured atv right angles to the under sides of said planes, ailerons pivotally mounted beneath said members,

. means whereby the ailerons may be moved toward the body, a pair'of rudders secured to vertically dlsposed axes at.the rear of the' planes and 1n proximity tothe outer ends thereof, and a rudder secured to the 20 horizontally disposed axis at the rear end of p the .body'of the machine.

1'0. Amachine of the class described comprising a tapering tubular body provided with an air chamber detachably secured i thereto, means whereby the relative position of said chamber may be controlled, a pair of planes rlgidly secured to opposite sldes of said tubular body, ailerons pivotally mounted beneath the planes and in proximity to the outer ends thereof, means whereby said ailerons may be controlled, a pair of rudders arranged to swing about vertically disposed axes in proximity to the outer ends ofthe planes, and 'a rudder secured to a horizon disposed axis at the rear of the machine..,.4 11. A machine of the class described comprising a tapering tubular body provided with an air chamber detachably secured 4,0 thereto, means for controlling the relative .position of saidchamber, a pair of sustainlng surfaces or `planes rigidly secured to v \opposite sides of the body, members secured at right angles' to the under sides of said y, A45j planes, ailerons secured beneath `the planes and normally at right angles thereto, means kwhereby the ailerons maybe manipulated and the uilibriumlof'the machine restored, la vertica. ly' dis osed `rudder secured to the 50" rear edge of eac of said planes and inproximity to theA outer lends thereof, means whereby saidrudders may be controlled so as't offer. different degrees of resistance, a yrudder horizontally dis osed at the rear end of the body, and mec anism arranged to lcontrol vthe vertically disposed rudders when operated in'one direction andarranged to ber secure 'control the horizontallyV disposed rudders when operated in another direction.

12. A machine of the class described, comprising a tapering t-ubular body provided with a removable a1r chamber, s ring mcchanism for maintaining said cham er 1n the desired position, a pair of planes rigidly se-` cured to opposite sides of the body, a memthereof, one or moreAH ailerons pivotally mounted beneath:the planes and normally extending at right angles thereto, means whereby ailerons beneath one plane may be operated independently `of those beneath-the other, a rudder vertically disposed at the rear edge of each of the planes and in proximity to the other ends thereof, a horizon-` tally disposed `rudder mounted at the rear end of the'body, and mechanism arran ed to control the vertically disposed rud ers when operated in one direction or to control the horlzontally disposed rudders when operated in another direction.

413. A machine of the class described comprising a 4tapering tubular body provided with an upwardly extending mast, a pair of planes secured to opposite sides-of the body, the outer ends thereof being supported by said mast, a wedge shaped ymember secured at right angles to the under sides of both of said planes and in proximity tothe outerl ends thereof, ailerons pivotally mounted lbeneath said members and adapted to move toward the body, a vertically disposed rudder secured to each of said planes at ,the rear edge of said wedge shaped member, a. horizontally disposed rudder at the rear end of the body, means whereby the rudders may be controlled, 'and an air chamber detach-l ably secured beneath the body.

14. A machine of the class describedcomprising ay tapering tubular body provided proximity to the outer en s thereof, a.`

at yright angles to the outer ends horizontally disposed rudder pivotally vsecured to the rear-end of the body, and. means whereby said rudders may be'manipulated.

EINAR P. EKMAN. Witnesses:

GEORGE 'HEIDMAN, N. A. STREET.

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