US1027372A - Flying-machine. - Google Patents

Description

M. M. BBNSTBR.

FLYINGMAGHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 5.v 1910.

Patented-May 21,1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEYS M; M. BENSTBR. FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.5. 1910. .I

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

Patented May. 21, 1912.

AM. gy l Y. I. `@MM5 .nI Br l Arm/mers M. M. BENSTER. FLYING MACHINE. I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1910. 1 ,027,372. l Patented May 21, 1912.;

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA LANGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. x1.V

Hrw

' M.'M. BENSTBR.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION A.FILED MAR.5, 1910.

Patented May 21, i912.

4 SHBETSfSHEET 4.

/1TTORNEY8 CULUMBIA PLANunRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

MENZO M. BENSTER, F GETYSBURG, SOUTH DAKOTA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratenteainayai, 1912.

Application med March 5, 1910. serial No. 547,491.

and Improved Flyin g-Machine, of which thel following is a full, clear, andV exact description.

This invention relates to flying machines, and particularly to that type known as heavier-than-air vor aeroplane.

AnV object of this invention is to provide a flying machine which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, simple and eflicient in itsV operation, and easily directed.

A further object of this invention is to provide ka flying machine with a plurality of wings adapted to be swung through the air, to simultaneously raise and propel the machine.

i V'A still further object of this invention is to provide a flying machine with propelling means, and with mechanism for Vdriving the same, said mechanism having an auxiliary driving connection whereby an accidental W' breakage may happen without destroying the flight of the machine.

These and further objects, together with the construction and combination of parts,

` will be more fully describedv hereinafterand particularly set forth in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding partsvin all the views, and in which-,-

VFigure 1 is a side view 1n elevation, with the outer disks removed for the purpose of disclosing the underlying parts; Fig. .2 is aV top plan view, with parts broken away -to s show the underlying structure; Fig. 3 is a front end view in elevation; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section showing the mechanism for connecting the driving gearing, to the disks; Fig. 5 is a vertical section illustrating the clutch for connect-ing the propeller vwith the 'driving' mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the means for throwing inthe auX- iliary drive.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of the device, 1 indicates the Y frame of the flying machine, which may be made of any suitable light material, such as bamboo, hollow aluminum rods, or the like,

`and formed in a manner to provide a strong and substantially rigid structure. The frame 1 is suitably supported on a plurality of rollers 2 and 2', the utility of which will be described hereinafter. Secured adjacent the top of the framek y1, intermediate the sides thereof, there is provided a suitable supporting plane 3, whichl is preferably arcuate in form, and may be made of any suit-able. light materia-l, such as Japanese silk, oiled linen, or the like, stretched over a suitable framework. At each end of the figure. In order to produce this tilting or swinging motion, the hoods k5 and 6 are provided with .arms 7 and 8, which are pivotally connected to rods 9 and 10. The rods A9 and 10 are connected at their opposite ends to levers 11 and 12, pivotally secured in any well known manner to the frame 1, by which the rods 9 and 10 and the hoods 5 and 6 are operated. Adjacent the bottom of the frame 1, subjacent the hoods 5 and 6 at each end of the flying machine, there are provided additional` hoods 13 and 14, which are similar to the hoods 5 and 6, and have arms 15 and 16 connected thereto, whereby they are operated. The arms 15 and 16 are pivotally .connected to rods 17 and 18, which are also pivotally connected at their'opposite ends to levers 19 and 20. It will thus be seen that by this means cach of the hoods 5 and 6, 13 and 14 are independently operated by separate levers, so that the up andv down direction of the machine as a whole can be readily controlled to a nicety. p

In order to controlthe motion of the machine toward the right and left, there is pro- .videda vertical rudder 21, which isoperated by a lever 22, connected thereto by means of a rod 23 and an arm 24.

In order to pro-pel the flying machine in a rotatably supported in bearings on the frame 1. The propeller shaft 26 (as is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 5) is provided with clutch members 27, which are adapted to be engaged by pivoted clutch members 28 on a sleeve shaft 29. The opposite ends of the clutch members 28 areadapted to be forced outwardly in order that the clutch members 28 may engage the clutch members 27, by means of a cone 30, which is splined on the sleeve shaft The cone 30 is operated by a wheel 31, which has a screw-threaded engagement 32 with a stationary support 33. By this means, the propeller shaft 26 can be clutched at will to the sleeve shaft 29, which is connected to the power motor in a manner to be described. rI he power sleeve shaft 29 is rotatably supported in suitable bearings in the frame 1, and has secured at its opposite end a bevel gear 34. A bevel gear 35 is formed on a driving member 36, loosely mounted on a shaft 54, and is also provided with a sprocket wheel 37,whereby the driving member 36 is connected to a suitable motor 38, preferably in the form of a gasoleiie engine, by means of a chain 39 and a sprocket wheel 40.

1n case the chain 39 should break, there is provided an auxiliary driving connection between the member 36 and the motor 38. This consists of bevel gears 41 and 42 connected respectively to the driving member 36 and the power shaft of the engine 38, and a shaft 43 provided at each end with bevel gears 44 and 45, which are adapted to mesh with the bevel gears 41 and 42. The mechanism for throwing the bevel gears 44 and 45 into mesh with the bevel gears 41 and 42 is more clearly shown in Fig. 6. The shaft- 43 is supported at its lower end on a member 46, which is adjustably secured in a support- 47. The shaft 43 is provided with a collar 48 which is engaged by a forked arm 49. of a bell crank lever 50, which is pivotally supported on the support 47. The fork of the arm 49 engages on each side of the shaft 43, and is adapte-d to force it upward by engaging with the collar 48. It will be seen that the lever 50 can be readily manipulated to force the gears 44 and 45 into engagement with the gears 41 and 42. It is to be noted that the member 46 is screw-threaded and engages a corresponding screw-threaded opening in the support 47, and is further provided with a handle 51, whereby this member 46 may be screwed into the support 47 to hold the shaft 43 in its raised position, with the gears 44 and 45 in engagement with the gears 41 and 42.

For the purpose of raising the machine bodily, additional means, in the shape of wings, is used. Considering this means, the shaft 54 has secured at its outer end a disk or fly-wheel 55. On the opposite end of the shaft 54, there is provided a sleeve shaft 56, which also has secured on its outer end a flywheel or disk 57. The shafts 54 and 56 have splined thereon clutches 58 and 59, which are adapted to be forced into engagement with clutch faces 60 and 61 on the drive member 36, by means of springs 62 and 63. The clutches 58 and 59 can be thrown out of engagement with the clutch faces 60 and 61 by means of levers 64 and 65, pivotally connected thereto in any well known manner. By this means, it will be seen that the shafts 54 and 56 can be clutched to the member 36 in any adjusted position relative to each other. At the rear end of the frame 1, there is provided a shaft 66, which is journaled in the frame 1 in any well known manner, and is providedat its outer end with disks 67 and 68, which are similar to the disks 55 and 57, and are connected thereto by means of rods 69 and 70, so that they are driven in unison therewith. All of the disks 55, 57, 67 and 68 are provided with slots 71, extending through which in such a manner that they may be adjusted toward and from the center of the disks, there are provided sleeve shafts 72. Secured to the sleeve shafts 72, there are arch frames 74, on which is supported the fabric for suitable wings 75, which preferably extend downwardly at their outer ends beyond the frame 74, as indicated at 76. It will thus be seen that as the disks or flywheels are rotated, the wings will be swung up and down in a, circular path, so as to raise the machine, and also propel it through the air.

In order to aid the propulsion due to the wings, there are provided a plurality of shafts 77, which, in the case of the end` shafts, extend through the sleeve shafts 72. The portions of the shafts 77 which extend beneath the wings are provided with blades 78 of a form adapted to swing in the arch of the wings. The blades 78 are so arranged that in the forward motion of the wings, they will extend substantially horizontally, and will then be tilted to a vertical position, so that, on the rearward motion of the wings, they will exert a backward force on the air, tending to propel the machine forward. For this purpose, the inner ends of the shafts 77 are provided with gears 79, which are of the proper dimensions to be rotated a quarter of a revolution when they come in contact with stationary racks and 81 suitably secured to the frame 1. By this means, the blades 78 will be swung from a horizontal position at the end of the forward motion of the wings 75 to a vertical position, so as to remain in this position during the rearward movement of the wings, and will be revolved a quarter of a revolution at the end of the rearward motion by the racks 81, so as to be again in a horizontal position, offering little or no resistance to the forward motion thereof. The blades 78 are prevented from revolving backward when exerting a propelling force 2- a pulley 83, which is driven from a conv responding pulley 84 on the engine shaft, by means of any suitable flexible connection 85, such as a rope, belt, chain, or the like. It is undesirable that the wheel 2 should be driven when the machine is in the air, and

v operator can thus, by manipulating the machine.

lever 87, control the feed of driving o-f the wheel 2 from'the engine shaft from no speedup to the maximum speed of the en.- gine.

In order that the flying machine may be properly guided when on the ground, lso as to turn to the right or to the left, the front wheel 2 is swivelly connected to the frame,

and is provided'with an arm 88, shown in dotted in Fig. 3, which is adapted to be operated by a lever 89, which extends rearwardly to a position adjacent the other levers on the machine, where it can be readily manipulated by the operato-r.

The operation of the device will be readily understood when taken in connection with the above description. When it is desired to use the machine, the wheel 2 can be driven, giving an initial propulsion Vto the machine, thereby traversing the machine along the ground. When a sufficient momentum has been obtained, the machine can be raised from the ground by tilting both of the forward planes or hoods 5 and 13 upwardly,'thereby lifting the frontend of the If sufficient force is not thus obtained to lift themachine from the ground,

the wings 75 can be actuated by throwingV in the clutches 58 and 59. The clutches may be thrown in simultaneously, so as tohave both of the wings 75 operated together, or one maybe thrown in first and the other thrown in later, so as to have the wings re` ciprccating in opposite directions. In what- Y z ever way the wings are connected upto the driving mechanism, however, the blades 78 will be actuated by means of the gears7 9 and the racks 80 and 81, to automatically tilt to a horizontal positionion the forward c motion 'of the wings 75, and automatically tilt back to a vertical position just before the rearward motion of the wings 75, thereby causing the blades to offer the least resistance to the forward motion of the machine, and yet propelling the machine forwardly on their rearward stroke. The stroke of the wings 75 can be increased or decreased by adjusting the sleeve shafts 72 in the slots 71. When once in the air, the up and down direction of the machine can be controlled by the hoods 5, 6, 13 and 14, by means of the levers connectedthereto. The horizontal direction can also be controlled by the rudder 21. If, yby any chance, the drive chain 39 should break, the auxiliary driving mechanism, consisting of' the shaft 43 and the gears 44 and 45, can be thrown into operation by means of the lever 53, thus preventing the machine from hurtling to the ground. However, even if the .driving mechanism should break, the planes and wings being arcuate in form, will provide efficient parachutes to prevent the sudden fall of 'the flying machine.

While I haveV shown one form of my invention, Ido not wish to be limited to the specific details of the form shown, but de-v sire to be protected in various changes, alterations and modifications which I ymay make within the scope of the appended claims. n Y

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l 1. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of a supporting plane lon said frame, a plurality of wings connected to said frame on each side thereof and having a supporting surface, means for Yoperating said wings, and blades adjustably connected to said wings and independent of said supporting surface.- f f 2. In a flying machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a supporting plane on said frame, a plurality of wings connected to said frame on each side thereof and having a supporting surface, means for operating said wings, blades connected. to said wings and independent of said supporting surface, and means for positively shifting said blades from a horizontal to a vertical position during the motion of said wings.'

3. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of a motor on said frame, a pair of disksV connected to said frame and operatively connected with said motor, a pair of disks operatively connected to said first-mentioned disks, and wings adjustably connected to said disks. l l

4. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of a shaft in said frame, a disk-connected to said shaft, a sleeve shaft ...ar s,

connected to said first-mentioned shaft, a disk connected to said sleeve shaft, wings connected to said disks and adapted tobe operated thereby, and means for operating said shafts.

5. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of a shaft connected to said frame, a sleeve shaft connected to said firstmentioned shaft, a motor for driving said shafts, and means for independently connecting said shafts to said motor, disks connected to said shafts and adapted to be driven thereby, and wings connected to said disks and adapted to be operated thereby.

6. In a iying machine, the combination with-a frame, of a shaft rotatably supported in said frame, a driving member rotatably supported on said shaft and having clutch faces thereon, a clutch on said shaft, means for forcing said clutch into engagement with one of said clutch faces, a shaft connected to said first-mentioned shaft, means for connecting said last-mentioned clutch with the other of said clutch faces, disks secured to said shaft, andv wings connected to said disks and adapted to bedriven thereby.

7. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of a pair of wings connected to said frame on opposite sides thereof, blades rotatably Connected to said wings, gears connected to said blades, and racks on said frame adapted to rotate said gears so as to swing said blades intermittently through angles of 90 degrees.

8. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of wheels for rotatably supporting said frame on the ground, a supportingplane on said frame, disks rotatably connected to said frame, wings connected to said disks and adapted to be operated thereby, blades rotatably supported by said wings, means for operating said disks, and means for positively rotating said blades to swing from a horizontal to a vertical position during the motion of said wings.

9. In a liying machine, the combination with a frame, of wings for raising said machine in the air, pivotally connected to said frame so as to swing or beat, and means for adjustably connecting said wings at variable distances from their pivotal connection with said frame, so that t-he magnitude of the swing or beat of said wings can be varied.

10. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of a variety of wings for raising said machine in the air movably mount ed on said frame to swing or beat, and adjustable connections between each of said wings and said frame, whereby said wings can be moved to Variable distances with respect to their point of connection with said frame, and can be adjusted to maintain different relative positions with respect to each other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of. two subscribing witnesses.

MENZO lVI. BENSTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN CAMPBELL, LEE I. PIERCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

(Ill

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