US1035795A - Balancing device for airships. - Google Patents

Description

G. H. KELLOGG.

BALANCING DEVICE FOR AIRSHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1909. 1,035,795, Patented Aug. 13,1912.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses.

G. H. KELLOGG.

BALANCING DEVICE FOR AIRSHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6, 1909. 1 ,O35,795.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

llz'iwas'sesw M Ma.

ning transverselv of the machine.

GEORGE HERBERT KELLOGG, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

BAL ANCING DEVICE F013 AIRSHIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug 13, 1912.

Application an August a, 1909. Serial a... 611,583.

To all whom it may concern:

the State of New York,have invente new and useful Improvements in Balancing Devices for Airships, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in balancing devices for air ships of the aeroplane or dirigible balloon type in which the angle of flight. and horizontal position of the air ship are controlled by means of one or more horizontal rudders 0r wings.

The primary object is to automatically control the action of these rudders or wings through the medium of one or more pendu-.

lums and a suitable operating fluid under pressure for the purpose of maintaining the.

machine on a level keel, in or in a horizontal position, while in flight, and also for the purpose of operating the horizontal rudders trally pivoted at 6 to the front ends of the runners 4-, preferably above and in' front of the horizontal plane --1, and is provided with a crank arm -7 extending =upwardly from its tilting axis or pivot --6 for tilting the blade in one direction to control the angle of flight or descent of such machine.

In my pending application No. 474,484, filed January 27th, 1909, is disclosed an aeroplane having lateral wings and front and rear rudders controlled by ndulums or frames swinging in planes at right angles to each other, and also discloses means controlled by a pendulum for operating the horizontal rudders under fluid pressure, while my present application refers exclusively to the means controlled by a pen-- dulnm for operating horizontal rudders or horizontal wings under fluid pressure, and while such mechanism is shown as a plied to a machine similar to that set forth in my pending application referred to, it is applicable to any dirigible air ship in operating one or more of its guiding planes, rudders or wings.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the rudder or wing-operating mechanism will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings-Fi ure 1 is a perspective view of a dualplane air ship having horizontal front and rear rudders and opposite side wings tiltable on an axis runr Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation fpartly broken away of the lower portion 0 the air ship shown in Fig. 1, showing the tiltable supporting case for the pressure cylmder in section. Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged Be it known that I, Gnoncn H. KnLnooe,' of Syracuse, in the county of Ononda a, in

of the main supporting frame for the planes.

Secured to the main supporting vframe some distance below the lower plane 1- are suitable shoes or runners +4-- for supporting the machine upon the ground or other available support when not in use, or when leaving or returning to and from the ground during the ascent or descent of the machine, the front ends of the runners being turned upwardly in front of and above the lower horizontal plane 1.

A front horizontal rudder 5 is cenor the other to control the angle of flight or descent.

Secured to the rear portion of the main supporting frame and preferably to two or more of the rear upri ht bars 3 is a rearwardly projecting racket -8, upon the rear ends of which is centrally pivoted at 9 a rear horizontal rudder 10 having a crank arm -11 extending downwardl from its tilting axis or pivot 9 for tilting the blade -10 and additionally controlling the angle of flight.

A frame bar -12. is secured to, and runs centrally across and some distance beyond, the opposite sides of the upper supporting plane "2- andupon these oppositelv extending ends are centrally mounted tiltable side win 5 1 3- which are normally disposed in substantially the same plane as the sup orting plane -2, but are adapted to be ti ted transversely on the pivotal bar 12- in a manner presently described.

A vertical steerin rudder 14.-- is journaled upon-an uprig t support 15 which in turn is'supported by suitable brace bars 16-- to the main supporting frame, said steering rudder being preferably disposed -14+ may be operated by any suitable mechanism, as cables -17- not necessary to herein further illustrate or describe.

The machine is adapted to be propelled b means of an engine 1 8 and propeller b ades 19, the engine being mounted in suitable framework just above the lower plane '--1, while the propeller blades -19- are mounted upon suitable shafts on the main supporting frame, preferably at the front of the machine and adapted to be driven by belts or other power-transmitting mechanism from the engine.

A suitable seat .20- forthe operator is provided on the lower plane 1-- within easy reaching distance from the engine, where the operator may readily control the action of such engine.

The operation of he front and rear horizontal rudders 5 and '-10- is controlled from. a fluid pressure cylinder -21- which is located in a suitable casing 22 extending forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, and preferably pivoted at -23- to-one side of the seat--20 or other suitable support.

The blad 13-- are controlled from a similar cylinder which is mounted in a separate casing 24 running transversely of the machine and rigidly mounted upon suitable supports -25-- near the front edge of the lower plane -1-.

Each cy inder -21 is rigidly secured lengthwise of-and within its corresponding case, and, therefore, the cylinder which is mounted within the case -22 is tiltable and extends lengthwise of the machine, or forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction of flight, while the casing -24 is rigid on the frame of the machine and extends at right angles to the line of flight, or transversely of the machine in a plane at substantially right angles to that of the casing -22-.

Aside from the tilting action of the casing 22 and cylinder 21 inclosed therein, and means for tilting the same, the cylinders and mechanisms directly associated therewith are identical, and I will now proceed to describe the cylinder in the casing -22-- and its connections for controlling the operation for the front and rear horizontal rudders 5- and -10-.

As best seen in Fig. 3, each cylinder contains' a closely fitting sliding piston 26- having coaxial oppositely extending piston rods -27-- and -28, which project through suitable glands or stuffing-boxes 29- in opposite ends of the cylinder -21, and are connected by links -30- and 31-, respectively, to the crank arms -7- and .11- of the corresponding horizontal rudders -5' and -10, the outer ends of the piston rods 27 and 28- being guided in suitable bearings -32- in the opposite ends of the corresponding casing 22- as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Associated with each cylinder is a valve chamber 33- running lengthwise of the cylinder and communicating therewith through suitable ports -3 i and -34' which are inder and also near the ends of the va ve chamber, said valve chamber being provided with an inlet 35- which is connected by a conduit -36- to a storage reservoir -37 containing fluid, such as air, under pressure. The opposite ends of the valve chamber 33- are open to the atmosphere.

The ports -34 and -34--- are normally closed by sliding valves 38- and -38 which are of ust suflicient length to normally cover their respective'ports and are connected by a rod ,-39- for simultaneous movement in one direction or the other for permitting the entrance of the pressure fluid at one end of the cylinder and allowing the exhaust of air from the opposite end of the cylinder to atmosphere, thereby operating the piston -26- toward the port which is open to atmosphere.

Theaction of the valves 38- and -38" and consequent action of the piston 26- and horizontal blades -5 and 10 connected thereto, are controlled by means of a weighted pendulum 40-- which is located at one end of the cylinder 21 within the casing -22- and is pivoted at its upperend at -41 to an oscillatory supporting frame 42-, the latter bein in turn pivoted at 43 upon a suita le bracket 44- on the interior of the upper side of the casing 22, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4. Both of the pivots -41- and 43- constituting the swinging axes of the pendulum 40 and frame 42 are located some distance above the line of movement of the piston rod -28-- and valve rod -39, the pendulum -40 and one side of the swinging frame, as 45-, extending downwardly from their respective pivots some distance below the line of movement of the piston rod 28-.

The vaive rod 39- is provided with an extension 46* which is-pivotally connected at 47- to the pendulum bar 40 between the lower pivot -4.-1- and line of movement of the piston rod -28 so that any chan e in the normal relation between the pendifi by the tilting of the machine from a hori-' zontal plane, will transmit, through the extension -6-, motion to the valves 38 and 38'', thereby openin one of the ports to the atmosphere and t e other port um and cylinder, as, for example,

located near the ends of the c 1- to the valve chamber 33-- for admit-tin the pressure fluid to the corresponding end of the-piston and thereby operating the piston toward the high end of the machine or cylinder. This action of the piston imparts a tilting motion in opposite directions to the horizontal rudders for automatically restoring the machine to a level keel or horizontal position.

As best seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the lower end of the extension arm 45- of the swinging supporting frame 42- for the pendulum is connected by a link 48 to the piston rod 28- some dis-.

ders connected thereto.

The connections between the pendulum 40 and valve rod 46-- and swinging frame 42 and also the connections between the swinging frame andv piston rod,

and between the plston rod and horizontal planes, are adjusted sothat the di or tilt of the machine to any an le from a orizontal plane will automatica ly produce a proportionate tilting an le, in this instance about 6, of said rud ers, -to-1 of the machine in such direction as to oppose the tilting angle of fli ht and quick y restore the machine to a evel keel or horizontal 'tion. For example, assuming that durmg flight it was desired to maintain the machine on a'level keel or horizontal line of fli ht, and the front end of the machine shoul from any cause dip downwardly, the

pendulum would maintain its vertical position by swinging toward the low end of the machine, thereby opening the valve -38 to the atmosphere and opening the valve -38' to admit the fluld, as air, under pressure to the otplposite end of the cylinder, thereby moving e iston and rods connected thereto toward t e high end of the machine, which would tilt the front and rear rudders 5' and 10 in opposite di rections, or to the ositions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. hat is, the front edge of the front rudder would be tilted upwardly, while the front edge of the rear rudder would be tilted downwardly, the front rudder exerting a lifting power upon the front end of the machine, while the rear rudder would exert a depressing power upon the rear end of the machine, thus quickl restoring the machine to a level keel or orizontal position, the reverse action taking place should the front end of the machme tend to tilt upwardly.

' ports and al The valves 38 and -38' are of just sufiicient length to cover their respective ports 34-- and. 34- when in their closed positions, and, therefore, the sli htest degree of movement of thependu' um from its normal position, caused by the Ion-- gitudinal'tiltin of the cylinder -or machine, will instantly s ift the valves to open .said

ow the fluid under pressure to operate the piston and rudders connected thereto for the purpose of restoring the machine to its normal balance, but as soon as the piston begins to move, it begins i mediately to restore the valves to their normally closed positions through the medium of the link 48 and rocking frame 42- connected thereto so that by the time the machine is brought to its normal balance, thevalves will be closed.

Itis now apparent -that although the pendulum controls the opening of the valves, and thereby controls theoperation of the piston and front and rear rudders connected thereto, the degree of movement of the valves, and, therefore, the degree of movement of the piston and rudders is in turn controlled by the degree of move ment of the piston.

The swinging axes of the'pendulum and its oscillatory supporting frame are comparatively close together, while the connec tion between the piston rod and swinging frame'is a considerable distance from the lower swinging axis of the pendulum, there by permitting a much greater movement of the piston and rudders connected thereto than that of the valves, and by pivotally supporting the pendulum upon a swinging frame and connecting said swinging frame to the piston rod in the manner described, it is evident that as the pendulum swings in one direction, or toward the low side.of the tilting cylinder or machine, the valves will be moved in the same direction to admit atmospheric air to the cylinder to move the piston in the opposite direction, and that such movement of the piston will rock the frame4-2- thereby shifting the dulum bodily in the same direction as the moving piston to restore the valves to their closed position, thus checking the movement of the piston and rudders connected thereto. This automatic regulation of the degreeof movement of the rudders is one of the most important features of my invent-ion, especially the means brought into action by the movement of the piston for restoring the valves to their closed positions and thereby limiting the degree of movement of the piston and said rudders, although it is clearl evident that the tilt of the 'rudders wi of flight either easily controlled lot at will, the casing or suppport 22-- for its inclosed cylinder 2 1s tiltably balanced or mounted upon a swinging axis or pivot '23, as best seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, preferably located just below the rear end of the cylinder, said casingbeing provided on its front end with a handle 5lhaving a catch -52- movable into and out of engagement with a toothed rack or segment 53, as best seen in Figs. 1 and2, said handle 51 and rack -53- being lo' cated within easy reaching distance from the seat 20 so that the operator may readily tilt the casing 22 and cylinder therein at an angle with the plane of the machine or supporting planes 1 and --2. This cylinder -21- and sup orting casing 22 is normally dispose 'horizontally in flight at the desired altitude, but in ascending to such altitude it is, of course, necessary to cause the machine to assume some predetermined safe angle of flight, during which time the operator simply disengages the catch -52- from the rack -53 and depresses the front end of the casing -22- and its cylinder -2l by means of the handle -51, which causes the pendulum to swing toward the low end of the cylinder, thus opening the valves --38 and'38- and allowing the pressure fluid to enter the cylinder and force the piston rearwardly, thereby tilting the front edge of the front blade upwardly and the front edge of the rear blade downwardly somewhat as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the tilting angle of the rudders and, therefore, the angle of flight of the machine depending upon the degree of tilt of the casing -22 and its cylinder 21, for it is clearly evident that as soon as the machine assumes an angle which will bring the cylinder to a horizontal position, the pendulum -40- will immediately return to a position at right an les with the cylinder, and thereby close the valves -38 and 88-,, thereby automatically maintaining a uniform angle of flight until the desired altitude is reached, at which time the operator again restores the cylinder and supporting case 22- to its normal position, or parallel with the supporting planes -1 and 2-, thereby causing the pendulum, in effect, to swing toward the opposite or rear low end of the machine, which opens the valve 38- to admit the pressure tluid to the corresponding end of the cylinder and thereby move the piston in the opposite directionuntil the rudders connected thereto assume a horizontal plane, thereby operating to depress the front end of the machine and elevate the rear end of the machine until the latter also assumes a horizontal plane, in which position the machine will be automatically maintained or balanced at a predetermined altitude until it is deton forwardly to throw the front. edge of the front rudder downwardly and the front edge of the rear rudder ;-10 upwardly, thus causing the machine to assume a predetermined angle ofdescent which is automatically maintained by the pendulum -40 until the machine approaches the ground or other level where it may be desired to again bring the machine to a horizontal position, at which time the o erator simply restores the casin 22. an cylin der 21 to a planesu stantially parallel with the planes 1 and 2., whereupon the pendulum 40 automatically causes the restoration of thefront and rear rudders 5 and +6-- to a horizontal plane through the medium of the'piston and connection with the rudders.

Wing controlling mechanism-The side wings 13-- tiltupon a central axis running transversely of themachme, and the operation of said wings is automatically controlled by a cylinder -21- in the easing 24 which, as previously stated, extends transversely of the machine, or at substantially right angles to the direction of flight, and inasmuch as the cylinder and other mechanism associated therewith .are the same as that which is inclosed in the casing --22 for controlling the front and rear rudders, it will be unnecessary to further describe these parts exceptto state that the extensions 27 and -28'- of the piston rods are connected by links -60- and -61 to bell crank levers 62- and -62- which are pivotally' mounted upon the front edge of the bottom of the main supporting frame, said bell cranks or levers being connected by links -63- and -64tto the front edges of the respective wings 13, as best seen in Fig. 1. It is now evident that if the machine should tilt laterally in one direction or the other, the pendulum in the inclosed case 24- would be shifted toward the low side of the machine, thereby admitting fluid under pressure to the corresponding end of the cylinder to force the piston toward the op osite side of the machine, which would eevate the front edge of the wing at the low side of the'machine and correspondingly depress the front edge of the wing at the high side of the machine and cause a quick restoration of such machine to its normal balance or horizontal position.

In turning the air ship from a direct course, or in a circle, it is necessary to slightly depress the side of the machine toward the inside of the circle, or to elevate the outer side of the machine toward the outside of the circle in order to maintain pro er balance and prevent skidding of the mac ine. This dipping movement of the machine toward the inside of the circle is produced by the inertia of the pendulum which tends to swing toward the outsideof the circle, thereby opening the valve -38- and admitting the pressure fluid to the corresponding end of the cylinder for moving the piston toward the side of the machine which is to be depressed, which, by the connection shown in Fig. 1, operates to depress the front edge of the wing at the corresponding end of the machine and to elevate t e front edge of the wing at the opposite end of the machine, thus producing the desired dip automatically and safely, because any excessive tilt of the blades will cause the automatic closing of the valves and prevent further movement of the wing operating piston, while the pendulum will immediately recover its vertical position as soon as the machine; assumes a direct line of flight.

. The operating fluid, as air, is compressed in the reservoir -37-- by means of a compression pump 70 which, in this instance, is shown as operated directly from the crank shaft of the engine -18.

If, for any cause, the air ship tilts either up or down in the direction of flight or laterally, the corresponding pendulum will, of course, remain in a vertical position, which will cause the" corresponding valve to be moved toward the low end or side of the machine, thereby admitting the operating fluid to the low end of the cylinder, which will move the piston toward the high end or side of the machine and operate the tilting planes or rudders, as the case may be, to automatically check the further tilting of the machine and restore such machine to its normal balance. This shifting action of the iston operating through the medium 0:? the swinging frame -42-- will close the valves and thereby stop further movement of the piston, and consequently will temporarily hold the planes or rudders in their tilted position with the piston at one side of the center of the cylinder. Now

as the machine is restored to a level keelthe,

pendulum and swinging frame, as well as the planes or rudders, to their normal positlons with the ship on a level keel.

What Iclaim is 1. An automatic balancing device for air ships comprising opposite tiltable balancing planes, a pendulum pivoted to swing in the direction of extension of the balancing planes,-a swinging support to which the pendulum is pivoted and adapted to swing in the same direction as the pendulum, and means controlled by the swinging of the pendulum and its swinging support for controlling the tilting action of the balancing planes.

2. An automatic balancing device for .air shipscomprisin opposite tiltable balancing planes, a pendu um, a swinging support to which .the pendulum is pivoted, the pivots for the pendulum and its supportbeing parallel and arranged so as to cause them to swing in the direction'of extension of the balancing planes, and fluid actuated means controlled by the pendulum and itsswinging support for controlling the tilting action of the balancing planes.

3. In an automatic balancing device for aeroplanes, in combination with a supporting plane, a tiltable balancing plane, a cylinder tiltable relatively to the supporting plane, means operable at will for tilting said cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, connections between the piston and balancing plane, means for supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinder for operating the piston, and additional means brought into action by the tilting of the cylinder for controlling the supply of fluid to the cylinder.

4. In combination with a supporting.

pivoted to the support and'located entirely within the housing, and means controlled by the abnormal change to relative position between the pendulum and housing for operating the balancing plane.

5. In a dirigible air ship, means for automatically balancing the ship comprising a fluid-operated piston, valves forcontrollmg the movement of the piston, a swingin support actuated by the piston, and a pen ulum hinged to the support and controlling the action of said valves.

6. In a diri 'ble air ship, mechanism for automatically alancing the air ship, including a cylinder, a piston, means for admitting fluid under pressure to the cylinder to operate the piston, valves controlling the assage of such fluid to the cylinder, a pendulum controlling the action of the valves, and connections between the piston and pendulum for modifying the movement of the valves, and a housing in which said pendulum vlbrates.

7. In a dirigible air ship, mechanism for the cylinder, a pendulum controlling the action of the valves, and connections between the piston and pendulum for modifying the action of said pendulum, valves and piston, means for tilting the cylinder relatively to the machine, and additional means for holding the cylinder in its tilted position.

8. In a dirigible air .ship, ahorizontal rudder, a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder and connected to the rudder, means for admitting fluid under pressure to the cylinder to operate the piston and rudder connected thereto, means, including at least one valve and a pendulum connected thereto, for controlling the passage of fluid to the cylinder, means for shifting the normal position of the cylinder relatively to the pendulum and ahousing in which said pen-j dulum vibrates.

9. In a dirigible air ship, a supporting; plane, a guide plane movable relatively tof the supporting plane, fluid pressure oper-- l ated means connected to the guide'plane to: control its action, automatic means includ ing a shiftable support and a pendulum hinged thereto for controllin the action ofif means and a housing in which said pendulum and its;

said fluid pressure operate support are adapted to swing.

10. In a dirigible airship, a supporting plane, balancing planes movable relatively to the supporting plane,lfiuid pressure op erated means connected to andcont-rolling' the action of the balancing planes, auto-g matic means comprising a shiftable support* and a pendulum hinged thereto to partake: of the motion of the support for controlling the action of the fluid pressure operatedi means and a housing in which said penduplane adjusting means for returning the lum and its support are-adapted to swing.

11. In a dirigible air ship, a supporting: plane, a guide plane movable relatively to. the supporting plane, fluid pressure oper-- ated means connected to and controlling the action pf the guide plane, and automatic means -1nclud1nga swinging support and a pendulum hinged to the swinging support at one side of its swinging axis for controlling the action of the fluid pressure operated means.

'12. Ina dirigible air ship, a supporting plane, balancing planes movable relatively to the supporting plane, fluid pressure operated fneansconnected to and controlling the action of the balancing planes, automatic means including a swinging support and a pendulum hinged thereto to swing on a difadapted to swing.

13. In an automatic balancing demos for aeroplanes, in combination with a support- .ing plane and a tiltable balancing plane, a

cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, connections between the piston and balancing plane, means for supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinder to operate the piston, valves for controlling the passage of such fluid to the cylinder, a pendulum, and connections between the pendulum and valves for operating the latter by abnormal tilting of the aeroplane, and a housing inclosing the cylinder and pendulum and in which the pendulum is adapted to vibrate.

14. In a dirigible air ship, a supporting plane, a guide plane movable relatively to the supporting plane, and automatic means controlling the action of the guide plane and comprising a cylinder t-iltable relatively to the supporting plane, a piston movable in the cylinder and connected to the guide plane, means for admitting fluid under pressure to the cylinder to operate the piston, valves controlling the entrance of such fluid to the cylinder and a pendulum controlling the action of said valves.

15. An automatic controlling means, for aeroplanes, comprising in combination, means angularly adjustable with relation to the horizontal plane of the aeroplane and forming a support, means carried by said support for adjusting the stability planes of the aeroplane, a motor connected to said plane adjusting means, means for supplying a fluid supply .to said motor, means suspended to be displaced by the inclination of the aeroplane and mounted to actuate said fluid supply means, and a connection between said fluid supply means and said former to its normal position.

16. An automatic means for maintaining the stability of aeroplanes, comprising in combination, an auxiliary motor, means for pivotally suspending the motor from sa1d aeroplane, means for adjusting sa1d suspending means manually, whereby to fix the normalposition of said motor, and means to automatically maintain said normal position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto-set my hand.

GEORGE HERBERT KELLOGG. Witnesses:

II. E. CHASE, J. M. Hons.

Images