US1049713A

US1049713A - Aeroplane-stabilizer.

Info

Publication number: US1049713A
Application number: US67816312A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Hensel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1912-02-17
Filing date: 1912-02-17
Publication date: 1913-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1930-01-07

Description

w. F. HBNSEL. ABROPLANE STABILIZEB. APPLICATION. FILED 11113.17.. 1912.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

2 SHEETB--EH KST 2.

M aux@ fanno To all 'whom it may conce-2in: l

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. HENsEL, 'a c itizen of the United States, residing'at- Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of LANE-'summum f t Specification of letters'Patent/v Application lleclA February t7, 1912. Serial No. 678,163.

are connected to the forey and aft ends of the Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'Aeroplane-Stabilizers, .of which the following is a specification.

My lnvention relates to improvements in devices for establishing and preserving the` equilibrium and stability of aeroplanes duringiight. s

` ne of the object-s ofmy invention is to provide a device, of the character described,

which is automatic in operation when infiuencedby gravity alone, and which is protcted against extraneous influences such' ask air pressure due to aircurrents. Another object ofmy `invention is to provide a .controlling device with means` for matically operating means, said'hand operating means being capable of operation independently 'of the automatically operating `means.

vide afdevice of the charactendescribed that will permit/limited tilting ofthe plane or craft as a whole before the automatic gravity operated mechanism is brought into action.

20- manual operat-ipn in addition to the aut-o- Another object of my invention is to prol Other and fui-ther' objects'of my Iinven` tion-will'become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from' a consideration of the following description taken in conjunc- 435tio'n with thedrawings wherein, I1`igure 1 is a front-view of a typical aeroplane with my device` attache thereto, showing it4 in rather exaggerated" proportion to other'parts of the plane; Fig. 2 is a 40 longitudinal and enlarged sectional view of :the -v controlling device; Fig. 3 is a transverse section takenonlines 3---3 of Fig: l; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken, on lines 444 of Fig. 1.'f I n all the views the same reference/characters are used to indicate similar rts.

In the exemplificat-ion of an aeroplane whichI have shown for the purpose of disclosing my invention, 10 is the main plane 59 located at the top of the machine and 11 1s a similar but shorter plane located .below thefm'ain plane and intermediate, the ends of .the two planes are two 'tilting planes 12 and 13, each plane lbeing centrally plvoted,

' to the upper plane 10. Ropes 16 and 17 .55 as at 14, yto a bracket structure 15, secured.

Patented J an; 7. 191 3.

tilting plane 13 and other ropes ,18 and 19 are similarly connected to the tilting planel 12. These ropes will be referred to hereafter when the operation of the device is specifically described. Other the aeroplane /are not of present interest and willl therefore not be specifically' described.

- As illustrative of the operation of my device with a craft which I have exemplified I will state that if the st/arboard side of the craft as a whole, or of the plane 10 be depressed and the po v' side elevated then to bring the craft Ato an even keel, it would be necessary to elevate the fore end of thestarboard side tiltirigplane, when b this means the machine would imme `lately right itself or be btought to ar horizontal posit-ion. By elevatihg the fore ends of the tilting planes 12 and \13 the craft as a whole will thereby be made to ascend, and by depressing the fore ends of these planes' the craft will be caused to descend, so that by the` proper mani )ulation of t-h'e tilting planes 12 and 13 t e machine orcraft may be brought to and maintained in a state of safe equilibrium in a horizontal position of it-sy port and starboard side orwith reference to its fore and aft ends. In so far as my invention is concerned other means than the tilting planes shown may be employed for i producing this result. l

My 'nvention consists in the automatic and Ortions of manual.'motor means for. either automati- I' cally or manually operating the planes for bringing about this desired end, and has no lconnectionwhatever with the particular ar'- ment of the craft employed to accomrani e plis this result.

The mechanism by which my invention is carried into effecty is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 wherein 20 is a'tube, preferably of rectangular form throughout and closed at both entls. lVithin the tube is a ball 21, which maybe made of steel, lead, or other heavy material.

I The floor'of the tube, preferably slants from each end toward its longitudinal center as at; 22 andl 23 solthat whenA the craft or aeroplane is on a perfectly even keel, either'fore and aft, or starboard and. port directioncthe ball will remain in the center of the tube,

and 'I/'preferably provide a de ression 60.` inthe center fof the tube in whic to receive. the ball so that it will require some material slantingor tilting o'f the tube 20, .order n' operation of the-craft will not cause the ball to shift unnecessarily within the tube.

lthe

It willbe observed that the ball, being protected by the closed tube 20, is perfectly shielded thereby from atmospheric influences and also from the effect of winds or extraneous air, thereby rendering the ball effective only by the influence of gravity. The tube 20 is mounted in ay frame composed of

side members

24 and 25, the tube being freely pivoted near its center in the said frame on the trunnion 26, To one of .projecting ends o-f'the trunnion is attacfed a helm handle 27 for the purpose of causing the ball 21 to roll toward one end or the othei` of the tube 20. 1

At a convenient place on the craft is located a power cylinder 28 having avreciprocatable piston 29 mounted upon the rod 30. The rod 30 passes through stuffing boxes 31 and 32 so that it may be reciprocated freely through the opening of the cylinder 28 without leaking the pressure fluid by means ol. which the piston is moved within the cylir1- der. To the ends 33 and 34 of the rod 30 are connected ropes or

wires

35 and 36. These wires or ropes are connected to the planes of the aeroplane, such as 12 and 13, the movementl of which will change the course or position of the craft.

A pipe 37 is connected to a source of fluid power supply such as a tank containing air or steam under pressure. It is also connected to

pipes

38 and 39 that communicate with the respective ends of the cylinder 28 by pipes 40 and 41. A valve 42 controls the admission of the motive fluid into the

pipes

38 and 39 and valves 43 and 44 control the admission of the motive fluid into each end of the cylinder 28. These also serve as means for controlling the exhaust of the motive fluid from the oiposite side ofthe piston when the motive uid under pressure is admitted into the cylinder on the other side of the piston.-`

A rod 45 is guided in bearings 4G and 47 of the tube 20 and it may be freely moved therein, the bearings being slotted vertically in such manner as to permit considerable vertical displacement between the respective ends of the rod 45 and the tube k20, as in the act of tilting the tube. The tube is slotted at each end as at 48 and 49 for admission of the bent ends 50 and 51 of the rod 45. These bent ends of the rod 45 project into the tube 2O and lie in the path of the ball 21. An arm 52 is connected to the valve proper 42 and in turn is connected by arm 53 to the rod 45 so that when the rod 45 is reciprocated the valve 42.s opened or closed as the case may be. To the end of the arm 52 is connected a spring 54 and to the other end of the rod 45 is connected another similar spring 55. These springs serve -to retain` the imd 45 in the central position shown in' full' lilies in Fig. 2 in which positie the valve 42 is closed shutting olf the admission of the motive fluid to the

pipes

38 and 39. The valves 43 and 44 are connected to the rod 45 by means of slotted arms 56 and 57 so that when the rod 45 is reciprocated. to one side or the other the respective valves are shifted so as to admit the motive fluid under pressure, on one side of the piston while the other valve is shifted to such a posit-ion as t-o permit the fluid on the other side of the piston to be exhausted whereby. the piston 29 may be driven from one end of the cylinder 28 to the other.

The operation of the device is as follows: So long as the tube 20 remains in a substantially horizontal position the ball 21 Will be located and'retained in a position near the center of the tube. `Should however the tube 20 be tilted` either by means of the tilting of the craft upon'which it is located, or by means of the"handle 27, in a manual manner, the ball 21 Will immediately roll to the depressed end of the tube and striking the arm 50 or 51, as the case may be, will cause shifting of the valves 42, 43, and 44. Assuming that the tube be tilted so that the end to the left is depressed the ball ivill move toward the arm y50 and its weight and momentum will cause the rod 45 to be moved to the left thereby forcing the valve 42 to open position and permit-ting the fluid under pressure to pass into the

pipes

38 and 39. By this operation the valve 43 is opened so that fluid .under pressure ivill pass through the pipe 38 into the left hand side of the cylinder 28 through valve t3 causing the piston 29 to be moved over to the right. and at the same time the valve 44 is opened so that air or gases Within the cylinder 28 and between the piston 29 and the fight hand end of the c vlinder will be exhausted through the pipe 41. The movement of the piston 29 from its central position .vill cause the rod 30 to move in a corresponding direction thereb)7 deflecting the planes 12 and 13 of the craft through the."

operation of the

ropes

35 and 36 causing a change of direction. either by elevating the fore end of the craft and depressing the lower end or by raising either the starboard or port` side of the craft so that it Will be 4returned to a more horizontal and retained in a. more stable position. When lthe craft is reaching its rest'red position the ball 21 will roll down the incline 22 toward the central part of the tube and will .thereby be slowly7 restored to its normal position'. The incline 23 on the right hand side of the tube will prevent its momentum from carrying it too far to the right and striking the arm 51. rllhe indent-ation 60 made in the tube near the center thereof will serve as a means of retaining the ball in this position described in regard `to the left hand end and the piston Q9 will be caused to more in an opposite direction thereby warpn'ig, or d1stoi-ting or tilting. suitable planes in a desired manner for the purpose of changing the position of the craft. It is evident if the tube Q0 is not disturbed. by means of the handle 2T that when the craft has moved into'such a position that the tube .20 no longer occupies a horizontal position, the bally will automatically be caused to approach one. end o1' the other of the tube 2O that may be depressed and operate the valves and motor mechanism in the 'manner heretofore described. and when the craft has by operation of the power mechanism righted itself the Iball will then be returned to its normally inoperative position located near' the' center ot the tube.

One of the especial features of my invention consists in the fact that the ball is entirely protected from extraneous infiacnces and the same mechanismv by which the course or position of the craft is changed iuau automatic manner solely through'the etl'eet of gravity is a means by which it may be also similarly changed by manual operation.

.It will be evident that it is not essential that the pipes and valves be arranged precisely as I have shown in the drawings as an v,other equivalent means of arrangement may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the appended. claims.

Having described my invention what I claim aud desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. In a balancing means foran aeroplane having pivoted balancing planes, means automatically to operate said planes comprising two closed parallel tubes, a piston in the center of one of said tubes movable by pressure toward either end, a ball in the center oi the other tube movable by gravity toward either end, a pipe leading to each end of the first said tube, an arm extending within both ends of the seco-nd said tube, and a valvefor each said pipe, both valves having connection to said arm for operation thereby.

2. In a balancing means for an aeroplane having pivoted balancing planes, a tube, a

piston therein having suitable connection with said planes, a single pipe leading to each end of said tube, a valve in each pipe movable lto two positions one to connect the pipe to a source of pressure supply and the other to open said pipe to the atmosphere, an arm connecting sald valves, the ends of said arm being bent downwardly, a tube slotted near f its ends to receive said bent ends of the arm, and a ball in said slotted tube for abut-- ment against said bent ends of the arm.

3. In a balancing means for an aeroplane having pivoted balancing planes, a tube, a

piston therein having suitable connection with said planes, a single pipe leading to each end of said tube, avalve in each pipe movable to two positions one to connect` the vpipe with a common supply pipe and the other to open said pipe t'o the atmosphere, an arm connecting said valves for movement of one thereof to one'of its positions while the other valve is moved to the other position, a common supply pipe leading to said valves, a valve in said supplypipe, connections between said valve in the supply pipe and said arm toclose said valve in the supply pipe when the arm-is in mid-position and to open said valve in the supply pipe when the arm is in either position to operate the valves for said tube, laterally projecting end members for said arm, a tube' slotted to receive said projecting end members, and a ball in said tube to abut against said end member and move said valve-operating armj as described.

4l In a device of the character described, for application to an aeroplane having balancingplanes, pressure-responsive means to operate said planes, and means to control said pressure-responsive means comprising.

said ball upon greater tilting of the aeroplane rolling quickly along said slanting surfaces after escape from said indentation. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. HENSEL. In the presence of Y W. LINN ALLEN, MARY RAMEN.