US1105429A - Biplane. - Google Patents

Description

` dispose a pair lo UNTED STATES ERNST W. E. HERRMANN,

or slm ANTONIO, Texas.'

BIPLANE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July as, 191e.

Application led November 21, 19.11.Y Serial No. 661,603.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNST W. F. HERR- MANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a newand'lm'proved Biplane, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Myr invention relates t0 a new and improved form of biplane, and the principal object of my invention is to provide a flying machine of the above-indicated type, having arelatively high degree of stability and effective supporting surfaces r'oportionate to `the relative small area o the supporting planes.

A further obgect of my invention is to 'Propellers in such position as to give the greatest lifting effect to the machine, and to so dispose the propellers as toobtain the greatest eliciency.

A' further object of my invention is to provide a landing device adapted to absorb theA shock tothe machine in landing, and to `draw the same up close to the body of the machine while the same is in ilight.

A`-further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved form of unltary steering mechanism by which the machine may be guided in all magnitudes.

To these ends, the invention consists in the'novel construction, combination, and ary rangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed. 36

4Reference is to be had to the accompauyingld'ra'wings, forming a partof this specication,in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all i s figures, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of my invention, portions of the top planes of both the forward and the rear sets-ofplanes being broken away' to ,"show the parts beneath; Fig. 2 is a side ele'- wration of the same on a slightly reduced scaleyFig. 3 is a perspective view of the steering mechanism; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a front elevation with the frontpropeller andV landing mechanism omitted; Fig. 6 is a plan view partly in section of a portion of thc mechanism for operating the swinging ends of the lower forward plane; Fig. 7 is a side view of anotherportion of the same mechanism; Fig.

8 is a side elevation of the landing mechanism; Fig. 9 is a plan view looking down upon the same, Fig. 10 is a detailed perspective view of a holding clamp on the landing mechanism.y

Described more in detail, the biplane comprises a general framework 7, supporting a pair of forward lanes 8 and l9, each of said planes being su stantially rectangular in depth,the central rear portion of each plane being recessed, to-form a central opening 10. 'lhe upper plane v9, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, is of less width than the lower plane, and the side edges 11 of this upper plane converge slightly toward the rear, to meetv the rear side forming the curved outline of the upper recess. yEach side edge o1 the lower forward plane has extensions 12 thereon ofgeneral triangular construction, which extensions are'movable vertically to coact with the rudder, to guide the biplane. The rear set of planes 13 are each 1n the general form of a trapezoid,l with the smaller base forward. These rear planes are superimposed and have their central forward portion recessed, as shown at le zoidal opening, forming a rearward extension of the central opening 10. The lower plane of the rear set of planes 13 is arranged as a lifting plane (front high, rear low), and the upper plane of same is arranged as a non-lifting plane (set flat, level), both to coact with each other in cornbination to give out thegreatcst amount of steadiness to theplane as a whole, and for keeping the aeroplane .from falling into holes in the air. Rearwardly converging braces 15 from the rear planes 13, have positioned between them, a pair of spacedapart vertically-extending .uaralleel,`4 4horizontal rudders 16, fastened te each other by of flexible wires 18 leading about pulleys 19 and 2() mounted on ppposite sides .of theY machine between theforward planes, and about pulleys 21 disposed beneath the operators scat 30, to the opposite -ends of the transversely-disposed arms 22 mounted adjacent the lower end ofa steering post 23 positioned in front of the operators seat. The lower end. of `this steering post is connected to the supporting frame 7 byI means of a ball-and-socket joint 24, therupperend of the steering pest 23 vhaving aiiixed thereto,

shape and of materially greater width than in Figs. 1 and 2, to form a general trapea strut 17, attached Ato whichstrut is a pair i a conventional form of steering wheel 25.

By this construction, the rotation of the Wheel to the right or left, will correspondingly change the angle ofA the rudders 16, to guide the machine horizontally.

The ends 12 of the lower forward plane 8 are hinged at 12n to have vertical movement and when the said ends are swung u or down as hereinafter described the`vl ront edges of the plane will be raised and lowered as in myv Patent No. 1,011,620 dated December 12, 1911.

The means for ,operating the ends 12 of the plane consists of a flexible connection 251 secured to and disposed about a pulley 26v and passed in o posite directions about a pair of pu1leys2 each mounted on a Vertically-extending rodvor shaft 27 on opposite sides of the post 23, said flexible connection is then looped in opposite directions about one of a pair of semi-circular peripherally grooved members 28 rigidly mounted on the ost 23, which A members have their perip eries disposed on opposite sides of the post above the arm 22, as shown.

more particularly in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. This construction is duplicated on op osite sides of thesteering post 23, so as to acilitate the flexing of either side of the plane simultaneously with the actuation of the pair of horizontally-steering rudders 16. The

voperation is as followszln ascending vthe hand wheel 25 is swung rearwardly into the position shown inl dotted lines in Fig. 6, when the ends-12 of the plane will be swung up andlthe parts assume the position shown in Fig. 5. Todescend the hand wheelf2'5 is swungforwardly into the position: shovn in full lines in Fig. 6 when the ends will be lowered.

Disposed centrally between the planes 8 andi), is a'compound engine 29, preferably' composed oftwo parts,feach part disposed on opposite. sides of the operatosseat 30, convenient tothe wheel 25, and adapted to operate thev tfwo independent propeller ,shafts through the medium of a duel drive mechanism 31, formingfthe' subject-mattenof my copending application, Serial No. 661,004, filed November 21, 1911, said mechanism adaptedto be coupled up at will to a rearwwardly-facing -propeller32 mounted upon the framework supporting the lower for- Ward plane, in elevation substantially lialf way between the lower forward plane 8 and the upper forward plane 9, shownin Fig. 2, and in plan within the contour of the opening-10, as shown more particularly in Fig. 1.

The forwardly-extending propellerv 33` isl mountedy on a shaft 34, which shaft is positioned above the lower plane 8, at a slight 1 acute angle to the same,I and extends some material .distance forward of the frontv edge of the lower plane 8, as shown more partic'ularly in Fig. 2.,

The rear end ofthe deviceis supported when on the ground, by means of a roller 35 4mounted in a bracket 36, which bracket is in turnrotatably supported through the medium of a vertically-extending pin 37 carried on the lower bracketed end of a -centrally-disposed, rearwardly-extending, ver-I tical frame 3'8 suitably braced from the reara central portion of the framework 7. The bracket 3S is maintained tliecentral vertical plane of the machine, by means of a coil spring 39 encircling the pin 37and having its opposite ends engaging this* bracket and pm. l y

In oirder to support the front end of the machine and to form acombined landing device and shock absorber for the same, there extends forwardly of the machine, a pairy of transversely disposed spaced apart wheels parallel to each other, each of which wheels.

is journaled in a forked bar 41, said' bar being fulcrumed lon pins/42 to a downwardly'- and forwardly-extending member 43 forming part of the framework 7 and normally supported 'on the same, to 'form an extension thereto. 'lhe'members 43 are connected by means of a transversely-disposed brace bar 44, forming part of the framework 7, which brace bar may carry the steering mechanism hereinbeore described and shown in detail in Fig. 3. "'lhe forked bar .41 has anaperture 45 extending vertically therethrough,

within which aperture is positioncdan upwardly and,A re'arwardly-extending' arched rod rigidly mounted upon the lower end of each .member` :'43, the said lower end extending a distance l'below the pivot 42. The upper end of the rod 46 terminates in a cap 47, bearing upon which cap is one end lof a coil spring 48, encircling the rod 40, the opposite lower end of which spring` 1s adapted to*- bear upon a removable catch plate-.or stop49 slidably mounted upon the top ofthe-forked bar 41, as shown more particularly in Figs. 5 and 6. Itovill be seen by this construction, that when the plate 49 is withdrawnA from its engagement with the lowerend of the spring 43,.it is possible to raise the wheel 40 and its attached bar 41 out of alinement wit-l1 the membei" 4,3, the spring 4 8 and rod 46 passing thro'ugh'the aperture 45, thereby permitting th`e wheel a'n'd its\attac'hed members to be positioned cl'os'erdto the planes of `the supporting Amembers, 8. and the lower` member 'of 'the plane 13.

The plate 4 9 has 'its opposite transverse edges 50 downturned to engage the transverse sides of the bar 41, thereby affording means by which theplate 49 may bel guided longitudinally along said A-bar.v The engagement ofthe plate 49vwith1the spring 48 is controlled by a locking mechanism, compris ing a lever51 fulcrumedat its lower end to a bracketon the top offthe'member 43 by 36 means of a. pivot. pin 52, the outer end 'of inonde@ nliifii'l 5l liesfntteeiied thereto one end off n 'role niemeer 53, said latter member ,iiirongli an aperture directly be# .loir tbe member 4.3, about pulleys 54 sind l o the member e3, about e drum to 'tbe operator, and bout :j 4one end ci s resell4 rod' on 2 lowest end o tbe member lLob. rod 53 is of, e general Ue'sbcpe n, ebow/ninore particulvjfljv in opposite ieee ends of Wbilr arc o en e 'nfl anfapertnre in a gir. brc'ckets 'GG extending upwardly foin tile top off tbe piste 49. To force tlie plate into engagement, to snpport 'tiie swingt,v tired? -is nlso attached' to tne lever 5l, intermediate its length, :in stopsctnating'fged 61, oie i gsliapeeonetstionjthe opposite ends which are ontturned ,to engage in e pair i tbe. apertures 59 in the brackets 6@ on sie, lt wilizbe seen that rotatingthe mi 56 in one direction, by ineens oi e 69., tbe plete 459 iswitlidrawn from 'ement with tl'ie spring 48, by draws rod 58 inv the direction of the arrow, permittingtlxe wheel l and its at teclrnents to be 'reised by any suitable g which raised position is indicated in. nes in 5,- or by rotating; tbe drum ooosite direction, the lever l is low-- tbe plate to engage the spring. nderstood that the one drum 56 l rods carrying the Wheels 40, and to eem close to the body of the device, #n in desti lines in Fig. 5. ln order i 'tbe plete 49 in e retracted position engagement with tbe spring, there is rem the top face ofthe plete, f1 cntcli 63 adapted yto engage -dis'posed catch rod- Gr carried lt is. of' course, to be under d, that rotating' e drum 58 in the op,-

'1, posits direction, mill draw 'the leven ,'"a downward, tlerebY-g, orcingtlie pleite@ fon svnndfor dinard the ,Wbeeh or until themen-- trsllvdis eci-"liecess in the 1slate lf3 ecni Y lime rod #ne late edmcen;

4 i -i o5' allor/.is bearing or stop for n I Hering time described my )inve m es `new desire to secure 'oy netter llinie, n pinne. bump; :i steering; post 2 ff is of mounted .in

limi' circuler wl ,f end oi' tbe pleo on secured to web v disposed :vii-cel; passed around the imi.

:it tile sideso'f tbc steering post :md loog in opposite directions about the'half circular Wheels on the steeriug post. i

2. ln a {lyingmacliinc, a vplane having swinging ends, a ply oted steering post, wheels on the post,f`a iairfofnlleys disposed on opposite side/ of tile steering post ctdjacent thereto and, betweenr which the steering post is adapted to swing, a flexible connection passed aroimd the pulleys and looped in opposite directions about the Wheels on the steering, post,v and means connected with the swinging ends of the plane and operated by the said flexible connection.

3. In a steering mechanism, a Steering post, a support, a ball-and-socket connection between said post and said suppolt, a pair arms curving downward from said post, so as to bring the outer ends' thereof in `e. line through the center of said'conne'ction, exible connections attached to the ends of seidv arms, a pair of semi-circular wheels disposed in opposite directions on said post, a pair of shafts disposed onA opposite sides of said post ind rigidly mounted on sai support, a pair of pulleys carried by each of said shafts, and 'e flexible connection attsched to eah of said wheels, each ypassing about one o'soid pairs of pulleys..y

4. In a l'nyin machine, n pair of rear planes arrange one above the other, pairs of broces'extending rearwardly beyond the planes, a vertically disposed rudder mounted between each pair of braces, a strut con flexible connections between the post sind 'stint of the rudders.

In, e liying machine, a plane having. swinging ends, n steering post mounted t0 turn ,and swing and provided with oppod sitely projecting a rms and wheels, pulleys on opposite sides' of the steering post, a Flexible `connection passed/around the pulleys and looped in opposite directions about tile ,Wheels onthe steering post, means connected "rqitli tbcswinging ends of the planland opicratodby the flexible connectiompivoted rndder's', end/'a Jflexible connection donnersting tbe arms of the steering post with the rudder-s. l

'iii In a. flying macliine,s piene at the fon Werd end of the machine and haring' flexible ends, n pair of rudders at the rem' end of the machine, e steering rod mounted to turn, oppositely projecting adjacent .ille lower end of tbc rod, cables scoured to l'the and cfinnectcd with' tile roddels, icircninr wheels mi tbe steering' rod above 1 the seid arms, :md cables 'secured tbe said i wmvls :ind the flexible ends of the g'ilm'ie.

i'. in :i flying machine, toi-wurd plenos rz: d one above the ciber, and eztcli 'new ing its rom' migo centrally rec' l, rear I pinnen trnpe'zoiflnl in forni nml ai. .n.fod one :ibove flic other, @ich of the sin-ii! rom' plenos -ncctingthe rudders, s steering post, and' ofl arms rigidly attached to said post, said arranged one above the other, each of the said rear planes having its forward edge recessed, and a propeller mounted in the opening formed by the recesses of the planes a proximately about midway ,between t e planes.

9. In a flying machine, forward planes arranged one above the other and each having its rear edge recessed, the upper plane being` of less width than the lower plane and 1 having its side edges converging toward the rear and meeting the curved outlines of the recess, rear planestrapezoidal in form and arranged one above the other the lanes being smaller than the forward p anes and each having its forward edge recessed, and a propeller mounted in the opening formed by the recesses of the planes.

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

Witnesses Ofrro LINNAR'rz, F. B. Smm.

ERNST W. F. HERRMANN.

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