US1210376A - Aeroplane. - Google Patents

Description

FQEUD XR lql w. M. JAMES.

y AEROPLANE. i APPLICATION F-ILED JUNE l5 1915.' RENEWED MAY 27,1916. 1,216,876. y Patented Dee. 26,1916. I SHEETS-SHEET l.

w. M. JAMES.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15| I9I5- RENEWED MAY 27 I9I6 1,210,376.

Patented Dec. 26,1916.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 2.'

Q0 jew/07u37.'- dim runner '.r. URQUEART, or LIsoAnD, Naan BIBKENHEAD, ENGLANn.

Application led June 15, 1915, Serial No. 34,227. I Benewed May 27, 1916. Serial No. .100,869.

To all whom z't may concern: v l

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MoR'roN JAMES, a subject of the King ofi Great Britain and Ireland, and residingat Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented' new land useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of Which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements' in aeroplanes, the objects of which improvements are to obtain greater 'longitudinal stability, simpler and more eicient elevation control and reduced resistance from .the elevation control planes.

In my improved machine, the control planes whichare-in the form of separate. wings constitute part of the supporting area, `the l main portion of the supporting 'area being fixed while the control planes are movable. Thesupporting planes or wings comprising the main fixed planes and the control planes are arranged in pairs in series longitudinally, the minimum number of such pairs being three, of which'the extreme fore and aft pairs are elevation control planes. These elevation control planesvare made angularly lafljustable, being hinged to the bodyor fuselage longerons on each side Thewith the 'axes thereof longitudinal. control planes are vset with a normal positive dihedral angle in a Imachine with three pairs Ofplanes, of preferably 15, butvthis may beA increased up to 25,- and theircontrolling connections and gear are such that the di-' hedral angles of the fore and.' aft pairs, can

be simultaneously varied in OPPOSite, directions, that is to say, if the angles of the fore pair or pairs are increased, thoseof the after pair or pairs are simultaneously decreased,

the limit of downward movement being preferably the horizontal. The maximum lift .of the extreme end control planes is double the normal, that is to say, if they are set with a normal dihedral angle of 15, the maximum angle would be 30; if the normal angle be 25, the maximum angle would be 50.' Y

In the case of machines With more'than one palr of main or lixedfsupporting planesl or wings there would' generally be more than one palr of fore and aft control planes and the Inner pairs would preferably` have a lesser normal dihedral angle and a lesser movement.' There .would always bea central pair of fixed planes or wings, and the of these two'pairs.

WILLIAM monroN-TAMES; oF? MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, Assr'enon or ONE-HALF ro i- Specification ofLettehz-s Patent. Patented 1916,. 'i

planes would also be in palrs in even numbers fore and 'aft vof the fixed planes. Each plane .of each pair .-of control planes 'is balanced by the other, and the angles of all the pairs" are adjusted in the manner required by means 'of a-'hand controlling ydevice and cablesin such a manner that those forward of vthe central -xed supporting plane or planes are elevated and those "aft are depressed simultaneously,'the degrees of variation being for extremefore, and aft pairs, equal, and for the next fore andv Aaft pairs, equal, and so on. The central pairof in one'plane. The other pairs of fixed planes when more `than one pair are employed,

-that is to say, those next to the central plane In any case, the dihedral'angle of any of .the planes intermediate-ofthe two end pairs would not exceed the normal `dihedral-angles .With Vthis improved arrangement of'I contudinal extremities' of the machine are that is to say, up' anddown, oneend pair of "planes or wings are preferably horizontal or trol planes and controlling gear, the longicontrol planes obtaining lincreased vsupport I onvthe air and the other end pairdecreased support on the air.` No increased resistance motion. The system of connecting the con# 96j is offered by the control planesto forward trol planes withthecontrolling device used, I

makes `the fore pair or' pairs balance Vthe after pairs or pairs. Assuming the angles of the control'planes have been altered from leased, the tendency willbe for the control planes to assume their normal angle again. The drawings attached hereunto illustrate two multiplane machines-constructed in ac- ;cordance with my invention.

Figure 1 represents .a multiplane machine the normal -and the control handle is rewith three pairs of wings in side elevatiom- Fig. 2 the same in front end elevation and Fig. 3 the same in plan. Fig'. 4 represents a plan of a machine 'with seven pairs of wings or planes and Fig. 5 a side elevation of the same. Fig. Gis a cross section through the body and pylon at 1v, of Fig. 1, showing the bracing arrangement of the'controlling planes. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the controlling cable arrangement at this part the bracing wires being omitted. Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically, the controlling lever and control cables in side elevation and Fig. 9 represents thecontrol `lever and mounting in elevation looking from behind. Fig. 10 is a cross section of the body and pylon at y, y, of Fig. 5. ".Fig. 1l is an elevation of a hand controlling wheel.

Figs. 1 to 3 and 6 to 9 will first be referred to. The body represented by 1, is preferably ofthe form shown so as to offer the least 3 which lie in the same horizontal plane.'

4These wingsfhave the approvedform in cross section, and have an angle of incidence of one in twenty. They are braced in lthe usual way by bracing wires 4 connected to a pylon 5 above and to thebody below. The wings are practically central longitudinallyof the body. The well 6 for the pilot is sit- Hated/behind the transverse center, and the power plant, not indicated in the drawings, in-advance thereof. Two tractor screws 7 and 7"" are employed and these are in advance of the main supporting plane. The

screws are driven preferably by chain gear.

NoA ailerons are shown in this machine' and no warping arrangements, but such may be applled in the usual way if desired. The

' rudder is represented by 8.

The elevation control 'planes are as stated, in pairs and hinged to the body, one pair forward and the other pair aft. The forward pair are represented by 9 and 9 and the after pair by 10- and l0. They are pivdihedral angle of 15.

otally secured preferably to thev top longel' rons (not shown) of the body at a and a 4S and in the! drawing vare set with a normal dihedral angle of 15 which is at-present preferred, but the normal dihedral angle .may be anything betweem say 10 'and 25.

The movement of these control planes is regulated by the control leverA and gear so that neither pair can be lowered below the horizontal plane or raised above the maximum dihedral angle which in the case of the machine illustrated is 30 with a normal If the normal dihedral angle be 25 the maximum would be 50. In cross section, the control planes have approximately the same camber and the same angle of incidence as have the main supporting planes. These control planes are cross braced to-the body in such a. manner that one plane of each pair cannot move up or down without the other moving in a corresponding degree. Also they areso connectedthrough the controlling arrangement that the forward pair shall move in the opposite direction to the after pair, that is The bracing cables are shown 1n the elevation views Figs.A 1 and 2 and in the plan Fig. 3 and marked 11, 11 and 12,12y in each pair of planes. Fig. 6 shows on an enlarged scale, more or less diagrammatically, the arrangement of bracing for assuring the synchronized movement of the two planes ofeach pair upward or downward.

In this view the control planes are shown in the horizontal position. This view shows also the body and pylon in cross section on the transverse center line of the control planes 10 and 10"; the same for both forward and after control plane details. There are four bracing cables to each pair of. control planes but -only two are seen in Fig. 6. The cable 11 is connected tothe upper side of the planes 9 and 9 or the planes 10 and 10 at 13, passes over The` reference letters are a pulleyl in the pylons p and p', is carried downward and passed around another pulley 16 in the body 1 and then carried upward' and connected at 17 to the under sideof the plane 9 or the plane 10 at a distance from the fulcrum of the plane equal to that 'of the distance of the point 13 therefrom. The cable 12 is connected to the upper side of the plane 9 or the plane 10 at 13', passes upward over the pulley 15', downward to and around the pulleyl 16 and then upward to the point 17 f under the plane 9 or the plane 10. The cables 11 and l2 are connected in an exactly similar manner, passing of course over separate pulleys.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show also on an enlarged scale, more or less diagrammatically, an ar- .rangement for operating the two pairs of Y control planes simultaneously.

Fig. 7 represents a cross sectional view through the body and pylon, similar to Fig. 6, representing the arrangement of the controlling cables from either pair of ,control planes into the'body 1. Fig. 8 represents the control lever and the connections between the pylons p and p', in side elevation. sents a back end viewl of the control lever and mounting and shows the connections of the control cables. thereto.

There are eight control cables for the two pairs of control planes, four upper ones and four lower ones, and these connect the two pairs'of planes together. These cables are all connected to the control lever at one end y and to the control planes at the other end,

Fig. 9 repreoneach side of the control lever, the upper pair at each end being connected to the top sides of the pair of control planes at one Vend of the machine and the under pair at raised. The-two upper cables from the after pair of control planes are marked 20 and 21 and the two lower ones 22 and 23,

' and the two upper from the front pair of lower ones 28 and 29.

control planes, and 21 and the two lower, 22 and 23. The control `cable 23 is not seen in theV drawings. The control'lever stem is represented by l24,' see Fig. 9, and is shown with a circular handle 25 at the top end. It is fixed vto a rocking shaft 26 journaled in end bearings 27. On the rocking. shaft are fixed twov pairs of -diametrically opposite arms, the upper ones being marked 28 and 29 and the The mounting of the rocking shaft 26 is situated below the foot board of the pilot in the well 6. A

As Fig.. 7 represents theafter pair ofl control planes, the connections to these will be first referred to. Now the cable 20 is joined to the plane 10 on top 'at 20, passes .i

over the pulley 30 in the pylon '10', around the pulley 31 in the body and is connected to theV arm 28 of the rocking shaft 26. The cable 21 is joined to the plane 10 at 21",

passes over the pulley 30 in the pylon p',

` shaft 26.

around the pulley 31 and is connected to the arm 29.` The lower cable 22 is joined to the underside of theplane 10 at 20', passes around a swiveling pulley. 32 inthe body and is connected to the arm 28. The cable 23 is joined to the plane 10 at 21" passes over the swiveling pulley 33 in the body and is connected to the arm 29. rlhe upper cables '20 and 2,1 from the front lpair of control planes 9 and 9 are connected in an exactly similar manner to said planes and are guided around pulleys'in the forward pylon p, corresponding to the pulleys 31 and 31', in the aft pylon p and are finally carried down and connected to the arms 28 and 29 of the rocking shaft 26. The lower cables 22 and 23 from the forward palr of control planes are also connected in an. exactly similar manner to said planes and guided around swiveling pulleys in the body and are finally connected to the arms 28 and 29 of the rocking A notched sector and catch may be employed to hold the lever 26 at different positions if desired, but this is not at present intended and is not indicated in the drawings. There is the usual rudder 8 and this may be operated by means of a lever, not shown in the drawing, in the usual way or by -means of the elevation control lever pairs preferably, of control planes.

which may bemade to turn laterally as well as forward and rearward. lVhen ailerons or warped sections are employed they may be operated by two pedal levers in the known way. v l I In machines with more than one pair of ixed wings forming the main supporting planes, these pairs are in odd numbers and the number of pairs of controlling planes is preferably increased. 'The next type of control planes the least. The intermediate planes of both kinds have a span within a straight line drawn between ,the extremities of the end `control planes and the cent-ral plane. Respectingthe dihedral' angles of all the planes fore and aft of the central plane in a machine a hundred feet in length,

assuming the normal dihedral angles of each end pair of control planes is 15, the normal dihedral angles of the intermediate control planes would preferably be less. For instance that pair on each side of the central'pair might have an angle of a few degrees say 5, and the next pair 10, and if there were another pair of wings added on each side of the central pair, the angles of all lthe pairs would be graduated from the central pair.

Reference will now be made to Figs. 4, 5, 10 and 11. The machine herein represented is of a larger type suitable say for military purposes. It has sixfixed wings forming the main supporting planes and four pairs of controlling planes, two pairs at each end. The central main supporting planes are represented by 35 and 35, and both lie in one horizontal'plane. There are two pairs of fixed planes 3 6 and 36 on one side and 37 and 37 on the other side of the central planes, and there are two pairs of angularly adjustable control planes forward and two pairs aft of the fixed planes. The control planes are marked 38 and 38, 39 and 39', 40 and etO, and 41 and 41. The

end pairs of planes are set with a normal 1 creased. Each pair may be elevated and de- A pressed from the minimum tothe maximum and vice versa.. Now the normal angles of i the inner pairs of control planes 38, 38 and v 40, 40 are' less than the normal angles of the extreme fore and aft planes. I In the drawing theyy are setV with a normal angle ofl0, their lift is 20 and they can be depressed to the horizontal only.

b The fixed planes 36, 37 andi 36", 37 are also set with4 a dihedral angle of 5. lVhatever is the number of planes, both fixed and control planes, on each side`ofthe central planes the dihedral angles of any pair would preferably be less than that of the normal of the end control planes.

The control planes are all braced together in pairs in a similar manner to thatdescribed with reference tothe machine with three pairs of wings just described and the bracing means will not be again referred to. All the controlplanes are also varied simultaneously irr-a similar manner.

. represents across section of the body and Ppylon at y, y, of Fig. 5 In this view,-only -thecontrol cable arrangement is shown. For each pair of ycontrol planes, the connections of the cables thereto are exactly the same as.

described withl reference to Figs. 1,2 and 3, For the four pairs of planes there arejsixteen control cables eight connecting the exi planes but the cables leading to the planes,

treme end pairs of planes with the rocking shaft and eight connecting the next'to the end pairs of planes with said rocking shaft.

In Fig.A 10, only the planes 40.and 40 are seen in section looking from the central 41 and 41 are seen. The view from the central plane forward to a section thrpugh .theI body across the second pair of control Iplanes would \be practically the same, the

only'diiference being that theback edges of the planes would be seen in front instead 'of the front edges.

(i5 .49 are not seen in the drawing. The cables- A modified form of controlling arrange ment is shown in Fig. 11 and may be used in a large machine such as that represented in Figs. 4 and 5. The rocking shaft 26 is moved by a hand wheel 25 to which is iixedl outer arms are seen and these'are-indicated by 28 and 28.

For the extreme end control planes the four upper cables are 42, 43 and 42', 43', and the four lower ones 44, 45e-nd 44', 45. For the two pairs of intermediate control planes, the four u per cables are 4G, 47 and 4G', 47', and th 48, 49 and 448', 49. The cables 45 and Fig. V10

. chain bands.

e four lower ones are -in the manner described with reference to Figs. 1,2 and 3 ofthe drawings. The pylons for the control planes are marked. The pull'eys for the four z), P", P and 22mupper cablesseen 1n Fig. 10A are marked 50 and those for the lower cables 51;

vBy means of the'hand wheel 25, the whole of the controlplanes cany be simultaneously varied, 4the forward pairs of planes being elevated while the after pairs of planes are depressed and vice versa. v

This machine is'provided with two'tractor screws 7 a and 7'.' The rudder is representediby 8. The controlling gear for the rudder is notv illustrated, but the rudder may beoperated by means of a handdlever,

conveniently situated, and connected there' with by meansof levers and cables, in the known way. The motor plant is situated forward of the central pair of planes, in the body and drives the screws by means of and 6 are/provided for three persons, that marked 6 being for the pilot. This machine is mounted on a chassis 2 provided with eight wheels, but no springing arrangements are illustrated. Balancing iaps or ailerons may be employed in the usual way on the central fixed planes, but none are shown in the drawings.

' t must be understood, that all the planes `both thecontrol planes andthe fixed planes are supporting planes. The control planes in. any position, unlike the ordinary laterally pivoted control planes, are ecient supporting planes, always having the same angle of incidence.

`When the machine is on the ground preparatory to starting-'on a flight, the extreme forward pairof control planes is brought into the horizontal plane and the'extreme aft pair is raised to their maximum height of 30, lthe normal dihedral angle being 15. When the machine is up, in order to glide horizontally, the control planes are brought to their norinal angle. The tendencyI in flight is for the control planes to assume the normal angle which is the same fore and aft. `In order to descend at the maximum angle the extreme forward pair or pairs of control planesv is or are elevated'to, their maximum which is 30 and the extreme after pair or pairs of planes is or are depressed to the horizontal plane of themachine. This produces a safe gliding angle downward. If the normal dihedral angle is more .than 15, say 25,'of course the angle of inclination of the machine both in ascending and descending is greater, namely 50. This will not be so safe in the In this machine, wells 6, A6

great risks are taken shorter machines but in larger machines with 'of course greater supporting area, vit might not be disadvantageous in cases Where.

receives greater support on the air at the' same time, as .the other end is depressed through receivlng less support on the air. Further, in the event of the controlling gear 'not being attended to, the tendency would be for the machine to glide horizontally and if the control lever or its equivalent should be moved suddenly to its maximum extent say in the y direction for descending, the

angle of descent would be a safe one.. The 4 control planes offer no increased resistance at constant speeds.

It is obvious that with the arrangement of bracing and control cables described,vifl onebracing cable of any pair of planes or one control cable were broken,'the. planes could be operated just the same.

No ailerons or warping arrangements are shown in the drawings as their applicatlon yis well understood.v

I claim 1. In aeroplanes. the combination with a fixed main supporting plane area, of laterally extending control planes in pairs forward and aft of said main supporting plane area, each of said control planes being pivotally attached to the body framework with the axis of rotation longitudinal, and means to support said control planes and to vary .their angle simultaneously so'that when said forward control planes are elevated said after control planes are depressed and vice versa.

2. In aeroplanes, the combination with fixed main supporting plane areas, of laterally extending control planes in pairs forward and aft of said main supporting plane areas, each of said control planes being pivotally attached to the body framework with the axis longitudinal, and means to support said control planes and to vary their angles simultaneously so that vwhen said forward control planes are elevated,

said after control planes a re depressed and over a pulley in a central pylon and directed downward and around another .pulley and plane area, each pair of said control planes as in Inilitary'mabeing pivotally' attached to the vbody frame- I worlrv with `the axis longitudinal, all the control planes having the same angle .of incidence as that of the main supporting 70 plane area and' a. normal positive dihedral angle of from 15 to '25 and fneans for supporting said control planes, and for simultaneously varying the angles of each pair in opposite directions -so that when the front pair is elevated the lafter pair is depressed and vice versa.

4. In aeroplanes, the combination withv fixed main supporting plane areas compris- 'ing wings in an uneven number of pairs, of

two pairs of laterally extending control planes forward -of said xed supporting plane areas and two pairs of laterally extending control planes aft of said fixed suportinO lane areas each air of saidv con.

trol planes being pivotally attached to the body frame work with the axis longitudinal, all the control planes having the same angle of incidence as that of the main supporting plane areas, said control planes being nor.

mally vsupported with a positive dihedral angleof a few degrees, and means for'vary-v ing said anglesfrom the horizontal plane to the maximum angles provided for in such la l manner that'when the front pairs of control planes are elevated, the after pairs are correspondingly depressed and vice versa.

' 5. In aeroplanes, vthe combination with fixed main supporting planes of laterally ex` tending control planes forwardand aft of said main supporting planes, said control planes being pivotally secured to the bodyframework in pairs with the axis longitudinal ingeach case, each pair of said control planes being supported so'that each one of the pair rises and falls from and to the horizontal plane uniformly with the other and the forward and after control planes 'being connected with an intermediate control device so that when the forward control planes are elevated, the after control planes are depressed and vice versa.

' 6. lIn aeroplanes, the combination with fixed main supporting` planes of laterally extending control planes in pairs forward and aft of said main supporting planes, said control planes being pivotally secured to the body framework in pairs with the axis of rotation longitudinal in each case, each pair of said control planes being supported by crossed bracing wire cables in pairs each cable being connected to the upper surface of one control plane of the pair and passed then directed upward to the under surface of the other control plane of the pair so that the two said planes :nove uniformly upward -guided, around pulleys 1n the body and pylons and connected respectively to the upper and lower surfaces at one end of each cable the other end of each cable being con" 4nectcd at diametrically opposite points to arms fixed on a rocking shaft actuated by the pilot through a hand lever so that when the shaft; is turned in one directionthe control planes forward of the main supporting planes are raised and those aft of said main supporting planes are depressed and when turned in the opposite direction, the said forward planes are depressed and the afterA control planes are elevated. j

7 In aeroplanes, the combination with fixed main supporting planes of laterally eX- tending control planes in pairs forward and aft of said main supporting planes,'said control planes being pivotally secured to the body frame work' in pairs with the axis lon'v gitudnal in each case, bracing inea-ns Ifor supporting said control plaies so that those of each pair can move together uniformly up and down, an actuating lever handle ized to a laterally arranged shaft having two pairs of diametrically opposite arms thereon for each pair of forward and corresponding rear control planes and two wire,r cables gulded over pulleys and connected re-.fv

spectively to the upper and lower surfaces of each of said forward and corresponding after control planes and with said dimetri-V cally opposite arms so that as the shaft is turned in one direction with the hand lever, the forwardpair or pairs of control planes ,is or are raised and the after pair or pairs is or are correspondingly depressed .and vice versa. l L l 8. In aeroplanes, the combination wlth tending control planes in pairs forward and fixed main supporting planes of laterally ex,

aft of said main supporting planes, said conf;

trol planes being 'pivotally secured to the body frame work with the axis longitudinal in each case, the planes of each pair being supportedv from a pylon by means of crossed bracing cables 1n pairs one end yof each cable of one pair being Xed tothe upper surface of one plane of the pair on one side and theother end of each said cable to the underside of the other plane of the pair on the other side, the cables being guided around pulleysA inthe pylonand body framework, and the control planes being all -simultaneously ele' vated and depressed by means of two cables to each control plane one of said cables being secured between the two said bracing A -cables to the yupper surface of one control those at the other end are depressed and vice versa W'itnesses z MALCOLM SMETHURs'r, ERNALD SIMPSON MosELEY.

at diametrically opposite WILLIAM MoR'roN JAMES.`

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