US1227464A - Aeronautics. - Google Patents

Description

I. E. IVIcCABE.

AERUNAUTICS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. II. ISIS. LYAI. Patented May 22, 1917.

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AERoNAuncs. I APPLICATION FILED APR. II. 1913- Patented May 22 mmm@ m n M V mm Y 9 6 w Q hnuhhuuhwhhhh" l y IIIIIII nnuuuhn l 0 .,...,...IH.| k ,.Hn J M 6 0 v 5 W, me l K TI W I I H, l

the Hight ofan aeroplane.

' IRA EMIVIETT MUGABE, OF LEXINGTON, NEBRASKA..

AERONAUTICS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 11, 1913. Serial No. 760,396;

To all whom it may concer/n.:

Be it known that I, IRA EMMETT Mo- CABE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Dawson and State of Nebraska, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Aeronautics, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in aeronautics, and more particularly to a simple and eihcient means for controlling It is the object of this invention to so construct an aeroplane that its lateral, horizontal and vertical movements maybe completely controlled by the actuation of independently operable control planes arranged on each side of the main planes equi-distant from the vertical center thereof and ahead of the center of gravity. ,It is a further object of this invention to provide the main planes with a following and steadying plane rigidly supported from .the main planes which will have the required amount of lift with the minimum resistance to the turning movement of the 4main planes.

The advantages of this construction are obvious. In the usual type of aeroplane the ascending and descending lmovements are regulated by one or more horizontal planes for this purpose only usually arranged centrally of the longitudinal axis and forward of the main planes, Lthe horizontal direction beingregulated by a separately operable vertical lrudder usually at the rear, and the lateral stability effected by ailerons usually arranged on each side of the main planes and connected to actin unison, thus necessitating three separate regulating means,

' while in the present invention all three of these results are produced by a single separately actuated control.

While the preferred form of this invention is illustrated upon the accompanying sheets of drawing, yet it is to be understood that minor detail 'changes may be made therein without departing from the -scope thereof.

Figure l'is a view in perspective of an aeroplane in iiight, constructed in accordance with this invention, approaching at an angle.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in rear perspective with the upper main plane removed illustrating the connections for actuating one of the control planes.

To attain the results of this invention the control planes should be of sufficient size,

arranged equidistant on each side of theV vertical center of the main planes, and forward of the center of gravity of the entire machine and may be placed in any position desired so long as they satisfy these conditions, and it is also necessary that the following and steadying plane be rigidly secured to the main plane possessing sucient lift to full its requirements and at the same time offer the minimum amount of resistance to the turning movement of the main plane in the horizontal. While a particular shape of main plane is illustrated, yet it is to be understood that this controlling mechanism can be applied to any other form of monoplane, biplane and polyplane if the control planes are placed in the relation above stated and the following and steadying plane 'answers the' requirements necessary to this invention.

This vinvention is illustratedv as applied to a biplane having the greatest width in the direction of. travel. main supporting planes 1 and 2 are of rectilinear shape withV their narrowest edges secured .together and theirlongest edges spaced apart at the center, so that the main planes in front elevation appear to form an open ellipse. The bodies of the upper and lower main planes are of usual construction and providedl with the usual covering. The curved relation of the twosurfaces to each other is maintained by struts 3 between the front edges of the planes and similar struts 4 between the lrear edges of .the planes arranged on eachv side of the verticalcenter and a similar pair of struts 5 and 6 arranged preferably two-thirds the distance om the center to the side edges of the main planes. The necessary diagonal bracing ofthe wire is also provided. v

The following and steadying plane 7 comprises upper andV lower rectilinear supporting surfaces similar to the main planes having their shortest edges secured together and centrally spaced apart with their longest edges arranged parallel with the longest edges of the main planes presenting an open ellipse to the direction of travel. The following and steadying plane is rigidly secured by suitable braces 8 to the main planes in such a manner that the relation of the following and steadying plane to the main plane is such that when the machine is rateataa nay aa, tara l As illustrated, the-V traveling horizontally the center of gravity a'nd 'the center of pressure coincide.

The controlling or steering is produced by mounting at the forward end of each meeting ed e of the main planes a control plane 9 pre erably of rectangular shape with the longest edge parallel to and of equal length to the meeting edge of the main planes and preferablyone-half the width.V

ach control plane is preferably mounted upon a central, transverse shaft 10 mounted in bearings between the meeting edges of the main planes and extending inward 'to bearings upon the adjacent forward strut 5. Adjacent to thestrut 5 an angular actuating member 11 is rigidly secured to the control planeshaft. Preferably mounted on la transverse shaft 12 secured between the fore and aft set of middle cross pieces 13 of the lower main plane are placed separate operating levers 14 each connected to the adjacent control plane.4 The lower end of each actuating member 11 is connected by a cable 15 vpassing through pulleys 16 Aon the forward struts 5 and 3 on each side of the vertical center to the forward edge of the adjacent operating lever 14 with anleading from themiddle struts 3 and 4 to the lever 14 are'preferably provided with /plane being a turnbuckle 20 or other take-up means whereby the cables may be constantly kept taut and properly adjusted.

It is preferable to construct the main plane in the form of an open ellipse, as

shown, which allows of triangular construction of greater strength than the separated parallel planes, and when in flight the rib-4 bon of air passing'through the'curved surfaces of the open ellipse adds to the stability and substantially overcomes the tendency of the machine to side-slip. The construction of' 'the following and steadying in the form of an open el pse.

' produces a sulicient lift to steady the main plane and as the surfaces meet at each end will allow of a turning movement of the main plane inthe horizontal with the least amount of resistance or drag. The operating levers for the control planes are preferably mounted to move in the direction of flight and are arranged on each side ofthe operator so as to be readily grasped one in each hand. As aforesaid the relation of the following and .steadying plane to the main plane is such that the machine will travel control planes are in a neutral position offering no pressure up or down. To cause the machine to ascend both levers are moved rearward which will cause the entering edge of each control plane to rise so that the air will strike the under surfaces thereof moving the center of pressure ahead of the cen- 'ter of gravity causing the machine to ascend evenly. If it is desired to'descend the levers are each moved forward which will cause the entering edge of the control planes to be depressed below the horizontal so that the air will strike the upper inclined surfaces thereof producing pressure from above, moving the center of -pressure behind the center of gravity and cause the machine to descend.l In order to turn the machine in either direction during Hight the lever on the inside of 'the turn is moved forward which will decrease the lifting of that control plane and increase the head resistance on. that side. The other control plane is brought to a neutral position or nearly so and remains stationary in that position during the turn. If a turn is desired in' the opposite direction the method is reversed. When the machine tips to 'either side 4from any cause during Hight, it is immediately righted by raising the entering edge of the control plane on the low side and lowering in the horizontal when the surfaces of the I the entering edge of the control plane on l ythe high side until the machine is righted and then the control planes are both brought back to 'the position occupied before the tipping movement occurred.

It is to be understood that an engine and one or more propellers of any desired type may be applied to this machine with the propeller either to the front or rear as desired, so long as the relations above specified are retained.

Since the center of gravity and the center of pressure are at thesame point when the machine is in horizontal flight andas the vcontrol planes are forward the center of gravity, it is readily seen that should the engine become stalled the operator can easily volplane t o ately moving the operating-levers forward the necessary pressure upon the, under surfaces of the control planes for ascending is the earth, because by immedicommon'axis'at right angles to the direction 130 single -control for the of Hight, said control planes being arranged equidistant on each side of the center ofthe main planes and forward of the Center of gravity of the aeroplane.

2. In an aeroplane, rigid main supporting planes, a following and steadying plane comprising upper and lower plane surfaces brought together at their ends presenting an open ellipse to the direction of travel rlgidly secured to the main planes, and a lateral, horizontal and vertical movements ,of 'the aeroplane comprising two separately operable coacting of flight, said control control planes mounted on shafts having a common axis at right angles to the direction planes being arranged equidistant on each side of the center of the mainplanes and forward of the center of gravity of the aeroplane.

3. In an aeroplane, rigid main supporting planes. a following and steadying plane rigidly secured'thereto of such relation that in horizontal flight the centers of pressure and gravity ofthe aeroplane are at the same point, and a single control for the lateral, horizontal and vertical movements of the aeroplane comprising two control planes mounted on shafts having a common axis at right angles to the direction of flight arranged equidistant at each side of the center and exterior of the sides of the main planes and forward of the center of gravity of the aeroplane, said main and supporting planes comprising a plurality of members joined to form an ellipse open to the direction of travel, and separate means for operating the control planes independently of each other to cause them to coact in controlling the movement of the aeroplane. v

4. In an aeroplane, upper and lower main -steadying plane surfaces brought together 'at their ends presenting an open ellipse to the direction of travel, and a following and plane of similar construction rlgidly secured thereto of such relation to the main plane that in horizontal flight the centers of pressure and gravity of the aeroplane coincide, control planes arranged equidistant on each side of the center of the main planes and forward of the said center 'of gravity, and separate means for operating each control plane independently of the other for solely controlling the lateral, horizontal and vertical movements of the aeroplane.

5. In an aeroplane, upper and lower main plar.: surfaces brought together at their ends presenting an open ellifpse to the direction of travelA and a ollowing and steadying plane of similar construction rigidly secured thereto of such relation that in horizontalfight the centers of pressure and gravity of the aeroplane coincide, a control plane on each side exterior of the meeting edge of the main plane centrally mounted upon a horizontal shaft passing through the forward end of each meeting edge of the main plane, a bearin for the inner end of each shaft arrangedg intermediate the entering edges of the main plane, an actuating member upon each shaft, an operating lever for each control plane, and a means of connectiony between each lever and the adjacent control plane whereby all movements of the aeroplane during iiight are controlled by said levers.

IRA EMMEIT MCCABE.

Witnesses:

A. M. PARKINS, F. P. MCCABE.-

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