US1249593A - Aeroplane. - Google Patents

Description

F. A. uLLlNGToII.`

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5| I9l2.

Patented De@h 11,1917. i

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...2J Y f LA, )i I @LWSMMM( Mlm@ F. A. BULLINGTON.

AEROPLANE. Arrucnlnon msn ocr. 5. |912. 1,249,593. l Patented Dec. 11,1917.

' -Be it known that I FRANK rron a citizenV of the ytudinal axes, either together, or independ-4 ali4 'UNITED Isirarns PATENT oirincia rnaivxa. BULLINGTON, or PORTLAND, onEGoiv.'

AEROPLANE.

vApplication tiled October 5, 1912. Serial No. 724,081.- v

To all fwhom it may concern:

A. BniiLiNcnitedStates, residing in the city of Portland, vcounty of Multnomah, andV State of Oregon, have invented Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention 'relatesto aeroplanes, and more particularly to certainimprovements in the 4general plan and design of a heavierthan-air flying machine, and in the control ling mechanism therefor, whereby makeV possible amore natural and instinctive control of the' machine.

Amongthe salient objectsl of my inven# tior'r are,-

. To provide in an aeroplane a plurality of supporting or 4carryingplanes, pivotally 'certain i new and useful Improvements in by to make said control as natural and instinctive as possible; that is, the movement of'the'controlling mechanism in'order to restore or correct the equilibrium of themaehine is dependent upon and in accord with the natural movement of the'body of the ,pilot in -maintaining his equilibrium.

Other features of improvement will ap- 4pear from the following description of o ne practical embodiment. of the invention, which'isgiven for the purpose ofenab'ling others to understand-it.n I n the present em- Lbod-iment of the invention I have shownV a mounted to turnabout longitudinal aires,4

with an 'improved controllingA mechanism therefor; to provide in an aeroplane a tandem arrangement ofthe carrying or sup. portingI planes, with someor all of said planes pivotallymounted to turn upon 'longitudinal axes, and movable thereon to give direction to, and to control the equilibrium gof," said aeroplane; to` provide in an aerofplanea plurality of carrying or supporting planes, each of which is composed of op positely disposed planes or. plane sections, f

pivotally. mounted tooturn upon their longiently .of each, other; to provide in an aeroplane aconstruction wherein the use of auxiliary' lanes, such as 'ailerons and elevators,

`entirely eliminated, asis the attendant resistance. of such auxiliary planes to pro- 'vide in such: a machineV a construction Wherei'n theaxes of rotation of the several planes,

or plane sections, areA-so ldisposed and the controlling connections therebetween areso made, that the control is balance; that is,

`any unba'liatncngA pressure on'one of said planes, or sections, is, by reason 'of the 'connections, resisted by a corresponding, and

counteracting pressure upon an opposed planeto provide'in such a machine a construction whereby the planes, or planesections, are hingedlyattaehed. to th 4fuselage soas to be turned and l'swung back along the fsides thereof in lorder to --facilitate the transportation or storage thereof;l tojpr'ovide in f such a'machine an improved and simplified Y the control of the planes thereof, and wherecontrolling' or`ma-nipulatng mechanism for longitudinal base ofsupport extending from' i nSpecification of Letters Patent. I Patented Dep 1 1, 191.7,

the center ofthe front plane to the centerof the rear plane, and the weight is so disposed that the center of mass falls -within the hase of support regardless of the angle of inclination of the machine. Again, the pivotal longitudinal axis of each ofthe of pressure varies according to the angle of theplane with relation to the direction of motion. l

planes coincides with the meany center 'of Vair pressure thereof, though the said center Referring now to the drawings,'I will de- I scribe the embodiment of the invention shown for ypurposes of illustration.

Figure 1 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 2 is atop plan view thereof;

Fig. 3ds a vertical sectional view talenl.

with the power'mechhinge ,connection .of one of the planes to the fuselage.

The inventionas here embodied and illusti'ated, comprises a long fuselagefor bodylI,

of substantially the'form anddesign shown,

and havinga two-wheeled `chassis, as 2, in4

front, with a companion caster or steering' wheel`3,.toward'therear, upon whichsaid machine can be 'moved and directedupon the ground. For the purpose ofclearness in the'dra'wings, I have purposelyomitted the brace Vmembers and-manyof. the guy wires 4from said fuselage. A propeller 4 is provlded inthe front*of the machine, as indiplane is composed of two oppositely disposed planes, or plane sections, at opposite sides. of the fuselage,- both in f ront and in the rear, each of said planes beinpI movably mounted to turn about a longitudinal axis, at

-one end of which it is hingedly attached to the body on fuselage. The two front plane sections I will designate as A and and the two rear plane'sections, I will designate as Gand D.- The planes A and B are provided, respectively, with the main longitudinally extending members 'or axes, designated.8 and 9, and hingedly connected to the fuselage 1, as indicated atrlO and-11, and vthe rear planes C and D are providedswith similar members or axes, designated 12 and 13, Aand hingedly connected to the fuselage, as

indicated at 14 and 15. By thus hingedly connecting said planes, or plane sections to the fuselage,a`s indicated, they can be turned into vertical-planes and swung around upon their y hinge connections'along side of the fuselage r. body 1, for transportation or shipping purposes, it being understood, of course, that the .various operating and4 guy wires, hereinafter referred to, have been'disconnected. I have indicated this folded position in dotted lines, Fig. 2, as to planes B and D` Said planes,or plane sections, are'each provided through its middle with a rigid guy mast, a's '16, from-the ends of which are t e guy wires t17---17,f-from corner to'corner, as indicated both above and below each of said planes.

Mounted upon .the fuselage, at onts between the oppositely disposed-'p anes, are rigid A-frame masts, as 18-18, extending above and below said fuselage, in front and in the rear, as indicated. Fromthese masts are tending from' the outermost ends of the planes, and tlie wires 20-20 extending from the bases of'the plaine guy mastslG-IG to guy wires isi- 20,1116 wires 19-19 e said A-frames, as' indicated in Fi 3. VAll of said guy wires are attached to t e planes 'at their longitudinal axes, whereby to permit of the free movement of said planes, or plane The opposite ends of-each of said masts 16-16 ofthe planes are also rovided with brace wires, as 22.-22, exten ing from the ends thereof through pulleys, as 23-23, upon the fuselage, both forwardly and rearwardly of each plane section,- as clearly indicated in Figs'. 1 and 2, whereby to guy said planes and sections, in'either direction, about their lon-- gitudinal axes.

their masts 16-16, to the fuselage 1,'front and rear, and at the same time permit them to be freely moved about their longitudinal axes.

Referring now tol Fig. Ll, I will describe the I controlling mechanism by means of which the pilot can manipulate the planes in the control ofthe machine. In the present form', this comprises a rocking frame or element, 24, pivotally mounted by means of a middle member 25, having bearing ends.26,26 in the fuselage l, whereby to be rocked or- Wardly and backwardly, from and toward the pilot. This rocking element 24 is moved by means of an upright operatinglever 27, pivotally mounted, as at 28, upon the middle member 25, in the rocking element 24. This lever, it will be noted, moves upon an axis extending transversely -of the axis of the rocking` element 24. Upon the upper end oi the lever- 27, is a grooved operating hand` wheel 29, having a middle portion, as 30. provided with a series of holes, as shown adaptedto receive a holding pin 31 in the upper end of the lever 27, whereby saic operating hand wheel can be secured, or held against movement. Mounted to slide up an( `down upon the lower end of 'the lever 27, is

an operating block or element, 32. This slid 95 ing element is moved by means ofa cable 3E passing over the hand wheel 29, with lo ne enc' thereof attached to the upper side of sait element, as at 34, and with its other end cxtended downwardly and `around a pulleyl 3f at-the lower end of said lever 27, and theno up tothe underside of said operatin blocl oralement 32, as indicated a`t.36. sai( hand wheel is turned, said operating blocl orelement 32 is raised and lowered upon tlv lower portion of'said lever 27.- I will now' describe the controlling con nections'from the various planes, or plan sections, to the controlling -meohanisn From the fron-t edge of plane A, a cable 3' passes arounda pulley 38,.on the fuselage -and thence to a pulley 39`on the `lower lefhand corner of the rocking frame 24, thenc to the pulley 40, mounted-upon the lower en( of the lever'27, and' thence upwardly to th sliding element 32. From the rearward edg' of plane A, an operating cable 41 passe ,around a pulley 42 upon the fuselage, thenc to fand around a pulley 43 upon the uppe" left hand corner. of the rocking element 24 120 thence4 to -a pulley 44 uponfthe lever 27 thence downwardly to the operating bloei or element 32. Plane C-is connected in similar manner, but to the oppositeor rea .Y side of the rocking element 24.. An operat ing cable 45 from the frontedge thereof ex tends around a pulley 46 upon the 'fuselage thence to a. pulley47 attached to thelowe left hand crner of the rocking frame 24 lthence to a ulley 48 upon the lower end the-lever 2i; and thence upwardly to tf`= above and below their pivotal axes, vwhereby cables are drawn and others are directions, I

operating block or element 32. A cable 49, attached to the rear edge-of said plane C, extends downwardly to a pulley 50 upon the fuselage, thence to av pulley 5l uponthe upper left hand corner of the rocking'element 24, thenceyinwardly to a pulley 52 upon lever 27 and thence downwardly to the operating block or element 32.

Planes B and D are connected in the same manner to the front and rear of the rocking element, at the right hand side, and itwill not be necessary to followV these connections throughin detail, as they are clearly indi- 4cated in the drawings. It will be. noted,

however, that these operating cables from the various planes, are connected to the rockmg element, and also to the lever, at points as said elements are moved, some of the thereby moving the planes upon t eir pivotal mountings. rious plane sections by means of theoperating mechanism ,and the connecting cables may be briefly described as followsz' By turninglthe hand-wheel 29 in opposite ave one control, or movement,

of the planes. By moving the rocking frame or element 24 forwardly and backwardly, I have another movement or control of the planes." By moving fthe lever 27 laterally 1n either direction upon its pivotal mounting at' 28, I havel another Vmovement or control of the (planes. -And by moving said lever forwar ly and laterally rin either direction, or backwardly andl laterally in eitherdire tion, `I have still another movement or control.V Thus I have a universal movement upon horizontal axes,and by means of ythe vertically slidable element 32, as apart of 'said controlling mechanism, I can make every movement possible.

I Therefore, by turning the hand wheel 2 9 to the left, the operating block. or element 32 is moved downwardly by the cable 33. This movement operates to draw cables 41,449-, 53 and 54, and to pay out cables 37, 45, 55 and 56,

,thereby operating to draw down `the rear edges of all theplane's and to raise the forward edges thereof in unison, and thus 'di-f rect the planes upwardly. By turning the zontal position.

, multaneously the f forward or advancing Now by rocking the frame 24 forwardly andaway from the pilot, cables 37 Aand, 55;"

are drawn by theV lower portion of said rockingA frame, thereby drawing downwardly ksiv edges of planes and B.` This same movement of the'rockmg element 24 draws cables The operation of the va wardly. The opposite or reverse movement i ,of the rocking element upon its pivotal mounting, operates to direct" the forward the rear planes C and'.

planes upwardly andthe rearward planes 'y downwardly. By reason of this control movement, it is possible to correct or restore and maintain the longitudinal equilibrium of the machine.

Now by moving the operating lever 27 laterally to the right, for oexample, upon its4 pivotalmounting 28, cables 41 and 49 are drawn, and cables 37 and 45 are paid out, whichl manipulation operates to direct planes A and C upwardly. By this same movement, cables 55 and x56 are drawn, and cables 53 and 54 are pa1,1.lout, which operates to draw planes B andD downwardly.` Thus the planes on the right hand side are directed downwardly andthe planes on the -left hand side are directed upwardly.

By moving said lever l27 to the left, or in i the opposite direction, l an opposite movement of the planes is produced. That is, the planes on the left hand side are directed upwardly, andthe planeson theright hand side are directed downwardly. By this movement or control of the operatinglever, the lateral equilibrium of the machme can be correctedv and maintained. 4

f Now in order to move diagonally 'opposite planes together, the pilot makes a combina-4 tion forward, or backward, and lateral movement of the operating lever 27. For example, if said lever 27 is moved forwardly and lateralfy to the right at the same time,

cables 49 and 55 are drawn, andcables 45' and 53 are paid out, thereby operatingto direct plane B downwardly ,and the diagonally opposite plane C upwardly. Thus, if

the forwardright hand corner of the ma chine (that is, plane B) should be suddenly lifted, the pilot would instinctively lean forwardly and to the right, or to the high side, thereby unconsciouslyv causing the adjust ment of the planes just described; that is,

plane B is directed downwardly a'nd plane C 1s directed upwardly, thus operating to right the'vmachineby .action at opposite corners.

If the" pilot should'move the lever backwardlyand to the left, an opposite result, would be produced, and plane B would be directed upwardlyby the drawing ofcable 53 andthe paying out of cable 55, and plane C would-.bel directed downwardly by 'thedrawing of cable 45 and the`\paying out of cable 49. j L

, This forward movement, or change in the relative position' ofthe operating lever and i lever' and :the lpilots'bod-y assume their nordown head first 'sin ,the pilots body, operates to direct the. forward planes downwardly inunison and to direct the rearward planes upwardly. As.

soon as the horizontal or longitudinal equili# briumhas been thus restore the operating mal positionsrelative to the machine, and the machine assumes its regularv direction of Bight. If the forward endof the machine is Atilted downwardly and the machine starts the natural tendency of the pilot is to lean backwardly, thereby moving the rocking frame with him, which movement operatesto lift -the forward edges of the front planes, and to lower the forward edges of the lrearward planes, thereby qulckly bringing the machine-to a horizontal balance or control. If one side vof the machine is, from any cause, raised or lowered Arunduly, vthe natural tendency of thel pilot is' to lean toward the high side andthus move the `operating lever 27 toward the higlh' Side. This movement operates, through t e connections, to direct the front and rear planes on the lower side upwardly and'to dlirect the front and rear planes onthe upper or high side downwardly, thus rightingthe machine and restoring the lateral fequih brium. This same thin is true of' the corners of the machine. I one corner'is raised unduly, 4the pilot naturally leans forwardly and laterally toward that corner, or'if one corner drops, he naturallyleans toward theV vhigh corner, moving the rocking element.

and the operating lever toward the high cor-` ner, which movement operates to direct the upper `plane downwardly and the diagonally 'opposite plane upwardly, thereby'correcting or restoring the equilibrium of the machine'. This natural or'instnctive control is of Yvery great importance and advantageto .the aviatorin the control `of his machine, as it insures greatersafety and becomes almost an automatic control. By reasonof he tandem arrangement of the planes, pivotally mounted to turn upon longitudinalaxes, together with-the con,-

- trolling connections. therefrom to the controlling mechanism illustrated and ldescribed. it will be understood that the longitudinal and the lateral balance and control ofthe machine is. made possible and convenient, and at the same time lis natural and instinctive.

' Fromthe foregoing description of the various movements of the controllingmechanism, it will be understood that there are many movements andcombinations of movements which can be made by the operator or pilot, without taking his hands from, the hand-wheel; VForv example Turning l the hand wheel to theright or to the left op'erat'es to direct all of the'planessimultaneously upwardly or downwardly. Moving the raised.

rocking element yforwardly or backwardly operates, respectively, to irect the forward '4 planes downwardly and t e rearward planes wardly and planes B and D upwardl ,'de-

pending upon the directionin whic .the-

lever 1s moved. There 'are also the four comblnatlon movements 1n whlch the rockving element 24 and the lever 27 are both moved in either ldirection upon their "pivotal axes. In other words, the operating lever 27 can be' moved toward *any one of the..\four corners and thereby operate to simultaneously direct twov d iagonallyopposite planesv in different directions, as hereinbefore described. l Therefore, without the use lof any@ auxil-v iary planes, such as ailerons or elevators, the pilot is able to fully control and direct his machine at will by the manipulation of the carrying or supporting planes. It Should be noted, too, .that thecontrolling mechanism; that is, vthe rocking element' 24, the operating lever 27, pivotally mounted therein to move transversely thereof, andthe hand wheel, 29,

mounted upon the upper end Iofthe lever 27 .are so mounted and so connected to the four j supporting or "carrying planes,k which oclcupy, 'as it were, the four corners of themachine, that the manipulation or movement ofsaid controlling mechanism corresponds 1n each case to the natural or instlnctive movement of the l l changing position of the machine. For e'xample, if the front of the machine'is sud# denly lifted,the body of the pilot and the' rocking element 24 naturally moves forwardly, or maintains a perpendicular posi-v 110 tion, though the front end ofthe machine',- is

pilots body relative to theV I have also provided my machine the v usual vertical' steering plane or rudder 56,

operable from` a footV lever '57, pivotally mounted upon the fuselage in front of the pilots seat, as indicated. The rudder 56 and the steeringwheel 3 are both Aoperable connect said lever 57 with the rudder 56, whereby vthe latter can be moved at will in together from this foot lever57, by means of suitable operating cables. Cables 58 and 59 either direction. Cables 60 and 61 extend fromv the foot lever 57, through pulleys ing'wheel, and are so connected therewith that'the steering wheel and the rudder are ,moved together, whether in flight, or on the ground. l

I am' aware thatmany changes and `modi iications can be made in the embodiment of 62--63 and thence rearwardly to the steerl positely disposed and pivotally mounted to4 erating said planes.

2. In an aeroplane, 1n combination with a the invention here shown for purposes of illustration without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not, therefore limit the invention to the showing here made and described, except as I may be limited by a broad interpretation of the hereto appended claims.

- I claim:

1. In an aeroplane, in combination with a fusela e, a plurality of carrying planes arrange in tandem, each of said planes comprisingtwo independent plane sect-ions opturn upon t eir longitudinal axes, a rocking element pivotally mounted on saidfuselage, an operating lever pivotally mounted on said rocking element, an opera-ting hand wheel upon said lever mounted to turn upon a horizontal axis, and operating cables from said planes to said rocking element and said lever with connections to said hand wheel, for opfusel'age, a plurality of carryingplanes arranged in tandem, each of -said planes comprismg two independent' planes opposltely disposed and pivotally mounted to turn A upon their longitudinal axes, a rocking element pivotally mounted on said fuselage, a sliding element onv said rocking element, an operating element with connections for moving' said sliding element in opposite directions, and operating cables from said sup"- portinglanes to said rocking element and ysaid sliding element.

3. In'an aeroplane, in combination with the fuselage and a plurality of movable 5 planemembers, a controllingmechanism for moving `said plane members comprising a 'I said fuselage, an operatin rocking element pivotally mounted on mounted on said rocking e ement and movable independently thereof laterally in the plane of4 said rocking element, an'opera'ting and wheel mounted upon said lever to turn in a vertical plane, and operatingcables from said plane members to said rocking element, lever and"hand wheel and operable i by either or all of them to move said planes.

4. A controlling mechanism for aeroplanes,

. comprising in combination, a rocking'frame pivotally mounted toturn upon an axis i'n the plane of said frame, operating cables con! nected to the opposite sides of said frame,..

both above and below its axis, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon said frame and mova le laterall in the plane of said frame independently t ereof, and movable therewith, said o erating cables being also connected to said lever at opposite sides there'- of, 'both above andbelowits tpivotal axis, and means for drawing in an letting out said cables independently of the different movements ofthe rocking frame, and the lever pivotally rocking element to turn upon an axis ex` tending transversely of the axis of said rocking element and of its own longitudinal axis, and operating cables extending from said plane sections and connected to the opposite Vsides of said rocking element and to the opposite sides of said lever at points above and below 4their pivotal axes, whereby to move said planes by the movement of said rock.

ing element and said lever together or independently upon their .pivotal axes.

6. In combination, an aeroplane having a plurality` of horizontally disposed carrylng planes, a rocking. element, an operating lever pivotally mounted thereupon to turn fipon an axis transversely thereof, an operating hand wheel mounted upon said lever, operating cables from the opposite sides of each of said carrying planes and connected 4to the opposite sides of said rocking element, and also to the opposite sides of said pivoted lever, whereby as said rocking element is rocked, or -said operating lever is moved upon said rocking element, said carrying planes are moved together, Vor in pairs, and operating connections from said hand wheel to said cables, whereby said planes can be moved in pairs by the operation of said hand wheel independently of the movements of said rocking element and said lever.v I i 7. In combination with an aeroplane and its movably mounted planes, a controlling mechanism therefor comprisin a rocking element, a pivotally mounted gever thereupon and turning upon an axis extendin transversely thereof, an operating hand -wheel mounted on said lever upon a horizontal axis, a movable element operable by said hand wheel, and operating cables from said movable planes connected through said rocking element, and said lever to said movable element, whereby to move said planes planes arranged 1n tandem and pivotally mounted to turn on their longitudinal axes,

each Vof said Vlanes comprising oppositely disposed and independently movable plane sections, a universal controlling mechanism therefor, comprising two connected ivoted members movableV upon axes 'exten ing at right angles to each other, one of said mem bers' moving at right angles to the other,

`one of said members moving with the other,

but being itself movable independently of the other, operating cables fromsaid carrying planes connected to the opposite sides of said pivoted members above. andbelovv their pivotal lmountings, and means for drawing in a part of said cables and-letting vout others of said cables independently of the pivotal movement of either of said oted members, whereby said plane sections `an operatin A cable upon said leverextending longitu inally thereof and around said hand wheel, and'operating cables from said movable. planes attached'to said lever and to 'said operating cable, whereby to operate saidV movable planes.

10'. In an aeroplane, in combination With the movable planes thereof, a controlling mechanism therefor comprising auniversally movable operating leve'rfan operating hand, 'Wheel upon said lever and turning upon an Vaxis transversely thereof, a pulley upon said lever, an opera ing' cable upon said lever and around said hand-wheel and said pulley,

vand operating cables from said movable planes, attached to-said lever and to said.

operating cable, vwhereby to 'operate said movable planes bythe movement of said lever, or ofsaid hand wheel upon their pivotalaxes, independentlyor together, for the [purpose descri ed.

1.1. An aeroplane controlling mechanism of September, 41912.

comprising, in combination with the movable planes thereof, a frame pivotally mounted to rock on an axis extending flatwise thereof nternediate its upper and lower edges, a lever pivotally mounted upon said frame to move in the plane thereof upon an axis extending transversely thereof, a hand Wheel upon sald lever turning upon an axis transversely of the longitudinal axis of said lever, and operating cables from said movable planes connected through said frame and lever at points'abov'e and below their pivotal axes and to said hand Wheel, whereby said planes can be moved by said frame, lever and hand vvheel independently of eachother or together, substantially as described.

12. In an aeroplane, in gombin'ation with the movable supporting planes thereof, a controlling mechanism therefor comprising a rocking element, a lever pivotally mounted upon said rocking element to't'urn upon an axis extending transversely thereof, and a hand-Wheel mounted upon said lever to turn `upon an axis extending transversely thereof, said rocking element, said lever and said. hand Wheel being movable upon their pivotal axes independently of each other or simultaneously or in pairs, and' adapted to have operating cables from said supporting planes attached. thereto at opposite sides of their pivotal axes. i H

Signed at Portland, Oregon, this 28th day .FRANK A. BULLINGTON. In presence of- JAMES H. MCMENAMIN, Cms. J. SWINDELLS.

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