US1278750A - Aeroplane. - Google Patents

Description

Af ROMUALDI.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, I9I6. Lym Patented Sept, 10,1918.

A. ROMUALDI.

AEHOPLANE.

APPLICATlON FILED JAN. 4. '1916.

1,278,35@ Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/TNESSES M/l/E/V T01? Arnoldo Romuald ramena ernten.

ARNALDO ROMUALD, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ROMUALDI MACHINERY & CONSTRUCTION CO., OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

.AEBOPLANE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. itt), 1918..

Application filed January 4, 1916. Serial No. 70,294.

van aeroplane which derives sustentation from the combined pressures of the fluid it moves through, and. by mechanical or other activityl of the surfaces presented to the fluid.

The objects are:

To obtain lifting power in excess of'that due t0 the velocity of the iiuid.

To obtain inherent lateral stability.

To obtain variable lifting power.

To obtain lifting efficiency independent of the propelling apparatus.

To enable a fiying machine to leavethe ground after a short run, and to gradually land with propelling mechamsm shut down.

To utilize the definite wave established by an advanced lifting unit, of applying in a short distance longitudinally by successive units conforming to said wave for incidentall increasing longitudinal stability.

To o tain for aeroplanes greater speed.

Drawings.

Figure 1 is a top (planview of an aeroplane constructed an arranged 1n accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on an enlarged scale, the section being taken as on the line 2-2 in Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4 uniform with Fig. 2, forms of construction;

Fig. 5 is a diagram exemplifying the conditionsjwhich the herein described application lof energy is intended to modify with levitatin effect;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view on enlarged scale of a fragment of an aeroplane having levitatin means constructed and arranged in accor ance with a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a cross section taken on the line are cross sections of s cale showing modified Dscription.

All 'throughout this paper the word sur# face is used to indicate the contact face of a body with the surrounding field and never in the sense of an aerial plane or other similiar body of very small thickness relatively to its other dimensions as customary in aeronautical literature.

I consider three types of lifting `units hereinafter called elements all founded on the same general principle and with a similar disposition of parts. The first is where the energy directly applied on the fluid is mechanical, the second is where mechanical and thermic or other form of radiant energy is applied simultaneously, and the third is where only such radiant energy is applied to the active surfaces.

The lifting unit ywhich forms the fundamental part of this invention, is composed of a longitudinal frame carrying two fixed or revoluble members called hereafter radiators, with axes parallel or at an angle with one another, the space between them being bridged to present upper and lower surfaces, for maintaining the difference in vressure resulting between the upper and -ower streams into which the surrounding fluid is divided.

The lower surface extends between the two radiators from points in each taken on the sides facing each other at about thirty degrees below the geometrical plane containing the axes. It is generally curved away' from the geometrical plane of the axes of the radiators, to guidegthe flow from the front to the rear radiator with minimum leakage around the revolving surfaces. The upper surface may extend from corresponding points in each radiator above the geometrical plane of their axes generall in a curved surface concave above as in ig. 2, or in a concave or convex form extending between points at thirty degrees or more above said plane on the sides of the radiators facing each other. In Fig. 4 of the drawings is shown a preferred form of this construction.

A preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings wherein rotary cylinders ishing the speed ratios of the wheels 20 at The axes 17 are each provided, at the inner' end, with a suitable sprocket wheel for engagement by a sprocket chain 18. `The chains 18 also engage sprocket wheels on a short intermediate driven shaft 19.

lThe shafts 19, as seen best in Fig. 1 of the drawings, have each a friction wheel 20, disposed at opposite sidesl of the driving shaft 21,a-nd a driving. disk 22 'on shaft.-

21 driven by the aeroplane motor 23 is furnished and on which a propeller 24 of conventional form is mounted. 'll`he friction wheels 20 are slidably mounted on their respective shafts 19, and are permanently disposed on a shifting plate 25, the movement of which is controlled by a foot-operated lever 26 adjacent the aviators seat 27.

From the foregoing kit willv be seen that when the aviator desires, he may, by moving the lever 26, shift the wheels 20 in opposite directions relative to the center of the disk 22, thereby 'relatively increasing or' diminopposite sides of the disk 22. The change in speed ratio referred to correspondingly increases or diminishes, as the case may be,-

the rotary speed imparted to the cylinders 9 and 10, at opposite sides of' the longitiidinal axis of the aeroplane and thereby prol l lvides for thevnecessary differentiation in levitation of the carrying members at opposite sides of the aeroplane to cant or tilt the same, as in banking, to alter the horizontal flight of the machine-with or without the help of a steering rudder. The cylinders rotate "at equal speeds due to the connection vby means of the'chains 18.

The direction of rotation is the saine for both the cylinder or the radiators. For sustentationthc rotation is from vbelow toward the front and then upward to the rear, as shown in Fig. 2. Reversing the-direction of rotation may be resorted to for maneuvering, banking on a curve, or'for rapid depression. The speed of rotation is controlled by the pilot for varying the degree of sustentation, gaining or losing elevation according to the requirements of travel.

The cylinders may be shaped to any crosssection for best' efficiency, and their outer surfaces may be smooth or grooved longitudinally, transversely or helicoidavlly. Also, they may have a fluted surface, projections or blades, straight or curved, to better conform with the flow around said cylinder, or to avoid leakage of fluid between the fixed and the revolving surfaces. They may be cylindrical or yconical or built up of cylinders twisted together inthe same relative position as the out-er strands of a rope. Mocicatz'on.

A modified method for producing a radiating eld around the cylinders orradiators is' to supply heat or any suitable form of radiant energy to the surfaces as fast as they radiate it into the enveloping medium. To that effect I provide, in Fig. 1, for the introduction of a heated medium, such as the exhaust from motor 23, with or without addition of air, into or through vthe radiators 9 and 10, constructed of thin metal to allow rapid conduction of heat through the radiators walls.

In the field .of radiant energy thus obtained, the cylinder surface is again an equipotential surface where the addition of the effect of'its velocities with those of a parallel flow of the enveloping medium will take place along stream-lines as stated. Also in the case of mechanically driven radiators, those portions of their surfaces immersed in the upper stream around an element are continuously cooled by the greatly increased radiation from those surfaces, while the portions in contact with the lower stream are correspondingly heated from the increased pressure, the variation in heat energy at any instant on those portions of a cylinders or radiators surface represents the thermodynamical reactions from which the lifting effect results.

.en internal flow, therefore, taking the place in ever way of mechanical drive of the radiator 1n an element, eventually adding lifting effect from its heat energy, I dispose (Fig. 6), a distributing box 100 inserted in the duct from the exhaust of the motor 23 to the radiators 9 and 10. This distributing box branches off in two separate pipes 101 and 102, through a differential valvel 103, controlling the relative flow to either pipe which feeds into both radiators onone side of the-longitudinal frameof the aeroplane. Whenever thepilet wishes to alter the lateral balancel or steer the aeroplane, he can by this arrangement, vary vthe internal flow on the radiators of each element by moving valve 103 over the side which he intends to depress. In the distributing box a cut-out valve 107 may be added, so that the pilot may allow some or all of the heated gases to escape to the atmosphere when required and thereby reduce the amount of heat applied and reduce the elevation. y

lt is clear from vthe foregoing that the pilot on the aeroplane may open the cut-out valve, deriving siistentation on mechanical drive of the radiators, that is, with elements Lampes of the first type; or may direct the exhaust gases in the radiators to take care of part of the drive, and derive further sustentation therefrom, thus obtaining elements of the second type. He may control the lateral balance and steer by modifying either the mechanical drive or the internal dow, or both; by disconnecting-the mechanical drive he might obtain both rotation of the radiators and direct sustaining power from the internal fiow, and, iinaliy, if the radiators were fastened to the frame, get sustentation directly from the internal flow.

I provide a variation of profile such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, where the fixed radiators 28 and 29 in the shape of ducts of convenient shape and cross section as stated for revoluble radiators, are fastened to the plates 13 and 14, with the rivets 30, through an interposed thickness 109 of other heat-insulatin material.

In al elements supplied with heat, the upper cover plate 13 in Fig. 3, and the late 31 in Fig. 4, havel an inner lining of geatinsulating material to prevent them from receiving heat from the radiators and the lower surface.

medium for varying in advance of said body, the pressure of said enveloping medium in lines perpendicular to the plane of.

flight of said body, said means embodying a cylindrical moving surface disposed as a lfront surface of said body to divide said medium; and a prime mover carried by said body operatively connected with said cylindrical surface for moving'the same so that the lower sector thereof is driven in a direction corresponding with the flight of said bod 2y A levitation means carried by a body moving in an enveloping .supporting medium for varying in advance of said body, the pressure of Said enveloping medium in lines perpendicular to the planeof Hight of said body, said means embodying a cylindrical moving surface disposed as a front surface of said body to'divide said medium; and means. carried by said body .for radiating energy in the molecules of said medium juxtaposed to said surface.

3. .A levitation means embodying two hollow cylinders; a connective continuous surface structure uniting in service relation said cylinders, said structure being shaped in correspondence with the pressures on said structure of the mediumin which said structure is poised; means for transmitting to the surrounding medium energy acting perpendicular to the plane of the axes of said cylinders; and means for moving said cylinders through said medium.

4f. A levitation means embodying two hollow cylinders; a connective continuous surface structure uniting in service relation said cylinders, said structure being shaped in correspondence with the pressures on said structure of the medium in which said structure is poised; means for transmitting to the surrounding medium in advance of said cylinders, an energy acting perpendicular to the plane of the aXes'of said cylinders; and means embodying a propulsion apparatus for moving said cylinders through said medium.

' A5. A levitation means embodying two hollow cylinders; a connective continuous surface structure uniting in service relation said cylinders, said structure being shaped in correspondence with the pressures on said structure of the medium in which said structure is poised; a propelling mechanism for movingsaid cylinder through said medium, said mechanism embodying a prime mover and a propeller operatively connected therewith; and a transmission means operatively connecting said cylinders and said prime mover for imparting to said cylinders an axially rotary movement, the lower sectors of said cylinders being moved in a direction corresponding with the line of flight.

6. A levitation means embodying a plurality of hollow cylinders; a connective continuous surface structure uniting in service relation said cylinders, said structure being shaped in correspondence with the pressures on said structure of the medium in which said structure is poised; a propelling mechanism for moving said cylinders through said medium, saidv mechanism embodying a prime mover and a propeller operatively connected therewith; a transmission means operatively connecting said cylinders and said prime mover4 for imparting to said cylinders an axially rotary-movement, the lower sections of said cylinders being moved in a direction corresponding with the line of Hight; and means manually controlled for varying the rate of rotation of said cylinders for varying the levitation thereof.

Signed at Jersey City in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersev this 13th day of October A. D. 1915.

ARNALDO RGMUALDI.

Witnesses:

PIERO STEFANO 'PAGANINL DOMENICO Parana.

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