US1288721A - Flying-machine. - Google Patents

Description

R. M. SMlTH.

FLYING MACHINE. "mamon meu 1AN.12.|915. nEnEwED mw 29. wxs.

1,288,721. Patented Dec. 24,1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REXFORD M. SMITH, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOB TO CON- NECTICUT AIRCRAFT COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

FLYING-MA CHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

Original application led January 2, 1912, Serial No. 669,003. Divided and this application led January 12, 1915, Serial No. 1,769. Renewed May 29, 1918. Serial No. 287,370.

To Hic/1,0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Rnxronn M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lyin machines of that class in which the machine is supported in fiight by the dynamical reactions of the air upon one or more sustainin surfaces, and particularly to an improve construction of sustaining surface and flexible wing tips or balancing devices, with means for controlling the same to maintain lateral stability, whereby certain advantages are gained in the control of the machine.

The present invention is a division of my prior application No. 669,003, filed on January 2, 1912, Patent No. 1128379, dated Feb. 16, 1915, and is directed particularly to the subject matter of the construction of the lower plane and associated balancing elements disclosed but not particularly claimed in such prior application.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings' forming a part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective View of a hiplane sustaining sur ace, one of the planes of which is provided with the improvements constituting my invention; and

Figs, Q and 3 are views of the lower plane illustrating the balancing actions.

In the illustrated exem lication the invention is shown embodie in a biplane machine, although it is to be understood that it is not limited thereto, as the essential features thereof may be employed with equal efficiency upon other types of multiplane machines or upon machines of the monoplane type.

Referring to the drawing 1 and 2 designate the upper and lower supporting planes or surfaces of a biplane structure as disclosed, each comprising a pair of wings 3 and 4 spaced at their inner or proximate edges to provide a fore-and-aft air gap 5.

These gaps are arranged in the path of the air impelled upwardly and downwardly and traveling rearwardly from the propeller, thus permitting the disturbed air to have free vent through the supporting surfaces and preventing the same from disturbing the air compressed by the wings, accumulating between the supporting surfaces and increasing the head resistance, or varying the angle of incidence or flying attitude of the machine.

The wings, which have a suitable foreand-aft lifting curvature, are formed of a fabric or other suitable material secured to a frame structure of proper character, the trail portions of the wings in rear of the dotted lines 6 being iiexible for a vertical vibratory air shedding action. The planes may be mounted upon the nacelle, fuselage or main frame of the machine in any suitable manner and suitably secured and braced.

The wings of the supporting surfaces are symmetrically curved, and the flexible rear portions ofthe respective wings are bisected or divided in a fore-and-aft direction, as at 7, forming relatively rigid and flexible inner and outer portions, which normally lie in alinement, the inner rigid portions 8 being vibratory only for an air shedding action, while the outer fiexible portions 9, 10, 9a and 10, which normally lie in the plane of and form a part of the supporting surface, are movable vertically for balancinil actions.

ach wing thus comprises a body having a rigid fore-portion and a iiexible rear portion, the latter consisting of an inner section normally uncontrolled and adapted to iiex or vibrate under air pressures, and an outer section adapted to be positively controlled and adjusted to maintain the lateral balance of the machine. The ailerons, balancing planes or win tips 9 and 10 are capable of being exed downward and only to a positive angle of incidence, and constitute no part of the present invention, while the wing tips, ailerons or balancing planes 9a and 10a are capable of being flexed upward only to a negative angle of incidence and Lussem vertical axis. Furthermore, the balancing mechanism is sim lilied in construction and rendered more reliable and etlicient in action.

Having thus described my invention. I claim:

l. A supporting surface for flying machines comprising an aeroplane havin a lifting curvature in a fore-and-aft directlon, the wings of said plane being disposed in the same horizontal plane and provided at the corners of their trailing edges1 with correspondingly curved ailerons formingparts of the plane and normally arranged Within the plane thereof, said ailerons having movement in an upward direction onlyffrom a normal position beyond the plane ofthe supporting surface being independent of operating connection with each other, and being automatically movable to normal position after actuation, and operating means for moving said ailerons to a negative angle of incidence in an upward direction, said operating means operative for separately and independently adjusting said ailerons.

2. A supporting surface for flying machines comprising an aeroplane having a lifting curvature in a fore-and-aft direction, said plane being of oblong rectangular form and of greater length than width and having its Wings disposed in the same horizontal plane and its lead and trailing edges arranged in parallel relation, the trailing portions of the Wings of said plane being provided adjacent their lateral margins with ailerons forming part of the plane and curved to conform thereto and normally arranged within the plane of said aeroplane, said ailerons being separate from and independent of operative connection with each other, automatically movable after actuation to normal position, and operable only in an upward direction from such position to a negative angle of incidence relative lto the plane of the aeroplane, and means for sepa rately and independently moving each aileron in an upward direction to a negative angle of incidence as set forth.

3. A supporting surface for flying ma.- chines comprising an aeroplane having all of its portions disposed substantially in the same horizontal plane and formed with a fore-and-aft lifting curvature, said aero plane having its trailing half provided with an inadjustable central portion havinga limited degree of flexibility under Wing pressure, and ailerons at the lateral extremities of the trailing portion of greater flexibility than said central portion and flexible in an upward direction only to a negative angle of incidence relative to the plane of the aeroplane, said ailerons being normally arranged in the plane of the aeroplane and curved to conform there-to and forming part thereof and automatically movable to normal position after actuation and immovable below the plane of the aeroplane, and inea-ns for separately and independently adjusting the respective ailerons.

4. A supporting surface for flying machines comprising `an aeroplane having all of its portions disposed substantially in the same horizontal plane and formed with a lifting foreandaft curvature, said aeroplane being provided with ailerons at the outer margins of the trailing portions thereof, said ailerons being normally arranged in the plane of the aeroplane and curved to conform. thereto and forming part thereof and being-immovable from a normal position below the plane of the aeroplane and movable in an upward direction only to a negative angle of incidence above the plane of the aeroplane and adapted to automatically return to normal position after actuation, and means for independently operai ing the. respective ailerons. said means embodying devices for transmitting an upward pull to eachaileron, each of said devices including branching connections coupled to the aileron on opposite sides of the center thereof.

5. A supporting surface for flying machines comprising an aeroplane having all of its portions disposed Substantially in the same horizontal plane and formed with a lifting curvature in a fore-and-aft direction and having its trailing portion provided with ailerons at or near the lateral margins thereof, said ailerons being normally ar ranged in the plane of the aeroplane and 100 curved to conform thereto and forming part thereof andbeing immovable downwardly 'from a normal position below the plane of the main plane and movable from a normal position in an upward direction only to a los negative angle of incidence relative tothe plane of the aeroplane` each aileron being adapted to automatically return to normal position after actuation, and separate and independent levers and connections for sepa- Jie rately and independently adjusting the respective ailerons.

6. A supporting surface for ilying n1achines comprising an aeroplane having all of its portions disposed substantially in the 'N5 same horizontal plane and formed with a fore-andaft lifting curvature and having its trailing portion provided with ailerons at the lateral margins thereof, said ailerons being normally arranged in the plane of 120 the aeroplane and curved to conform thereto and' forming part thereof and immovable downwardly from a normal position below the plane of said aeroplane and movable in an upward direction only from a normal po- 1-25 sition to a negative angle of incidence relative to the plane ofthe aeroplane, each ail'- eren being adapted to automatically return to normal position after actuation, and separate and independent levers and connections 130 for separately and independently moving said ailerons upwardly, said levers being arranged for instinctive controlling motions on the part of the operator.

7. A supporting surface for lying inachines comprising an aeroplane having all of its portions disposed substantially in the saine horizontal plane and formed with a lifting curvature in a loreand-aft direction, said aeroplane having its trailing portion provided with bisections on opposite sides of its center forming an inadjustable Comparatively inflexible central trail portion and ailerons at the lateral margins of the wings of the aeroplane, said ailerons being curved to conform to and forming part of the structure of the aeroplane and being normally arranged in the plane thereof, said ailerons being immovable from a normal position below the plane ol the aeroplane and movable in an upward direction only to a negative angle of incidence above the plane of the aeroplane, and controlling devices for manually actuating the respective ailerons, said controlling devices being arranged for separately and independently actuating said ailerons and capable of transferring upward movement thereto only.

8. A supporting surface for flying machines comprising an aeroplane of oblong rectangular form with all of its portions disposed substantially in the saine horizontal plane and having straight parallel leading and trailing edges, the trailing portion of the plane having a downward and rearward curvature, and said trailing portion of the plane being provided in its Wing portions with fore-and-aft bisections, forming a rigid and inflexible portion at the center of the aeroplane and flexible portions at the lateral margins of the aeroplane, said ilexible portions forming ailerons constituting a part of the aeroplane curved to conform thereto and normally arranged in the plane thereof, said ailerons being immovable in a downward direction below the plane of the aeroplane and movable in an upward direction only to a negative angle of incidence above the plane of the aeroplane and antomatically movable to normal position after actuation, and controlling devices for separately and independently actuating the 'respective ailerons and operative Ylor moving said ailerons upwardly only and inoperative for moving them downwardly.

9. A supporting surface for flying inachines comprising an aeroplane having all of its portions substantially in the same horizontal plane and formed with a foreand-aft lifting curvature, said aeroplane being provided with ailerons normally forming a part of said aeroplane and curved to conform thereto and arranged 1n the plane thereof, said ailerons being movable in an upward direction only to a negative angle of incidence, and lexible up-pulling controlling connections for separately and independently adjusting said ailerons in an upward direction only.

l0. A supporting surface for flying Inachines comprising an aeroplane of oblong rectangular form having all of its portions disposed substantially in the same horizontal plane and formed with a fore-and-aft lifting curvature, said aeroplane being provided with parallel leading and trailing edges, the trailing portion of said aeroplane being downwardly and rearwardly curved, said trailing portion being bisected in a fore-and-aft direction between the center and lateral margins of the aeroplane and forming a central comparatively inflexible portion 'and lateral flexible portions constituting ailerons, the said ailerons being movable only in an upward direction to a negative angle of incidence and immovable in a downward direction beyond a normal position below the plane of the aeroplane, said ailerons being curved to conform to and constituting integral parts of the plane structure, and separate and independent devices for adjusting said ailerons in an upward direction only and incapable of adjusting them downwardly.

l1. A supporting surface for flying machines comprising an aeroplane having a fore-and-aft, downward and rearward lifting curvature, the wings of said aeroplane being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and provided at the outer lateral margins of their trailing edges with correspondingly curved ailerons forming integral portions of the aeroplane and normally arranged within the plane thereof, said ailerons being independent of controlling connection with each other and adjustable vcrtically for stabilizing action from a normal position in a single direction only1 beyond the plane of the aeroplane and inoperative in the reverse direction beyond the plane of the aeroplane, and means constrainedly op erative for separately and independently adjusting said ailerons.

12. A supporting surface for flying machines comprising an aeroplane having a fore-and-aft, downward and rearward lifting curvature, the wings of said aeroplane being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and provided at the outer lateral margins of their trailing edges with correspondingly curved ailerons forming integral portions of the aeroplane and normally arranged within the plane thereof, said ailerons being independent of controlling connection with each other and adjustable vertically for stabilizing action from a normal position in a single direction only beyond the plane of the aeroplane and inoperative in the reverse direction beyond the plane of the aeroplane. and means constrainedly operative for separately and independently In testimony whereof I affix my signature adjusting said ailerons solely in the direcin presence of two Witnesses.

tions of their movement beyond the plane REXFORD M. SMITH. of the aeroplane, said ailerons being auto- Witnesses:

maticall)``Y movable by nir pressure after E. E. YOUNG,

actuation back to normal position. C. C. HINES.

copies ot this patent may be obtained for tive cents each, by lddressing the Commissioner of Patenti. Washington, D. C.

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