US1359566A - Flying-machine - Google Patents

Description

B. BENDER.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED mm. 11, :920.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.v

2 SHEETS-SHEET' I.

INVEN TOR.

A TT ORNE Y.

. BENDER.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLlcAloN FILED MAR. 17, 1920.

1,359,566. Patented Nov. 23,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

U ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERLIN BENDER, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Application med Haren 17, 1920. serial no. 366,534.

T o all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I; BERLIN BENDER, accitizenof the United States of America, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to combined traction and steering means for airplanes.

Heretofpre considerable diliculty has been experienced by aviators in getting their airplanes into and out of the hangar, it being necessary to employ as many as five men for this work. Furthermore it notv infrequently happens that thi's number of assistants is not available and consequently the aviator is unable to take a flight or get his machine back into the hangar as the case may be.

The purpose of the present invention is to obviate the diiliculties just mentioned by mounting a. combined steering and traction wheel upon the rudder post or other part of the airplane whereby the pilot can control the direction of travel when the airplane is on the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide means forl propelling the airplane on the ground when the propeller is idling.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part described and in part obvious as the specification is proceed` ed with. v

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an airplane equipped with my improved taxing and steering device; I

Fig. 2 is a detail in side elevation, having parts broken away and shown in section, of the improved device;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same taken at right angles to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary disassembled view of the type of compound joint employed;

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the locking sleeve;

Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the pivot connection of the wheel post;

Fig. 7 is a vertical' section through the compound joint, with the wheel post in its inoperative position;

'.Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7, and

taken on the line description of these parts is deemed unnecessary.

12 represents my improved traction and steering wheel having .the axle 11 upon which one leg 17l of the wheel post 8 is supported. The upper tubular end 9 of this post 8 is formed with an apertured tongue loadapted to be pivotally mounted between the bifurcations 13 of a sleeve 14 as by means of pin or the like 15. The reduced lower end of the rudder post 7 which is formed with bifurcations 18, similar to the bifurcations 13 of the sleeve 14, fits within the upper end of the latter and is locked therein against relative vertical movement by means of a screw or pin 15 extending from the sleeve into a circumferential groove 16 formed in the'rudder post. The purpose of this form ofcon.- nection between the wheel 12 and the rudder post is to lpermit of free rotation of the rudder post independently of the wheel post when the wheel 12 is swung to inoperative or dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 1, and also shown in a fragmentar way in Fig. 4, as will be more fully descr1bed hereinafter.

When the traction and steering wheel 12 is in operative position as shown in Figs. 2and 3 and in full lines Fig. 1, the rudder post 5 and wheel post 8 are keyed together for simultaneous rotation due to the engagement of the tongue 10 between the bifurcations 18. A sleeve 30 on the rudder post is normally forced downwardly over the joint by a, coil spring 31 thus locking the wheel 12 in operative orextended position.

The wheel 12 may be swung to inoperative or dotted line position Fig. 1, by means of' a cable 28 attached at one end to the leg 17 of wheel post 8 and at its other end to a hand lever 29. The lever 29 may be locked in its forward position to a segment 30, in any suitthe sleeve 30 must rst be raised to Fig. 4 position. This is accomplished by means of a cable or the like 31 attached at one end to the sleeve 30 and at its other end to a hand lever 32 adapted to be locked in adjusted position to the segment 33 in any desired manner (not shown). A cable 43 connected at one end to the leg 17 of the wheel post and passing over lan arm 44 on the latter is conl nected at its opposite end to the hand lever 45. Forward movement of the lever pulls the wheel 12 to vertical or operative'position, whereupon the sleeve 30 will automatically drop over the joint between the Wheel post and the rudder post.

The wheel 12 is driven from the engine 3 `by a flexible shaft 20, one end of which passes through a bearing formed in the leg 41 of the wheel post 8. This end of the iexible shaft 2O has fined thereto a bevel gear 21 in mesh with a bevel gear 22 on the axle 11, saidgears being suitably inclosed within a housing 42. The opposite end of 'the flexible shaft passes through a bearing 27 and has a friction disk 23 fixed thereto adapted to engage a friction disk 24 on the engine shaft 25. Any suitable means (not shown) may be employed for varying the pressure with which the disk 23 en ages the disk 24 o r for shifting the point o engagement of the former on the latter for the purpose of regulating the speed at which the flexible shaft is driven.

When in flight the wheel 12 will be kept i length to permit of the wheel engaging the ground when the latter is swung to operative position after landing.

In operation the aviator steers the airplane into or out of the hangar by actuating the rudder 6 in the usual manner by pulling l on rudder strings 47 leading to a foot control (not shown).

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with the rudder of an airplane, a taxing and surface steering device connected thereto, movable when in operative position with said rudder, but allowing independent movement of such rudder when in an inoperative position.

2. .In combination with the rudder post of an airplane, propelling means hingedly connected thereto and movable collectively with said post when in one position, but allowing of independent movement of the post when in its other position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

BERLIN BENDER.

Images