US1362292A - Aeroplane - Google Patents

Description

Q.GUNDERS0N.

AEHOPLANE.

vAPPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. i920.

Patented De@.14,1920.

OZe @a/mnsm l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLE eUNDEnsoN, or scHENEcTA'DY, NEW Yoan.

AEROPLAN E.

Application led March 23, 1920. Serial N0. 368,005.

A V'more especially to launching and landing devices; and the object of the same is primarily to construct a flying machine which is deslgned and intended to rise along a substantially vertical line under the impulses of its own propellers. 'l

In carrylng out this object, Ione feature of the invention is the arrangement of its supporting chassis.

Another feature is the special seaty for the driver.

Another feature is -the special anchor.

Details of the invention as applied to any ordinary biplane are set forth below` and shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine about to ascend.

Fig. 2 vis a plan view of the machine in iii ht, the planes being dotted only. he body of the machine is broadly designated by the letter B, P are the planes, T the tails controlled by a steering device or stick S, and E the motor or engine controlled by a lever L; and no novelty is claimed for the pa rts mentioned.

The vdriving mechanism .in the present case consists of a relatively small propeller l having two blades and mounted on a shaft 2 which rotates in a bearing 3, and a relatively large two-bladed propeller 4 mounted on a sleeve 5 surrounding the shaft 2 'and in its own bearing 6,'this propeller having its blades pitched and therefore as a whole rotating'oppositely'to the other and in a pla-ne a little distance from it. Power is communicated from the motor or engine E to the shaft and sleeve in any suitable manner,v

as for instance by the bevel gearing broadly indicated at 7 in Fig. 1.v

The drawings show the elements L and S for controlling the engine and for steering, and these elements will stand within reach f of an operator mounted' on vhis seat. The latter -in this case lis specially constructed,

vthe ground h aving a bottom 10 and a back 11 at about rlght angles to it, and both being rather narrow as shown in Fig. 2, the seat being mounted on standards or supports 12 which hold it-rigid with the body no matter what position the latter-assumes. Ordinarily the drlver will sit on the seatbottom 10, but when ascending or starting along` a practic ally vertical line he `will slide back and sit on the seatback 11 as indicated in Fig. 1, and the bottom should be rather narrow` so'Y that his legs can pass astride it at this time. The harness for holding him in place will be constructed with a view to permitting him to shifthis position as thus suggested. l

The launching and landing devices employed in connection with the machine vas thus described are specially constructed in order that the body B will stand almost vertical when the base of the chassis rests `on the ground. .Said chassis is herein shown asv having a pair of front legs 20 leading `downward and rearward from the body Band diverging from each other, and a single rear leg 21 leading back from the body to a point beyond the tails, or at least to such point that it will hold the tails oft' the ground; and 22 designates truss rods for bracing the legs. This chassis may have for its base any suitable supports Vvs uch as skids, shoes, pontoons, or wheels 23 and 24 as shown; but it is limportant that, whatever the form taken by the supports,'the base of the chassis shall stand nearly at right angles to the length of the body. Therefore when said base (the wheels as shown) rests on the ground the body B stands upright on forward a little from a strictly vertical line. In connection with this structure I preferably make use of an anchor, herein shown as composedy of a. rope 25 connected with some part of the chassis and hanging therefrom, and a spring clip 26'carr1ed by. theV rope and adapted to be engaged lwith some fixed object such 'as the stump 27 herein illustrated, although of course any hea object such as la stone or perhaps an. atten ant vwould answer. The purpose of thel anchor is to hold the machine upright on `its base ready to start, and thev spring clip will` slip off the object 27 (or be released by the', "attendant) when the start is made.

In launching a machine as thus constructed, it is stood on the base of its chassis as seen Fig. 1 and anchored `ifan anchorv and by preference inclined olf the object 27, the retarding eect of the anchor no longer prevails, and the aeroplane rises along a substantially vertical line up which it is pulled by the combined action of the two propellers. When the desired altitude has been attained, the operator through his controls puts the machineon an even keel and continues his fli'ght as usual.

When a landing is to be made, the machine is steered to a point near the surface and then its nose turned upward, the speed of the propellers is retarded and the momentum of the machine soon ceases, and then by proper control the operator can permit the machine to settle tail-first 'until he' lands on the base'of the chassis with the nose of the machine in the air and again in the position occupied at starting. In other words, launching' is eectedy by use of a. chassis which holds the machine' with its nose upward,'and employment of themotor and propellers; and landing is efected by a tail drive, while descent is retarded and controlled by the same propellers. It is obvious that the wheels 23 and 24 might be replaced by other forms of shoes, and even pontoons could be used at the base of the chassis so that the machine could rise from and ali ht upon the water.

hat is claimed as new is:

1. In anaeroplane, a launchlng and landing chassis carried by the body with its base substantially at right angles to the length of suchbody, and anchoring mechanism adapted to make frictional engagement with some fixed object.

2. The combination with an aeroplane including a-body and tails; of a chassis including a rear leg projecting from the bodyv beyond `the tails, fixed front legs", and supports o n said legs producing ay base for the chassis standing in a plane substantially at' right angles to the length of the body.

3. The combination with. an aeroplane including a body and tails;'of a chassisincluding a rear leg projecting from the body beyondthe tails, front legs projecting obliquely downward .and rearward from the front of the body and diverging fromV each the controls, and a seat Leeaaea cludingabody andtailsmfa launchin chassis including legs projecting obliquely rom the front of the body, and beyondthe tails from the rear of the body, and wheels on said legs in a plane substantially at right angles to the length of the body, and anchoring mechanismincluding a spring clip suspended from said chassis and adapted to make frictional engagement with some fixed ob- 'ect., J 5. In an aeroplane, the combination with a bodyfand its tails and driving mechanism, the controls, and a seat ixedly supported from the body adjacent the controls and including a narrow bottom and aback at right angles. thereto; of a launching chassis carried by the body and with its base in a plane across the rear of the tails substantially at right angles to the length of the bOdy;

6. In an aeroplane, the combination with a body and its tails and driving mechanism, iXedly supported fromthe body adjacent the controls and including a narrowbottom and a back at-right angles' thereto;y of a launching'l chassis carried by the body for holding the latter substantially vertical with its tails 'above the surface, and anchoring mechanism includ'- ing a rope cbnnected with the body and a spring clip carried by the rope and l'adapted to engage a fixed object.

7l. he combination with an' aeroplane including a lbody and. tails; of a chassisincluding a rear leg rojecting from the body beyond the tails, ront legs projecting obliquely rearward from the frontof the -body and diverging from each other, braces for the legs holding their-lower ends in a plane substantially at right angles tothe length of the body, and anchoring mechanism including a rope y'connected with the braces andv means on said rope adapted to makefric,

tional engagement with some fixed object.

In testimony whereof I aiiix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

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