US1414410A - Helicopter - Google Patents

Description

W. HAUPT.

HELICOPTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23,- 1920.

Patented May 2, 1922.

45 *P/P 16' 2 17 L 18 33M; Gl tch 140% W. HAUPT.

HELICOPTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23,1920.

' Patented May 2, 1922.

UNITED STATES" PATENT oFFics.

1,414,410. Patented May'2, 1922.

. Application filed March 23, 1920. Serial No. 368,204.

Specification of Letters Patent.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, \Vi-nvzru. HAUPT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in the" county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Helicopters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention generally relates to propellers and in particular to the kind used for liftin and known as helicopters.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a device for lifting aircraft from the ground in a substantially vertical direction.

Another object of my invention is to construct such device in a manner as to impart thereto not only a high grade of lifting power but also the capacity of carrying properties'. l i In order to explain the principle of its construction it is necessary to elucidate the successive steps taken in the developing of 5 my device.

The principle of a propeller is well known.

When developing a plane into a propeller,

the operation of which is based upon the principle of a pair of revolving blades of equal pitch. it will be 'found that the effective area'of the propeller lies at or near its longitudinal centerline. The lifting or pro-' pelling power depends upon the pitch of the' blades.

The blade areas atboth sides of the longitudinal center portion are not effective to the'same degree, as to their lifting or propolling capacity. as the central area, since they are not within the radius of the pro-v peller. In order to make effective all or nearly all parts of the propeller it is necessary to create a plurality of radial units, each with an effective center area as largeas possible. .Therefore I divide the originl propeller planes in a multitude of individual double bladed propellers, the center line of each blade being disposed radially from the propeller center common to all divided propellers.

The operation of each revolving propeller in conjunction with the atmosphere is similar to that of a screw thread. .Upon the grade of incline or the pitch of the blade and upon the speed. with which a propeller rotates depends the speed of travel of the propeller. I

If the pitch is small at a given number of revolutions the propeller will move forward slower than if the pitch is greater.

A propeller of small pitch, will have the tendency of carrying similar to a circular stationary plane or a revolving fiat-bladed propeller.

In order to achieve the desired combined results of carrying and propelling, I provide the individual blade propellers with a shearing curve which gradually engages the atmosphere, and secondin supplying surplus air from one propeller to the other. Thefirst object aids in overcoming the air resistance, the second greatly. increases the lifting or propelling power of my device,

as the air deflected from the propell'er first engaging the "air is thrown in the path of the next following propeller. The deflected air, otherwise lost, is partially compressed andacts as an additional air cushion in conjunction with the lower air-layer engaged by the second propeller.

With the varying pitches of the individual propellers their widths vary accordingly,-

andwith'their width the effective propelling area changes in proportion.

In direct relation with the effective lifting or propelling area is the carrying power of the propellers.

The smaller the effective propelling area is, the larger becomes the carrying capacity of the blades. Thus the blades of smallest pitch and consequently of smallest width have the smallest propelling area but the largest carrying capacity. The greater the pitch of the propeller blades the wider they become, and the greater is their propelling area while the carrying capacity diminishes in proportion. i

- a sector of 90?, thus leavin parts.

The best results may be obtained when the propellers are evenly distributed within a free space of 90 between the front of t e to propeller and the rear of the bottom prope ler.

Another important feature of my device is the gradually increasing pitches of the blades varying in degrees by arithmetical progression, for instance starting with 9 degrees and terminating at 45 degrees.v The arrangement of the propellers'is of course not limited to any particular number and similarly the pitch variation may start at any desired de ree It may seem that a similar result m ght be obtained by connectin the propellers to two symmetrical, parabo icallycurved lanes or by overlapping the propellers. uch contention is erro-' 'neous, and experiments have proved that it is absolutely necessary to provide individual and distinctly separated propellers inorder toachieve the best of operating conditions in my device.

The foregoing explanation involving some of the objects of my invention will be more clearly understood from the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a pair of diagrammatical views of a plane.

Figure 2 is a pair of diagrammatical views illustrating the peller.

Figure 3 is a die rammatical view of one propeller blade ivided in five equal process of forming a pro- Figure 4 represents the parts separated, the blade center lines lndlcating efiectlve lifting areas at different pitches.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatical view illus-' trating the arrangement of blades in my helicopter. l

Figure 6 is a diagrammatical view of blades illustrating the wayair is deflected from one propeller into the path of the next following.

Figure 7 is a top view of a preferred. form of my device. v

Figure 8 is a top view otasingle propeller.' p

Figure 3 is a sectional v1ew therethrough taken on line 99 of Figure 8.

- propeller.

Figure 10 is, a sectional view taken on line 1010 of Figur 8.

Figure 11 is a si e elevation'of a'single Figures 12,13, 14, 15 and 16 are diagrammatical views showing .various pitches of five propeller blades.

Figure 17 is a side elevation of on device. Figure 18 is'a bottom view thereo v 7 -Figure. 19 is a typical enlarged section throu h a" propeller blade.

Re erri to the drawings, the successive steps deve oping my helicopter may be readily followed. The plane 10' (Fig. 1 is divided at its transversal center! line v11 ,(Fig. 2), into two symmetrical wings- 12 and 13, inclined at a certain angle or pitch, While the longitudinal center line 14 remains unchanged. Thus a double-bladed propeller is created.

lit is obvious that in a comparatively wide propeller only a small strip in .near proximit to the longitudinal center line of each bla e is radial, while the blades edges are off center. The effective area of a propeller blade is at its longitudinal center line, and the inefi'ectivenes of a propeller blade due to this cause increases with its width.

Consequentl I endeavor to create a larger number of efllictive areas while decreasing the less effective areas of a. propeller.

This I accomplish by dividing the original large propeller in the way indicated in Figure 3, representing the propeller blade '12, and finally separate it into independent units seen in Figure 4. b

By altering the pitch of each unit, placing the, units on top of each other starting with the unit of largest pitch atlthe bottom. and distributing the units radially at equal angles within a given sector the blades will form a parabolic curve (Fig. 5).

Since the lifting and carrying powers depend upon the pitch of the blades it is obvious that the blades of greater pitch will have more lifting capacity andless carrying power, while the blades of smaller pitch will act as carriers due to their reduced propelling power.

Thus the blades 15 and 16 (Fig. 5 will i carry and blades 17 18 and 19 will lift.

The lifting capacity of the thus con structed helicopter is greatly increased by deflection of air from one propeller to, or

in the path of the next following propeller when the device is in motion. See Figure 6.

The'rotating blade 15 strikes the air ind'iblade 16 Strikes and upon which it, so to speak, glides upward.

The same recess is repeated in the to lowing prope ler blades.

It will be'observed that the blades receive a convex-concave shape, which increases their efiiciency still more.

In Figure 7 maybe seen the radial arran ment of-five pro 11ers evenly distribute within aseetor o 90. Thus the anguto one.

lar distance from the longitudinal center line of one propeller to the other is 22% deees.

The propellers are arranged above each other and have a common axis. Tangentially from the hub-like center 23 and parallel to the longitudinal center line, run the back edges 24 of the blades (see Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11), while their front edges 25 are broken at 26 and continue fill-27 radially toward the hub center. The portions between the hub and the parallel blade portions thus represent the original shapes from which the propellers are made, the dotted. lines 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 correspond to the various pitch angles of 9,18, 27, 36 and 45 degrees respectively, and the curves represent theinner surfaces of the blades.

While specific angles are mentioned it is obvious that they may be changed to suit different conditions.

Also the number of propellers may be changed. For certain purposes three and even two propellers might suflice, while on the other hand a much larger number than five will be necessary to suit other conditions.

The propellers as shown in Figures 7, 17 and 18, are grouped in the aforementioned relation one'on top of the other and their proportion of length and width is twenty Experiments have demonstrated this relation of dimensions to be preferable to any other. I reserve for myself the right however to make alterations to meet various requirements.

Obviously may be changed from that shown, especially as-to its straight ends, which may be round ed or receive other forms, also the curvature of blade proper may vary.

Generally I reserve for myself the right to change, and, differently construct and mprove-upon my invention, for which I claim: 1. In a propeller, the combmation of five parabolically arranged blade umts placed on top of and connected with each other and having a common central axis, each unit comprising. a pair of symmetrical blades of equal pitch, said units being disposed at an angular distance of 22% degrees from each other, thus providing two free angular distances of 90 degrees between the top and bottom units, the pitch of theseblade units varying by arithmetical progression from the first term of 9 degrees to the last term of 45 degrees, said blades. being so dis osed that the upper or cutting edge of one lade also the shape of the blades lies in the same plane with the lower or delivery edge of the adjacent blade.

2. In a propeller, the combination of a plurality of parabolically arranged blade units placedon top of each other and having a common central axis, each unit comprising a pair of symmetrical blades of equal pitch, said units being disposed inrelation to'each other 'at equal angular distances within an angle of 90 degrees, thus providing two free angular distances of 90 degrees between the top and bottom units, the pitch of these blade units differing by arithmetical progression from a given angular first term to a given angular last term, said blades being so disposed that the upper or cutting edge of one blade lies in the same plane with the lower or delivery edge of,

the adjacent blade.

3. In a propeller, the combination of aplurality of parabolically arranged symmetrical blade units of differing pitch placed on top of and connected with each other and having a common central axis, said units being disposed in relation to each other at equal angular distances leaving free spaces between each group of blades, the pitch of the units gradually increasing from top to bottom, said blades being so disposed that the, upper .or cutting edge of one blade lies in the same plane with the lower or delivery edge of the adjacent blade.

4:. In a propeller, the combination of a plurality of parabolically arranged symmetrical blades of gradually decreasing pitch grouped and connected with each other at equal angles and having a common central axis, said blades being so disposed that the upper or cutting edge of one blade lies in the same plane with the lower or delivery edge of the adjacent blade. 5. A helicopter comprising a plurality of individual propeller blades mounted; one

above the other, grouped in a parabolic curve in a sector of degrees, thus providing a pair of free opposite disposed sectors of 90 degrees between the blade sectors, said propellers being of various pitches, the uppermost propeller havingv the smallest pitch,

the lower-most propeller being of largest pitch, the propellers being grouped so that their center lines lie in a parabolical are, said blades being'so disposed that the upper or cutting edge of one blade lies in the same plane with the lower or delivery edge of the adjacent blade. 4

7. A helicopter comprising a plurality of individual radially disposed bladed propellers, the blades arranged above and at equal angles to each other, and comprising blade groups, said blade groups forming blade group sectors, so disposed as to leave between them free sectors, the propeller blades having various pitches, and arranged to form two symmetrical parabolic arcs, said blades 'in said blade groups being so disposed that 7 ing said wings with' the hub, and having .parabolically grouped their front edges disposed radially from the center axis of the hub, the blades of said propellers being so disposed that the upper or, cutting edge of one blade lies in the same plane with the lower or delivery edge of the adjacent blade.

9. A helicopter comprising a plurality of pitch. arranged radia y and above each other, the upper propeller of lesser pitch adapted to serve as carriers, the lower propellers of greater pitch serving as lifters, said propel ersbeing so disposed'that their upper and lower edges of two adjacent propellers lie in the same'plane.

10. A helicopter comprising'in' combination a plurality of lifting and carrying propellers arranged in parabolic curves, the former having a greater pitch than the latter so that the upper edge of one propeller lie 1propellers of various in the same plane with the lower edge of the 7 ing and carrying propellers, said propellers being so disposed that the upper edge of one propeller lies in the same plane with the lower edge of the adjacent propeller, each propeller adapted to individually engage the atmosphere and transmit the engaged ate mosphere toward and in the path of the next following propeller.

13- A helicopter comprising a plurality of parabolically grouped individual radially disposed propellers of different pitches, said propellers being so disposed that the upper edge of one propeller lies in the same plane withthe lower edge of the adjacent propeller, each propeller adapted to individually engage the atmosphere when the helicopter is revolved. v

l4. A helicopter comprising a plurality of parabolically grouped radially disposed propellers the length and width of which are proportioned twenty to one, the upper and lower edges of two adjacent propellers lying in one plane.

15. A helicopter comprising a plurality of parabolically grouped propellers having convex-concave propeller blades arranged in a parabolic curve. and adapted to transmit air from one blade to the other, the u per and lower edges of two-adjacent prope lers lying-in one plane.

Signed at New York cit in the county of New York, and State of ew York, this 22d day of March, A. D. 1920.

' WENZEL- HAUPT.

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