US1567222A - Tail skid - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1925- P. G. ZIMMERMANN TAIL SKID Original Filed August 17 3 She tsheet 1 INVENTOR Dec. 29, 1925 P. G. ZIMMERMANN TAIL.SKID

Original Filed August 17 I 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet, 2

INVENTOR 7 TORA'E Y Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

PAUL G. ZIMMERMAN 'N, OF KEYPORT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AEROMARINE PLANE & MOTOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TAIL SKYID.

Application filed August 17, 1921, Serial No. 492,957. Renewed May 16, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL G. ZiMMEn- MANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Keyport. in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tail Skids.

. This invention relates to tail-skids for aeroplanes, and has for its object the provision of a tail skid, simple and inexpensive to manufacture and having a great swinging radius, and at the same time possessing great strength, durability and freedom from possible mishaps.

In theaceompanying drawings, forming a part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation showing the tailskid attached to the body framework of the plane, which is represented by broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the pivotal anchor; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the anchor for the yielding member.

In the drawings the main members or longerons of the rear part of the longitudinal body frame or fuselage of the plane are illustrated at 1, various compression members at 2, and the tension members at 3.

The skid proper, illustrated at 4, is of'the usual formation, and is preferably constructed of wood provided with a metallic shoe 5, illustrated as being fastened by screws and bolts 6.

Secured to certain of the com ression members 2 of the rear part of the rame of the aeroplane are downwardly converging vertical supports 7, preferably of seamless drawn tubing, which brace at their lower extremities 8, at the bottom of the frame, a

, fixed horizontal cross member 9, which may be made of any suitable form or conformation, butisillust-rated in these drawings as a tubular piece. Additional support for this cross member 9 is secured in brackets 10 mounted on the bottom longerons l. The tail-skid 4 passes'over and behind this member. Passing transversely through the center of said member 9, at an upward-andrearward and downward-and-forward inclination, is a short sleeve 11, which is welded thereto. Within said sleeve is the stem of an eye bolt 12, having washers 13 interposed between the eye portion 14 of the bolt and a nut 15 which permits the eye and bolt and the washers to have free rotative movement in the sleeve 11. Said sleeve 11 thus form= a bearing for the fastening 12, which is free to swivel about its axis on the cross-member 9. The eye 14 is at the upper end of the bolt, above, and somewhat to the rear of the cross member 9.

A U-bolt 16 inserted upward and rearward through the intermediate portion of the tail-skid proper, has its forward looped or eye end linked with the eye 14, the tailskid being thus secured to the cross member in a very strong manner by connections which are in tension in landing and afford great flexibility, being capable of rocking in all directions. A plate 17 having holes through which the limbs of the U-bolts pass and interposed between the front of the tailskid and the eye of the eye-bolt affords a bearing for the outer face of the latter, the plate being preferably provided with a curved seat 18 for the end of the eye. The distance between this bearing seat and the back of the loop of the U being approximately equal to the thickness of the eye of the eye-bolt, looseness is avoided. Nuts 21 on the rear ends of the limbs of the U-bolt, acting upon an interposed washer-plate 20 at the back of the tail-skid, secure the U-bolt in place. The form of the fulcrum fastenings 12 and 16 need not in all instances be precisely adhered to, but is especially advanta eous, for manifest reasons.

ecured to the upper end of the tail-skid 4 by means of bolts 22 is a fitting 23 comprising collars 24 and 25 encircling the tailskid member and connected to a round post or back portion 26 by means of spacing projections 27 on the post, and the bolts 22, which pass through the collars, skid, spacers and post, the post or back and the spacers being in one piece and separate from the collars. The object of this fitting is to provide a suitable loop or clevis pro ecting for ward from the skid, through which to pass elastic holding and restraining members, including a cushioning elastic 28, which passes doubled between the spacers 27 and in front of the tail-skid inember,'its two halves thence extending divcrgingly laterally, rearwardly and upwardly to laterally-spaced sheaves 29 on a top cross member 30, about which sheaves the ends of the elastic are looped.

The other member engaging the clevis 23 is an elastic rebound check, comprising an elastic loop 31 passing behind the post portion 26 and between the spacers 27 and stayed by a wire 32, which diverges laterally, forwardly and upwardly to suitable anchorages on the frame. The cushion elastic and the rebound check together hold the tailskid yieldingly in its normal position.

What I claim as new is:

1. In an aeroplane, a fixed bottom cross member of a rear part of the frame of the aeroplane, a tail-skid member passing over and behind said cross member, and tension connections flexibly fastening the taid-skid member to the cross member for universal rocking movements.

2. In an aeroplane, a fixed bottom cross member of the rear of the frame of the aeroplane, a tail-skid member passing over and behind said cross member, and link fastenings on the cross member and tail-skid memberlinked, one into the other for general rocking movement.

3. In an aeroplane, a bottom cross member, a tail-skid member passing over and behind said cross member, an eye-bolt fastening on one of the members and an engaging U-bolt fastening on the other member.

4. In an aeroplane, a bottom cross'member, a tail-skid member passing over and behind said cross member, an eye-bolt fastening swiveled in said cross member, and an engaging U-bolt fastening in the tail-skid member.

5. Ina tail-skid, a tail-skid member, a clevis on the upper end of said member and projecting forward therefrom, a cushionelastic passed through the clevis and about the tail-skid member, and a rebound check looped through the projecting part of the clevis.

6. In a tail-skid having a tail-skid member, a clevis on the upper end of said member, comprising spaced collars encircling the same, a back and upper and lower spacer portions in a separate piece from the collars, and bolts passed through the collars, tailskid members and the spacer portionsto secure the whole in place.

7. In a tail-skid, a tail-skid member, a clevis on the upper end of said member and projecting forward therefrom, a cushion elastic passed through said clevis and in front of the tail-skid member, its two halves thence extending divergently laterally, rearwardly and upwardly, and laterally spaced sheaves about which the ends of sald elastic are looped.

PAUL G. ZIMISIERMANN.

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