US1627614A - Aerial landing harp eor aeroplanes - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mv *wiwi -N. A.'M=CULLYl AERIAL LANDING HARP FOR AEROPLANBS Filed Oct 14 1925 y "l, WITNESSS wff@ Patented May 10, `1927'.

UNITED STATES NEWTON A. MCCULLY, OF ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

AERIAL LANDING HARP FOR AEROPLANES.

Application filed October' 14, 1925. Serial No. 62,358.

My invention relates to apparatus `for safely receiving and securing aircraft upon landing, and, more particularly, to landing apparatus capable `of receiving an aeroplane when landing in restricted areas or quarters, as, for example, on the decks of ships or on the tops of buildings, or Where an extensive, smooth, landing iield is not available.

rlhe objects of my invention are, among others, to provide landing apparatus of simple, inexpensive construction which may readily be installed and built without speciallyskilled labor; by which the aeroplane may be brought gradually to positive stop without the necessity for complicated arresting mechanism; which may be suspended in the air and neither in itself nor in any 0f its attachments create any eddies or `disturbances of air currents; which does Inot require an absolutely accurate approach within a very small area, the aeroplane having a relatively wide choice of area in which to eiiect its landing; in which dangers of capsizing the aeroplane or of turning it end over end are avoided, and in which the arresting of the aeroplane in a safe, upright position is insured when engaging the landing apparatus in any portion throughout a wide area to enable landings at sea to be made while the ship or other support for the landing apparatus is rolling or pitching.

@ther objects of the invention are to provide a self-contained harp or hammock shaped landing apparatus which is of comparatively light weight; which consists of a few parts to be stored in a restricted space, and can be rigged up as a unit and installed quickly on a war ship without interfering with gunfire; which can be installed on any vessel with little alteration of existing arrangements; and upon which the aeroplanes may land during an engagement with the guns beneath continuing an uninterrupted lire, and from which the aeroplanes may be readily disengaged, and lifted off by means of a boom, ready to repeat their flights.

TVith these and other objects in view, which may be more fully understood from the following descriptiomthe invention comprises the apparatus described inthe following specification and claims.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, which:

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic side view of an apparatus embodying a preferred form of my invention as applied to the after or quarter deck of a war ship,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the landing apparatus shown in Fig. l, F ig. 2a is a detail showing an adjustable cable connection.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on a larger scale of the apparatus, the apparatus being shown foreshortened for the sake of compactness and clearness of illustration,

F ig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the apparatus taken on line 4.4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken en line 5 5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the apparatus taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 7 is a front, vertical, view of an aeroplane and a section of the engaging portion ofthe landing, and,

Fig. 8 is a. corresponding similar view in cross section tlirough the rear portion of the aeroplane.

In my present invention, the landing harp comprises a hammock shaped apparatus consistingof a number of gradually diverging, tightly stretched, wires or cables which the aeroplane engages by means of depending spaced hooks and, as it moves forwardly lengthwise of the wires, compresses or otherwise deflects the diverging port-ions of the wires or cables and is thus brought to rest. The gradually diverging cables of the landing apparatus are arranged in a single plane which slopes slightly upwardly towards its forward end in order not only to provide an inclined plane but also to clear the turrets of the ship, but which is otherwise approximately horizontal. The forwardly diverging ends of the wires are secured to a transverse spar or spreader, which may be suspended from a mast of a ship, while the rear converging ends of the cables are rigidly mounted upon standards secured to the deck, this manner of supporting the cables thus permitting them to be mounted above the guns,` turrets or other apparatus on the deck of the ship and to be tilted to compensate for the rolling of the ship. A su'fiiciem width of nest or series of cables is provided so that the aeroplane may engage them throughout a relatively wide transverse area.

Referring more particularly to the accompauying drawings, the landing apparatus comprises a number of wires or cables l0 secured. in a ring l2 anchored to the deck of a:

ship 14 lat the 4eXtreme after f end thereof or other suitable base and extending .forwardly over a horizontal support or rail 16 positioned athwa-rtshi-ps Aand sligl-itly atorwardly of the after anchorage or securing cleat for the wires. Asthe wires 'or cables extend over the support 16 they are-spread horizontally tljiereon'a-t Yevenly spaced -distances by means of spaced hooks 18 ,projectingupwardly from t'hefsupp'ort or railand then extend torwardlyin single, upwardly 'inclined-plane to, anderer a orwarchtransverse spreader -orjspfar 20. and each cablleis securedvby aturnbuclle to a ring" 22which in tu'ruissecured preferably by a turn-buckle 56' -to Aa mast-bernd 57 sccured'to` the mast 24 inany suitable` way, as by'bolts, at any suitable height. 'l`liewtuinbucklc tors-eachY cable is illustrated in'Figs. 2a and 4, and the group oit' turnbu'ckles for the entire series vare designated by the reference T because of the 'limited space in thedrawin'gs. Iii-passing over the spar 20, the cables are spaced unitorinly thereon by'ni'e'ans of hooks 26 which are spaced at "greater distances apart than the'spacing ol the. hooks 18 on the supporter rail/16 'so `as to ca-'use the wires 1"() to diverge forwardly. l

To encage the wires 1()` "of theI landing )apparatus, an aeroplane 28fis provided with a llat, transverse, rod oir bar '30 suspended horizontally at a short distance below `the forward pafrt or the aeroplane 'and provided at its ends with ydownwardly'and inwardlly curved hooks 32 Iand 34, which, as the 'aeroplane drops onto the wires 'and moves lor wa'rdly, hook about a pair of wires 86 `and 38, respectively ofthe wires 10. The real-I portion of the aeroplane s'also provided with a horizontal or. rod 4"@ having down wardly and inwardly curvedhoolis '42 and 44 at its ends spaced more closelyto each other to engage the rear, 'co'nyerging, portions oli the wires '37 and '39. The horizontally larranged hooked bars 'orfrods l30 `and 40 are braced to the aeroplanelby suitablegirde'rs to withstandthe strains 'and stresses to whichthey will be subjected.

As the aeroplanel lands on the vapparat-us, it drops onto the alter portion of the wires or cables 10 at about a distance trom the rear indicatedy aty the` number 46 in lthe, drawings, thehooks 32 and lying immediately out sise of a pair of nonadjacent cables or wires 'S6 and 38, as clearly shown in the' drawing, vand thefhoolzs 42 and 44 vwill engalc'e a pair of nonadjacent inner 'cables 37 and `139, alsoas clearly shown, the bars 30 and 40 resting upon said cables. Asfthe aeroplane movesforwardly, th'e'ho'oks`32 and 34, and 42 and 44 fully engage ythe "cables as indicated .in Figs. 7 and 8, this ccnd'itionbeing reached as the aeroplane reaches la position about on a line with the point marked 48 in the draivings (Fig. As the aeroplane moves-forwardly from the line'48, the wires or cables '36 and 38 and 37 and 39 .being held .respectively at alliXed distance by the hooks 32 and 34 and 42 and 44-are deflected from their gradually diverging spacing and are causedto 'diverge `very sharply from the engagen'ientwith the hooks 32 and 34 of the aeroplane fm'ove'slorwardlyhot fonly increasj `ing;- the tension otfthe lcables but also the Janggl'e 'ot theslope. which reacts eaga/inst thc hoo-ks loit' fthe aeroplane. `Decelerathm Y*is ca usedprincipally, il* not' wholly by: the rearward for Lal-ter thrust produced by this deflec- -tion oit the engagedwires. E`@frdiiiarily,this rea-ctien should bringthe aeroplane to rest y'reaches la distance-ion aline-with the *number but :an aeroplane travelling 'at yan abnori'i 1l llanC-ling speed ymay ytravel somewhat tu er. 14s-tbe,aeroplane*approaches fa ffdistance en a line with Ithe number b2, the angle ol deflection or the wires or Y'cables 36 fand 38 becomes so A"giea'it `as to positively stopthe pla'n'e, this ysuddendelecticnbeinfg indicated bythe 'dot an'cl'lclash line 'offFifg-2 As a lar'ge number 'ol 'supporting wires er fcableszfniay be provided n Y'a moderate space, and asthe engagement oft' the y'outer or' ythe v-aeropflan'e hooks with *any of the wires frein or between th'e outermost wires of the apparatus will serve to hold `the plane on vthe apparatus, -a comparatively wide field or area ot choice for the 1aeroplane to land en 'is provided. Moreover,

regardless of the angle at i'vhic'li'the aeroJ `rolling` `or'sidewise tilting. "The cables or wires lO'should be of suiti'cient strengthto withstand 'the stress produced by 'the de fleeting' action o'f [the aeroplane, wires of inc'h diameter otllexible steel cable hav? ing '-a breaking' strength el twenty 'tons being suitable, `and the wires are provided with tiirnbnclles to enable them to be brought to and maintained at the proper tautn'ess. However, shonl'd a cable break or part, theh'ools 'of the 'aeroplane will immediately "engage an' -`adjacent cable; Each cable separately, and 'the cables as a group, willalso be adjusted to theiproper degree oit ltautnessfby `rmeans lofthe turnbuckle `7c on leach Vcable fand the turnbuckle 54 vbetween the 'alter ring 12 fand the anchorage at or adjacent tothe ta'frail of the ship and the turnbuclrle 526 'betweent'he lorward'ring 22 and the mast-band 57 mast 24. i

The after mounting of the wires is preferably fixed in relation to the taifrail of the ship but the suspension of the spar 2() is such as to permit the spar to swing or tilt or vibrate relative to the ship and thus to remain level or substantially level as the ship rolls. To further support the forward spar, guy wires or ropes 58 and 60 extending from or near the top7 of the mast 2d to the opposite ends of the spar. The guy wires or ropes 58 and (5() may be tautened by .means of turn buckles 62 and Gel, or suitable tackle.

The apparatus is such that it may be suspended above turrets 66 or other structures on the deck of a ship and thus not interfere with the usual gunfire. The cables may also be easily and quickly detached and lifted out of position. For this purpose, the ring encircling the l2 may be dismounted from its anchorage to or near the talfrail of the ship and then brought forwardly and upwardly, the cables being readily dismounted from the hooks 18 and also from the hooks 26 on the spar 20, the wires or cables being thus brought into a compact strand and may be readily stored.

.as the apparatus is of a very simple and of comparatively light construction it may be made of suihcient strength to meet all conditions of operation without bringing 1t to a troublesome weight. As the cables com prised in the apparatus offer no substantial resistance to the air through which they move, they create no objectionable currents or eddies and as they are mounted above the eddies and currents that may be created by the ship or other mounting' base, a quiet atmosphere is provided for the landing` of the aeroplane.

llhe apparatus constructed as above described, which, when inclined as by the rolling of a ship, causes an aeroplane in level iiight when first engaging the nest of wires or cables to assume a position in their plane, and so "effectively insure engagement.

As changes of construction could be made within the scope of my invention, it is intended that all the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An aerial landing harp for aeroplanes comprising a unitary hammock shaped device consisting of a series of cables, each of said cables being secured at their respective ends to single elements, means for supporting and spacing said cables one from the other situated near the forward and rear ends thereof respectively, means on said supports to engage and hold the cables, the cable engaging means on the forward support being spaced at greater intervals than the cable engaging means on the after support, the engaged cables diverging from said after to said forward support, and means for anchoringthe respective ends of theI harp to lined supports to hold the harp in suspension.

2. An aerial landing harp for aeroplanes comprising a unitary hammock shaped device consisting of a series of cables, each of said cables being secured at their respec tive ends to rings, bars for supporting and spacing said cables one from the other situ ated near the forward and rear ends thereof respectively, hooks on said bars to cngage and hold the cables, the hooks on the forward bar being spaced at greater intervals than the hooks on the after bar, the engaged cables diverging from the after to the forward supporting bar, means for anchoring the respective ends of thc harp to` fined supports to hold the harp in suspension.

3. An aerial landing harp for aeroplanes comprising a unitary hammock shaped device consisting of an after support,I a forward support at a higher level than said after support, hooks at spaced intervals on said sup Sorts, the hooks on said forward support ieing spaced at wider intervals than those on said after support, and spaced cables extending between said hooks and diverging and sloping upwardly for the continuous distance between the after and the forward support.

4. An aerial landing harp for aeroplanes comprising a unitary hammock shaped de-` vice consisting of a fixed after support, a suspended, substantially horizontal, forward support and cables at spaced intervals ex tending from said after to said forward support and diver-ging continuously .from said after to said forward support.

5. An aerial landing harp for aeroplanes comprising a unitary hammock shaped device consisting of a fixed after support, a suspended, substantially horizontal, forward support at a higher altitude than said after support, and cables at spaced transverse or athwartships intervals extending from said after to said forward support and diver-ging continuously from said after to said forward support.

6. An aerial landing harp for aeroplanes comprising a unitary hammock shaped device consisting of a fixed after support, a suspended, substantially horizontal, forward support at a higher altitude than said after support, hooks at regularly spaced intervals on said after support, hooks regularly spaced at wider intervals on said suspended support, and cables extending between said hooks of said after and said forward sup- Lili Iports and slightly diverging Jfor the foon- Qguide said cables, a subtantia'lly horizontally disposed spar suspended from said upright, and a series offhools onsaid spar spacedfat wider intervals than those on said after sup port to hold said wires slightlydivergiiig .in a forward direction throughout the entire' distance r between the after-'sitipport and the horizontally disposed spar.

8. Anaerial landingharp forfaeroplanes comprising a unitary vhammock shaped -device consisting of a series of cables,` anchored at their after ends by 4a common securing means to a base and at their forward ends by a common securingineansto af-mast, a

' horizontal afterthwartship support-for said cables, `a supporting spar, at lthe forward enfcls 4of said/cables, guy wires or ropes-for said spar, and spacingtmeans on said after sup- 'port and on said sparito hold lsaid cable in spaced positions and slightly diverg'ingifo-rwardly throughout the y entire -distance ibetween the: after support and thespar.

9. An aerialy 'landingl harp Ifor aeroplanes comprising v;a unitary hammock vshaped device consisting of a series `of spaced, taut, cables each divenging forwardly-,from the other, yand an aeroplane havingdepending inwardly curved `hockskto engage Aand d'eflect `any p pair of f nonr-adjacent cables of 1 the series as ysa-id 'areoplane moves yforwardly thereover andf'thereupon. l

V10. An aerial landing harp foraeroplanes comprising :a unitary lhaha-mock shaped device consisting of a series of spaced cables stretched slightly out of parallel `with Aeach other between supports ,at ixeddistances, and fan aeroplane vhaving means to iengage any pair of non-adjacent `cables of theseries :and compress ,themas it travels lengthwise thereof.

11. Anaeri-al,landingharp dior aeroplan'es comprising a unitary hammockshaped'device provided with an v.after support, ya forward support, forward yand lafter rings, a

spar immediately vaft of the 4forward ring,

hooks at Lspaced `intervals on said spar and on said after support, and cables stretched between said'rings and held in spaced rela- .tion bythe hooks onysaid Yspar jand said after support, the hooks yon said .spar being spaced at wider intervalsthanithoseon -said after support.

12. An aerial landing harpfor vaeropla'nes comprisinga unitary vhammock sha-pcd device consisting of anaft-erehorizontal support,-a forward supporting mast, Vforward ,and aft rings, a spar4 immediately after of .the forward ring,l:hooksatspaced intervals oul saidspar and on said after support, and cables stretched between saidrings andheld in spaced relation by the hooks on saidspar 'and said .after support, the vhoolrs on said. i

spar being spaced kat lwider intervals than Athose on said after support.

13. yaerialllanding harp for ,aeroplanes comprising l.a unitary hammock shaped device consisting cfa series of single .cables Vdiverginjgly spaced for the entire distance .between pair of supports .at `fixed distances `l-froinea'ch other, and an aeroplane having `nieansvlto engageany pair ,orf `non-adjacent. cables in travelling lengthwise thereon, ,and ,tocreate arearward thrust by deflection of the engaged cables in travelling thereon. V

NEWTON a. Maenner.

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