US1704713A - Pontoon-attaching means - Google Patents

Description

March 12, i929. A. R. STALB, JR

PONTOON ATTACHING MEANS Filed March 14, 1928 gvwemtoz Patented YMar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,704,111 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR RALSTON STALB, JR., OF FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO FAIR- CHIL'D AVIATION CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF DELA- WARE. v

' Application filed March 14, 1.928.

. This invention relates to hydroaeroplanes 1n general, and specifically to attaching means for seaplane pontoons.

In seaplanes the fuselage is frequently supported from a plurality of pontoons by a series of struts or framework. This framework is usually provided with a plurality of substantially horizontal cross or spacer struts to which the pontoons are secured. In detachable pontoons this strut has heretofore passed over the top of the pontoon. This arrangement adds greatly to the parasitic resistance and is unsatisfactory from a construction standpoint. It was with a view to produce an attaching arrangement which would obviate these objections that the invention of this application was developed.

One of the objects of this invention is to of a supporting strut within the streamline' contour of the pontoon thus reducing parasitic resistance.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for detachably connecting theY ends of the cross or spacer strut to the pontoons of a seaplane.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description, claims and appended drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showin a portion of a pontoon to which this inventlon is applied.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view transverse to the axis of a pontoon.

As hereinbefore stated, this invention relates to means for attaching pontoons to seaplanes and especially to seaplanes of the Fairchild type which are provided with a pair of pontoons attached to the lower end of cross frames projecting downwardly from the fuselage. Two cross frames are provided,

50 one positioned in front of the other and braced by means of guy wires. A pontoon is secured on either side of the center line of the craft to the lower ends of the cross frames.

This invention relates to the manner in which the cross frames and pontoons are united and provide means for detachably securing sup-v Serial No. 261,515.

since all unions between pontoons and cross frames are similar only one will be described.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a pontoon` such as is commonly used in the construction of seaplanes. The pontoon is constructed with a longitudinal member or back-bone, 2 to which the ribs 3 and cross bracing members 4 of the pontoon are attached. As has been hereinbefore stated, two pontoons are customarily employed and are 55 attached to the aeroplane fuselage in a manner now to be described.

The aeroplane fuselage is supported from the pontoon 1 by means of a plurality of members 5 which at their lower ends are welded 70 or brazed to the ends of cross pieces or struts 6, two of the members 5 being provided for eachl pontoon. The pontoons are arranged parallel to each other and are held in position, front and rear, by means of the cross- 7.5

.pieces or struts 6 to which the supporting members 5 are welded. Suitable guy wires 7 attached to lugs-8I near the ends of membersy 5 and 6 serve to brace theV entire structure. This construction is simple and ob- S0 Vious and needs no further description here.

The manner in which the pontoons 1 are attached to the cross-pieces or struts 6 will now be described.l Welded to each end of the cross-pieces or struts 6 is a flanged plate 9 85 which is attached to the back-bone 2 of the pontoon by means of two bolts 10 which pass Y through holes in the plates 9. Secured ton the outer shell of the pontoonql is a formed plate 11 which, as best shown in Fig. 2, is 90 bolted to the back-bone 2 by means of the bolts 10, the plate 11 being interposed betweenv the plate 9 and the back-bone 2. The plate 11 forms a shallow pocket or depression in the outer shell of the pontoon in which the end of the cross-pieces or struts 6 rest. The object of this construction is to reduce the parasitic resistance as `much as possible by making the point at which the pontoon is attached to the supporting members 5 and 100 cross-pieces or struts 6 as -nearly streamline as possible.

The cross-pieces or struts 6 are also detachably fastened to the pontoon by means of a clamping piece 12 which is bolted to 105 ears 13 and 14 by means of a bolt 15. A strap piece 16 and bolts 17 clamp the crosspieces or struts 6 firmly against the yoke 12.

Each of the ears 13 and 14 is bolted to the side of the pontoon 1 by means of bolts 18. 110

At the pointlwhere the ears 13 and 14 are V the backbone 2 of the pontoon. A substantially triangular flanged reenforcing plate is secured to the outside of each piece 19 by screws or bolts passing thru the plates 20, the piece 19 and into the rib 3 and interior brace 4. These plates serve as attaching members for the ears 13 and 14. The bolts 18 pass thru the outer shell of the pontoon and also thru holes in the flanges of plates 20 thus securing theears 13 and 14 to the said plates.

The object of this construction is to stifen the pontoons at the points where the ears 13 and 14 are bolted to the pontoon shell and to transmit the stress to the shell and to `the backbone 2. In practice it has been found desirable to provide a cross bulkhead adjacent the cross frame or rib to which the plates 2O are secured. The bulkhead lies between one plate 20 and the cross frame. The securing means for the plate 20 of course pass thru the bulkhead and thus hold the parts firmly together.

yIf desired the interior frames may be dispensed with in part or entirely and the strut attaching means secured topbulkheads and the pontoon shell.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the major portion of the ordinaryI landing reaction, being vertical in nature, will be taken by the strut connection adjacent the vertical center plane or backbone of the pontoon. The connection at the side of the pontoon will, of course, take a proportionate share of this reaction. In practice, many landings must be effected while the plane is'drifting sidewise or side slipping to the direction of flight. In such landings a heavy strain is placed on the pontoon and lthe side connection of this invention is provided to transmit a large part of this strain to the strut means. This side connection is preferably placed inor substantially in the line of the reaction due to such landing with side slip but I do not desire to limit myself in this respect.

From the foregoing description, it will be clearly seen that the construction shown in the drawings provides a strong and rigid means for mounting a hydroaeroplane on its pontoons and that it also provides for. quick and easy removal and replacement ofthe pontoons. Furthermore the construction is such that the pointsfat which the cross-pieces and supporting members are attached offer very little parasitic resistance. /It is obvious that if desired the cross member 6 may be arched upwardly to provide greater wave clearance or may be formed in two parts each of which extends to a point on the airplane fuselage or body much in the order of ordinary landing gear struts for instance, similar to the Fairchild land gear. This will produce a maximum wave clearance which especially in planes used on open water is very desirable.

Various changes in the construction of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings may be made without departing from the spirlt of the invention, and I `do not therefore, desire to limit myself to the specific construction shown and described, but to interpret the invention broadly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a device of the class' described, a pontoon having a reentrant pocket formed in the surface thereof, for receiving an attachment strut, strut securing means in said pocket and strut securingmeans adjacent said pocket.

2. In a device of the class described, a pontoon having an internal frame, a strut for atceive said strut, and means for securing said strut to said frame member.

3. In, a device of the class described, a pontoon' having an internal frame, a strut for attaching the pontoon to an aircraft body, a pocket formed in the surface of the pontoon and adjacent a member of the frame to receive said strut, means for securing said strut to said frame member, and means for securing said strut to said pontoon externally of the pocket.

4. In a device of the class described, a pontoon having a frame and a surface formed with a pocket therein adjacent a member of said frame for receiving a strut for attaching the pontoon lto an aircraft, and means withinsaid pocket for securing said strut to said frame whereby the parasitic resistance is reduced to a minimum.

5. In a quick detachable connection between a pontoon and a strut, means for detachably securing said strutdirectly to the pontoon frame and additional means for detachably securing said strut indirectly to the pontoon frame.

' 6. In a device of the class described, apontoon, strut means for securing said pontoon to an aircraft, means for connecting said pontoon to said strut means in the line of vertical reaction of said pontoon in landing without sfide slip and means for connecting said pontoon to said strut means in the line of reaction set up in landing with side slip.

7. Iny a device of the class described, a pontoon, strut means for securing said pontoon to an aircraft, means for connecting said strut means to said pontoon adjacent thevertical momie center plane of the pontoon and additional means removed from the vertical center plane of the pontoon for connecting said strut means to said pontoon.

8. In a device of the class described, a pontoon having an outer shell formed with a reentrant pocket in the surface thereof for receiving an attachment strut, a bulk head adjacent said pocket and strut securing means in said pocket for securing said strut to said shell and bulk head.

9. In a device of the class described, a pontoon having an outer shell formed with a reentrant pocket in the surface thereor` for receiving an attachment strut, a bulk head adjacent said pocket, strut securing means in said pocket for securing said strut to said shell and bulk head and strut securing means adjacent said pocket for securing said strut to. said shell and bulk head.

ln testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ARTHUR RALSTON STALB, J n.

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