US1726118A - Method of and means for controlling aeroplanes - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1929. F. H. PAGE 1,726,118

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AEROPLANES Filed July 11, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

Aug. 27, 1929. F. H. PAGE- 1,726,118

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AEROPLANES Filed July 11, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 27, 1929. F. H. PAGE 1,726,118

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AEROPLANES Filed July 11, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 27, 1929. Y PAGE 1,726,118

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AEROPLANES Filed July 11, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG/Q Patented Aug. 27, 1929. 5

UNITED STATES P TENT o .IFREDEBICK HANDLEY PAGE, OF LONDON, V

LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.) p

1,726,118 BEI -p ENGLAND, AssIeNoNf roiIA nLEY PAGE a, 1 Marion or AND MEANsFoR CONTROLLING AEROPIANES.

Application filed July 11, 1924, Serial 115,715,426;aiidiiiaereat'nritaia.iuly 'rc,1923.; m

It has longbccn common knowledge that .in the lateral control of aeroplanes during flight, it was necessary-not merely to adjust i, the degree of camberor angle ofincidence of the extremitiesof the wings, to give the required righting rolling movement, but also simultaneously to operate a vertical rudder on Such simultaneous "I rudder movement produces a turning mo-' ment about a vertical axis to balance the the tail of the machine.

yawing moment caused by the difference in resistance of the said win'g extremities when so-adjusted. This resistance difference is mainly due to the factthat with aircraft as now built, the increased lift (necessar for the required righting'rolling moment obtained by the increase in camber or angle. of incidence, is accompanied by a simultaneous resistance increase and vice versa.

It hasalso been proposed to introduce resistances on or near the ends of the wings for the purpose of counterbalaneing head ally controlling aeroplane flying machines which-have wings projecting laterally from -oppos'i'tesides of a central fuselage, said resistance changes in the 'ejnds of the wings, and thus by IDiJIOdUQIIIg extra resistancc'to prevent the operation of the aileronsfroln turnin'g'the machine about a vertical axis p while restoring lateral equilibrium;-

This invention relates-tomeans for maintaining and restoringlateral balance on an aeroplane, without simultaneously causing an excessive resistancedifference between the two-win extremities. greatly the turningor awlng, moment of theaeroplane as a wl ole' jlabout avertical axis, an increase in lateral controlmay be obtained, especially at'slow speeds, with a minimum use of the vertical rudder.

In the specification ofi an earlier patent I have described theyuseof an a auxiliary wing located in frontof'the wing of an aeroplane. for the purpose of increasingthe lift by delaying the burbling effect-over the upper surface of an aeroplane whenythe fly-' ing angle has increased. This permits the lift on the aerofoil to continue, to increase in value with increase in the angle of incidence up to a higher anglewhen burbling again ensues. The delay in burbling due to the operation of this forwardly located auxiliary wing, has permitted wings to be employed at much greater angles of incidence than previously. It'is obvious, however. that with the increased angle of attack, the head resistance is increased simultaneously with the gain in lift of the wing, but

such increase i .yawing moment.

us; reducing .lcss-fl than would have ocme angle of-inc dence had curred at the s thewing been burblingw If burbling were thereforeresinjtro uced, diminished lift and similar or' increa'sed resistance would 'result'. vThis effect, being the reverse of that ob tained by alteration of wing camber or angle of incidence, it is possible so to combine the two as to producea righting rolling momentwithout. a simultaneous excessive Now the present invention relates I to means whereby'burbling-may be introduced over the wing orwin'gs on one side of the machine, for the purpose of reducing the hfton'one wing compared to thaton the other wing without materially changingqthe head resistance of one wing relatively to the otheijthus permitting the two wings to be kept inhalance Without continual co-oper-o ationoffthe vertical rudder. g p

The invention therefore refers to later-' wings fhaving forwardly located auxiliary t vention means are provided for 3n the flow of air through said, slots regii in the wings on one side of said fuselage,

eparately operable means for regulatingth flow of air through said slots in the wingsion-the' other side of the fuselage.

Thus' by soif'disturbing the flow. of air, tl11'oughlsaidfsl0ts as to deprive or partially deprlv thefnpper surface of the wingof air whie hen fiowing through said slots preventor minimize burbling, burb ling isE-the re permitted to take place to anyrequired' extent, thereby depriving say the higher' 'wing' of a portion of its support; the saidlhigher wing therefore? becomes depressed a'nd the lower wing raised relatively thereto, thus restoring the lateral balance of the machine.

In carrying outthe invention the aileron on each wing ofthe machine may be in operative mechanical connection with the portion of the auxiliary wing immediately in front of,i t or the, aileron may be connected to-some part which controls the ex; tent of the openingfofthe slot between the outer portion of the -auxiliary wing and the mainwing. Orinter'ceptor flaps in operative connection with the ailerons may be located in or near the slot, or over the mam wing, which-interceptor flaps can be caused to interfere with the flow of air between the auxiliary wing and the main wing, or-over the main wing and either change its direction away from the burbling area, or check the flow of air through the slot.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show in diagrammatic form, various examples of means which may an abnormal ext-entand cause the upper surforwardly face of the auxiliary wing to be presented to the air flow.. i I

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the'main wing 1 has an auxiliary wing- 2 located in front ofit, and the aileron 3 is connected with the auxiL iary wing by a rod 4, one end of which is ivoted at 5 to an arm 6 carried by the wing 2; the other end of the rod passes freely through an eye or socket carried by the aileron 3, a sto 7 being fixedon the rod 4. By this means t e aileron 3 is free to be lowered in its ordinary movements below its normal position without affecting the auxiliary wing 2 (see Fig. 2), while an upward movement ofthe aileron above the normal lowers the auxiliary wing and closes the slot (see Fig. 3).vv

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show similar views, the connecting rod 4 being so arranged that the raising of the aileron above the normal position raises the auxiliary wing 2 abnormally and causes it to present its upper surface to the air flow (see Fig. 6).

By another means the levers or mechanism operating the ailerons and the forwardly located wing respectively, may be so angularly placed or so altered relatively in phase, thatthe movement given to the forwardly located wing is practically nil when the aileron is moved downward below the neutral position, but the full required movement is obtained with the upward aileron movement when moved above the normal position.

Fig. 7 illustrates an example wherein the located wing may be raised to an abnormal extent (see dotted lines 2") by the upward movement of the aileron to its normal full extent, while the downward moveceptor ment of the aileron below the normal position gives but a slight downward movement to the forwardly located wing (see dotted lines 2"") Another method of introducing burbling, is by the connection of the aileron to interceptor flaps contained in the slot or near the slot, or: over the auxiliary or over the main wing, which interfere with the fiow of air between the auxiliary wing and the main wing, or over the main wing or auxiliary wing, and either change its direction away from the burbling area or check the flow of air through the slot.- y

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show interceptor flaps 8 pivoted on the main wing and capable of adjustment to restrict or close the opening between the wings 1 and 2.

Fig. 11 shows an interceptor 8 in its raised position pivoted on the main wing 1 rearward of the slot, and Fig. 12 shows an inter- 8 pivoted above the main wing and rearward of the slot, both of which interceptors can be adjusted, to allow a free flow of air through-the slot between the wings 1 and 2 and over the main wing, or to change the direction of flow away from the upper surface of the main wing.

These intercept-01's or fouling devices may take the form of louvres or small vanes turning on hinges or fulcrums near the slot, or they may be entirely separate fouling devices placed for instance on the surface .of the main wing some distance back from the slot, or on the auxiliary wing some distance in front of the slot. and by turning on a horizontal or vertical axis, or axes in the case of a number of fouling devices, intercept the air flowing to the burbling area and induce burbling with consequent lossof lift.

Examples of such interceptors are shown at Figs. 13 to 18. ward portion of the main wing having an interceptor 9 mounted on the main wing and capable of turning on a vertical pivot indicated by a dotted line 10. Fig. 14 is a similar view with the interceptor 9 turned on its pivot 10 into position to intercept the air flowing to the burbling area and induce burbling with consequent loss of lift.

Fig. 13 shows the for- Fig. 15 shows a vane 11 mounted in the main wing and pivoted on a horizontal axis 12, and Fig. 16 is a "iew at right angles to Fig. 15. The vane 11 is shown in its raised position to obstruct the flow of air over the main plane, and when not required the vane is lowered into a recess in the wing, hinging on the pivot 12. I

Figs. 17 and 18 show in elevation and plan view a portion of the main plane 1 and auxiliary plane 2, the main plane having upon its upper surface a series stream-like form in cross section and capable of being turned on vertical axes, as indicated by the dotted arcs 14, to more or less of vanes 13 of be seen that the moven'ient of the aileron from its normal position in a downward direction does not affect the position of the interceptor owing to the lost motion allowed by the movement of the pin 16 in the slot, while an upward movement of the a leron above the normal position raises the interceptor 9 and interrupts the flow of air on the upper surface of the main wing.

As an example of the controlling means for such fouling devices, the mechanism connecting them and the aileron may be so geared that for all downward movements of the aileron, the correspondingmotion' of these fouling devices is contained within the wing whilst it-is an abnormal gupward movement only of the aileron which causes these fouling means to come into effective operation.

Fig. 22 illustrates an example of such mechanism. An interceptor 9 is shown, pivoted on the main wing 1 and carrying on its axis a pulley or sprocket wheel around which is passed a cable or chain fixed at its ends to arms carried by the aileron 3. \Vhen the aileron is moved upwardly above its normal position, as shown, the interceptor is raised into its operative position, and when the aileron is lowered, the interceptor is also lowered and passes within the wing 1.

lVhilst the above has been described relatively to a wing in which there is one forwardly located auxiliary aerofoil, it is understood that it may also include and apply to similar operation of rearwardly or otherwise located aerofoils, or to the opening or closing or putting out of operation of one Or more slots in the wing wherever situated with respect to the chord.

It is of.course clear that any length of forwardly located wing or length of aileron may be operated or inter-connected and moved separately to the remainder of the forwardly located wing or aileron, in order that the introduction of burbliug over the wings may be located as desired and to the required extent. It is also obviousthat it is not necessary to introduce the disturbance merely by some movement imparted by the aileron or section of the aileron immediately following the forwardly located wing, as the forwardly located wing and aileron section can be independently operated or operated in conjunction with each other, as may be found most desirable.

iary wings \Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is x 1. In laterally controlling aeroplane flying machines having wings projecting laterally from opposite sides of a central fuselage, said wings having forwardly located auxiliary wings separated from the main wings to produce through slots; each of said slots having its opening on the under surface of the wing in advance of the opening on the upper surface, means for regulating the flow of airthrough said slots in the wings on one side of said fuselage, and other separately operable means for regulating the flow of air through said slots in the wingson the other side of the fuselage. Y

2. In late "ally controlling aeroplane flying machines, having wings projecting laterally from opposite sides of a central fusela e, said wings having forwardly located auxlllating the flow of air passing through said slots in said wings, ailerons pivotally connected at the rear of said main wings, and means in operative connection with said ailerons and said means for regulating the flow of air passing through said slots, to render the latter effective when said ailerons are lifted above normal angles.

In laterally controllingaeroplane flying machines, having wings projecting laterally from opposite sides of a central fuselage, said wings having forwardly located auxil iary wings separated from the main wings to produce through slots; means for adjustably connecting said auxiliary wings relatively to said main wings, ailerons pivotally connected at the rear of saidmain wings, and means to operatively connect said ailerons to said auxiliary wings to regulate the flow of air through said slots in said wings and to cause interference of said air flow through said slots when'said ailerons are lifted above normal angles.

4;. In an aeroplane wing construction, in combination, a flap on the upper surface of the wing and slightly to the rear of the'forward edge thereof, a trailing aileron adapted to operate in conjunction therewith and means connecting said flap and aileron for 'aising them successively, adapted. to increase the drag and decrease the lift on one side of the machine at low speed and large angles of attack on the main wing.

55. Inan aeroplane wing construction, in combination, a flap on the upper surface of the wing and slightly to the rear of the forward edge thereof, a trailing aileron adapted to operate in conjunction therewith andmeans connecting said flap and aileron for operating them successively adapted to increase the drag amldecrcase the lift on one side of the machine at low speed and high angles of attack on the main wing when the separated from the main wings to produce through slots; means for reguaileron is raised beyond a predetermined point.

(3. In an aeroplane wing construction, in combination, a movable flap extending adjacent the forward edge of the wing, a trailingaileron rearwardly of said flap, connections between said flap and aileron involving a lost motion connection whereby said aileron can be lowered without affecting the nose the nose flap flap but will operateto raise predewhen said trailing aileron is raised a tel-mined amount.

7 In an aeroplane wing construction, a normally inoperative air interceptor positioned adjacent the forward edge of the wing, atrailing aileron, means 'onnecting said interceptor and aileron whereby rais- FREDERICK HANDLEY PAGE.

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