US1799005A - Airplane motor and propeller mounting and adjusting means - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1931.

J. F. CONNOR 1,799,005

AIRPLANE MOTOR AND PROPELLER MOUNTlNG AND ADJUSTING MEANS Filed Oct. 17, 1929 2 Sheet$-$heet 1 7r j m 5/ 5/ E if j k\ Z z I J I I I (1H0: new

March 31, 1931. J. F. CONNOR AIRPLANE MOTOR AND PROPELLER MOUNTING AND ADJUSTING MEANS Filed Oct. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 Patented Mar, 31, 1931 UNITED STATES JAMES F. CONNOR, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO AIRPLANE MOTOR AND PROPELLER MOUNTING AND ADJUSTING MEANS Application filed October 17, 1929. Serial No. 400,336.

This invention relates to airplanes, and more particularly to novel and simple means for mounting the motors of airplanes.-

The invention has for one of its objects to to provide means of the character stated which shall be adapted to permit the motor and proeller of an airplane to be readily moved l rom their normal to an upwardl and forwardly inclined position to the on that such W a reduction may e made in the landing speed as to reduce landing hazards to the minimum and to enable a safe landing to be made in a comparatively small area, to the end that an airplane in flight may hover to some extent, to the end that an airplane may cruise about at a comparatively low rate of speed without gaining or losing altitude, and to the end that an airplane 1n flight at a high rate of speed may quickly gain altitude.

The invention has for a further object to provide means of the character stated which shall be under the instant control of the pilot and adapted to permit the motor and propeller to be tilted upwardly to the required angle and at a rapid or slow rate of speed as conditions may require.

The invention has for a further object to provide means of the character stated which shall be adapted to permit the motor and propeller to be returned from its tilted to its normal position at a rapid or slow rate of speed as conditions may require.

The invention has for a further object to provide means of the character stated which will permit the upward tilting of the motor and propeller and their return to normal position without injury to the fuel supply tubes of the motor.

The invention has for a still further object to provide means of the character stated "which shall be strong, durable and compact and capable of being readily secured to and within the nose of the fuselage of an airplane.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section illustrating the application of the means for mounting the motor and propeller for upward tilting movement;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the horizontal planes indicated by the line 4:4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane indicated by the line 55 of Fi ure 3.

Re erring in detail to the drawings, 1 designates the nose of the fuselage of an airplane, 2 the motor and 3 the propeller of the airplane. The motor 2 is of the radial type, and the propeller 3 is secured, as at 4, to the front end of the crank shaft 5 of the motor. 7

The means for mounting the motor 2 comprises a frame 6 which is arranged within the nose 1 of the fuselage and secured thereto in any suitable manner. The frame 6 comprises a bar 7 which curves downwardly and forwardly from the upper to the lower side of the fuselage nose 1, and arms 8 which curve laterally outward and forwardl from opposite sides of the bar. The bar and arms 8 are connected at a point adjacent the upper end of the former, and the concave face of the bar is arranged foremost and provided with rack teeth 9. The front end portions of the arms-8 are laterally enlarged, as at 10, and formed to provide pivot lugs 11. Each arm 9 8 is provided with a pair of pivot lugs 11, and the la s are provided with horizontally alined hearing openings 12 in which are j ournaled trunnions 13 carried by pivot lugs 14 extending rearwardly from the rear 5 side of the motor 2. Each of the pivot lugs 14 is arranged between a pair of the pivot lugs 11, and the trunnions 12 are fixedly secured to the pivot lugs 14. The trunions 13 pivotally connect the motor 2 to the frame 6 turned to normal for tilting movement about an axis located transversely of and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the motor shaft 5 and concentric to the rack teeth 9.

A housing 15 of elliptical formation in horizontal section and of semi-circular-forma-- tion in vertical section is arranged within the frame 6 and is secured, as at 16, to the rear side of the. motor2. The housing 15 is prowided in its rear side with an opening 17, and extending through this opening and engaging the rack teeth 9 is a worm pinion 18 which is secured to a vertical shaft 19 journaled in bearings 20 formed in thehousing 15 above and below the openin 17. The pmion 18 is fixed by 'a spline 21 to the shaft 19 and the shaft is provided below the pinion with a beveled ear 22. As the pinion 18 is journaled in the housing 15, and as the housin is fixed to the motor 2, the rotation of the pinion in one direction will result in the motor and propeller 3 being tilted upwardly, and the rotation of the pinion in the opposite direction will result in the motor and propeller being reosition. Means are provided for effecting the rotation of the pinion 18 from the motor shaft 5,

and this means comprises a friction wheel 23 fixed to the rear end of the motor shaft 5 which extends into the housing 15, a countershaft 24 which is journaled withinthe housing'in a plane below and parallel to the plane in which the shaft 5 is located, and a beveled gear 25 fixed to the rear end of the countershaft and meshing the beveled gear 22. A friction wheel 26 is fixed to the counter-shaft 24 directly below the friction wheel 23 on the motor shaft 5 and a friction wheel 27 is carried by a lever 28 for movement into and out of contact with the friction wheels 23 and 26. When the friction wheel 27 is in contact with the friction wheels 23 and 26, the pinion 18 is rotated from the motor shaft 5 in a direction to impart an upward tilting movement to the motor 2 and propeller 3.

A shaft 29 which is journaled in the housing 15 at one side of the motor shaft 5 and counter-shaft 24 and in a plane parallel to the planes occupied by the motor and countershafts, is provided with a friction wheel 30 which is located in alinement with the friction wheel 23 of the motor shaft, and is provided with a pinion 31 meshin with a pinion 32 on the counter-shaft. A friction wheel 33 is carried by a lever 34 for movement into and out of contact with the friction wheels 23 and 30. When the friction wheel 33 is in contact with the friction wheels 23 and 30, the pinion 18 is-rotated in a direction to effect the return of the motor 2 and propeller 3 to normal position.

The housin 15 is provided with a horizontal web 35 w ich is in turn provided with bearings 36 for the shafts 24 and 29 and with openings 37 for the passage of the friction wheels 26, 27 and 30 and the pinions 31 and 32. The levers 28 and 34 occupy upright powheel 33 will be out of contact with the friction wheels 23 and 30. The friction wheels 27 and 33 are located between the ends of their respective levers 28 and 34 and are journaled upon the levers, as at 42 and 43, respectively.

A control cable 44 secured to the upper end of the lever 28 and a control cable 45 secured to the upper end of the lever 34 pass through openings 46 and 47 in the housing 15 and extend to the cock pit of the airplane. The control cable 44 provides means through-the medium of which the lever 28 may be rocked against the tension of the spring to carry the friction wheel 27 into contact with the friction wheels 23 and 26 when it is desired to impart an upward tilting to the motor 2 and propeller 3 and the control cable provides means through the medium of which the lever 34 may be rocked against the tension of the spring 41 to carry the friction wheel 33 into engagement with the friction wheels 23 and 30 when it is desired to return the motor and propeller to normal position. Any suitable means, not shown, such as foot or hand levers, may be arranged in the cock pit and connected to the control cables 44 and 45 to permit the pilot to effect the tilting of the motor 2 and propeller 3 or to permit him to effect the return of the motor and propeller to normal position. In order to preventthe control cables 44 and 45 from binding in their openings 46 and 47, pulleys 48 are provided, and they are pivotally connected, as at 49, within the openings.

A tube 50 conveys gasoline and a tube 51 conveys oil from their sources of supply to the motor 2. In order to prevent the tubes 50 and 51 from being bent or broken during the movement of the motor'2 and propeller 3 from normal to tilted position or from tilted to normal position, the trunnions 13 are employed to connect the front sections 50 and 51 and the rear sections 50 and 51", the front tube sections leading to the motor and the rear tube sections leading from the sources of supply.

The trunnions 13 are fixed to the lugs 14 on the motor 2 and turned in the lugs 11 fixed on the frame 6, and are of hollowfor mation. The front tube sections 50 and 51 are secured to the inner ends of the trunnions 13 by couplings 52 and the rear tube sections 50 and 51 have angular front end portions which extend into the outer ends of the trunnions, as clearly shown in Figure 5. The rear tube sections 50 and 51 are passed through lugs 53 which extend outwardl from the frame arms 8 adjacent the trunnions 13, and the trunnions turned with respect to the bent end portions of these tube sections. Liquidtight connection between the rear tube sections 50 and 51 and the trunnions 13 is established by stufling boxes 54.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it should be apparent that when the pilot wishes to tilt the motor 2 and propeller 3, it is only necessary for him to exert a rearward pull upon the cable 44, and that when he wishes to return the motor and propeller to normal position, it is only necessary for him to exert a rearward pull upon the cable 45. When the cable 44 is pulled, the friction wheel 27 is moved against the tension of the spring into contact with the friction wheels 23 and 26, with the result that the worm pinion 18 is turned in a direction to impart an upward tilting movement to the motor 2 and propeller 3. When the cable 44 is released, the spring withdraws the friction wheel 27 from in contact with the friction wheels 23 and 26, with the result that the upward tilting movement of the motor 2 and propeller 3 will cease and they will be held in their adjusted position by the worm pinion 18 and rack teeth 9.

When the cable is pulled, the friction wheel 33 is moved against the tension of the spring 41 into contact with the friction Wheels 23 and 30, with the result that the worm pinion 18 is turned in a direction to return the motor 2 and propeller 3 to their normal position. When the cable 45 is released, the spring 41 moves the friction wheel 33 out of contact with the friction wheels 23 and 30, with the result that the movement of the motor 2 and propeller 3 in the direction of their normal position will cease, and they "will be held in such position by the worm pinion 18 and rack teeth 9. The rate of movement of the motor 2 and propeller 3 upwardly will depend upon the rate of the rotation of the motor shaft 5 and the pressure under which the friction wheel 23 is held in contact with the friction wheels 23 and 26, and the rate of movement of the motor and propeller to normal position will depend upon the rate of rotation of the motor shaft and the degree of pressure under which the friction wheel 33 is held in contact with the friction wheels 23 and 30, and in view thereof, it will be seen that the pilot may move the motor and propeller. into tilted or normal position at a rapid or slow rate of speed as-conditions may require. When the motor 2 and propeller 3 are in normal position, the rear side of the motor contacts with the vertical front edges of the frame arms 8, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. It should also be apparent that the motor 2 and propeller 3 may be moved into and maintained in any position between its normal position and its maximum inclined position.

An airplane equipped with a motor and propeller mounted in accordance with my invention may have its landing speed reduced to a safe minimum by inclining the motor and propeller and by depressing its elevator and correspondingly manipulating its other controls. Furthermore, the airplane may be caused to hover to some extent, as the tilted motor pulls the plane forward and sustains its nose while the depressed elevator sustains its tail, and the plane may be operated at a rather low rate of speed without gaining or losing altitude and its altitude may be quickly increased when it is traveling at a high rate of speed.

-While I have described the principle of the invention, together with the structure which I now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim 1. In an airplane, amotor and its crank shaft, a propeller fixed to the shaft, means for supporting the motor to permit it and the propeller to be moved from its normal position into an upwardly inclined position and returned to said first position, and means under the control of the pilot and adapted to be operated by the crank shaft to move the motor and propeller from one of said positions to the other at a speed similar to or lower than that of the crank shaft.

2. In an airplane, a fuselage a motor and its crank shaft, a propeller fixed to the shaft, a frame fixed to the fuselage and embodying a rack bar, means pivotally securing the motor to the frame to permit it and the propeller to be moved from its normal position to an upwardly inclined position and returned to said first position, a worm pinion rotatably supported from the motor and engaging the rack bar, said pinion being normally idle and constantly meshing with the rack bar to hold the motor against accidental pivotal movement, and means under the control of the pilot for establishing a driving connection between the crank shaft and pinion to move the motor and propeller from one of said positions to the other.

3. In an airplane, a fuselage, a motor and its crank shaft, a propeller fixed to the shaft, a frame fixed to the fuselage and embodying a rack bar, means pivotally securing the motor to the frame to permit it and the propeller to be moved from its normal position motor and propeller from one of said positions to the other.

4. In an airplane, a fuselage, a motor and its crank shaft, a r0 eller fixed to the shaft, a frame fixed to the uselage and embodying a rack bar, means pivotally securing the motor to the frame to permit it and the propeller to be moved from its normal position to an upwardl inclined position and returned to said rst position, a worm pinion rotatably supported from the motor and engaging the rack bar, said pinion being normally idle and constantly meshing with the rack bar to hold the motor against accidental pivotal movement, a counter-shaft rotatabl supported from the motor, friction whee s fixed to the crank and counter-shafts, a lever pivotally supported from the motor, a friction wheel carried by the lever and adapted when the lever is rocked in one direction to contact with said first friction wheels, a spring engaging the lever to normally maintain the friction wheel carried thereby out of contact with said first friction wheels, a control element connected to the lever to permit it to be rocked to carry the friction wheel into engagement with said first friction wheels, a third shaft, meshing gears fixed to the counter and third shafts, a friction wheel fixed to the third shaft, a second lever pivotally sup orted from the motor, a friction wheel carried by the second lever and adapted when the lever is moved in one direction to contact with the friction wheel on the crank shaft and the friction wheel on the third shaft, 0, spring engaging the second lever to normally support its friction wheel out of contact with the friction wheels on the crank and third shafts, and a control member secured to the second lever to permit it to be rocked in a direction to carry its friction wheel into contact with the friction wheels on the crank and third shafts.

5. In an airplane, a fuselage, a motor and its crank shaft, a propeller fixed to the crank shaft, an arcuate rack bar fixed to the fuse lage, means pivotally connecting the motor to the fuselage for swinging movement about an axis concentric to the rack bar and at right angles to and intersecting the crank shaft, a worm pinion rotatably su, ported from the motor and meshing with t e rack -bar, said pinion bein normally idle and constantly meshing wit the rack bar to hold the motor against accidental pivotal movement and means under. the control of the ilot or establishing a driving connection etween the crank shaft and pinion.

6. In an airplane, a fuselage, a motor-and its crank shaft, a pro eller fixed to the crank shaft, an arcuate rac bar fixed to the fuselage, means pivotally connecting the motor to A the fuselage for swinging movement about an axis concentric to the rack bar and at right angles to and intersecting the crank shaft, a worm pinion rotatably su ported from the motor and meshing with are rack bar, said pinion bein normally idle and constantly meshing wit the rack bar to hold the motor against accidental pivotal movement, and

means under the control of the pilot for driving the pinion from the motor shaft in opposite directions.

7. In an airplane, a fuselage a motor and its crank shaft, a propeller fixed to the shaft, a frame secured to the fuselage and'embodying a downwardly and forwardly curved rack bar and arms extending laterally and forwardly from opposite sides of the rack bar, means for pivotally connecting the motor to the front ends ofthe arms, a housing arsignature.

JAMES F. CONNOR.

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