US1833646A - Emergency flotation gear for aircraft - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 24, 1931. c. E. HATHQRN 1,833,646

EMERGENCY FLOTATION GEAR FOR AIRCRAFT Filed A pril'l6. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I I r ATTOR 5" Nov. 24; 1931; c. E. HATHORN EMERGENCY FLOTATION GEAR FOR AIRCRAFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16. 1929 IN VEN TOR; mm 5 5. m4 mam I ATTOR Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. HATHORN, OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CURTISS AERO-I PLANE & MOTOR COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK EMERGENCY FLOTATION GEAR FOR AIRCRAFT Application filed April 16,

My invention relates to aircraft and more particularly to an emergency flotation gear for aeroplanes of the landplane type.

Many landplanes now in use are called 18' upon to fly for long periods of time and for long distances over water. This is particularly true in the operation of fighting and bombing (torpedo) planes as landplanes from aeroplane carriers. In the absence of an emergency flotation gear the time a landplane will remain afloat varies considerably depending on the size and type of construction, Weather conditions, and the amount of damage done on landing. Usually the time is aboutfive minutes, which is entirely inadequate for landplanes operating long distances from their base. Obviously, therefore, if the personnel of such aeroplanes are to be found and rescued, some means of emergency flotation must be provided.

. Preferably the emergency flotation should equal the gross weight of the plane, less fuel and all detachable or droppable load, plus twenty-five percent as the inherent buoyancy of the aeroplane itself is an added reserve favorable to prolonged flotation.

The object of the present invention is to provide an emergency flotation gear for landplanes in which one or more normally deflated bags are provided, preferably two, disposed, one each, on opposite sides of the fuselage 0; body of the machine; said bags, in an emergency, being quickly and simultaneously inflatable from a source of gas supply, under pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide for each said bag a suitable envelope-like container within which said bags are packed when deflated, each said container having associated with it a manually controlled release means operable to practically simultaneously admit of the opening up of the container or containers with the turning on of the inflating gas.

A still further object of the invention is to so form thecontainer or containers, and

also the bags, as to provide for the quick detachment thereof when not required to be 50 used.

1929. Serial No. 355,452.

Other and further objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like or corresponding parts,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pursuit type aeroplane equipped with the emergency flotation gear, the bags of said gear being shown inflated;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of both the aeroplane and installation of Fig. 4.;

3 is a side elevation showing the afloat position'of the aeroplane after an emergency landing; a

Fig. 4 is a side elevation (enlarged) of a portion of an aeroplane showing the gear installation with the near side inflatable ba collapsed and packed, and

Fig. 5 is a part transverse vertical sectional view of the structure and installation indicated in Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, a pursuit "type aeroplane of more or less conventional design is shown. Such aeroplane comprises the usual fuselage or body 10, wings or lifting surfaces 11-11, landing gear 12, tail unit 13 and power plant.

7 Between the lifting surfaces 111l, and on each side of the fuselage or body 10 there is provided an emergency flotation bag 14. Normally the bags 14' are packed deflated in suitable elongated envelope-like containers 15 provided with end flaps 16 and top and bottom flaps 17 and 18, respectively. Each said container has fastened thereto, on the back side thereof, one or more rigid metal strips 19 by means of which it is detachably fastened and held in place flatwise against and close up against the opposite sides of the body.

The strips 19 at their lower end engage in eyefittings 20 and at their opposite ends have formed therein apertures thru whichlugs 21 extend. By means of said eye-fittings 20 and lugs 21 the containers 15 are held in place. Cotter or like pins 22 provide the necessary fastening means. i

Along its bottom edge each container 15 I has formed therein an opening 23 thru which the means 24 for fastening the bags 14. to the fuselage extend. Said means 24 preferably.

consists of a flexible cable and an appropriate means by which the cable end is anchored to the fuselage frame. To admit of such anchorage openings 25 are formed in the fuse- 5 lage or body covering. Normally the contaln ers 15 are held closed with the bags 14 packed therein by means of a plurality of lock pins 26 passing thru lugs 27 The lugs 27, in each instance, are fastened to the underflap 18 of the container. Each (see Fig. 4) with the container closed, is let thru an eye 28 formed in one or moreof the remaining flaps where it is held by a lock pin 26. As each lock pin 26 is attached to a release cable 29, the total number thereof, when said cable is pulled rearwardly, may be withdrawn from locking engagement with the lugs 27. The flaps of the container once released, swingopen when and as the bags 14 are inflated.

The means for inflating the bags 14 consists of a tank 30 within which a liquid gas such as CO is contained. Preferably the tank 30 is suspended beneath the fuselage or body closely adjacent the bags 14. From said tank 25 30 a line 31 extends to a point 32 midway between the opposed bags, and from said point 32 branch pipes 33 extended to the respective bags. Normally the line of communication between said tank and the bags 14 is closed by a valve (not shown) controlled thru a release cord 34 carried at its opposite end within the fuselage to a point in convenient proximity to the pilots seat. That said release cord 34 and the cable 29 may be simultaneously operated, said parts are fastened together as at35.

In operation, and in an emergency, both bags may be simultaneously inflated by a rearward pull on the continuation of the rethe center of buoyancy of the flotation gear slightly aft the center of gravity of the machine. Thus positioned, the machine upon coming to rest, floats, tail up (see Fig. 3) so lease, cables 29 and 34. Said cables are prefin without departing from the spiritorscope thereof. I aim in. the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

What I claim is:

1. The combinationwith an aeroplane fuselage, and extending transversely thereof, a lifting surface; of an emergency flotation gear comprising inflatable bags positioned, one each, close up against and on opposite sides of said fuselage below said lifting surface; a source of gas supply, under pressure,

and by means of which said bags, in an emergency, may be rapidly and simultaneously inflated, the center of buoyancy of said flotation gear, when inflated, being slightly aft the center of gravity of the aeroplane, as and for the purpose specified. r

2. The combination with an airplane fuselage, and extending transversely thereof, a lifting surface; of an emergency flotation gear comprising inflatable bags positioned,

one each, close up against and on opposite sides of said fuselage; a source of gas supply, under pressure, and by means of which said bags, in an emergency, may be rapidly and simultaneously inflated; means for detachably securing said bags to the fuselage; longitudinally elongated envelope-like containers within which said bags are normally packed deflated; a metal strip'fastened-to the back side of each'said container having its ends protruding beyond said container and having one end formed with an aperture; an eye fitting for each strip secured to the side of the fuselage and into which the end of said signature. 7

CHARLES E. HATHORN.

' that the wings orsupporting surfaces will give the necessary buoyancy desired. -Morev over, with the tail up, the machine afloat, 55

ers. Of particular importance, however, is the arrangement admitting of the complete removal or quick detachment of both the bags and the bag containers when the; emereo. gency gear is not required tobe used.

While I have described my invention in de tail in its present preferred embodiment, it

will be obvious to those skilled-in the art after understanding my invention, that various 5 changes and modifications may be made theremay be more readily spotted by the. search-'

Images