US1877003A - Flying machine - Google Patents

Description

F. A. MENG FLYING MACHINE sept. 13, 1932.

s sheets-'sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1931 abtmm q Spt. 13, 1932. F, A MNG 1,877,003

FLYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1931 5 ShetS-Sheet 2 FLYING vMACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 13, 1932 1 FREDERICK AQVMENG, or nitiuuaxoiaiv, MICHIGAN 'l :FLYING MACHINE "Application filed ySeptember 24, 1931. Serial No.` 564,868.

This invention relates to a flying machine and generally aims to provide Aa construction of flying machine disclosed in Letters Patent 1,229,114. issued to Frederick A. Meng, et al.,

i'. "l J une 5,1917.

1 said end unit of Figure'4,

v 1t is particularly aimed to provide `a novel construction wherein the various controls are replaced for electric rather than'manual operation.

It isyalso aimedto provide a novel ground gear enabling the machine to land without the usual landingcrew and such a gear` as will .'permit .the machine to travel .on the ground. Y

The more specic objects and advantages will become apparent fromaeonsideration of the description following taken lin connec- -tion with accompanying draw-ings illustratrfmfing an operative embodiment. v

1'Insaid drawingsz-- Y. I Figure 1 is a view of the airship 1n side elevation, ivv 1 1 Figure 2 -1s -afront endvizew of the `airship,

' Figure 3 is a crossfsection taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

.A Figure 4 is an enlargedplan view of .one

:of the-end propeller-units, v Y. Y Figure 5. is va front elevation of the unit of Figure4, Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation of Figure 7 is a sectional line 7-7of Figure 1,

Figure 8 is van enlarged side elevation ,of

a portion ofthe front landing gear,

` Figure 9 is an enlargedrtransverse sectional detail illustrating the mounting anddrivind ofthe side or,liftingfpropellers, j

lFigure 10 is anv endelevation-of the drive Iused in connection withA the side propellers, vand` v v l Figure 11 isa detail in plan of part of the 'mounting` of -one ofthe side motors.

the balloon or lighter 'Referring specificallyU to the-drawings, 10

generally designates the airship, which :preferably has a gas bag at 11 whereby Tit is of bag 11V may be .of ,any suitable construction, shape and details but preferably-has lateral passages at 12, a vertical passage at 13, and

'lysupport hoods 24, having. ground detail taken on the f 36 manner on the shaft 37 of such motor. Rigid l segment. 38, being than air type. *The a transverse ypassage at 14, enabling communication vbetween the various portions of the airship and access to the variouscontrols. lhe cabin carried by the 'bag 11 is shown at A plurality of front framework arel provided as at 16,. fastenedin any suitable manner to the structure of thebag and carrying vertical cylinders 17 having cushioning springs 18y therein. v4Movable against .the action of they springs 18, are rodsor pistons 19, telescoped inthe .casings 17, Y and vcarrying hoods or the like at 2Q, having ground wheels 21 -pivotedv thereto4 as at 22. Preferably jthree `of the ground whee1ls21 and coacting supports are used as shownin Figure 2.

i -Adjacent the rear ofthe bagll, two.' framework 23 are preferably provided which rigid- Y Wheels 25 secured toshafts 26 fastened to the hoods.H

- Thewhe'elsenable theairship to travel over Vrthe land and also toalight without the necessity of employing ,a landing 'crew as is necessary at the present time. Y l.

To enable theflast mentioned result to be novel system of propellers which'are operable to maintain.` the wheels 21 and 25 in contact with the groundand not lin flight. v

At the front and rear vof the'bag 11, :nose

the framework of such bagQ vertically journaled in arms 28 of the nosevmounting s,`is a-rotatable shaft 29 o-n which is journaled, the spaced `arms 30 and l31, of abracket 32.`

[Bracket 32 has a ybracket, pivotally bolted thereto as at 34 and it extends from a driving motor35, for an yadj acent end propeller the latter being fastened in any suitable V.with the 'motor' `35 and lbracket 33, isa gear a worm wheel, and in mesh .with-a worm portion 39 of the shaft 29. The

bracket 32 also carries imitarily therewith, an electric motor 40, whose shaft has `a sprocket wheelthereon drivinga sprocketchain 41, geared to thesh.aft 29. Thus when the motor 40 is in operation, worm39 and worm Wheel 38 effect swinging movement ofthe motor ,and-end .propeller from a horizont-alaxis 34. f

realized the' bag or ship isequipped with a or cap mountings 27 are suitably secured to At the same time, each of said end propellers 36 may be moved laterally to either side. To this end, bracket arm 31 has a worm wheel 42 formed thereon, with which .a worm 43, suitably journaled on the nose mounting 27, meshes, such worm being in turn driven by a sprocket chain 44 meshing with a sprocket wheel 45, such chain being driven by a sprocket wheel 46, on the shaft of an electric motor 47. It will be realized that the motors and 47 are operated at different times,

either when the motor 85 is in operation or idle, as the case may be.

It will be realized that while'one of the.

i substantially in a straight vertical path or at a right angle to the ground. The pro-- pellers of such units 48 are designated 49 and driven by electric motorsO.' Theelectric motors 50 are rigidly carried by shafts 51, journaled in suitable bearings at 52 and 53,

pro-vided on the framework of the machine. f VThrough the movement of shafts 51, the angle of the motors 50 and accordingly of the prolpellers 49 may be shifted according to the desires of the pilot. Rigid onshafts 51 are worin wheel segments 55, in mesh with worms 56 journaled in bearings 57 of the casings of electric motors 58. Such motors 58 drive sprocket chains 59 which .are trained over Vsprockets 60 keyed to the worms 56. The electric motors 58 are operated of course onl whenl desired, under `suitable switch contro either individually, those of each side of the airship in groups, or all of them simultaneously, as preferred. The operation of the motors 58, cause the rotation of the shafts 51 and variation of the angle of motors 50 and ofthe propellers 49.

The machine is driven and steered over the ground independently of the propellers described and when the same are not in operation. To accomplish this result, a propeller is shown at 62 driven by an electric motor 63 having a bracket 64 whereby it is journaled on .an upstanding shaft 65 of the central frame 16. Also rigid with the motor casing 63 and iournaled on the shaft 65 is a worm wheel 66'. A bracket 67, rigid on shaft 65 has a shaft 68 j ournaled therein provided with a worm portion at 69 in mesh with the Q wheel 66. IJVorm shaft 69 is driven from an electric motor 70, through the medium of chain and sprocket gearing at 7l, suitably mounted on the adjacent framework 16. As

moved laterally to either side when desired, the motor 70 being operated independently of the motor 63 and while itis in operation or yidle as the case may be.

Suitable electricity generating units may be provided at 7.0, being mounted for instance on the framework 23, .such generators serving to generate sufficient electricity for the purpose of operating the various motors of the airship or apparatus used in connection therewith. Obviously the electric energy may be supplied from batteries or in .any desired manner.

, Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention :e-

1. An airship comprising al bag, propellers at front and rear thereof, side propellers, frameworks depending from the bag, wheels carried by the frameworks, a propelling unit carried by one of the frameworks adapted for operation when the wheel means are engaged with the ground, the last mentionedr framework having an upright, the propelling means being j ournaled thereon, a casing carried by the upright, a cushioning spring in the casing, and the ground wheel means having a portion in cushioning engagement with the spring. Y

2. In an airship, a propeller unit comprising-amounting body, a worm shaft jou-rnaled on said body, a bracket journaled on said shaft, a gear on said bracket, a motor on said bracket, a propeller-driving motor pivoted to the bracket and having a gear in mesh'with said worm, a driving connection from the first mentioned motor to the worm, and means carried by the body operable to drive the i'irst mentioned gear. v

3. In an airship, a driving unit comprising a mounting body attachable to the nose of a bag, said body having spaced arms, a shaft j ournaled in said arms, a bracket journaled on said shaft said bracket having a gear thereon v and a motor, a driving connection from the motor to said shaft, a motor carried by the bracket having a driving connection with the said gear, a propeller-driving motor pivoted to the bracket, and driving gear means between the last mentioned motor and said shaft. 'i

4. In an airship,a frame having` members disposed in diverging relation, a motor secured on one of said members, a bracket connected to the other of said members, a shaft journaled on said bracket and drivenbyv said motor, a propeller-driving motor journaled on the other of said members, and a driving connection between said shaft and said motor, operable to vary the position of the latter.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature.

FREDERICK A. MENG.

a result, the motor 63 and propeller 62 may be y

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