US1882387A - Flying craft - Google Patents

Description

: J. E. LESH EI'AL 1,882,387

FLYING CRAFT Filed July 5, 1929 2 sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQRS Jessa E lld sb. Joseph W. [job].

*Octgll, 1932. J. E. LESH ETAL FLYING CRAFT Filed July 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v I N VEN TORS W Jesse 5 Lab. Joseph ll). H0121.

BY' 6; a I 4. W ATTORNEY 8 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 7 pairs!) STATES PATENT ore-ice I i JESSE E. LESH, OF NORTH CANTON, AND JOSEPH W. HOHL, OF NEWARK, O HIO FLYING CRAFT Application filed July 5,

ent day experiments have proven these.

10 facts. However, there has been considerable criticism of thistype of air craft, owing to its inability to travel between relatively remote points with adequate speed and endurance. Structures previously used have 'apparently tended to set up adverse air.

packs and air currents which served to materially retard the forward motion of the craft. and even to subject it to strains and wrenches sufficiently severe to completelyv disable the ship.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a lighter than aircraft employing the principle of gas buoyancy in combination with a structural designsuitable for speed, endurance, and a great load capacity.

Another object of our invention is to provide rigid lighter than air craft with power mechanism which bears an improved relation, from a standpoint of position, to the center line of resistance to travel of the air ship.

Still another object of' our invention lies in the provision of a lighter than air craft capable of being adequately controlled by means of stabilizers, elevators and rudders of a smaller size than those previously considered necessary. i V

Another object of our invention is to provide a rigid lighter than air craft so constructed that the forward movement thereof through the air will not be retarded by the resistances which have previously been set up against the travel of previously known air craft of this type.

Another. object of our invention lies in the provision of a cabin for our airship that is disposed on the longitudinal lower center line of our craft, forming an integral portion of the hull, and acting as a stabilizing I keel therefor.

1929. Serial No. 375,916.

It will be understood, as this description progresses, that certain features ,of our invention are not necessarily limited; strictly; to the type of flying craft shownbut may be capable of use with other types of craft.

Our invention contemplates the provision of a rigid lighter than air craft whose general contour is such that the tendency to theformation of vacuum pockets and eddiesof air about the ship will be materially diminished. In conjunction with this, the 7 power mechanism utilized is of such form and so disposed that'the air currents created by the passage of the ship through thevair will be positively controlled in such away, as to further dissipate these undesirable vacuum pockets and eddies of air. f

More specifically, our invention preferably 8 comprises a rigid, lighter than air craft wherein the mainrbodyof thecraft is of 7" cylindrical form with its longitudinal side lines straight throughout the greater portions of the length ofthe ship. Furthermore, the

ship is preferably-so constructed that it is T provided with a nose shaped to cut the air v and direct it into corridors which are disposed longitudinally of the ship on the sides thereof and which are provid-edwith motor driven propellers located within these corridors and serving to draw the air displaced from the front of the ship into-these corridors and along the same. I The corridors are preferably provided with side openings which avoid the danger of packing the air in the corridors-and which furthermore serve-tojpermit the propellers and the windstream created thereby, in the corridors to draw the air adjacent the outsideof the corridors into a space between the propeller tips and the walls thereof, with a subsequent dissipation of any vacuum pockets or undesirable eddies that might otherwise be set up around the sides of the ship.

These corridors preferably extend entirely through the ship from points adjacent the nose thereof to points adjacent the rear end thereof and the air is positively drawn through these corridors and expelled through their rear ends. The expulsion of the air from the rear ends of the corridors is effected under pressure. Being discharged in this manner, it is caused to follow the stream line design of the tail, thus destroying any air pockets and vacuum sucks in rear of the tail, and in addition oining the air coming over the longitudinal sides of the craft in such a manner that a pinching effect around the tail is produced.

The corridors and, consequently, thepr'opellers preferably coincide substantially with the center line of resistance; Furthermore, the stabilizers, elevators and rudders of our preferred type of'ship are in direct line with the slip stream of the propellers, obviating any danger of a rarefied atmospheric condition around these parts and ensuring that the ship will respond quickly to its control and thereby ensuring easier handling under all conditions of operation.

There are numerous other features of our invention which constitute important advances intheart. These will be set forth as this description progresses.

Other objects and novel features of our craft.

Figure 5'is .a cross sectional View, partly broken away, taken on the line 55 of ure 2.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the tail section of our craft;

With reference to the drawings, we have shown therein one embodiment of our air craft as comprising a substantially cylindrical or tubular main body portion 1, that is circular in cross section as shown in Figure 4:. This main body portion 1 may be oval if desired, although we have preferably shown it circular.

The longitudinal sides of the main body 1 extend in a straight line so that this body is cylindrical rather than cigar-shaped. They are provided at the forward end with a nose section 2 formed integrally therewith and as a part thereof. The main body is further provided at the tail end with a tail section 3 formed integrally therewith and as a part thereof.

The upper and'lower longitudinal center lines of the. craft extend in a straight line from fore to aft and terminate at the nose 2 in a vertical knife-edge, prow member 4 and at the tail section 8 in a vertical rudder post 5. a r

Figr The sides of the craft in addition to those of the upper and lower center line extend in straight lines longitudinally intermediate the rudder post 5 and the prow 4: and are of such length and position as to form the arcuate inner confines of the nose section 2 and tail section 3 respectively, as will be hereinafter noted.

The nose section 2 which comprises an integral portion of the body 1 is provided at the 7 forward end thereof with" the vertical knife centric with and merging into side corridors formed in the body portion of the craft. The

I funnel-like curvature of each side of the nose,

Figure 4C or 1, is slight in that area designated by the numeral 6. It becomes more pronounced in that area designated by the numeral 7 so that it assumes a'substantially circular contour merging with therforward end of alongitudinally extending circular corridor 8, one of which is formed in the side of the body 1.

The prow member 2 is ofvery slight width and serves to separate the air into two streams. Then, the funnel-like sides of the nose receive and direct the two streams of air into the corridors 8. Thus, the air is both split and controlled and finally directed to points where it is converted to advantageous rather than to detrimental uses, in a manner that will be made more clear asthis description progresses.

Stating the matter in a somewhatmore technical way, each side of the nose has a surface which is curved in the direction of length of the ship and which is also curved in a direction at rightangles to the length of the ship. This produces a compound curved surface which receives and conducts the air with a minimum amount of resistance into the corridor at the innerend of the surfaces.

'The prow member 2 is shown as being to give the proper outline thereto. Thisnose The sides of this nose section section may be formed of a light metal such I i as aluminum or the like. r

The two longitudinally extending circular zontal center line of the craft. Thus an imaginary line passing transversely through the diametricalcenter of each corridor would also bisect the horizontal center of the main body 1.

The diameter of these corridors 8 is pref- 1 erably slightly more than the diameter ofthe propeller blades 11 mounted on the motors 43 disposed within the corridors which willcation, at the front end, with the funnel-like portion 'Zof the nose surface 2, both funnellike surface and corridor being of equal diameter at that point. The after end of the corridor 8 is similarly in communication with a funnel-like area of the tail surface 3. The corridor 8, is further provided with a side open tothe atmosphere as at 12 that extends throughout its length. The function of this open side will be hereinafter referred to. l

The tail section of the craft is shown best in Figures'fl, 5 and 6. It is fitted in between the upper and lower surfaces of the main body portion. In between these upper and lower surfaces, each vertical surface of the tail section embodies a flaring concave portion 13 which is, in reality, a widened continuation of the rear end of the corridor 8. This flaring concave portion 13, however, merges into a convex stern portion 14 terminating in the stern post 5.

The structure just described is preferably produced by progressively decreasing the length of the straight line longitudinals of the body portion to give the proper outline of the tail section as described, when the, light metal covering is interposed intermediate the straight line upper and lower surfaces.

The stabilizers 15 are mounted on the tail I end surface 3 directly in line with the cor-' ridors 8 and extend outwardly from the body of the ship. They are provided with the elevators 15? attached to the rear end thereof. Suitable operating mechanism as at 47 may 1 be mounted in connection with the elevators of the tail end 3 and are disposed in direct horizontal alignment with the horizontal diametrical center of the corridors 8 and the horizontal center line of the craft.

tical rudder 16 that is preferably of the rec tangular proportions shown and of the same height as the distance between the upper and lower center lines 'ofthe craft.

Suitable operating mechanism comprising wires and other common known means of control as at 48, Fig. 1, may be provided for swinging the rudderfrom oneside to the other about its pivotal connection with the rudder post 5. The control wirestherelfore are also conducted forward through th main body 1 to the control cabin.

"If desired, an electrical control can be interposed intermediate the control cabin and the elevators and rudders, and-by proper en-.

ergization canbe operated to automatically control the ship.

The methods of controlling the elevators and stabilizers are well known to those versed in the art, and it is our desire to utilize any common known mechanisms for operating these members. I

The craft is further provided with a cabin 17, Figure 2, that is formed integrally with the framework and extends below the ship.

The cabin isso constructed that the longi-v tudinal center thereof is in direct alignment with the longitudinal center of the craft.

This cabin preferably extends under that section of the craft wherein the lifting cells are disposed. It will be noted in Figure 2 that it is of about the same length as the corridors 8, although the cabin may be of any.

length desired and of any design. The rearmost end of the cabinas at 18 curves upwardly toward the underside of the hull 1. This is primarily to relieve wind resistance or to eliminate the air suck that would normally be created by a square end cabin. The forward end may be desired. I

The control room is adapted to be parti tioned off from the balance of the cabin and will form the foremost part thereof. It will be pro-vided'with the usual means forcontrolling the craft; and in addition will be provided with transparent panels wherever desired to allow the greatest possible vision to the navigators In rear of the control room the cabin will be divided into the various other rooms suitable for crew quarters, passenger staterooms, etc.

The positionand the rigid connection of similarly curved, if '9,

the cabin to the ship is such that it may be utilized as a keel therefor. This is extremely advantageous in that the cabin forms an integral part of the framework, as will be hereinafter related,and all of the weight thereof is disposed on the lower longitudinal center line thus tending to steady and balance the ship.

. The numeral 19 designates a plurality of propeller operated generatorsthatare dis- Q posed on the underneath side of the cabin 17 The rudder post 5 is equipped with a verand depend therebelow, being automatically operated as the craft travels forward.- Furthermore, these generators are positioned drawing them into the cabin proper when not in use. 7

The supporting framework for each generlll).

wires, struts and cross braces (not shown) may be interposed between. the ring member 35 and the longitudinals to aid in maintain,- ing the stability of the sections.

In Figure 5, it can be seen that some of these gas bag sections are of necessity of some what lesser area, especially at the rear end of the ship wherein the convexouter tail portion makes it necessary to somewhat reduce the contour of the ship at this point. The foremost gas bag section is somewhat reduced in area adjacent the front part thereof.

The center ring member 35 is to be found joning each set of radial bars 34 which form the confining wall of a plurality of gas cell sections. Each ringmember 35is disposed on the longitudinal center lineofthe craft and is adapted to support a tubular member 36 extending longitudinally of the craft from fore to aft. Within this tubular member 36 a steel cable extends from the rudder post 5 to ally and is well known to those versed in the art.

The gas bags 28, which are clrcular in, cross section are provided wlth vertical sides, as

1 shown in'Figure -1 and are further provided with a centrally disposed longitudinally extending opening through which the tubular" member 36 extends. The bag is so constructed that the buoyant gasheld therein will not leak or escape around this central opening.

. Each gas cell section is provided'with the gas cell 28 and a balloonette29 that is dis-@ This. bal--.

posed directly below the gas cell. loonette29 is of an oval tubular shape when distended. This member is for the purpose of preventing the gas cell from sagging. when the gas therein becomessomewhat rarefied and contracts thus allowing the sides of the cells proper to lose their shape and to fall away from the hull of the craft. To remedy this condition the balloonette is merely inflated which, as shown in Figure 3, will press upwardly against the base of the-cellproper thus compensating for any sag produced in the cell by a rarefied gas Condition.

\Ve have preferably provided each balloonette with a separate valve member, (not shown) that is connected to a fluid source of supply. Inasmuch as each balloonette is disposed beneath a separate gas cell, it will be possible to inflate or deflate each'balloonette separately. The material used in the con-- struction of the gas cell and balloonette may be of any type desired. a i

It will be noted, in'Figure 1, that each cell is' provided with the customary gas cloth -.outer covering 37. Thiscoveringisprefer fully inflated, the gas clothf37 prevents the ccll cloth from chafing against the wire mesh.

which in turn restrains the cell from bulging or coming out of shape and'lies adjacent the inner surface of the longitudinals, being pressed thereagainst during inflation of the gascells. It will .be noted in Figure 3 that. the gas cell 28 shown therein, folds Without kinking around a longitudinally extending seotionre served for the corridors 8. These corridors 8,which; are preferably cons structedof a lightmctal secured to the-proper framework, extend well intothe body of the ship. To make it possible to provide a plurality of corridorsS it has been necessary to somewhat alter and strengthenthe frame? work at that point, It must vbe remembered that thercorridors are provided with 'longi-- tudinal openings that are positioned along bers 3Q encircling the frame intermediate the mam transverse sections'to extend with out a break totally around the hull;

The ring members 30' are properly rein forced owing to the fact that they aid in-the support of the main transverse sections. The clrcular members 30" are merely binders, (Figure 1). J." V

' At a point above the actual corridor area, the longitudinals31 are provided with an in-' wardly extendingdownwardly angling section as at 40, (Figure 3)-t o which is'secured a plurality ,of auxiliary l'ongitudinals 41; These longitudinals 41 are maintained with in the ship and "are secured. preferably'at either end on one of the end main transverse I sections that lie. adjacent thereto.

It can be seen from the'drawing that the member 41 and the longitudinals are spaced and braced horizontally and vertically in I such amanner that a sheathing of light metal may be. mounted th'ereinin such a manner:

as to present a cylindrical tubular surface converging at either end, with the nose and tail surfaces.

At the juncture of the main transverse partitions with the corridor structure, the ring tors, hutthey are so-constructed and of sulii cientstrength-that the proper elements for supporting a motor could be placed therein and a motor mounted if desired.

In mounting the motor, a plurality of ra-" dial arms 42, of heavy construction are rigidly, or resiliently, if desired, secured to the adjacent framework of the corridor wall.

The motor 43 is interposed at the juncture of' these. arms 42, thus spacing and bracing the motor both horizontally or vertically.

j drawn over the nose and driven through the corridors on either SlClQ thus reduclng the the weightof end.

It is desired that the motor be so positioned that the propeller arc will not extend beyond the ring member 30. The exterior of the ship is preferably covered with a material suit able to craft of this type. The nose and tail sections are preferably covered with alight metal which would be more adequate for withstanding the pressures and elements without a resilient action-as found in a yieldable cloth that might be detrimental to their particular functions.

In addition, we have shown in Figure 2,

a water ballast system comprising a forwardhead resistance to a minimum. g

It is a feature of this air craft to have the forward propellers rotating in a clockwise direction. It can be seen in Figure 5 that a column of air of'approxima'tely the same diameter as the propeller, will be moving longit-udinally through the corridor 8 and will be whirling (at a high velocity) in the direction of the arrows. The middle propeller, which is disposed intermediate the forward and rear propeller, is adapted to be rotated in the opposite direction to that of the forward propeller. It can readily be seen that the column "of air coming from the forward propeller will be whirling in one direction and the propeller blade of the second motor will be rotati'ng in opposition thereto.

I If the second propeller and the column of air in front of it were rotating in the same direction, themotor would have little or no work to do "owing to the fact that it would merely be boosting this air column in its original circular path of travel.

By reversing this propeller'arc it is found that the propeller will have to do work to reverse the whirling action of the column of air coming from the forward propeller; In this manner we have made the center promoving column.

peller effective whereas'it would normally be nothing more than an idler. v

The rearmost propeller is adapted to be rotated inthe same'direction as the forward propeller or, in opposition to the center pro-' peller. The air column coming from the center propeller will be traveling in a reverse spiral to the direction of rotation of the rear I propeller. I-Iereag'ain we have provided a column of air whirling in one direction and a propeller whirllng .in another direction that, as a result,w1-l'l cause the rear propeller to do work on the column of air to reverse its whirling path of travel. 7

By referring to Figure 5 it can be seen that the column of air coming from the rear propeller willbe blasted rearwardly along the stream line hull of the tail section. The stabilizers 15, due to their advantageous position, are maintained directly in the center of this diverging column of air coming from the rear propeller. It can readily be seen that the velocity of this air will render the elevators 15 and the rudder 16 highly effective even if there are adverse air currents blowing thereagainst or even if the air through which'the craft is passing is not in motion. i v

It is well-known that a column of air such as that created by'the propellers and moving through the corridors will more or less be traveling at a high rate of speed and furthermore will remain, up to a certain point, at a constant diameter. It has been hereinbefore revealed that the propeller diameter is slightly less than the diameter of the corridor. It

can readily be seen that the colum-nof airmovlng rearwardly through the corridors would remain at'a diameter equal to that of the propeller blade. Thus between the outer periphery ofthis moving column of air and the inner surface of the corridors there will be a layer of air that will be a'fiected by this H moving column of air. As the velocity of 7 this moving column of air is increased, this layer of air will tend to move in the same di rection, only with lesser velocity,'than the This action will cause the air surrounding the ship and especially the air adjacent the longitudinally extending side opening of thecorridors to be drawn into the space lntermediate the moving column of air andthe inner side of the corridor wall. This alr'is carried along bythemoving column of air from the propeller and is eventually ex haustedat the rear of the ship. The action of the circular column of air on this second layer of air might readily 'be termed a siphoning action.

By pulling the airadjacent the longitudinal side openings of the corridor thereinto, it

can be seen that any eddy or swirl of air set up by adverse air currents will be the corridors.

pulled into 7 Again-referring to the'nose of our air craft it will be noted that the action, of the two forward propellers, will tend to create a rarified atmospheric condition, not only ad jacent the actual nose surface, but in addition will positively act on the air lying Within an area equal to approximately three to four times the diameter of the propeller. This action of the propellers is sufiieient to break down any resistance, or to disperse any air pack that might be formed at the nose of the ship.

It has been hereinbefore mentioned that the longitudinal sides of our air craft are maintained in straight line, the upper and lower center lines thereof extending from fore to aft. A feature of our invention lies in the fact that these straight longitudinal siues effectively relieve eddies and vacuum pockets around the body and over the tail of the ship. It might even be said that this even flow of air aided by the volume of air traveling at a high velocity being vented from the rear propellers will materially aid in cans along the line hereinbefore set forth, will uninistakably have a free passage through its supporting fluid. The nose of our craft is capable of parting the air and causing it to flow evenly and smoothly over the longitudi nal sides of the craft, and in addition to be driven through the corridors in such a inanner that the easy reunion of the molecules of air originally separated at the nose, is made possible. The column of air venting from the corridors and that flowing from the sides of the ship will come togetherat the tail end without clashing or setting upv disturbing eddies that might result in a vacuum sucl: normally found in craft of the regulation type.

We have paid particular attention to the disposition of the corridors and the motors mounted therein. 7 By positioning these corridors, in the manner shown, we have made it possible to apply the motivating power on the center line of resistance, thus reducing the actual amount of power needed to move the ship, through the air, to a minimum. Some direct advantages of this construction lies in the factthat smaller motors may be utilized thus decreasing the fuel load necessary to operate them.

It will be obvious that there are numerous other advantages arising from the various novel features outlined. These will appear to some extent from the claims of this application.

Having thus described our invention what" we claim is:

1. In a rigid aircraft, a. plurality of propelling elements disposed in corridors "extending longitudinally of said craft, each corridor having side openings extending longitudinallythellength thereof, said propclling elements operating to first create a 2111 'a-rigidaircraft, a plurality of pro-.

pellingelements disposed in corridors extending longitudinally of said'craft, each corridor having side. openings extending longitudinally the length thereof,saidpropell-ing elements operating to first create a column of'air in said corridors traveling in one direction, that will be first whirled in one direction, then in another, said moving column of air capable of drawing the air from the sides of the ship adjacent the corridors into the corridors.

3. A rigid lighter than air craftcomprising a body portion having longitudinal cor ridors substantially throughout. the length thereof, said corridors having side openings extending throughout the length thereof, and propellersv for. forcing air through said corridors and delivering it under pressure over the exterior tail surface of the craft and in contact with the rudder and elevators.

4-. A rigid lighter than air craft compris,

ing a body portion having longitudinal corridors substantially throughout the length thereof, a wedge-like nose with its sides converging into said corridors, said sides being of funnel-like formation, propellers in said corridors, the rear ends of said corridors being so disposed as to deliver air under pressure around the tail of the craft.

5. In a'flying craft, a housing therefor,

said housing having a nose portion, comprising a vertical prow, concave surfaces disposed on either sideand in rear of said prow, said concave surfaces forming a funnel like surface adjacent the foremost ends of a plurality of longitudinal corridors, said corridors disposed in alignment with the longitudinal centerline of said craft, and extending throughout the length ofv said craft, being in communication, at the rear end, with a flaring inwardly converging tail surface, 4

said tail surface being substantially funnel shaped adjacent the rearmost ends of, said 7 corridors, motors disposed in said corridors, said motors capable of creating a rarefied atmospheric condition adjacent said nose of said craft and capable of drawing said air into the corridors, said air being vented at the tail of said ship over and around the elevators, stabilizers and rudder disposed on the tail section in the direct path of said vented air. a a

6. In a rigid lighter than air craft, a housing therefor having substantially straight lines longitudinally, a plurality of corridors extending longitudinally of said housing and-having side openings therein extending the'entire length of said corridor, a cabin formed as an integral part of said housing and extending therebelow, said cabin being disposed on the lower longitudinal centerline of said housing, said cabin forming the keel of said craft.

7. In a rigid lighter than air craft, a tail surface comprising funnel-like surfaces inv communication with, at their smallest ends, the ends of a plurality of longitudinally extending corridors, said funnel-like tail surfaces 1 converging inwardly toward each other and toward a vertical tail post, said funnel-like surfaces having a substantially vertical surface adjacent said Verticaltail post. c

8. In a rigid lighter than air craft the combination of a nose having substantially funnel-like surfaces in communication with a plurality of longitudinally extending corridors and a tail having substantially funnel-like surfaces in communication with the other end of said longitudinally extending corridors.

In testimony whereof we hereby aflix our signatures;

' JESSE E. LESH. JOSEPH W. HOHL nasaasz

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