US1890115A - Automatic control system for aeroplanes - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 6, 1932: KOUN AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES Filed April 28. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I z y Dec. 6, 1932. KQUN AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES Filed April 28. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45 jg ZZZVQ Patented Dec. 6, 1932 A1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE YOUNG H KOUN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES.

Application filed April 28, 1931; Serial No.-.533,497I

The invention relates to aeroplanes and its same principle: When the aeroplane is tiltobject is to rovide a stabilizing means for ing towards the front; the weight onthe rails controlling tie aeroplane in the air. moves upthe inclined plane, and when the Another object of the invention is to proplane is in horizontal position the weight 5 vide a stabilizer for aeroplanes adapted for moves-back'to its original position and rests hand control operation and self-control operon the base of the inclined plane. ation so that it may operate with hand con- The altitude controlling tube is mounted trol or without, thus providing for automatic on the fuselagelongitudinally thereto andis operation, parallel to the front partof the fuselage and C Additional objects of the invention will beto the propeller shaft.

come more fully known by the following The device described herein isfor the conspecifications, in which the preferred formof trol of an aeroplane either by hand or by the invention is described. automatically or semi-automatically operat In the drawings similar reference characing.

ters' refer to similar partsin all the views, The .device'controlling the wings when seen of which in the? direction of flight, is constructed as Figure 1 is a plan view of a monoplane follows: equipped with a stabilizing device mounted As illustrated, an aeroplane 10 of any conin tubes on the fuselage. ventional type has suitably attached to, its Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1. fuselage in rear of its wings 11 equipped with Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of. the customary ailerons 12 to both sides of the stabilizer means and wiring. the fuselage,.a cross-wise arranged tube or Figure at is automatic altitude control stick container 13 provided with doors 14:.

7 shown in section. The bottom of the tube 13 carries an in- W By referring to the drawings it will be seen sulating rubber pad 15 acting simultaneously that a monoplane is illustrated, but it will of. as. shock absorber;

course be understood that the invention'may Bottom pad 15 carries in the tube on one be used on a biplane or any other type of side of the fuselage near its inner end a subaeroplane. It should also be understood that stantially wedge-shaped rubber body 16 hav- 3 the device can be mounted on the wingorin ing a .stop16' and juxtaposed to a metal elethe wings instead of on the fuselage. The ment 17 near the-outer end of the tube and device'may be arranged to occupy onetube or both carrying a metal rail 18 on which the box instead of three tubes. rollers 19 of a carriage 20 are running.

Briefly described, my invention comprisesa The pad 15 forming the bottom of tube good conductive metal weight firmly mounted 13 on the'opposite side of the wing carries t on good conductive metal rolls. Theweight also a rubber body 16" which is substantially with the rolls 18 mounted on good conducwedge-shaped and with its pointed end isditive metal rails which are built into an insurccted towards the inner end of the tube, lated tube and mounted on both sides of the while acting as shock absorber 16'.

fuselage horizontally. Its opposite end is juxtaposed to ametal 9 The tubes are parallel to the wings and element 17 and both elements16" and 17 laterally disposed thereto, so that the tube carry the rail 18 on which run the wheels and wing coincide in their motions. The rails 19 of a carriage 20'. are built with a sloping or inclined plane, A wire 21 connects the metal body 17 with just steep enough so as to allow the weight one pole of a pair of solenoids or electroto move along the plane when thewing'is magnets 22 the other pole of which is con tipped, and to move back into its original nected by a wire 23 to a battery 24: and by position when the wings are on even level and a wire 25to a switch 26. y

the aeroplane is in normal flying position. The carriage 20 is connected by a wire 27 The altitude control system works on the to switch 28. Oppositely disposed to the poles of the electromagnets 22 is an armature 29 normally spaced from said poles and connected by means of a spring-30 to the stick 31 pivotally attached as at 32 in the cockpit of the aircraft. and balanced by springs 33, 34; o

An armature 35 is attached by means of a spring 36 to stick 31 on the opposite side thereof, and is normally spaced from the poles of an electromagnet 37. s j

Electromagnets 37 are connected by means of wire 38 to battery 24, and by means of wire 39 to the metal piece 17 while the carriage 20 is connected by :means ot alwire 40 to switch 28 closing a circuit over the wires 41, 42, grounded at- 43, 44, on the fuselage of the plane.

In the center of thefuselage a tube 45 i provided longitudinally extending to the fuselage of the airplane and having on one side a rubber pad 46 carrying on its outer end a wedge-shaped rubber body 47 having a shock absorbing abutment 48. J uxtaposed to rubber body 47 within tube 45 is a metal element 49 and carrying a vrail'fl50 on which run the Wheels 51 of a carriage 52. A wire 53 connectedto said metal body is grounded as at 54, while a wire 55 connects The switch 25 to a pair of electromagnets 5'6 connected by wire.57

the carriage with switch 26. is connected by-meansof wire to the battery 24. r

j'An armature 58 is connected by means of a spring 59'to'stick 60 controlled by a spring 61, andthe controls for the'elevator control gear are operated by means of member 62 connected by'means of member 63 to the ele vators 64, '65. I y I The dev ce operates as-follows: Assuming that during the flight the right hand wingof the plane sinks elevating the left hand wing. This will slide'carria-ge 20 from its position on the insulated member 16 onto the metal member 17 to'close a circuit across wire 21'to solenoids 22-.wire23 to battery 24 and wire 27 to switch 28. The electromagnets willbe energizedto' attract armature 29 and move stick 31to the right. -This stick is injthe usual manner not form ng part of myinvention connected to themeans controlling the aileron 12 so as to turn aileron- 12 on'the'left wing upward to offer resistance to the air which willtend to lower tbe'left hand wing thus carrying the right hand w ng upward until the aircraft is balanced'again. the carriage 2O sliding back into its normal position on insulation 16 will open the circuit, de-energizing the electromagnets so that spring 30 can now guide the stick 31 into its normal position.

The same were of o erations will take place it the letthand wing is lowered and the right hand wing elevated. If the plane goes into a-tail spin, carriage 52 will. close in a similar manner a circuit over'electrotrolled stick magnets 56 and the armature 58 will move 'I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is V 1. In a device as described, a tube transversely arrangedto. the fuselage of an aircraft behind its wings, and comprising duplicate circuit closers one for each-wing, each consisting of a carriage normally resting ona rail on an insulated member adapted to slide onto a metal member over which saidrail eX- tends, upon the lowering of the respective wing to close a circuit, solenoids energized upon the closing of the circuit, a spring con controlling the ailerons of the craft, and armatures to be attracted by the energized soleno1ds,means connecting stick and ailerons to raise the aileron ion the raised wing and to lower the aileron on the lowered wing stabilizing the aircraft. 2. In an aircraft including its fuselage,

a casing longitudinally arranged in said fuse lage, an insulator member in said casing, a metal member arranged 1n uxtapos1t1on thereto, a rail, covering said insulated and metal member, a carriage running on said rail normally held on the insulated member, running on said rail to engagesaid metal member, a circuit in which said metal memher and carriage are located to be closed upon the arrival of said carriage on said metal.

member by the raising of the a rcrafts tail, a stick, connections between said stickand the elevators. an armature connected to said stick. solenoids adapted to be energizedupon i the closureof the circuit to attract said armature to operate said stick and its connections to the elevators to raise the same for balanc ing the'craft about to go into a tail-spin.-

3. In an aircraft, means for automatically.

stabilizing the same when tilting from the horizontal plane of flight, said means: comprising casings, each having an insulated bottom, an insulation member on said bottom, a conductor member juxtaposed thereto, a stop on said insulation member, a rail,'and a carriage running over said rail. circuits in which said conductor member and carriage are-located adapted to be closed upon the moving of said carria e onto the conductormember under the influence of the t lt of a wing and the tail piece of the'aircraft. solenoids adapted to be energized by the closure of the circuits. armatures adapted to be attracted by said solenoids upon their energization, a stick, connections between said stick and said armatures to draw the stick in one direction upon the closing of the circuits, connections between the stick and the ailerons and elevators, adapted to be operated by the displacement of said stick to raise the aileron on the raised wing and to lower the aileron on the lowered wing to balance the craft bv the air-resistance against said ailerons, and said elevators.

4. In an aircraft, means for automatically stabilizing the same when tilting from the horizontal plane of flight, said means including a stick, connections between said stick and the ailerons and elevators of the plane, circuits, means for automatically closing said circuits by the inclination of the plane, solenoids in said circuits adapted to be energized upon the closing of said circuits to attract said armatures, springs for connecting said connections to the stick to draw it with the armature towards the solenoids to operate the ailerons and elevators to balance the craft, and springs for controlling the movements of said stick, and means for automatically controlling the auxiliary cable for the control of the rudders.

In testimony whereof, I a-fiix my signature.

YOUNG HO KOUN.

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