US1915055A - Aeroplane - Google Patents

Description

June 20, 1933. c. FAUVEL 1,915,055

AEROPLANE File F 24. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. FAUVEL June 20, 1933.

AEROPLANE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1930 664 5 Ell u e/ Patented June 20, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE AEROPLANE Application filed February 24, 1930, Serial No. 430,623, and in France March 2, 1929.

The present invention relates to aeroplanes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a wing which in itself has the necessary aerodynamic properties for permitting flight without the adjunction of the usual tail structures now in use.

Another object is to provide means for changing the direction of an aeroplane without the use of a rudder.

Still another object is to provide means operative by the traction of a propellor to neutralize the forward turning couple exerted by the latter when set in motion.

An additional object is to provide means for neutralizing the lateral turning couple exerted by a propellor when set in motion.

A further object is to provide a special composite form of wing design permitting 0 easy manoeuvring of an altitude rudder attached directly to the wing.

Still further objects will appear in the course of the detailed description now to be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 represents the same structure in .plan;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line AA of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 represents a section taken on line BB of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a lateral elevation of the aeroplane showing certain special stabilizing structures;

Fig. 6 represents the control system in transparent perspective;

Fig. 7 is a diagram representing the re- 0 sultant of the aerodynamic forces acting on the wing for various angles of incidence.

General (1886 ntbly nected to wing 2, direction control and braking elements 4, 4 slidably mounted to be extended beyond, and to be retracted into, the lateral extremities of Wing 2, a pair of horizontal control elements 5, 5 of any desired design, hingcdly mounted on wing 2, a stabilizer 6 pivotally mounted inan inclined position above rudder 3, a joy-stick control for altitude rudder 3 and horizontal control elc ments 5, 5 consisting of a joystick '7 universally mounted at Z, a vertical rod b rigidly attached to rudder 3, crossed cablesrr, a eonnecting opposite extremities of rod 8 to the joy-stick", a pair of rods t), 9 rigidly connected to elements 5, 5, and crossed cables 5, b, and c, 0 extending (1) from opposite sides of point Z on the joy-stick (2) over pulley p, (3) to opposite extremities of rods 9, 9, a control system for elements 4, 4 comprising oscillatable pedals 10, 10, pulleys Q positioned in front and behind pedals l0, pulleys r positioned beyond the inner extremities of elements 4 when the latter are in retracted position, springs 12, 12 tending to draw elements 4 inward, and crossed cables (Z, (Z attached to pedals 10 at points Y extending over pulleys p and 1 to the inward extremities of elemens 4, 4, a motor M provided with a propellor l, a support for the motor including pairs of struts 14 pivotally mounted at points 8 so that the motor may oscillate back and forth under the effect of variations in the traction exerted by the propellor, and stays l5 preventing lateral oscillation, and means for transmitting variations in the tractive ell'ort of the propellor to stabalizer (3 consisting of an arm 16 rigidly attached to element (3. a cable f extending from one end of arm 16 to rear strut l4, and crossed stays composed of cables 18 and springs 19 extending diagonally to opposite extremities of struts 14.

lV-z'ng design zontal angle between the wings (i. e. the angle 4 between each wing and the longitudinal or has vanishing values.

center line), (2) the vertical angle between the wings (i. e. the angle between each wing and the transversal center line), (3) the amount of twist given the wing from center to tip, or (4) the profile of the wing itself. The wing forming the subject matter of the present invention falls into the fourth class of those enumerated above and is auto-stable solely because of its profile. So far as the inventor is aware, tailless aeroplanes, of this type, have never been constructed. While a wing having an auto-stable profile could be made to fly satisfactorily when the wings lie in the same straight line, the angle between each wing and the longitudinal center line being 90, and without giving the wings any twist from center to tip, it has been found that for the sake of convenience of design (proper positioning of the center of gravity when the pilot is mounted in the forward-central part of the wing etc.) and ease of manoeuvring, the wings of auto-stable profile ma be tilted backward or upward or twisted rom center to tip or both tilted and twisted. When these factors tending towards auto-stability are thus combined, the aeroplane, already auto-stable because of the wing profile becomes, to coin a new term, superauto-stable.

As will be seen from the drawings, the wingris formed of a small central portion X ig. 3) of symmetrical biconvex profile and adapted to house the pilot and his controls, and a pair of relatively large lateral ortions W, W having the auto-stable pro-' le shown in Fig. 4. Portion X is given a biconvex profile to facilitate manoeuvring of rudder 4, wings having the profile of portions W ofi'ering too great a resistance to displacement of an altitude rudder attached thereto. Portions W, in terms, are designed to have a CMo which is negative i. e. the coefficient of moment defined by the product of the coeflicient of vertical sustaining component, by the ratio of the distances 8 and Z is negative when Re, the

'vertical sustaining component of the forces acting on the wing, equals zero (see Fig. 7)

When wing portions W are formed in accordance with the relations above specified, the point of application of the resultant of the aerodynamic forces acting on the wing in the manner shown in Fig. 7 (a), will move backward Fig. 7 (b) when the angle of inci-, dence 2' increases, and forward Fig. 7 (a) when it decreases. In other words, the plane will tend to right itself when tilted either forward or backward without the intervention of the pilot.

ences, in the same way as those now in use.

' mediately aerodynamic In taking off, a small rear wheel 20, arranged to be lifted into the shell of wing portion X by proper controls (not shown) may be made use of, altitude rudder 3 being manipulated by joy-stick -7 in the usual way. As soon as the propeller starts turning, the tractive effort exerted thereby tilts struts 1 L forward on pivots s, causing cable 7 to pull on arm 16 so as to tilt stabilizer 6 upward and produce a couple neutralizing the forward turning couple normally exerted during notation of the propeller. Since, in addition, stabilizer 5 is normally supported in a laterally tilted position, the lateral turning couple produced by rotation of the propeller is also neutralized. )Vhen it is desired to change direction to right or left, one or the other of pedals 10 is depressed so as to act on a cable (1 to extend element ion the side that the turn is to be made, the added resistance of the extended element turning the machine in the direction desired. If it be desired to bank during the turn, or if the horizontality of the machine is disturbed during flight in the usual way to manipulate elements 5, 5. In this connection, it is to be noted that these latter elements are, or should be, mounted so that one rises while the otherv descends. Moreover, the element which rises should move upward through a greater distance than the one which descends. Any current design of lateral control (elements 5) may be used to replace the one described. When it is desired to alight, rudder 3 is properly manipulated and, when the motor is cut off, both pedals, 10 are depressed to extend elements 4 on both sides. This'increases imthe value of the horizontal force Rm (Fig. 7, b) i. e. has an effect comp onents increase in angle on the latter similar to an thus bringing the plane rapidly to rest without diminishing vertical force component R2 except in so far as the velocity of the plane is diminished, angle 71 remaining unchanged.

Aeroplanes constructed as hereinabove described have the advantages of (1), being auto-stable i. e. are self righting without manipulation of altitude rudder 3, (2) permitting homothetic construction on any scale, (3) navigating without a tail or similar apz', and decreases the ratio pendages.

Wing portion X may serve as fuselage for seating the pilot and all the controls may be mounted therein. Obviously the invention is not to be taken as limited to the particular structure's described thus: skis or floats may replace landing gear 1; wing portions W may be given other profiles than the one shown provided the coefiicient of moment for 0: equal to zero of the machine remains negative; element 4 may be re laced by structures of equivalent function tiltably mounted on the top of the wing or elsewhere and lying flat during straight line flight; etc., etc.

What I claim is 1. An aeroplane having a central portion of airfoil profile and lateral wings, each of said lateral wings having substantially similar parallel profile sections from said central portion to their respective tips and said wings being of the type in which the resultant of the aerodynamic forces acting on said profile moves backward when the angle of incldence increases and forward when the angle of incidence decreases, and an elevation rudder articulating directly with said central portion, and forming a portion of the trailing edge thereof.

2. An aeroplane having a central portion of airfoil profile, and lateral wings, each-of said lateral wings having substantially similar parallel profile sections from said central portion to their respective tips and said wings being of the type in which the resultant of the aerodynamic forces acting on said profile moves backward when the angle of incidence increases and forward when the angle of incidence decreases, and an elevation rudder F forming a portion of the training edge of said central portion.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES FAUVEL.

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