US2012424A - Toy airplane - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1935. L, 1 FENCKE 2,012,424

TOY AIRPLANE Filed Sept. 27, 1955 Patented Aug. l27, 11935 naar garni" Fries rox.7 AInrLANE p Leo I. Fincke, Chicago, Ill. Appiication September 27, 1933, SerialNo. 691,100

13 Claims.

My invention relates to toy airplanes and is chiefiy concerned with an improved method and apparatus for throwing a plane, whereby the plane may `be thrown easily with considerable speed and accuracy and adjustability of direction.

Another feature is the overcoming, in part at least, of the frictional drag of Ithe throwing member when the plane separates from it.

Another feature of the throwing apparatus is that it also serves as aflanding skidA whereby the speed of the plane is checked before the Wings come in Contact with the ground, whereby the wings are partly protected against breakage by impact in landing.

The foregoing, together with further objec-ts and features lof my invention are set forth in the following description of specificv` embodiments thereof and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan View loi" the planek apart from the throwing stick; Y

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the plane of Fig.l;

Fig. 3 is a Vertical transverse section through the fuselage 'taken along the'line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking rearwardly; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the plane similar to Fig. 2 butshowing the throwing's'tick applied thereto; Fig. 5 is a plan section on enlarged scale of the vplane-carried wire element inserted in the socket of the throwing stick, whichA maybe considered as taken on. the line 5-5 of-Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line E-S of Fig. 5 and looking rearwardly;

Figy'l isa viewsimilar to Fig. 5 but showing a modied form of wire member; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of modified formof throwing stick.

The toy plane l0 Yper se is of well known construction and includ-esa fuselage il I, a front wing IZ, a tail plane I3, and a rudder M.' The rudder may be conveniently mounted in a rudder slot l5, the tail plane in a tail plane slot I6 and the front wing may be applied, for most economical manufacture, by the simple expedient of a rubber band il. Especially where balsa wood is employed, the nose of the fuselagemay be weighted with a shot I8.

The plane-carriediportion I9 `of the throwing apparatus is preferably formed Yfrom spring wire` and is in the form` of a hairpin shaped shank 2l) depending obliquely yfrom the fuselage beneath the wing and secured thereto by means of crossed oit-sets 2| in the legs of the wire continuing. upwardly to lateral Y 'fuselage-embracing portions (Cl. Liii- 50) 22 and terminating in in-turned ends 23 pressed finto the fuselage. The wire is preferably set into a slot Ztl on the bottom edge of the fuselage to 'anchor the wire against turning about the inturned ends 23.'

Apart `from the throwing function of the wire i9 which will presently bedescribed, the shank 2S of the wirev forms an` eiective landing skid for the plane. Since the spring wire is resilient, the plane may land without shock, and the ren 10 tarding drag of Ithe skid will slowdown thespeed, generally bythe momentum of theplane, forcing the nose downwardly, so that the airplane is practically stoppjed before the fragile wings strike the ground. In this way the wings are in general protected from breakage in landing.` .The wire also holds the tail plane up oiT 'the ground so there is less danger of its catching onprojections and being injured.

The remaining portion of the throwingrappa 20 kratus is athrowing stick 25, which comprises a wood shaft having asocket fitting 2l at the outer end-having a hosel 28 into which the shaft is inserted and retained by prick punches 2S. The outer-end of the tting 2i' presents an open- 25 ended socket 30 flattened into oval cross-section. It is into this socket that the shankvend 2li of the wire i9 is inserted, as shown inFig. 5. The dotted line vposition of the wire shank 2i) Yin Fig. 5gshows its normal contour. The sides of 4the shank portion are squeezed'together some-` whatto insert it into the socket, whereby 'the wire exerts a considerable friction against the lateral edges of the socket. Y

In `throwing the plane, one end of the stick is held in the hand and thrown from an upper position, as by movement of the forearm and a snap` of the wrist down toa little above a horizontal positionthe position shownV in Fig. `'4., While the throwing stick is being swung to the 40 position of Fig. 4, the tendency of theplane to fly off the stick is resisted by the friction of the ,wire within thesocket. But by the time thestick has reached the position of Fig. Ll, and the stick is stopped against further movement, the momenturn of the plane is sucient to overcornethe friction of the wire shank Z@ and pull it out of the socket. AOne of the Voutstanding advantages of the frictional retention between the socket and the Shanks in the throwing apparatus for the airplane is that Vif the operator does not swing the throwing stick withsucient speedthere is not enough centrifugal force builtup to overcome the `friction and free the airplane. On the other handit .there is sufcient speed in the swing to vflight has many advantages.

build up the necessary centrifugal force to overcome the frictional retention there is, in all probability, sufficient speed imparted to the airplane for satisfactory flight. Since toy airplanes of the type illustrated are usually so made that they will return to the operator, this feature of my invention practically insures that either a successful night will be made or the airplane will not be discharged at all. This eliminates the kannoyance of the operator having to walk some distanceto pick up the airplane whichrwould otherwise have been discharged with insufficient speed for flight.

The arrangement of this throwing apparatus so that the socket and shank pull apart in the direction of an acute angle to the direction of lf the throwing stick for the toy airplane were to follow the construction of the prior art where a projectile is discharged from a shank and socket connection 'with the throwing stick in the same direction as the direction of flight, the momentum imparted to the airplane would be only that developed by the centrifugal force of the swing. There would is true,not be quite so great, other factors being equal. This is because only a component of the full centrifugal-'force would be applied to propelling the airplane in the 'direction of flight..

But, on the other hand, with my device the move- Vmen't'of the swing of the airplane, which is arcuate about the operators wrist or elbow as a center, has a subs-tantial component in the direction of flight. The direction of flight component of the swinging movement is added to that of the centrifugal force. The suml of these two componentsris greater than would be the full centrifugal force in the instance of the shank and socket separating in the direction of flight. v I, therefore, achieve by my arrangement a greater impetus to the airplane in the direction of night than would be achieved by an application of--the prior art projectile throwing arrangement to a toy airplane. Y

Where the previouslyY discussed advantage of the frictional retention of the airplane with the `throwingstick iscombined with thisv last discussed feature` of the direction of separation being at an acute angle to the direction of flight, it

`will be seen, even though the entire centrifugal yforce were expended upon overcoming the friction ofthe shank within the'socket, there would stillbe ample impetus to the plane for successful night due to the direction of nig-ht component f ofthe swinging movement of the airplane.

My invention has the further advantage that in the swinging ofthe airplane by the throwing stick, the wings are traveling through the air at an angle Vof' 45 degrees, more or less, to the direction of swing rand the airV offers a resistance ori reaction to the wings whichtend to withdraw the shank from the socket, thereby lessening the amount of centrifugal force which must be expended upon overconiing`th'e1friction between the socket and the shank for releasing the airplane for flight.

There is a certain loss of momentum of the plane due to its having to overcome the friction of the wire in the socket. This momentum is, to a certain extent, reimparted to the plane by so arranging the spring wire constituting the shank 2@ that as it finally emerges from the socket 3E), the spreading apart of the legs of the wire shank adjacent its end, by virtue of the inherent resiliency of the spring wire, gives a cam-like action between the shank legs and the mouth of the socket, pushing or springing the shank forwardly.

If desired the friction may be increased by giving the inside walls of the socket 3@ more of a frictional surface, as by a coat of dull paint. The frictional characteristic may also be predetermined-and adjustably-by setting the legs of the shank closer together for lesser friction, or spreading them apart for greater friction. This is done by bending the wire beyond its elastic limit. For use by smaller children it is generally advisable to bend the shanks of the wire closer together to reduce the friction. The normal spacing of the legs of the shank, which-they assume after withdrawal from the socket, is limited by the crossing of the offset portions 2 l. Another function of the crossed offset portions is to prevent a spreading apart of the legs of the wire shank from pulling the lateral fuselage-embracing portions 22 of the wire apart. Thus, the portions 22 always snugly embrace the fuselage and, together with the slot 2li, anchor the wire rigidly upon the fuselage, except for the inherent resilient ilexibility of the wire.

As the throwing stick comes to its final position before the wire is withdrawn from the socket, the continued monentum of the plane tends vsomewhat to tip the plane downwardly. Oifsetting this tendency, there is a slight upward tilt given the plane in the final withdrawal of the wire from the socket. Because the wire leaves the socket ordinarily before the stick reached its final down movement, there is some slight down pressure on the socket Vtending to push the far end of the wire shank 2li downwardly. As the airh-as considerable resistance against the front wing, the front wing acts somewhat as a fulcrum about which the plane -is slightly tilted by the final engagement of the wire in the socket afterthe wire has been withdrawn far enough to permit a vertical swinging of the wire in the socket. f f

With the particular design of plane here shown, there is aitendency `to elevate the plane at high speeds. Consequently the plane when discharged from the throwing stick at highl speed will describe an inside loop, after which, with lesser speed, it will glide more or Yless horizontally. 'it is not necessary, however, *that the throwing stick be swung through a strictlyvertical plane, if the plane through which it is swung is tilted somewhat the airplane will be banked and describe a horizontal circle.

VIn Figf? I have shown a modified form of wire le whereithe legs 2Q ofthe shank are not hairpin shape, but are divergent with free ends. As shown in the primary and secondary dotted line positions of Fig. 7, the normal contour assumed by the legs maybe suchas to give even more of a'cainming effect and, therefore, a greater forward spring las the wire leaves the socket. This form also has the advantage that the spread apart lower ends of the legs of the wire shank give the planean opportunity to. make a threepoint landing] further protectingA the .wings against damage by impact with the ground.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modied throwing stick which may cooperate with a wire shank in start of the throw, while the stick is held more Vor less vertically, the slug has gravitated to the handle end of the throwing stick. As the stick is swung sharply toward the horizontal, centrifugal force `throws the slug toward the socket end of the stick where it is calculated to impact the end of the shank 20, when the stick reaches its final release position, pushing or knocking the shank out of the socket and imparting enough momentum tothe shank end and hence to the plane to offset in whole or in part the loss of momentum otherwise required to overcomethe friction between the shank and socket. In fact, if the slug beof suicient weight, the momentum imparted to the plane may be more than enough to overcome the friction, and.

thus add to the resulting momentum of the departing plane. cammed against the attened socket end of the tube, when it has completed its outward movement, it is automaticallydislodged by the insertion of the wire shank 2b for the next throwing of the plane.

i It will be observed in all ofthe forms herein disclosed that the connection between the shank and socket is one which prevents relative lrotation of the stick and plane, whereby greater accuracy of control is aiforded than in those types of throwing devices heretofore employed using a stick with a cord interposed between the plane and the stick.

I prefer to place the shank onthe plane and the socket on the stick, rather than 'the socket on the plane and the shank on the stick, because for most constructions the shank may more conveniently be made light in weight as, for instance, by using the wire shank shown, while the socket member tends to be heavier.

In the airplane shown, the center of gravity comes beneath substantially the mid-point of the front wing. The wire shank is anchored to the fuselage slightly ahead of this point. Thus, taking into account the flexibility of the wire, the throwing stick imparts a pull rather than a push to the plane, which tends to stabilize the plane, as against the tendency to shimmy in throwing it. i

While I have thus described these specific embodiments of my invention, I contemplate that many changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope or spirit or my invention.

I claim:

l. The combination with a toy airplane, of a throwing device therefor comprising a shank portion,'a socket portion for receiving the shank portion for non-rotatable 'longitudinal reciprocation therein, and a throwing stick, one of the portions being carried by the. airplane and the other being carried by the stick at the end thereof, the shank portions being slid apart by the momentum of the airplane resulting from the swinging of the stick.

If the ball or slug 3| is tightly` 2. The combination with a toy airplane, of a throwing device therefor lcomprising a shank portion, a socket portion for receiving the shank portion for non-rotatable longitudinal reciprocation therein, and a throwing stick, the shank portion being carried by the airplane and the socket portion being carried by the stick at one end'thereof, the shank being pulled from Vthe stick by the momentum of the airplane'resulting from the swinging of the stick.

3. Thecombination with a toyv airplane, of a throwing device therefor comprising a shank portion, a socket portion for receiving the shank portion, and a throwing stick, the shank portion being carried by the plane and depending from the underside thereof, and the socket portion being carried by the stick at one end thereof, the shank being pulled from the stick by the momentum of the airplane resulting from the swinging of the stick.

4. The combination with a toy airplane comprising Aa fuselage, a frontA wing and a tail wing,

of a shank depending from the fuselage below the front wing andconstituting a landing skid, and a throwing stick having a socket at its outer end for slidably receiving the shank frictionally to retain the latter,-said irictional retention being releasable by theY momentum im'- parted to the plane by the swinging of the stick, the shank being non-rotatably received in the sleeve and non-rotatably mounted upon the airplane, whereby the airplaneis precluded from turning with reference to the throwing stick.

5. The combination with a toy airplane comprising a fuselage, a front wing and a tail wing, of a shank depending from the fuselage below the front wing and constituting a landing skid. and a throwing stick havingV a socket at its outer end for slidablyreceiving the shank frictionally to retain the latter, said frictional retention be- .ing releasable by the momentum imparted to the plane by the swinging of the stick, the shank being non-rotatably received in the sleeve and non-rotatably mounted upon the airplane, whereby the airplane is precluded from turning in reference to the throwing stick, the shank comprising a hairpin-shaped wire having its releasable by theA momentum imparted to the plane by the swinging of the stick, the shank being non-rotatably received in the sleeve and non-rotatably mounted upon the airplane,

whereby the airplane is precluded from turning in reference to the throwing stick, the shank comprising a pair of spaced wires having their free ends outermost, whereby the shank affords a two-point contact when serving at a landing skid.

7. The combination with a toy airplane comprising a fuselage and a wing, of a wire member comprising a hairpin-shaped shank member depending obliquely from the fuselage, the inner ends of the legs of the hairpin-shaped shank crossing each other and extending upwardly laterally to embrace the respective sides of the fuselage and terminating in ends extending into the fuselage, whereby the shank portion is xedly anchored to the fuselage, and a throwing stick having a socket I.at one end forlnon-rotatably slidably receiving the shank portion, they legs of the shank portion exerting a spreading action against the socket frictionally to retain the shank in the socket but releasable by the momentum given the plane by the swinging of the throwing stick. l Y

48. The combination,with` a toy airplane coinprising a fuselage and a'wing, of a wire meinber comprising a hairpin-shaped shank meinber depending obliquely from the fuselage, the

inner ends of the legs ofr the hairpin-shaped shank crossing each other and extending upwardly laterally to embrace the respective ides of the fuselage andA terminating in ends extending .into the fuselage, whereby the shank portion is fixedly anchored to theY fuselage, and a throwing stick having a socket' at one end for nonrotatably slidably receiving the shank portion,'the legs of the shank portion exerting a spreading action Vl'against the socketfrictionally to retain the shank inthe socket but releasable by the momentum given the plane by the swinging of the throwing stick, said anchoring of the shank to the fuselage being forwardly of the center of gravity of the airplane.

vQ. The combination with a toy airplane, of a shank member :protruding thereiroin, anc a throwing stick having a socket for receiving the shank portion and retaining it under friction but releasable by the momentum given the airplane by the swinging of the stick, a runway extending longitudinally of the throwing stick, a weight slidable therealong and adapted at the outer end of its travel to Contact the shank and drive. it out of the socket, the weight eing driven to the socket end of the stick by the swinging of the stick, whereby the impact imparted to the shank by the weight offsets in part at least the loss of momentum of the airplane in withdrawing the shank from the socket.

portion protruding therefrom and'ad'apte'd to be received in said socket, said Weight, when the stick is swung, passing outwardly through the tube under centrifugal force to impact the socket tion, one of the portions being carried by the airplane and the other being carried by the stick at theV end thereof, said device including friction means for frictionally retaining the shank portion in the socket portion against Withdrawal by momentum oi the airplane less than that required Vfor 'its minimum flying speed but releasabie under a greater momentum than the airplane, whereby it is' practically insured that if the frictional retention. is overcome to discharge the airplane, the airplane will be discharged at the minimum flying speed` 12. The combination with a toyrairplane, of a throwing device ,therefor `comprising a shank portiona socket portion for receiving the shank portion .for nonrotatable longitudinal reciprocation therein, and a throwing stick, one of the pori tions being carried by the airplane and positioned obliquely to the plane of flight t-,.ereof and the otheribeing carried by the stick at the end thereof, the shank and socketl portions being slid apart by the nioinenturn of thev airplane resulting from the swinging oi the stick.

i3. in a toy airplane, which is to be used with a throwing stick having an end socket, the cornbination comprising a fuselage, a front wing, a tail wing and a shank depending from the fuselage below the iront wing, said shank constituting a landing skid and being adapted to be frictionally received in said end socket, said being reieasable from said end socket as said friction. of the shank is overcome by the momentum imparted to said airplane by the swing of said throwing stick.`

i LEO I. FINCKE.

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