US2018109A - Aeroplane construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22, 19.35. M ASLANlAN Vp -r AL 2,018,109

AEROPLANE CON ST-RUGTION Filed Feb. 20, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l -0ct. 22, 1935. M AsLANlAN ET AL 2,018,109

AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 20, 1954 '5 SheelS-Sheell 2 JWENTDHE MIDHJLSLNJN JIJWENEYS- Oct. 22, 1935. M. AsLANlAN ET AL 2,018,109

EROPLANE CONSTRUCTION v Filed Feb. 20, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 5'.,A frl 21 ff@ Oct. 22, 1935. M. AsLANlAN Er AL AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 20,. 1934 lrlv- 4.-

ITUHNEYE Patented Oct. 22, 1935 AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION Michial Aslanian and Daniel 'Aslanian Los Angeles, Calif. a

Application February 20, 1934, Serial No. 112,167l 9 Claims. (Cl. 244-25) Our invention relates to an aeroplane which may be driven in the conventional manner as by having engines operating propellers, .or the like, and in which our improvement consists in making use of the slip stream of air passing preferably along the fuselage of the aeroplane to operate auxiliary propellers. These auxiliary propellers are designed to be shiftable and may be used as helicopter propellers .to increase the lift, preferably when taking off from the ground and gaining altitude. Then, when the aeroplane is flying at the desired elevation, the auxiliary propellers may have their shaft rotated in an arc and then operated as driving propellers.

A further object and feature of our invention is incorporating with an aeroplane, one or more air driven rotors, these being positioned to be rotated by the slip stream ofvair passing preferably along the sides of the fuselage.

A further. feature of our invention relates to connecting the air driven rotors to vertical shafts which lead through a housing to a position above and below the wings so that propellers operatively connected tothe ends of these shafts may rotate clear of the fuselage and any construction at the top or bottom of such fuselage. Bythis arrangement, when `the propellers are in one position, that is, rotating on a vertical axis, they may act as lifting or helicopter propellers.

Another object and feature of our invention relates to a changeable drive for the propellers so that the propeller shafts maybe vertical or turned to a horizontal position and still have a positive drive from lthe vertical drive shafts driven in turn by the rotary air motors.

A further feature of our invention relates to control equipment for turning the propeller shafts through an arc in a vertical plane so that they may be shifted between the vertical and horizontal positions. These controls are located convenient to the pilot so that the pilot may manipulate and determine the position of the auxiliary propellers.

A further feature of our invention relates to vthe particular drive and connection between the vertical driven shafts and the driven propeller shafts which swing through the arc, and in this feature, the propeller shafts preferably have a non-rotatable end section which 'is keyed to a control and supporting shaft, which shaft also carries the pull or thrust of the propellers. This supporting shaft may be rotated through an arc and thus vary the position of the auxiliary propellers. Each auxiliary propeller has a rotatable section of its shaft with a gear connected thereto, which gear is driven by an idler preferably located on the supporting shaft, and this idler is driven by a gear on a vertical drive shaft connected to an air motor.

A further object an'd feature of our invention is using the air motors to actuate electric generators charging storage batteries, which batteries may be used to operate electric'motors, in turn driving the auxiliary propellers. Preferably a motor generator may be used which would ac- 10 tuate these propellers through the medium of the air motor.

Our invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Fig. 1 may be considered as a horizontal section l5 through a portion of an aeroplane as taken substantially on the line l-l of Fig. 2 in 4the direction of I the arrows.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2 2v of Fig. l in -the direction of the arrows, 20 the shafts and gears on the section line being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows, the shafts and gears on the section line 25 I being shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the drive to the i propellers on the section of Fig. 2, the shafts being illustrated in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken $0 on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a detailed horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows illustrating an electric generator and motor connection to the air driven motor. l Referring rst to the construction of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this shows a portion of an aeroplane fuselage Il which has side portions IZ, and a nose section I3. A transverse partition I4 divides the fuselage into a pilots compartment `I5 at the front and a passenger cabin I6 rearwardly thereof. The pilots seat is indicated at I1. The fuselage is illustrated as having a floor I8, a ceiling I9, a downwardly curveddlower surface section 45 20. and an upwardly arched top section or roof 2|. The-fuselage may be of any desirablev shapev conforming to aeroplane practice and is preferably properly stream-lined.

The wings 22 extend laterally from the fuselage and in the illustration these are shown asv of the monoplane type. 4The engines may be'. located at any suitable place but in the presentinst'ance the engines 23 arerillustrated` as mounted on wings, there preferably being one or more endriving propeller 24.

With our design it is preferable not to use a e propeller on the nose of the fuselage, but if desired, an engine with a drive propeller maybe ings.

located on the top of the fuselage, this if desired, beingthe sole driving engine, or used with wingengines, or the aeroplane may have wing engines alone. These engines are of suflicient power to drive the aeroplane through the air and to adequately support the aeroplane after rising l from theground.

'In our invention we utilize one or. more air motors 25. These are illustrated as having a vertical opening 26 in the side wall I2 of the fuse. lage. Provisionis made for four of these motors as illustrated in Fig. 1, and back of the opening there is a semi-cylindrical housing 21 which extends between the iioor I8 and the ceiling I9. (Note Figs. 2 and 3.) A vertical air motor shaft 28 extends through the oor and ceiling where it has anti-friction bearings 29. (Note Fig. 3.)

"Keyed to each of these shafts therelare two Aor blades 3 I. Each sleeve has a shoulder 32 form- I ing a shoulder abutmentwith'each of the bear- The shafts 28 each have a lower extension 33 below the floor 'and an upper extension 34 above the ceiling. It will be noted on reference 26 beyondl the side walls o f the fuselage. It is desirable to have the shaft 28 as close to the side surface of the fuselage as possible to obtain a projection of the vanesor blades substantially equal to their radius. Thisy is so that as large an amount as'possible be exposed to the flowing air stream which vflows around the nose surface of the-aeroplane in the direction of the arrow 36 and along the sides of the fuselage in the direction of the arrow 31. This air stream owing rearwardly causes the rotor of the air motor to rotate in the direction of the arrow 38, thus the air rotors on opposite sides of the fuselage rotate in an opposite direction. i

The rotor shafts are used todrive vertical transmission shafts 39. These shafts are enclosed in upper and lower substantial housings 40 and 4I, these housings being preferably stream lined and having a front section 42,

^ and a rear section 43- (note Fig. 6), which serve as stream lining surfaces both front and rear.

The upper housingextenlls above the top of the roof section 2| and has an outside skin 44 in alignment with the outside skin wall I2 of the fuselage. The inner surface 45 is also preferably parallel to the outside skin y44 andthese merge into the front and rear portions 42 and 43. Where the sides 45 and front portions 42 and h4,3 merge into the roof 2| there is an opening 46. The lower and lower housing projections 40 and 4I will be vtransmission shafts 39 is as follows:

Each of the housings '40 and 4I is provided with a gear box 50. (Note Figs 2, 3, 4 and 5.) These gear boxes have end walls 5I fitted intosides of the housings 40 and 4 ,I and are provided with an end w'all 52 which forms an end closure for the 5 housings 40 and 4|, and the front or rear wall 53, which merges into the upper front portion of these upper and lowehusings. yThe walls 52 and 53 are merged into a curved corner 54 which has a slot 55 therethrough. (Note Figs. 4 and 5.) An innerwall 56 connects the sides and front and rear portions ofveach of the upper and'lower housings 40 and 4I.

yThe mannerof mounting each of the vertical A-bearing 51 is secured to the floor I8 and another to the ceiling I9 for each assembly. The wallsl 56 each have a journal 58 through which the shafts 39 extend, thus these shafts are joursions 33 and 34 of the wind rotor shaft 28 have a gear 59 which meshes with a complementary gear 60 on each of the shafts 39 of Veach assembly. Thus, when the shaft 28 vof the wind rotor is rotated dueto the action of the slip 25 stream acting on the vanes, each of the #vertical transmission shafts 39 is likewise driven.

The adjustable mounting for the propellers is as follows:

A supporting rock shaft 6I is mounted in antifriction bearing |i2l in the sides 5| of the gear box. (Note Fig. 4.) This has a series of splines 63 thereoxrwhich engages a hub 64 ofthe nonrotating section 65 of the propeller shaft designated by the assembly numeral 66. The nonrotating section 65 of the shoulder 61 has a bushing 68 which bears against this shoulder. A bevel gear 69 is rotatably mounted on the bushing.4 'I'his gear has a square or some non-circular shaped socket 18 in which fits the squared end 0,

v1| of the rotatable section 12 of the propeller a socket. A clamped nut 15 is threaded on the sleeve 14 and bears on the collar 13. This clamps the rotary section of the propeller shaftto the gear 69. I'he rotary section ofthe propeller shafts extends through the actuate slot 55 and has a propel1er'16 secured thereto by key 11 or similar device. The shaft 6I has a bushing 18, (note Fig. 50`

4), and on this bushing there is an idler gear 19 having two sets of teeth 8 8 and 8I, these both being beveledin a different direction. The teeth 88 mesh with the gear 69. The bushing and gear are held in 'place by means of a shoulder 82 on 55 the end of'the bushing, a ring 83, washer 84, and nuts threaded on a threaded section by a shaft 6I. The gear is spaced from the hub 64 by m'eans of washers 86. A washer 81 is on thel opposite side of the hub and engaged by the nuts 60 88 at a threaded section of the shaft 6I. x

A drive bevel gear 89 is secured onA the outer end of each of the vertical transmission shafts 39.- This-gear operates on a ball bearing 90 on a journal 58. It has a counter-sunk end 9| andis 55 'held in place by nuts '92 on athreaded end 4of the shaft 39. This gear 89 meshes with the teeth 8| of the idler gear 19. Therefore a power drive is transmitted from the rotor of the air motor through'the gears 59 and 60, the vertical transmission shafts '39, and eventually to the auxiliary propellers.

'The mechanism for shifting the auxiliary propellers from their position for vertical lifting as f ,J

. nated by the assembly numeral |0I.

l 2,018,109 .q shwn in fun lines in Figs. 2 and 3 to, the 'dottedy less cable 91. This cable passes over a reversing pulley 98 secured to the wall 52 of the gear box and leads to a rotatable drum 99 in the pilots compartment. (Note Figs. l and 3.) The cable may be secured to the drum in any manner, such as being attached by staples or having several turns. It is necessary to have av sufficient number of reversing pulleys to properly guide the endless cable. The drum is rotated by an arm |00 and located convenient to the pilot. may be locked in any suitable position as by a brake or paWl and ratchet arrangement.

The cables from the upper and lower rock shafts 6| and their arms 93 lead to the same drum. In the illustration these cables extend to the drum from the rock shafts forming an operative assembly with the wind motors and propellers in front of and ,to therear of the wings. Thus, it will be seen that by operating the drum 'all of the auxiliary propellers may be shifted from a rotation on vertical axesto rotation on horizontal axes or intermediate positions.

The auxiliary Wind motors are operatively connected to drive electric motor generators desig- (Note Fig. 6.) There is preferably one generator for each wind motor. manner, and as illustrated, a pulley |02 or sprocket is secured to each of the shafts 28 of the Wind motor rotors and drives by a'belt |03 from a sprocket chain to the generator. The generator is connected by suitable electrical wiring 04 to a storage battery |05, one battery for all of the generators being sulcient. Thus, While the Wind motors operate to actuate the generators, they in turn charge the storage battery.

These generators are' of such a type thatthey' may be used` as driving motors and by suitable control by the pilot,l the electric motors may be used to rotate the'I rotor ofr the wind motors and hence the auxiliary propellers. Thus the storage batteries may be draWn'upon as a-source of energy to aid the initial lift in rising from the groundin which case the auxiliary propellers would be fused as helicopters.

,Another important feature of our invention in operation is that the auxiliary propellers may be used as helicopter lifters in landing in which case the motor generators would be used to ro- `tate the rotors of the wind motors and hence the propellers. vIn this case, the auxiliary propellers Y would have their shafts in the vertical position.

These auxiliary propellers could therefore also be used to obtain a safe landing if the main driving engines or propellers becomeinoperative, as' the whole aeroplane could be lowered in safety when the four -sets of auxiliary propellers.' are driven by their motor generators operating as. electric motors.

'I'he drum The drive may be in any suitable having a vertical opening on one side with a housing inside thereof, a wind operated rotor having vanes, certain of said vanesextending outwardly through the opening beyond the side of the fuselage to bedriven by the slip streamof air 5 past the fuselage, a rock shaft, a propeller shaft 4having a non-rotatable section connected thereto to rock through an arc, the propeller shaft having a rotatable section with apropeller mounted thereon, and drive from the rotor to the rotatable 10 section of the propeller/shaft.

, 2. An aeroplane asiclaimed in claimv 1, the drive 'to the rotatable section of the propeller shaft comprising a gear rotatable on the non-rotatable rock shaft whereby the propeller shaft may be rocked from a vertical to a horizontal position, the propeller shaft having a rotatable section coupled to the non-rotatable section by a gear, theA said gear being rotatable on the non-rotatable section andmeans to drive said gear from the said driven shaft.

4. In an aeroplane as claimed in claim 3, the 80 said gear having a socket, the rotatable section of the propeller shaft having a squared endtting in said socket and a clamping nut securing the ,rotatable section to the said gear.

5. An aeroplane having an engine vwith a propeller for propulsion through the air, a fuselage having vertical sides with wingsv extending outwardly therefrom, four wind motors each having a vertical opening Iin the fuselage side and a partly cylindrical housing inside of the said opening, there being two wind motors on each side ofthe fuselage, one i-n front and .one behind a Wing, each wind motor having a vertical shaft locatedladjacent the side of the fuselage, each y shaft having a plurality Vof radial vanes, certain 45 of said vanes always projecting through the openl Jing to be driven by the slip streamof air past lthe opening, an upper and a lower vertical shaft driven by each rotor shaft, a housing for each y driven shaft having va rock shaft therein, each 50'- rock shaft' 'having a propeller shaft connected thereto, the propeller shaft having a non-driven section attached to the rock shaft whereby each propeller shaft.V may be rotated from a vertical to a horizontal position, each 'propeller shaft 55 having a gear rotatable on the non-rotatable section of the shaft 'and having a rotatablel section connected to said gear, the rotatable section having a propeller attached thereto, an idler v gear rotating on the rock shaftand meshing with the ysaid gear, and a drive from eachvertical shaft to each idler gear.

6. An aeroplane., having a fuselage with an opening in its side, said opening extending vertically from a lower to an upper portion of the a5 fuselage, an upper and lowerv housingconnected i respectively to the upper and lwer portion of the fuselage, a Wind motor shaft journalled in the fuselage and having wind motor vanes thereon, the said vanes in their rotation extending outwardly through the said opening to be engaged Y by the stream of air flowing past the fuselage,

a transmission shaft in each of the housings and having va drive connection from the air motor shaft, the ends of each housing having a gear 20.4 by the saidv rotor, a rock shaft, a propeller shaft having a non-rotatable section secured to the box, a propeller having apropeller shaft, means to secure said shaft in the gear box, means for rotating the propeller shaft from a vertical to a. horizontal position, and ya gear drive from ea'ch transmission shaft to each propeller shaft.

7. An aeroplane having a fuselage with a vertical opening in the side, a wind motor shaft journalled in the fuselage and having air engaging vanes secured thereto, the said varies `on rotation extending through the opening to be operated by the air ow past the fuselage, a structure having apropeller mounting secured to the fuselage, thepropeller mounting having a propeller shaft with a propeller, means to swing the propeller shaft between .a horizontal and a vertical position, a transmission shaft actuated by the air motor shaft, and a gear drive between the transmission shaft and the propeller shaft, said gear drive being operative whether the propeller shaft is vertical, horizontal or in an intermediate position.

8. In an aeroplane as claimed in claim 7, the said gear drive comprising a bevel gear on the transmission shaft to rotate such shaft and a double bevel 'gear mounted on a shaft and engaging a gear on the transmission shaft and on the propeller shaft.

9. An aeroplane having an engine with a propellerfor propulsion through. the air. ,a fuselage having a Wind motor formed with a vertical open- 5 ing in the fuselage side and' a cylindrical housa ing inside of the said opening, a vertical wind operated rotor,l shaft at the center of the said housing and adjacent the vside of the aeroplane,

.a plurality of radially extending vanes secured 10 tothe said shaft, certain of said vanes'always projecting outwardly through said opening to be driven by the/slip stream of air past the fuselage land a propeller having a propeller shaft, said propeller shaft being driven by the shaft of the 15 wind driven rotor, `the propeller shaft having a rotatable and non-rotatab1e section being connected to a rock shaft,` means to rock said shaft to swing the propeller shaft from the vertical to l a horizontal position, and a gear drive between 20 the shaft ofthe wind driven motor and theA rotatable section of the propeller shaft.

MICHIAL ASLANIAN. DANIEL ASLANIAN.

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