US2107808A - Kite - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 8, 1938. w. H. A. G. VAN ITTERSUM 2,107,803

KITE

Filed Jan. 22, 7'

E e/a 2/ 0)" /7, z (Ker/1 54,46. z/uzzziezva/yz 'PatentedFeb. 8, 1938 Q UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE I f v -amm l Willem A.

G. van Ittersum, Biltlioven,

Netherlands This invention relates to kites, its object being a kite so constructed that its lifting power is at least partly due to the so-called Magnus effect. By this effect is understood the power created in a direction away from the side of the rarefied air adjacent a revolving cylinder impinged upon by an air current, the speedof which is lower than the circumferential speed of the cylinder, owing to which current the air at one side of the cylinder is rarefied by the frictional effect of the cyljinder, and at the other side is compressed. With this object in view, my novel kite comprises one or more substantially cylindrical bodies each mountedfor rotation about a substantially 'horizontal axis and adapted to be driven by suitable means, preferably by the wind itself.

' In order that my invention may be well under- 1 stood, I shall describe the same in further detail with reference to the annexed drawing, on which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a kite comprising .two substantially cylindrical rotors mounted in a common frame, and I Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line lI-II in Fig. 1.

The kite illustrated comprises two superposed, horizontal, substantially cylindrical, hollow bodies or rotors 3 and 4, closed at both ends by disks 3a, 3b and 4a, lb, respectively. Said bodies are rotatable about shafts 3c and 40, respectively,

the ends of which are supported by two parallel uprights 5a, 5b, forming parts of a light frame 5.

The uprights are interconnected by a horizontal bar 5c having extensions 50', the ends of which are connected, by wires 51! and 5e respectively, to the ends of the uprights 5a, 5b so as to form a sufficiently rigid structure. Moreover, diagonal wires 5f and 59 keep the uprights 5a, 5b in fixed relative position. To the lower ends of the uprights 5a, 5b is secured, by means of wires 6a, 6b, a pendulous tail 5 appended for balancing purposes. The kite can be flown on a long cord or wire I, attached by wires 111, lb to the bar 50.

Each of the said substantially cylindrical bodies 3, I is composed of two semi-cylindrical shells 3d, 3e and 4d, 4e, respectively. The shells of each body are radially shifted relative to one another, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so as to form a small turbine adapted,, when impinged by the wind blowing in the direction of the arrows 8, to rotate in the direction of the arrows 9, the rotary speed of said turbines depending upon the speed of the wind. Owing to. this rotation, the air is rarefied at the top side and compressed at the bottom side of each rotor, the result being the creation of a 5 power in a direction away from the side'of the so as to amplify the tendency of the entific purposes, and owing tov its considerable lifting power it can be employed for lifting a man or other relatively heavy charges such as selfrecording instruments. If it is desired for said 10 charge to be raised to a-considerable height, a

train of two or more kites may be used in a manner well-known in meteorology.

Although it is preferred forthe rotors to be driven by the wind, special means may be used for said purpose. For instance, the kite may be fitted with an electric motor operatively coupled with the rotors and fed by current supplied by an accumulator or any other source of electricity.

The rotors may be made of thin cardboard, or 20 thin metal sheet, or any other appropriate matenal and, if necessary, be reinforced by metal or other rings. The shaft 30, 40 may simply be formedby suitable lengths of steel piano wire if the rotors are of light construction. 2

The rotors may be used in any desired number, depending upon the purpose for which the kite is to be employed, and they may be mounted in the frame, the one vertically above the other, as shown in the drawing, or in juxtaposition, or in alignment with one another, or in any other suitable manner.

In the example shown, the rotors form the entire lifting surface of the kite, but it will be understood that they may be combined with lifting surfaces not movable relative to the frame.

What I claim is:-

1. A kite including a frame and a revolving motor mounted in the frame and embodying hollow semi-cylindrical bodies displaced radially with their axes at right angles to the line of flight.

2. A kite comprising a frame, a revolving body having its axis transverse the frame, said body including end pieces and interconnecting substantially semi-circular elements with their axes parallel to the axis of the body and said elements displaced radially of the body relative to each other.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2, wherein the open ends of the elements are substantially in the same plane diametrically of the body.

4. A construction as defined in claim 2, wherein the elements are open on one side, with the open sides arranged in the same plane diametrically of the body.

-WILLEM H. A. G. VAN ITTERSUM.

Images