US2280715A - Aeronautical wheel - Google Patents

Description

April R. J. MOLAUGHLIN 2,280,715

AERONAUTIGAL WHEEL Filed Oct. 4, 1940 Patented Apr. 21, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AERONAUTICAL WHEEL I 7 Robert J. McLaughlin, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application October 4, 1940, Serial No. 359,801

'7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in lifting devices for airships, in which two currents of air are driven together by screw propellers, and compressed inside a fixed, semicircular drum, so that they react upwardly on the drum, and escape downwardly through turbine vanes into a vortex maintained around the drum by a series of revolving fans. This steady supply of air fills the rarefied zone and destroys the downward suction of the lower part of the vortex so that the rarefied zone in the upper part of the wheel remains unchanged and causes a heavy suction to be felt at the upper part of the machine on the principle of the cyclone. This unbalanced lift raises the airship with terrific force and enables it to move in the rarefied region high above the earth.

The objects of my invention are first, to provide a new and improved aeronautical wheel of greater efiiciency, and to furnish a novel and ingenious fixed inner wheel with the strength necessary to bear the terrific cyclonic strains which will be felt by the central zone of the rotor; second, to supply a semicircular drum and a circular vacuum trough, in the lower part of which is placed a series of fixed turbine vanes; third, to install an axial torsion drum to stiffen the fixed axis of the machine; fourth, to devise annular tires for both wheels; fifth, to provide an axial clamp to govern the position of the innor wheel and the direction of its pull; and sixth, to supply a handle to turn the axis shaft of the inner wheel.

I attain the objects of my improvement by the mechanism shown drawing, in which Fig. l is a vertical section of the machine, with some parts in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, in which some parts are broken away to more clearly show others;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, similar to part of Fig.

in the accompanying Fig. 4 is a fragmental top plan view of the to similar parts 2,035,176, which discloses a certain revolvable a wheel, and a feature of the instant case resides in compound tire or rim structure for an improved revolvable wheel.

Referring in detail to the drawing, a rim I of said wheel includes on one lateral side, an inner circular plate H), of sheet metal, such as aluminum, and an outer circular plate 50, while on the opposite side of the wheel the structure includes a rim 2 having an outer circular plate 5| and an inner plate 53.

Rigidly connecting the inner plates Ill, 53 of the respective rims is a series of cross sectionally vanes or blades 3, the opposite ends of the blades being permanently metallically attached to said plates. The plates [0, 50 of the rim l are braced by interposed rings or bands 9, 54, and bracing the, plates 51, 53 of the rim 2 are two rings 55, 56.

Additional stiffening means for the wheel rims include (see also Fig. 3) ring bands 8, 51, the latter being between the plates 5|, 53, and two bands 59, 60, between the plates 19, 59. The respective bands 8, 5i, and 59, (iii, with the circular plates, as 5|, 53, form tubes, and these tub-es rigid- :fy the rim structures at the leading edges 58 of the blades 3, which blades are themselves tubular, it being seen that the innermost bands 57, 69 are aligned with said edges.

Two oppositel pitched propellers 5, 6, of the device or propulsion means, find supports on standards 3!, 32, which may be mounted on an aircraft or bod to be moved. as propulsion means therefor, said propellers being unitary with the aforesaid rims l, 2, as herein disclosed.

Formed with the hub of the propeller 6, and revolvable in a bearing 35 on the standard 32, is a stub shaft, as shown, and cooperating with the stub shaft is a usual engine 35, a fragment of which is shown, for revolving the propellers 5, 6, as a unit, with their transversely disposed blades 3.

In the hub of the propeller 6 is a socket 33, in which is loosely disposed one end 34 of an ordinarily fixed, selectively turnable or revolvable shaft 4, and on this shaft, at the hub of the propeller 5, is a bearing 44, The shaft 4, which is revolvable when predetermined, as by a handle 42, finds a bearing at 4| in a hub 40 of the standard or support 31, and means for ordinarily preventing rotation of the shaft 4 include a clamping device 39 having a handle 43.

The shaft 4 serves a double purpose, as Where at 44, the propeller 5 is journalled thereon. On the annular central line of the respective rings,

as 55, 56, 8, 51, are four groups of radially disposed apertures 62, each substantially like the others, and best seen in Fig. 3. Also alike are four extensions 1 of the blades of the propeller 5, and four similar extensions of the propeller blades 6.

According to one method of assembling the elements of the outer wheel member, the ring bands 55, 56, 8, 51, are placed between the circular plates, as 51, 53, for fixation, and then the extensions are placed in the apertures 62. In this part of the assembly, as on one side, the bands 55, 56 may first be attached to the plate 53, and the bands 8, 51 to the plate 5!, following which said plates with their attachments are fitted together. Subsequent to insertion of an inner annular frame, as presently described, the extensions I, even before being metallically sealed, exert a holding function. The outer ends of the blades of the propellers 5, 5 are fixedly attached 1 to the innermost ends of the extensions 1.

Fast on the shaft 4 is a drum 3d, the latter having annular flanges 31, 33, which are attached as by fastening elements, not shown, to said shaft. Fixedly mounted on the drum 3!], at one end thereof, are the inner ends of four like spokes 28, and fast with the opposite end of said drum are four like spokes 29. The outer ends of the spokes 23 have rigid therewith a circular plate M, and fixed on the outer ends of the spokes 28 is a circular plate 63.

The shaft 4 and its mountings including said spokes and the plates 14, 63 form an annular frame or wheel, and connecting said plates at the inner edges of semi-circular portions thereof in a partition or semi-cylindrical part 38 of a drum frame. The drum frame segment 38 includes transverse rods it, the ends of which are rigid with the plates M, 63 thereat. Covering the rods [3 at their innermost sides is a sheeting I? of metal, such as aluminum, and sealingly covering said rods on their outer sides is a sheeting I 3, thereby forming a chamber or trough IS.

The innermost circular rim plates of the propulsion means are deeper than the outer plates, the plate l9 having thereon an annular flange H, which is of less diameter than that of the plate M at its periphery, and there being a flange St on the plate 53, like the flange l l. The drawing herein is slightly exaggerated, for clarity, but the flanges I I and 64 are substantially close, consistent with freedom of relative movement, to the outer side margins of the plates I4, 63.

On the outer side of the plate l4, close to the flange I I, is an annular projecting flange l2, and on the plate 33 is an outer annular flange 65. The sides of the chamber I3 are therefore substantially sealed against inward or outward air movement, and as the semi-cylindrical frame member 33 terminates as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, transversely of opposite ends of spokes 28, 29, the ends of the chamber l3, except for bafiles or turbine blades i8, 25, 2|, 22, 23, 2d, 25, 26, 21, are therefore open.

Opposite the partition 38 and also rigid at their opposite ends with the plates I4, 63, are the blades l82l, and as the inner frame may be turned into a selected position, the member 33 ma be directed upwardly, as shown in the drawing, whereby to cause vertical lift, or the partition may be directed forwardly, as for use on an aircraft for horizontal flight.

The advantages of obtaining a negative air ill) pressure by creating centrifugally acting air currents, as in the present case, and as referred to in the general statement hereof, together with the statement of my aforesaid patent, are well known. Other issued patents discuss these advantages and principles, even the experiments of M. Eiffel being cited in the disclosures of some of them, as proof. But the instant disclosure differs from the prior art, especially as recited in the claims which are appended hereto.

As the present blades 3, during revolution of the outer propulsion frame, with its stub shaft at 35, pass around and outside of the arcuate frame member 38, air is evacuated from the chamber I 3, thereby causing a negative pressure,

which tends to draw the member 38 thereto, that is, forwardly, with an attached machine or aircraft. The blades 3, owing to their cross sectional shape, their pitch, their distance from the transverse axis of the device, and from the stationary drum 38, as well as the terminal incorporation of these blades in the rim elements, differ materially from the apparently corresponding parts of my issued patent. Other comparative difference and advantages exist in the present case, as because of the inner stationary annular wheel or frame, which is part of the structure involved in securing the stated objects of the invention.

The propeller blades 5, 5, which provide an enclosure therebetween, are of considerable length, relative to the edge to edge dimensions of the blades 3, and therefore the positive air pressure within the enclosure, differing from usual atmospheric pressure, and against the inner surface of the member 38, as caused by the inwardly directed air streams of the propeller blades 5, 5, is greatly augmented.

It is a feature of the arcuate group of stationary blades l52'l that one end thereof is near the otherwise open end of the chamber I3 thereat, and the opposite end of said group, being the member 21, is near the other end of the same chamber 13.

The drum 39 is an advantage, as owing to its diameter, opposite the portions of the propellers 5, 5 which may have little or no aerodynamic efficiency, and while air pressure against the surface H is increased, as herein indicated, the compressed air opposite said surface finds avenues of escape through the spaces between the controlling blades l9-2l, and also between the respective blades 3, as the latter pass the blades 19-21. On viewing Fig. 2, it is seen that the air stream, from the inner compressed region, opposite said surface 11, and past the relatively large drum 3i], is first directed largely against the concave surfaces of the blades Iii-21. It is noted that there may be no direct or radial path for this air stream (see the arrow 13) past said group, and therefore there is no direct path for said stream to follow, whereby it might directly, radially strike the leading edges of the blades 3.

Air deflected from the concave sides of the blades ill-21 travels against the concave sides of the blades 3. These latter blades rotate from left to right (Fig. 2). Therefore, air striking the concave sides of said blades 3 tends to urge them in the direction of rotation. This becomes apparent from viewing the direction of air movement indicated b the arrow it! against a blade 21, and from thence, referring to the arrow H, against a blade 3. This blade 3 is shown in only one of several or continuous positions, but on viewing another position l3, in dot and dash lines, of a blade 3, as soon as an air stream, as from a blade 23, urges a blade 3 past the next blade 24, then a stream from the blade 24 will immediately strike the concave side of the same blade 3 (being the second position 73) when the latter just passes said blade 24.

I claim:

1. A propulsion means comprising an outer revolvable annular frame having spaced sides including rims, supports for said frame, a fixed axis, oppositely pitched propellers forming parts of said sides and journaled on the supports and axis, said propellers, providing an annular enclosure therebetween, transverse blades connecting said rims; an inner frame rigid with said axis, and having spaced annular rim plates near said rims, a semi-cylindrical partition connecting portions of said plates and providing a chamber between the path of the blades and one side of said enclosure, and bafile blades connecting said plates on the opposite side of said enclosure.

2. A propulsion means for propelling a body through a fiuid, comprising in combination an outer revolvable annular frame having spaced sides including rims, supports for said frame, a fixed axis, oppositely pitched propellers forming parts of said sides and journaled on the supports and axis, a drive shaft rigid with one of said propellers, transverse blades connecting said rims; an inner frame rigid with said axis and having spaced annular rim plates, at semi-cylindrical shell connecting portions of said plates and providing a chamber between the path of the blades and the outer surface of said shell, said chamber having open ends, and baflle blades connecting opposite portions of said plates.

3. A propulsion means for an aircraft comprising an outer revolvable frame having spaced sides and including annular rims, transverse blades connecting said rims, frame supports, an axis, two propellers disposed in said sides and journaled on the supports and axis, said propellers providing an enclosure therebetween; a second frame rigid with said axis between said sides and having spaced hinge plates near said rims, a semi-cylindrical partition rigid with portions of said plates and providing at its outer face a vacuum chamber, the chamber being near said blades on one side of the enclosure, said propellers having oppositely pitched blades to urge air streams into the enclosure, the air being compressed against the inner face of said partition, and means also rigid with said plates for controlling escape of the compressed air from the opposite side of said enclosure.

4. In an aviation propulsion device having a revolvable frame comprising two sides including annular rims and having therein and providing an interposed enclosure two oppositely pitched propellers, said rims having spaced blades therebetween, a fixed frame internally of the first frame and having circular plates near said rims, a partition of segmental drum frame shape carried by said plates and providing a vacuum chamber at its outer surface near the path of said blades on one side of the enclosure, said propellers adapted to compress air within the enclosure against the inner face of the partition, and means for controlling escape of the compressed air through the spaces between said blades on the opposite side of said enclosure.

5. The combination with a propulsion means for aircraft comprising a transverse shaft having a wheel including spaced sides journaled thereon, rims of large diameter forming parts of said sides, oppositely pitched propellers also forming parts of said sides and having their outermost portions rigid with said rims, propulsion blades having certain pitch and fixedly mounted between said rims; of an inner Wheel rigid with the shaft between said sides and including spaced rim plates of less diameter than said rims, said inner wheel including an axial drum and having spokes carrying said plates, a semi-circular drum frame segment carried by portions of said plates and forming a vacuum space near the path of said blades; said propellers adapted to compress air in the space inwardly of the segment; and blades carried by opposite portions of said plates and each having a pitch angle opposite to the angle of said propulsion blades.

6. The combination according to claim 5, in which said propulsion blades are equally spaced apartaround the circle of the rims, the fixed blades being equally spaced apart around substantially a half circle of said plates, and said fixed blades being less in number than half of the number of said propulsion blades.

7. In a device of the class described having a revolvable frame comprising two sides providing an enclosure and including annular rims, means for forcing air into the enclosure, said means including a screw propeller, said rims having spaced connecting transverse blades thereon; a fixed frame within the first frame and having circular plates near the rims, -a segmental partition carried by the plates on one side of the enclosure and providing a vacuum chamber at its outer surface, the air being compressed against the inner face of the partition, and means for controlling escape of the compressed air on the opposite side of said enclosure.

ROBERT J. MCLAUGIEIN.

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