US2333191A - Automatic airplane wheel rotator - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 2, 1943.

R. a MITTON ETAL AUTOMATIC AIRPLANE WHEEL ROTATOR Filed Dec. 7, 1942 qnq. J---- QH I.

Gu'mmw ll IN VEN TORS A TTORNE Y Patented Nov. 2, 1943 AUTOMATIC Campbell, San me can I Application December 7, 1942, Serial No. 48

14 Claims. (01. 244 102) One object of our invention is to provideautomatic means to start and rotate airplane wheels at a suitable predetermined speed, preparatory to landing the airplane and thus prevent the usual shock, vibration or chatter imposed upon; the structure of the same because of the diflicul-ty of overcoming the inertia of such wheels in minadequate length of time.

Another object is to prevent the destruction of tire treads caused by the usual skidding of such wheels up to the point where they finally attain landing speed of rotation and to eliminate the danger attendant thereto.

A further object is to provide means to accurately regulate the speed of such wheel rotating mechanism so that they will not turn either too fast or too slow for most eflicient performance during the landing process.

The'said objects are attained by the device hereinafter described and explained by reference to the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 shows th device installed upon a suggested type of substitute or supplemental wheel hub cap I adaptable to be bolted concentrically upon the side of the airplane wheel by means of bolts passed through mounting holes shown disposed about the outer. flange of said hub cap I, a large center hole 2' is provided, through which the axle of the said wheel would normally pass.

The laterally operating webs 3 and 4, mounted upon their respective pivot pins and 6 are shown in Fig. 1. This is an inner edge view of the said Webs 3 and 4. Certain weights, springs and adjustments to be hereafter referred to, are omitted from this view for the purpose of clearer illustration.

The said pivot pins I and 6, pass through the elongated bosses to and 4a, which are integral with the said webs 4 and 4. This allows the pivot bearing to be extended and maintained in accurate position. The said pins 5 and 6 also pass through the lugs 9, HI, Ii and I2, which areintegral with the said hub cap housing I,

Slots in thehub cap housing, designated by the numerals I and 8 are provided, through which the said webs 3 and 4 pass and are pivotally in- I stalled therein as shown.

The said webs 3 and 4 are pivotally mounted upon the pivot pins 5 and Ii. Optional roller bearings, adapted to assist in holding the webs in position against side thrust of said webs 3 and 4 are shown in position to roll upon the sides of said webs when they are moved. These roller bearings are shown in the Figures 1 and 2, they shown in pl'ace are'in dotted numerals ll, i4, and ,4. These bearings are mounted upon an revolve] about the bearing pivot pins ll, I8, l9 anet2 li,{:ljthe said pivot pins b i ecur d n aci 1.13.. 2.4. 2.5. 26. 21 and 28 whichgie in gr ithth'e 'sai'dhub cap I. Two position stops r: webs l an'd' 4 are providedand designated. the numerals l9 and 30, Figures 1 and 2:

Figure 2 is a .vertlc hub cap housing ;.the operating parts are In Figure 2 .t he audustabiejweights' stand}! are shown. These weight'sxarescrewed into the lugs 33 and I4'whiehare integral with-the said webs 3 and 4'. An extension spring 35 is shown attached; to the two/eye holes provided in-the lugs 33 and 34 as shown. An-adjustable compression spring device,r.--Figuref3, may be substituted for the saidspring 35 and attached by pivot pins at the lug eyes in 33 and-34. It has the advantage of forming a rigid space bar between the said-"eye ho'ies in lugs 33 and 34 to assist the alternate co-ordination of the moveqments of webs i and (without interfering with the spring action and furthermore these devices may be adjusted as to the spring tension between these points, as anradded advantage. Figure 3 is a detail of this alternative adjustable spring device, shown in cross section through the barrel and guide adjustment cap and through the lower eye clevis which is integral with the said barrel. The saidbarrel is denoted by the numeral 40, the adjustable guide cap 4|, is screwed into the top oi the said :barrel, while a piston rod 4!, piston -43 and coil compression spring 46 and uppereye cievis flfare external views of these parts'shown in placeiin the section. The section of the lower eye clevis is denoted by the numeral 45. The coil compression spring 46 is shown surrounding'thepiston rod 42 within the barrelbetween the said. piston 43 and the adjustable screw cap 4| as shown. While coil springs are shown it will be obvious that other types of springs may. .be used without departing fromtj spiritpi'" invention Referring 'gure '2, two; pilot vanes 36 r and 31 are shown' tegral units with the webs 3 and 4. These pilot vanes. and 31, are set at an angle of incidence as shown so that the airstream woul lower webs out he 'housing and would push the upper webs int the housing in the position re designated by the crow-section through the rnai views'oi e'ach other tainspeed.

"Adjustable weights SI and I! may be locked into position by cotter keys installed through the holes and 38 in the lugs'lland l4. Elongated slots; not shown in this view are provided in the an airplane, of which the said wheels and chassis are illustrated indotted outline. These figures are a front view of the assemblies. The lower driving websmay be noted in these figures in their respective exposed positions 4 while; the position of the top webs are indicated by the numeral 3.

The operation of this device is efiected by a combination of the forces oi-gravity, centrifugal forcev and aerodynamic reaction. The driving force is obtained by air resistance against the forward sides oflaterally operating and pivoting webs which are alternately exposed to the airstream as they enter the bottom half of the cycle of wheelrotation and are retracted when theyenter the top half of said cycle of rotation until the wheel attains sufllcient speed to create an amount of centrifugal force capable of moving'the'weightsll and 32 outwardly from the center. of'rotation and overcome the tension of the spring 35 -or.the alternative spring tension of the device shown at Figure 3. 1

A studyof the illustration at Figure 2 will show that gravity alone would retract the top web 3 and expose thebottom web 4 in view of the position of balance of the weights 3| and 32 in relation to the location of the pivot points 5 and .6. However due to problems of inertia affecting such weights, the force of gravity to actuate these webs is not entirely relied upon, but is supplemented by pilot vanes 38 and 31 which are set at .an angle'of incidence in relation to the direction of flow of .the airstream, these move the said webs 3 and 4 into and out of the airstream-byth'e'force or positive aerodynamic reaction upon thesaid pilot vanes.

.The said pilot vanes 36 and 31 present alternate sides of each to the airstream when the wheel rotates and thus pull the webs out of the housing when they are at the bottom and shove the said webs back into the housings at the top of the cycle of wheel rotation as shown.

The power of the airstream, contacting the area of the front side of the bottom, exposed webs, rotates the wheels in'the proper direction when the landing gear is lowered into the airstream.

This driving power. may be varied: by altering the size of these webs, by their distance from the center of rotation, by the number of webs employed in. each wheel assembly and by regu- .i'illustrated until thewheels have attained a cering the power of such pilot vanes to the tension of the spring 35 or to the tension of the substitute spring device shown at Figure 3, which latter device is subject to infinitely fine and variable adjustment.

The position and arrangement of the adjustable weights 3| and 32, afford yet another means of adjustment, in view'of the influence of centrifugal force upon these weights when the wheels are rotated. In this connection, it is noteworthy that heavier or lighter weights might be employed as a still further adjustment means to secure a desired result. Because of these variable adjustment possibilities the device may be regulated like a finely balanced governor which will neutralize the operating mechanism after the wheels have attained any desired speed of rotation for which they may be set.

The screw adjustment of the weights 3| and 32, allow them to be set farther out from the center of wheel rotation to increase the influence of centrifugal force upon them or moved farther in toward the center of such rotation to decrease such force.

Although the device is shown involving all of these various adjustments, it is recognized that for a single given wheel speed, it may require none of these. 7 springs, weights and adjustments might be dispensed with entirely and the reaction of the airstream upon the pilot vanes 36 and 31, opposed to theeilect of the centrifugal force upon the center of massof the webs 3 and 4, be solely relied upon to hold the wheel rotation to a given speed, without departing from the spirit of our invention. It is also known that the roller bearings l3, l4, l5 and It would not be needed or used if the webs 3 and 4 were substantially constructed and mounted upon precision positioning pivots. l

The invention pertains primarily to the principle of propelling airplane wheels while in flight by the force of air pressure against webs which are alternately exposed to the power of such force in combination with means of controlling such force and the speed of such rotation by the power of centrifugal force.

Having thus explained our invention, we claim:

1. In an airplane wheel rotator, propelling webs movable in and out of radially disposed slots provided to house the said webs in an airplane wheel, pilot vanes attached to the said webs at an angle of incidence to the airflow governing the position of the said webs, a centrifugal governor to control the action of the said pilot vanes and webs to" rotate the airplane wheel at a given speed, the combination of all elements recited in this claim.

2. In an airplane wheel rotator comprising propelling webs disposed about the sides of an airplane wheel, pilot vanes operatively connected to said propelling webs, said webs arranged to be e1 temately exposed to the airstream, a centrifugal governor toautomatically retract all of the webs from the airstream or expose the same to the airstream simultaneously after a given wheel speed has been attained, the combination of all elements recited in this claim.

3. In an airplane wheel rotator comprising the combination of rotating webs arranged around the periphery of an airplane *wheel, said webs being alternately exposed to the airstream while the said wheels are gaining speed, said webs being activated by pilot vanes integral with said webs and set at an angle'of incidence to the Under such conditions the tached to the said the said reciprocating web and centrifugal force of the said centrifugal weight,

aaaaici arranged tooppose the force of said centrifugal overnor.

4. In an airplane wheel rotator, the combination or laterally operable androtatable propelling webs pivotally mounted upon planetary pivots, planetary angle pilot vanes attached to said planetary propelling webs, said pilot vanes to actuate the movement of said webs, adjustment means to regulate a spring tension opposed to centrifugal force exerted by the said webs while rotating, the said spring connected to the said webs and position stops to regulate the limit of lateral travel of the said propelling webs.

5. In an airplane wheel rotator, the combination of a hub cap or wheel flange, movable planetary driving webs pivotally mounted thereon, pilot vanes affixed to the said webs at an angle of incidence, a spring to control the movements of the said driving webs and pilot vanes, means to regulate the tension of the said spring, a balanced pivot position upon which said driving webs are operable, so that the eflect of centrifugal force upon the said driving webs will be opposed, while rotating, to the said spring tension.

An airplane wheel rotator comprising the combination of a plurality of radially disposed propelling webs surrounding the center of an airplane wheel or on opposite sides of the said wheel center, said webs being pivotally attached to the said airplane wheel, actuating pilot vanes attached to the said propelling webs, an adjustable balance weightalso attached to the said propelling webs, an adjustable spring attached to the said balance weights and means to attach the mechanism to the airplane wheel.

7. An airplane wheel rotating mechanism com prising the combination of radially disposed propelling webs pivotally mounted upon the sideoi an airplane wheel, web actuating pilot vanes atpropelling webs at an angle of incidence to the said webs, slots in the said airplane wheel to receive the said propelling webs when they are retracted into thesaid wheel and through which the said webs pass when they are extended outside of the adjustably attached to each a spring adjustably attached toeach balance weight, as described.

8. An airplane wheel rotating mechanism of the character described, comprising the combination of rotatable and transversely operable propelling webs pivotally mounted upon said wheel, pilot vanes attached to the said propelling webs and set at an angle of incidence in relation to each web, a centrifugal balance weight attached to the said propelling web device, a spring attached to the said centrifugal balance weight device, adjustment means to alter the position of the said balance weight'device and adjustment means to alter the tension of the said spring, substantially as illustrated and described.

9. An airplane wheel rotating device, -compris-- ing the combination of rotatable. and reciprocating driving webs, a pilot vane, set at an angle of incidence to reciprocate said webs by aerodynamic reaction upon the said pilot vanes, a centrifugal weight attached to said reciprocating web device, a spring to regulate the movement of opposed to the means to regulate the tension of said spring and means to adjust-the relative position of the said wheel, a balance weight g propelling web and.

and retract I adjustable threaded boss to receive a ward sides of said propelling volved and regulate-the 10. An airplane wheel speed of the said wheel. automaticrotator, comprising the combination of driving-webs arranged the said webs, said vanes arranged to be continuously exposed to the airstream when the landing gear is lowered from the airplane during flight, said pilot vanes set at an angle of incidence to react to the airstream in a manner which will cause them to expose the said webs to the airstream at the bottomarcof the wheels rotation said are, a spring with adjustmentmeans-to regulate the action of the said websand vanes and an tegral with said propelling webs.

11. An automatic airplane wheel rotator, com prising the combination ofpivotally mounted propelling webs movable upon'such pivot mount in a direction transverse to the direction of flight, radially disposed slots through which the said webs reciprocate into and out of the airstream, pilot vanes attached to the outer section of said propelling webs, said pilot vanes being set at, an angle of incidence to reverse the travel of the said web upon each succeeding cycle of the airplane wheel rotation, by the reaction of the airstream upon the said pilot vanes, position stops to limit the travel of the said reciprocating propeller webs, a threaded boss attached'to the inner section of each web, centrifugal balance weights screwed upon said threaded boss, an elongated slot through said weight and a hole through said locking cotter key, a spring attached to each propelling web, means to adjust the tensioncf the said spring, substantially' as illustrated and described.

12. An automatic airplane wheel rotator, comprising the combination of a plurality of transversely oscillating propelling webs mounted upon.

relative position of said weight, a means to look any adjusted posisaid counter balance, weight in tion, roller thrust bearings arranged to take part of the thrust from the airstream against the forwebs, position stops to limit the distance 01' oscillation of the said transversely moving propeller webs and slots to permit the passage of the said propeller webs through them, said slots from, the center of wheel rotation.

13. An automatic airplane wheel rotator comprising the combination of an auxiliary or substitute hub cap embodying means of. attachment to the said airplane wheel, a plurality 01' air stream actuated propelling vanes set at an anglev of incidence to the direction of flow of the said air stream, said propelling vanes reciprocal laterally and alternately into the said air stream, a series of adjustment springs to regulate the action of the laterally reciprocal propeller vanes, an adjustable weight attached to each of the, said propeller-vanes, said entire mechanism rotatable around a common center.

, weight inorder tobalance thevariousi'orces inthe said webs-when at the top of, the

centrifugal weightwattached-to or inbeing radially disposed,

14. An automatic airplane wheel rotator comspring. a. weight attached to each of the said 10 webs, said weights attached in a position to move the said webs by the power 01 centriiugal iorce affecting the said weights and in opposition to the said spring tension, means to adjust and alter the relative position of the said weights in .relation to the position 01, the said webs, bearings to assure the alignment of the said webs,

substantially as illustrated and described.

ROBERT E. MITTON. ARGYLE M. CAMPBEIL.

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