US2381596A - Airplane - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 7, 1945. M. JENSEN 2,381,596

AIRRLANE Filed Sept-2, 1942 S eet 1 Aug-. 7, 1945. M. JENSEN 2,381,596

AIRPLANE Filed Sept. 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug 7, 1945 Martin j'ensen, New York, N. Y.,' assignor to Langley Aviation Corporation, New York, N. Y.,

' a corporation of Delaware Application September 2, 1942, Serial No. 457,0?7 1 This invention relates to airplanes and in par-- ticular to airplanes having propulsion systems of multi-motor, contra-turning propeller type.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact, simple, and efficient systemincluding the 1 feature, preferably, that the drive of all' of the engines goes to all of the propellers. 1 1 1 While the invention is not necessarily limited as to the type of engineused, its advantagesmay be realized to the fullest, extent when doublebank pancake type engineslmounted flatwise in wing cavities are employed. In. the ,use of such engines the normal .Wing section-needanot be disturbed and since @excrescences. for the housing of the engines are thus..avoided,,parasite resistance is accordingly lessened. Utilizing the wingcontained pancake engines, the ,new system permits the weight of. the engines ity. Consequently, the invention vfinds particular applicability in the case iplanes-of combat type where speed and maneuverabilityare essential. Efficiency and maneuverability are further enhanced'by the contra=turning propellers. 1

' In the further description of theinvention, reference will be -made.to theaccompanying drawings, which show .thenew arrangement .in illustrative embodiment. In these drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a singletseater mono: plane 1 of fighter type embodying 1 the invention.

Figure 2 isa front elevation oftheairplane of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is anelevation of the airplane as seen from the left hand side with the left hand wing in section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of a gear box whereby the engines are connected to the propeller shafts, the top of the gear box being removed.

The illustrated airplane has a main plane including the right and left hand wings I0 and II which extend from a fuselage l2. The fuselage includes a forward extension or nose portion l3, a central portion 14 in which the cockpit is disposed, and a tail portion l which supports the usual empennage IS. The roof [1 of portion I5 is elevated above the roof of the forward portion and the latter is faired into the former by a transparent windshield 18 at the cockpit. The airplane is provided with a tricycle landing gear including the struts l9 and 20 beneath the wings and the strut 2| beneath the forward portion 13. In flight the struts I9 and 20 can be moved toward the fuselage and then swung outwardly and upwardly to bring the wheels 22 and 23 into to be: effectively centralized and disposed for high maneuverabilcavities on the undersides of the wings as indicated' in Figure 1. The strut 2| isadaptedtoube swung upwardly and rearwardly in. order'tto bring the wheel 24- into a suitable cavity at the underside of the fuselage. 1 1 1 Two double- bankpancake type engines 25 and 26 are arranged flatwise in the wings Illand II, respectively, immediately adjacent the fuselage with their crank or power shafts 21 and 128' in alignment and with their output ends adjacent each other. Preferably, andv as hereshown, the common axis of the engines-is coincident with the lateral'axis 29 of: the aircraft soithat the engines are substantially balanced about this axis. The power shafts 21 and 28 extend into the fuselage andin-to a gear box 30 .disposedsubstantially atthe center of gravity and have bevel gears 3l'and32 of like size fixed ontheir respective extremities within the box. clutches 33 and 34 are interposed in shafts 21 and 28 respectively. 1 1. 1 Journaled in the forward wall of. the gear box, is a, hollow propeller shaft 35 and within the .box 30 shaft'35 has fixed thereona bevelgear-3B which engagesboth the-gears 3 l and 32. Propeller shaft 35 extends forwardly on the longitudinal axis of the airplane as here shown, its forward' portion being supported in a bearing 31 and-its extremity having fixed thereon a propeller 38. A hollow propeller shaft 39 is disposedcoaxially with, here shown as concentrically within, shaft 35 and projects beyondboth ends of the latter. The rear end of shaft 39 is journaledin the rear wall of'box 30 and within the box has secured thereon a bevel gear 40 of the same size as gear 36 and engaging both of gears 3| and 32. The forward portion of shaft 39 is rotatable in a bearing within shaft 35 and within hearing 31, and the forward extremity of the shaft has fixed thereon a propeller 4 i.

The power shafts 21 and 28 are similarly rotating, and by this I mean that both shafts rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise when viewed from their output ends. This is an important feature of the invention, since it follows that the engines can be interchangeable. As indicated by arrows in Figure 4, the shafts 21 and 28 rotate counterclockwise and through the intermediary of the engaged bevel gears the propeller shafts 35 and 39 will be driven counterclockwise and clockwise, respectively, as seen from the front, and at the same speed, driving the propellers 38. and 4| in opposite directions.

If one engine should fail, it should be cut out, since otherwise it would have to be driven by Overrunning v .the remaining engine. It is for this reason that I provide means such as the overrunning clutches 33 and 34 in advance of gears 3| and 32. Upon the failure of either engine it will be immediately disconnected from the drive gearing as the other engine continues to drive both of the propellers.

The described arrangement permits the engines to be located close to the longitudinal axis of the airplane, and while I have shown them just to the sides of the fuslage, their adjacent ends might be in the latter to some extent. In any event, the width of the fuselage need be only suflicient to accommodate the pilot, the narrow fuselage enabling the air resistance of this member to be kept at a minimum. By using the pancake type engines disposed entirely within normal wing sec tions, the parasite resistance of special nacelles, cowling, etc., is eliminated, and visibility isv enhanced. Access may be had to the engines through removable wing panels. With the Weights all centered about the center of gravity, at which the engine axes intersect the axis of the propeller shafts, a highly maneuverable plane is made possible.

Struts I9 and 20 of the landing gear, it will be observed, are under the outer portions of the engines so as to be able to take their weight in landing.

In the case of a fighter plane, a cannon or gun 42 may be mounted with its breech portion in the cockpit immediately behind shaft 39 and with its barrel extending with clearance through the latter. The breech portion is readily accessible to the pilots seat 43, as indicated in Figures 1 and3.

The described arrangement of parts with reference to the center of gravity is the most satisfactory but the invention is not necessarily limited thereto. The engines should be substantially balanced on opposite sides of the vertical central longitudinal plane, but their axes can be outside the lateral axis of the airplane. The axis of the propeller shafts may be non-coincident with the longitudinal axis of the airplane, although it should be substantially in the vertical central longitudinal plane of the craft. In the drawings the engines are shown as being entirely in the wings, but, as has been mentioned, their adjacent ends may extend into the fuselage to further concentrate their weights in the vicinity of the center of gravity. With the described narrow fuselage, the engines will be at least partly in the wings and I intend to include such disposition in speaking of engines mounted in the wings. Whilethe contemplated under the following claim, as will be understood. In stating that the output ends of the engine power shafts are adjacent each other I do not refer to propinquity, but mean merely that the engines are opposed with the output ends of their power shafts directed toward each other.

' In speaking ofthe axis of the propeller shafts as extending transversely of the power shaft axis, intersection is not necessarily implied. The term main plane, unless modified, is intended to cover wings with interposed fuselage, as shown, or a plane uninterrupted by a fuselage. The term fuselage is used as including a body, such as a nacelle, which does not run'to the tail surfaces.

I claim: i

In an airplane, a fuselage, a main plane comprising wings extending from the sides of the fuselage, a pair of similarly rotating pancake type engines arranged flatwise in said wings respectively at opposite sides of the central vertical 1ongitudinal plane of the airplane and having substantially aligned power shafts with output ends extending into the interior of the fuselage, a pair of-concentric propeller shafts arranged substantially in the central vertical longitudinal plane of the airplane with their input ends in said fuselage adjacent said output ends, the opposite ends of said propeller shafts projecting longitudinally of the fuselage for the mountingof propellers thereon, a gearing assembly in the fuselage substantially at the center of gravity of the airplane connecting said output ends with said input ends whereby the propeller shafts are driven in opposite directions; said gearing assembly including bevel gears respectively driven from and in the same direction as 'said output ends, and bevel gears on said input ends respectively and both engaged by each of the first-mentioned gears; and overrunning clutches in the drives between said engines respectively and said propeller shafts.

14:1: 'a MARTIN JENSEN.

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