US2407777A

US2407777A - Glider

Info

Publication number: US2407777A
Application number: US457244A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry C Grawunder
Original assignee: J B HUFF JR
Current assignee: J B HUFF JR
Priority date: 1942-09-04
Filing date: 1942-09-04
Publication date: 1946-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1963-09-17

Description

Sept. 17, 1946.

GLIDER 2 Sheets-Sheet l '4 Filed sepi. 4, 1942 Sept. 17, 1946. H. cfcsr-:AWUNDL-:R`

GLIDER Filed Sept. 4, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 117, 1946 ,j UNITED STATE GLIDER4 Henry C. Grawunder, Bellvlle', Tex., assignor of one-half to YJ B. Huff, Jr., Harris County, Tex.

VApplication September 4, 1941.2,` Serial No. 457,244Y

This invention relates to a glider.- A An object of the inventionistoprovide a glider of the character described having two pairs of wings with means whereby the aviator may actuate the wings, while the glider is in motion to control the elevation of the glider as it moves through the air. The invention also embodies a novel type of wing construction hereinafter more specifically explained.

It is afurther object of the invention to provide, in a glider, a novel type of stabilizer and elevators under the-controlV of the aviator and whereby the direction lof the glider either vertically or laterally will be, to some extent at least, under the control of the aviator.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the complete glider.

Figure 2 shows a front, elevational view partly in section.

Figure 3 shows a plan view, and

Figure 4 shows an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates the fuselage as a whole. The fuselage is composed of any suitable material and is of sufcient vertical width to provide room for the aviator.

An intermediate portion of the fuselage is cut away to provide the opening 2 wherein there is located the aviator seat 3. In a preferred form of the invention, the fuselage is rounded oi vertically at the forward end and is extended and upwardly tapered at the rear end.

Securely fastened to the rear end of the fuselage there is a stabilizer comprising the xed upwardly diverging planes 4, 4 and hinged to the upper margins of these planes, one on each side, are the elevators 5, 5 which, in effect, form hinged extensions of the planes 4, 4. Each elevator has an upwardlyextended arm 6 and a downwardly extended arm 'l and to the free ends of said respective arms are attached the cables 8 and 9. These cables extend forwardly and are attached to the upper and lower ends respectively of the foot pedals ID, I0, which are pivotally mounted one on each side on the forward 2 Claims. (Cl. 244-16) end of the fuselage. These foot pedals form also foot rests for the aviator on the seat 3 and they may be manipulated to control the elevators independently of each other so that said elevators may be shifted to `assist in the elevation of or the descent of the glider or to control its direction.

Extending out laterally from the fuselage near its front end are the similar wings II, II whose inner ends are hinged to the fuselage to pivot on longitudinal axes. Behind-the wings II, II and located slightly beneath them are the rear wings I2, I2,` one on each side,whose inner ends are pivoted to` the fuselage on longitudinal axes. These wings are preferably of similar construction. As illustrated each wing includes a frame consisting of a longitudinal bar I3 and a transverse outwardly extending bar vI 4 whose inner end is secured to said bar I3. The wing surfaces are composed of thin sections as I5 whose forward margins are secured to the frame in any suitable manner and whose rear margins may be free. The adjacent edges of adjoining sections are similarly overlapped as shown in Figures 3 and 4 sothat upon upward movement of the wings, said overlapping margins will separate to allow the `air to pass therethrough so that the wings will offer a minimum of resistance to the air as the wings are elevated but as the wings are moved downwardly, said overlapping margins will be held in close contact by the pressure of the air beneath and downward movement of the wings will have a buoyant effect on the glider.

The front and rear wings are operated simultaneously but in opposite directions: that is, as the front Wings are moved upwardly, the rearwings are moved downwardly and vice versa.

On opposite sides of the fuselage and accessible to the aviator are the levers I6, I6. These levers are mounted, at points intermediate their ends for universal pivotal movement of the opposite ends on the cross-head I'I. This cross-head, in turn, is mounted for universal movement in a suitable bearing I8 in the fuselage beneath the iiyers seat. Front and rear links I9 and 20 are pivotally connected to the front and rear ends of each lever I6 as well as to the front and rear wings as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. By rocking the levers I6 up and down, the wings may be elevated and lowered.

It will be seen that as the front wings II are elevated the rear wings I 2 will be lowered and vice versa. As one set of wings is elevated, they` will oder some resistance to the air and their supporting effect will be lost or reduced but this will be offset by the fact that at the same time,

described will also have the eifect of propellingA the glider `forwardly as they are moved up and down.

-The drawings and description are illustrative merely and disclose what is now considered to.

be a preferred form of the invention. It is obvious, however, that the mechanical details of construction may be varied without departing..

from the broad principleof the invention as defined by the appendedy claims.

What I claim is: Y

l. A glider comprising a fuselage, similar front Wings extending out laterally from the fuselage and pivoted thereto on longitudinal axes, rear Wings extending out laterally from the fuselage and Whose inner ends are pivoted to the fuselage onrlongitudirial axes, means whereby the wings on one side of the glider may bemoved independently of the'movement of-thewings on the other side of the glider, said means comprising levers, one on each side of the fuselage, mounted at points intermediate. their ends for universal pivotal movement on the fuselage,

front and rear rigid links pivotally connected to the front and rear ends of the, levers lrespectively, the front links being pivoted at their other ends'to the leading edges of the front wings and the rear links being ,pivoted Vat their other ends to the leading edges of the rear Wings, whereby upon the rocking of a lever the corresponding wings will be moved one upperwardly and the other, simultaneously, downwardly.

2. A glider comprising a fuselage, a seat there- Y.

in for an aviator, a pair of similar front wings .extending out laterally from the fuselage and pivotally connected thereto to move independently of each other, on longitudinal axes, a pair .of rearwings extending out laterally from the l A `fuselage and pivotally connected thereto to move Y independently of each other, on longitudinal axes, means mounted at each side of the seat on the'k fuselage and accessible to the aviator on the otherV side of said seat being connected to the leading margins of the other front and rear wings,l said means being operable independently of each other and each beingfpivotally mounted at al point intermediateitsY connections to the front and rear Wings whereby upon.v operation of either one of said means the Wings to which it is connectedV will be simultaneously moved in opposite directions.

" ENRY C. GRAWUiSIDER.`