US2438151A

US2438151A - Aircraft propulsion mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2438151A
Application number: US561590A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph B Davis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-11-02
Filing date: 1944-11-02
Publication date: 1948-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1965-03-23

Description

March 23, 1948. v

R. B. DAVIS AIRGRAFT PROPULSION MECHANISM Filed Nov. 2, 1944 RALPH B.' Dvls I termed the propeller hub I2.

Patented Mar. 23., v1948 UNITED-STATES PATENT ori-ice Ralph B. Davis, Prestonsburg, Ky. Application November 2, 1944, serial No. 561,590

2 claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in propeller mechanisms.

The primary object of the present invention is to render the use of so-called jet propulsion devices feasible and practical as a propellant for airplanes.

Another object is to .provide a propeller mechanism for airplanes wherein propeller blades car, ried on a rotatable hub serve to propel the planes at the comparatively low speeds involved in the initial stages or take-off of a night and jet reaction motive force units are' used for Dropellingthe plane after the latterY has attained a suitable speed following the take-off.

A still further object is to utilize the jet reaction motive force unit for revolving the propeller blades during the"takeoff, after which the propeller blades are rendered inactive and the jet units are relied upon for propelling the plane.

With these and other objects in view; the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a sectional view through the blades and hub of the propeller proper, the jet reaction motive force units and portions of the actuating mechanisms for certain structural parts being shown more or. less schematically;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view, in side elevation, illustrating lthe .adjustment of the jet units for revolving the propeller; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view illustrating diagrammatically the adjustment of the jet units when they serve for propelling the plane. i

As illustrated, the propeller mechanism comprises Jet reaction motive force units I carried at the outer or distal endsl of propeller blades II which, in turn, are secured in what may be 'I'his hub portion I2 is rotatably supported in bearings I3, I4 in a bearing housing I5 which may serve for mounting the propelling mechanism on the fuselage I6 of the plane. A thrust bearing I1 for the propeller hub may also be provided in said bearing housing.

The hub I2 is formed with radial sockets or -bearing'sleefves I8 in which the hub ends IIa of blades II are rotatably supported between suitable means such as abutments 20 for limiting movement of the blades in their sockets radially of the hub. The distal ends of blades II are (Cl. SIW-135.6)

formed with cylindrical bearing surfaces 2| on l suitable stufilng box is .provided at the junction.

between this xed section of the line and the rotatable section 24.

The propeller blades are adapted to be rotated or adjusted in their respective sockets so that when the jet units are the sole'means of propelling the plane, the `blades can be turned edgewise or to a position in which they will oier the slightest resistance to the flight of the plane. For this purpose, the inner ends of each pairof opposed blades may be forme-. with ring gears` 26 which are connected to a worm gear 2l mounted on shaft 28 driven .by an electric motor 29. As the two' opposed blades must be turned in opposite directions when moving to and from their feathered or edge-wisepositions, one ring gear 26 is connected directly to gear 21 by a gear 30 on shaft 28 and the other ring gear 26 is engaged by a gear 3I on shaft 32 whichalso car-'- ries a gear 33 in mesh with a gear 34 on a shaft 28.

For rotating the jet units I0 on their respective blades II, 'sleeves 22 of the jets may be formed with ring gears 35 with which vgears 36 mesh, said gears 36 being mounted on shafts .31 provided with Iworm gears 38 driven by electric motors 39. Current for motor 29 and motors 39 is supplied vfrom lines 40, 4I, respectively, which may be connected by brushes to copper rings 42 mounted on but suitably insulated from the supply line section 24. Each motor is connected to these rings by suitable wiring which has been `omitted from the drawing to avoid confusion.

Referring to Fig. 2, the jets are shown positioned so that the force generated thereby will be exerted, as indicated by arrow A, in a plane at right angles to the propeller hub and in which the propeller blades II are normally revolved in the take-ofi of the plane. It will also be observed that the blades themselves, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, are positioned to oier maximum resistance to thel air or to generate their maximum propelling force. After the' plane has attained a suitable high rate of speed. the circuit through .wires 4I is closed and motors 39 energized to 3 3 or 'parallel to the propeller hub i2 in line with the direction of night of the plane and the circuit through lines 40 is closed to energize motor 29 to revolve the blades in their sockets and featherl them, as shown in Fig. 3. i Under these latter circumstances the jet reaction motive force units l0 serve to propel the plane, as indicated by arrows B, and the propeller blades Il are missible. At the same time, the motive force of a the jetl units is utilized during the take-oft? to actuate the propeller blades.

As the propeller `blades I i and the entire hub structure revolve as a unit, motors 29, 39 can be mounted in the interior of the hub and bearings can be provided at suitable points for the several shafts 28, 32 and 31 but it isdeemed unnecessary to illustrate these details or the switches for controlling the circuits through the electric power lines 40, 4|. What I claim is: 1. In a propeller mechanism for airplanes, a propeller shaft, a plurality of propeller blades rotatable on said shaft for propelling the. plane` forwardly at relatively low speeds, jet reaction motive force units at the distal ends of said blades, means for adjusting said units relatively to said blades to render said units effective either in the planeo! rotation of said blades on the shaft to y revolve said blades or in a plane transverse of said plane of rotation to propel the airplane i'or- 40 227,151

4 l wardly at relatively higher speeds, and means for altering the pitch of the. propeller blades to render them ineffective when the airplane is propelled by the influence of said Jet reaction units.

2. In a propeller mechanism for airplanes, a rotatable hub having radially disposed bearing sleeves. propellerlblades for propelling the airplane forwardly, said blades being Journaled in said sleeves. jet reaction motive force units pivotally supported at the distal ends ot said blades, said units being normally eilective at rightangles tothe center of rotation of the hub to rotate the 'blades and said hub during night of the plane at low speeds and adjustable to a position parallel to the direction of night oi' the plane to propelthe plane forwardly at higher speeds, means for rotating said units to adjust them to either of said positions, and means for turning the individual blades in their respective bearing sleeves to minimize their propelling power when said units are in their plane propelling position.

' RALPH B. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED jUm'rnn STATES PATENTS' Number Name Date 1,144,521 Barrows June 29, 1915 2,001,529 Dornier May-14, 1935 l 2,011,061 Loescher Aug. 13, 1935 2,142,601 Bleecker Jan. 3, 1939 2,362,301 Pecker Nov. 7, 1944- 2,397,357 Kundig Mar. 26, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Jan. 12, 1925