US2513585A

US2513585A - Retractable spray deflector

Info

Publication number: US2513585A
Application number: US729766A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bradford W Powers
Original assignee: Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corp
Current assignee: Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corp
Priority date: 1947-02-20
Filing date: 1947-02-20
Publication date: 1950-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1967-07-04

Description

y 1950 B. w. POWERS 2,513,585

RETRACTABLE SPRAY DEFLECTOR 7 Filed Feb. 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZSnnentor Bra oFord W. Powers TE- E July 4, 1950 B. w. POWERS RETRACTABLE SPRAY DEFLECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1947 Snnentqr Brac/Pord 14 Powers Patented July 4, i956 Bradford W. Powers, San Diego, Calif., assignor to Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation; .San Diego, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application February 20, 1947, serial No. 729,766

Claims. (01. 244-106) This invention relates to improvements in flying boat hulls and more particularly to a retractable spray deflector adapted to be incor- 'porated in flying boat hulls both of rather conventional type and in highly streamlined hulls.

In the past, the air speed of flying boats has been considerably reduced by the necessity for designing the hull of the-flying boat on hydrodynamic principles, since the, hullhas to be so designed that it will serve as an efficient planing surface for the aircraft during take-off. Such hydrodynamic lines are frequently very ineflicient from an aerodynamic standpoint and extensive research has been made in an endeavor to properly integrate the most eflicient aerodynamic and hydrodynamic features in aflying boat hull whichwould give maximum performance on the water and in the air.

Recently, the tendency to streamline aircraft fuselages has been extremely marked and efforts have been madeto conform to this tendency in a source of drag. Nevertheless prior flying boat hulls have .found itnecessary to utilize this type of construction ince'when the hull of a flying boat is passing through the .water preparatory to take-off, the sharp edgeconstruction serves to deflect the spray developed by the passage of the boat through the .water and prevents it from buffeting the propellers and control surfaces of the aircraft. The sharp edge construction also "2 incorporation in flying boats. spray deflector is incorporated inthe hull ap proximately along the line of the hull where the sharp edge would customarily be located. vWhen the boat is about to take off the retractable spray deflector is extended from'its housing within the hull and during the" take-off periodfunction's to afford a hull operatingjin the same manner as and having theeffe'ctiveness of a conventional hull with its sharp edge construction. When the flying boat is airborne the spray deflector is retracted Within its housing and the flying boat hull assumes its maximum aerodynamic efficiency. a 7

It is one object of the present invention to provide a retractable pray deflector for flying boat hulls which ,canbe extended into the water duri'ng'thetake'ofi and landing periods'and can be retracted into the hu'll of the flying boat when the flying boat isairborne,

It is another object of thisinvention to provide a'retractable spray deflector for flying boat hulls which are designed -to such aerodynamic stand ards as would inhibit the proper functioning of stream produces a turbulent condition and is thus serves as a stabilizing element in that it provides directional stability for the hull of the boat and inhibits any tendency. there may be to hunt in the water. The sharp edge construction also serves, to a certain extent, to eliminate porpoising or the nosing down tendencies which flying a boat hulls frequently exhibit.

To permit a flying boat hull to be designed in as complete conformity to aerodynamic principles as is possible, while retaining its hydrodynamic efficiency, theretractable spray dethe boat hull in the water unless such a retract able spray deflector were incorporated in the hull". Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of. the appended'specification and the accome panying drawings ,iniwhich; Figure 1' is' a perspective view showing the underside of a rather conventional flying boat hull which'incorporates the retractable spray Figure} is a front elevationalview of the hull shown-in Figure 1; 1 v Figure 31s a front elevational view'ofa highly str'eamlinedflying boat hull possessing maximum aerodynamic efliciency which has embodied therein a retractable spray deflector adapted to secure hydrodynamic effectiveness for the am dynamically eflicient hull; V a Figure 4 is a vertical sectional' view through the hull of' tl'le flying boat shown-in Figure "1 which-shows the installation in the hull of a retractable spray deflector constructed in accord anceflwi'th the -'-p're'sent invention} 1I Figure dis a vertical sectional viewtaken on Figure" 6 is a longitudinal sectional view' showing the installation of the retractable spray: dc flector in"its housing'and indicating the position H fwill assuinei'n lits e xte nded phase and, .p h'ant'om', the position "which it will assume resen m nt) The' retractable I Figure '7 is a perspective view showing the spray deflector in its extended position; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the spray deflector in its retracted position.

There is shown in the drawings (Figure 1) a typical flying boat l having a wing I l and power plants 52 mounted in said wings adapted to proaerodynamic efiectivene'ss but will, nevertheless,

insure that the hull willfbe" hydrodynamically stable during the tal're- -of'and landing periods;

In Figure 3 there'is showna radi'callystrea nlined flying boat 1 6? which 'comprise'sa wing l"! and: a generally V--'shap'ecf"'iuselage portion t8 which is alsointended toserve, to a certain extent; as an auxiliary aero'dynamiclifting surface in conjunction with'the wing IT. Hullbottom m of. fuselage "l 8*is' so" constituted that 'it'posses'ses a modicum 'of hydrodynamic" eflicien'cy'. However, the incorporation of retractable spray deflectors 2t, constructedin accordance with the present invention, serves to augment thehydrodynamic characteristics of the hull bottom l9 and renders the flying boat ahydrodynamically aswell as aerodynamic'ally soun'd'aircra'ft.

There is shown'in'l igure' 4 a vertical sectional view of the flying boat hullof Figure" 1'. The exterior skin 21 of the fu's'e lage l3"i's' supported by an internal bulkhead2'2 which has out therethrough, an obliquecut' 23"wh'i'cli' forms a receptacle for the housing 24*of a typical retractable spray deflector 32'. Itisv to be understood that n such openings are cut'gin' adjacent bulkheads to permit the installation of "the housihg24, through out" the length of the; The retractable spray. deflector housing, Zfiicomprises sidewalls 2:5}. atop wa1'12eand end'walls 2T. The housing is'isolated from the interior of the fuselage l3 andis of water proof 'construck tion. Formedin the'lower'ends ofside Walls '25fare' iht'egral flanges 28 which. ,provideattachment points by means ofwl ficli the housing is attached to the fuselage. lZhat portion. of the bu1khead22 whichprovides arecept'aclefor the housing is strengthenedby gusset plates 29wh-ich permit the bulkhead to absorb the stresses placed upon it by the housing and .the spray-deflector.

Adapted to be retracted into. housing 24- but shown, for purposes; of :clarity, in the extended position in Figures 4, :-and; 6, is the retractable spray deflector 32. A multiplicity of link members .33 which. are pivotally: secured at their upper ends asrby meansof shafts- 34 passing through the walls-.25. of housing 24 -serve; as S115? pension members-ior the retractable spray deflector 32. The upper-ends of'the links -33 have formed thereupon stop plates-3|lywhichtprevent the. movement. of the spray; deflector beyond its fully extended position and which: seat on the inside of 7 top 1 wall. 26 of. spray deflector-housing 24.- Thelower ends o links 3'3Yhave'stop plates 39" formed thereuponfand integrallyv therewith triangular mountings lugs or plates 36, as by spray deflector 32 and which serve to "prevent hull: bottom I 4*.

means of shafts 35 passing throughthe lower portion of said links and the upper portion of said plates. The lower portion of mounting plates or lugs 38 is secured to the upper portion of the retractablespray deflector 32. The pivotal suspension of the retractable spray deflector 32 upon links 33 permits the spray deflector 32 to be swung upon shafts 313 and 35 from a retracted position within the housing 2d to an extended position outboard of the fuselage l3 and The retractable spray deflector comprises aroughly rectangular longitudinally extended closed box-like member which is formed by side"wall's"3'T, top wall 40, oblique rear end 38, vertical front wall 39 and a bottom plate 42 Which is adapted to conf iorm to the exterior configuration of the hull bottom M of fuselage l3. Bulkheadsor st'i'fleners 43 upon which the various walls of' the spray deflector 32' are assembled provide structural. rigidity. to the spray deflector 32'.

The rear wall 38'of the retractable spray deflector 32 is for'medat an. oblique angle'to permit the bottom pl'atelll to seal the opening in the hull bottom when the spray deflector 32'. is in its fully retracted, position. As can beseen from the drawings; the,rear wall-38 is'extended rear- Wardly of the openingin the hullbottom Id of the fuselage I 3 when the spray deflector is dropped into itsfunctioning position. When the spray deflector 32 is'retracted .into the housing the obliquerearwall 3810f; the spray deflector 32permits the bottoms-plate 42 to seal ofl the opening in the hull bottom I4 of fuselage 5-3. The sealing of the hull bottom M of.-fuselage l3by means of the-bottomplate-AZ of spray deflector 32 prevents turbulence; and eliminated parasitic dragwhen the aircraft becomes airborneawhich would occur if th'eopeni-ngs werenot sealed;

When the spray deflector-3311s inns-extended.

position considerable side loads,- will be-borne by its structure-audit is conceivable that it might possibly become so bound against the interior structure of housingtfl" that retraction or 6X21 tension might become diflicult. Tocut down the possibility of such binding;,thereaistprovided a series: of rubbinglorrr-chafing:stripsr l' t" which are mounted on: the upper-edge? ofzth e retractable spray deflector 32 a-ndvw'ould materially reduce the frictionalv components which will be encoum tered during the' operati'on: of the: s rayidefiectex Pivotally: mounted' within the spray deflector housing- Z-Aviscan; actuatin'gl:means;l 5= whichmay conceivably'bet either a raulic or electi i'c j'acli having acylindera tihand tai' iston rod ut-which extends into: the receptacle formed by the in teri'or of the:housing 214i Theextreme enu of the piston" rod 47 is pivota y conhected atAB t-o one endof 'retractable spray deflector 32 by means of flanges 4st Brio to talte-cflthe extensi'oirof piston rod- W Wi ause tne spray-deflector 32' to swing rearwardiyand down-vva-rdly-' onlinlis 33, bringing spray deflector 3..- into 'its-'-extendid position to breal z the continuityof' the bottom surface of the hull? as sho'wn', and" increasing" the hydrodynamic;efiibiency oi tl'ie flying boat hull during the take offj period; once the"iairci"a'ft 'i's airborne the retraction of'pis'to'n rod 4? ills'win'g the spray deflector'f32gupwardly 'afid' inwardiy'on links; into the" interim of'ihous'ir ig, it. Thus the aerodynamic 'efiieienc dfth"e' nun is in no way -impaired by -"the retractable spra'y defl toriz 1 .15. p: 5g; 19. 1

1 There is thus provided a retractable spray d efl'e'ctorwhich is '{desi'gne'd to impart to" a flying b'oat hullof streamlined 1 conformation hydrodynamic characteristicswhichwould be lacking if such' la spr-ay deflector were not-"embodied -in thehull. It is, of courseg obvious that the embodiment shownin the drawings and-discussed in detail in theabove -s'peciflcati'on has been utilized to illustrate: the manner of construction and mode of operation of-th'epresent invention and-it is conceivable that changes' mayi be made I in 'de'tails. oftconstruction which will still fall within the scope of the appended claims; .Iclaim; L, 11" .1

1. A hull structurefor aflying boat comprising a plurality of I bodily 'movableelongated spray deflector members adapted t'o be housed-"Within the hull on opposite sides thereof and extending in the direction of the length of the hull, means within said hull for suspending said spray deflector members for movement into and out of housed position said hull having elongated openings formed in-either side thereof through which said s'prayd'eflector members are adapted to ex tend to'break the continuity of the '-b0tt01n surfaceof the hull, and actuating means located insaid' openings and having operative connections with said spray deflector members' for movement thereof between housed and extended positions.

2. "A hull structure for af flying boat comprising elongated spray deflector members disposed on opposite sides of the hull and extending longitudinallytherealong, housings .for said spray deflector members provided in said .hull, pivoted mounting means .within said housings for suspending said spray deflector members for movement bodily out of said housing to break the continuity of the bottom surface-of the hull and actuating means carried by the'lmll within-said housingsa'nd having operativemonnections with said spray deflector membersfo'r moving "said inembers'into and out of said'liousings; w *"3. A hull'structure for a'flying-boatcompri'sing elongated generally rectangular, box-like spray deflector members disposed on opposite.

sides of the hull andextending longitudinally therealong, housings for sands-in 'said spray deflector members provided in said hull and having one side thereof open, pivoted mountingmeans within said housings for suspending said spray deflector members for movement bodily out of said housings to break the continuity of the bottom surface of the hull actuating means mounted within said housings and having operative connections with said spray deflector members for moving said members swingingly into and out of said housings, and said elongated spray deflector members each having a bottom wall adapted to conform to the exterior profile of the hull and to close the open side of a housing.

4. In a hull for a flying boat, longitudinally extending housings formed within the interior of the hull and on each side thereof, swingably mounted elongated, generally rectangular, boxlike spray deflector members adapted to be swung bodily into and out of said housings and acting when exteriorly positioned to break the continuity of the bottom surface of the hull, pivoted means within said housings for supporting said spray deflector members for swinging movement, actuating means for each of said spray deflector members mounted within said housings, and means operatively connecting said actuating at-rarest means to one endof its-associated spray deflector member to .permit the actuation thereof, said spray. deflector members eachtha'ving" an oblique end wall provided at the.. end.of .thespray .deflector member oppositetheend to which.- actuating means. is connected. v 2 5. Ines; hull for a flying boat, said hullhaving longitudinally extending, elongated openings formed in either side thereof, housings formed within the interior of said hull and having-la n open side juxtaposed'to "said opening, .swingably mounted elongated, generally rectangular, boxlike spray deflector members adapted to be housed in 'said housings and to be'extended therefrom through said openings to break the continuity of theibottomsurface of the hull, pivoted means within said housings for supporting saidspray deflector members for movement bodily into and out of said housings actuating means for each of said spray deflector members mounted within said housings, and means operatively connecting saidractuating means to one end of its associated spray deflector member whereby said spray. deflector. member may be actuated said spraydeflector members each having an: oblique end wall provided at theend of thespray deflector member opposite the end to which said actuating means is connected, said spray deflectormembers also each having a bottom wall shapedto conform to the outer configuration of said hull wherebyon retraction of the spraymembers into the :housings the opensides thereof will be closed, said oblique end walls permitting movement of said bottom walls into position to close said open sides; I Y 6. In a hull structure having the oppositesides thereof. flat and whichare formed intoa V shape, elongated spray deflector members .disposed onopposite sides of the hulland extending longitudinally therealong, housings for wholly enclosingsaid spray deflector members provided in said hull, pivoted mounting means within said housings for swingingly suspending'saidspray deflector members. for'movement. bodily out of said housings toproject beyond the flat sides of the hull to break the continuity thereof, andactuating. means carried. by. the hull within said housings and having operative connections-with said spray deflector membersfor moving said members bodily into and out of said housings.

'7. A hull structure for a flying boat comprising a plurality of bodily movable, elongated, generally rectangular, closed box-like spray deflector members adapted to be housed wholly within the hull on opposite sides thereof and extending in the direction of the length of the hull, pivoted means within said hull for suspending said spray deflector members for swinging movement, stop means provided on said pivoted means operative to limit the extent of swinging movement thereof, said hull having elongated openings formed in either side thereof through which said spray deflector members are adapted to extend to break the continuity of the bottom surface of the hull, and actuating means located in said openings and having operative connections with said spray deflector members for movement thereof between housed and extended positions.

8. In a hull for a flying boat, longitudinally extending housings formed in said hull and on each side thereof and opening to the exterior thereof, elongated, generally rectangular, closed box-like spray deflector members adapted to be positioned within said housings, link means in each of said housings for mounting said spray said I 7 deflector memberssionzmoremenh iiodiiyofihrongh openings imsaidi-housingsrztorbreak theoon: 0f; thea-bottomrsurfaoerof 131181111111, said link rmeansohavinglms pivoted 'connect-ion..1at one posite end pivotaliy nonneotedrtoaarwall zofizitsras: sociated-spray: defiectorimember; said; spray .de-

forming withx-the exterior profile ofi the.-.hvi1z;fmt

closing/the openings said housing whenisaid spray deflec.tor; members. are positioned; within their hemingasanditmtuatingmeanssoarriedxby the'jhull having-Lpperative- 'xzonneetions with .said spray;-zdefiecinrnmemhers:fonmovinenaidanembersrswinging-ly intoand out: :01: said housings;

In (a;hu1l:for a flying heat, longitudinally: exe tending. housings formediin said ehuii andionieach side thereof; and opening tdthe iexterior :thereof; elongatedzgenerally rectangular; closeda bore-like withinasaidi housings, linkimeansin each :Of said housingsiformounting said sprayndefleoton mem:-.-. bers for movement; bodi1y.-throughsaid: openings in: said :housings :to. break the continuity of the bottom surface. of the; hull; said .linkimean-s each havingsa pivoted connection: at. one end-.1130 a wall oiidtsnhousihg; and havingjts oppositeaend piv's otally. connected to the top wall 10f itsoassoeiated spray .defieetor member saiduspray deflector members each [a bottom wall. conformhig with the exterior profile of thee-hull for. closing the-. openings in said housings when said spray deflector. members. are positioned within; their housings, andactuatingwmeans:carried by the nun having operative connections with said spray defleotor members for moving said members swinging1y-into;and1..out of said:housings,=.said.1ink meanshaving stop means carried ateaeh of their ends engageable. with a housingv wall and'with the:.:top wall: of: :a sprayr deflector; member i-to limit: the extent of 1 swinging movementr thereof outofits. housing. v v r 10.; In a hullifor -a flyingboat, said-hull having longitudinally extending, elongated openings formed in..either' side thereof, housings formedv within theyinterior. of. said hulhand having an open side-juxtaposed toisaid opening-,veiongated; generally; rectangular, 1 closed box-like spray deflectorgmembers adapted to be positioned -'within Mi m said thousinflslwikndmto bemextended: th r r m through said openings to break the continuity of 'gthe'bottomasuriaoe of: the hull; linkmembers within each of: said housings. for supporting said spraygdefieotonmembersaiorswinging movement bodilzeziinto :andr-outiof; said; housings, said link m mberss achnhaving a. ivo ed onnectiom a one,- end to a. wallyoiiits.- -,housing and having its opposite: end.vpivotallyioonnected-.to-zthe; top w wall of;zit oassoei-atedrsprav. deflector "member; stop meansucarried;tateeaeh :endr: of: said; links members engageableiwith .:said 1 housing; wall-:and with said spray deflector; member 1top,-=wai1;to limit the r extent; of swingin .iinovement on a-spray; defiee or members-out; :of iitsihousin'g gaotuatmg means:.=.for each of said spray deflector members =-mounted withinasaid housings; andmeansi operativeilygconneetings said actuating i nea-ns; to one end iotits associatedspray; deflector: member wherebyzsaid, spray ,i-defleetor ;member., ;zbe actuated; said spray -;defieetor :members each having-Jan oblique end waihprovided;ratvtherend of thesmayv deflector. member: aopposite; the 'end to which said; aotuating means isconnected;saidsprayidefieoton members alsogeachmavingabottom wall shaped to conformrto, the :outer configuration of said hull. whereby on? retraction: .Ofriihe spray :members into; thelrhousings the-open, sidesflthereofi will- Joe lo ed;- said obi'iduerendzkwalls permitting: move-2 ment, of saick hottomwalls: into 'positiomtm close saidmpen sides-i, BRADFQRDW. PQWERS;

REEERENoEsnnEn r The ioilowingvreieroncesare-- ofrecord in z the fiieoofzthisi patent r UNITED STATES? PA'IENTS