US2517481A - Ski positioning means for airplanes - Google Patents

Description

Aug l, 1.950 H. G. HAGER 2,517,481

SKI POSITIONING MEANS FOR AIRPLANES Filed May 24, 1949 IL .l l

54 I t si? so 40 0 la \57 22 3 \e RE HERBERT G. HAGER nnentor Patented Aug. 1, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE'.

4 Claims.

My present invention relates to the generalart of ski landing gear for airplanes, and more spe.- cially to a ski positioning means 4for airplanes.

With the Igreatly increased use of airplanes in cold `countries :there has been an unusual development in the iield oi' ski or skieboard landing gears for such use. The majority of these observed have been constructed at considerable expense, and are designed to take care .of the larger aircrafts, `and many of` them provide, in addition to .aski attaching means, an additional stabilizing and shock absorbing gear. Such equipment is well placed on the larger expensive aircraft. I-Iowever, the eld of small planes has not been given very much study.

My invention consists essentially of a unit which may be substituted for the usual wheels and .brake assembly on a. light airplane, and `provides two parallel bars which .are encircled by a-plurality of strands oi shock cord, one of which members is iixedwith the airplane, and the other xed `to the ski mount and held in positionnermally by the shock cords which encircle the two members. This provides .a resilient means 4for keeping the ski in a Anormal flying position, and yet allows the ski a 'limited degree of movement during landing or take-offs or if taxiing is done over rough snow or ice.

The principal object of my present invention, therefore, islto provide a light, simple and economical ski landing gear `,which may be substituted for the usual wheelsonlight airplanes.

A further object of my invention is to provide means that will insure that the landing ski will normally be held in its true flying position so that a minimum of air Aresistanceiwill be encountered, and this without the use of additional struts or cables extending from the ski attachment to the airplane body or Wings.

A further object of my invention is to provide a ski positioning means which, while presenting the ski normal to the axis of the plane in landing, will permit the ski to follow the ground contour as when an airplane lands at a considerable angle descent, or when rough snow or snow drifts and the like are encountered.

A further object of my present invention is to I Figure `1 is ,a perspective Aview showing `the essential elements `ofmy invention as detached from an `,airplane .and mounted upon a ski, parts of which are broken away;

Figure 2 is a yertical sectional view takenalong the plane of line 2--2 of 'Figure 1;

Figure 3 is va vertical sectional view taken along the line `of 3--3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a reduced scale view, similar in par-t to Figure 3 but :show-ing the ski mount displaced from the airplane mount.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the numeral 6 designates the supporting axle of my device; this may be formed to 4slide over the usual airplane .axle employing wheels, and the same is fixed against rotation by means which mustconform to the design ofthe plane with whichwmy device is to be used. In many `cases the lperforated pad 8 can be xedly secured to the airplane landing gear support means. Fixedly secured to 4axle 6 is the vertically disposed shock pillar l-. This may be secured in any manner so as to be iixed with respect to the airplane. I-have illustrated a flange l2,`whlc`h is iixedly secured to axle `tube E, and to which pillar `lil is secured as by `bolting thereto. In certain cases rotation `of `my device is prevented `by having bolts l 4 lock pillar Il) to the brake housing zand ythe like, which, `in turn, are ilxedlysecured` as by weldingithereto, to bearing plates, as 25 and 26. These plates in turn are xedly secured to the landing skis 28. For additional reinforcement, the skis may have an added member 30 so as to further distribute the weight of the plane to the ski. Fixedly secured to the tubular axle I6, as by Welding thereto, is the movable or ski pillar 33. This pillar, in order to gain additional stiffness for the assembly, is further secured as by welding to two of the downward extending legs, as is illustrated at 35.

Pillars lli and 33 have an upper assembly that is very similar in that a central web is provided, which is preferably reinforced by beaded. edges, as 31 and 38. Each of the members is further provided with a bottom ange, as 40 and 42, and similarly with an upper iiange, as 44 and 45. These flange members form the bearing for, and the retaining means for, a plurality of resilient vided the limit slots 5l] and 52 in pillar IB, andy in the mating pillar 33 I provide bolt holes in which I position shock or shear bolts 54 and 55.

Attention is directed particularly to Figures 3y and 4. In Figure 4 it will be noted that bolt 55 has come to the end of slot 52, and therefore limits any further movement unless the force should be so great as to shear this bolt. When that occurs, the load is then transferred to bolt l 54 which, owing tothe fact that its slotv 5G is longer and is closer to the center of revolution,`

can allow a ycontinued movement of the pillars against the shock cords until the limit of slot 5i) is reached. If the landing force is very severe, this bolt itself might be sheared and then reliance would have to be placed upon the shock cords and the resiliency of the skis themselves. It has been found in trial, however, that this step-bystep overload feature adds a great deal to the safety of light airplanes on skis.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of a ski positioning means for airplanes. v

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

l. A ski positioning means for light airplanes, comprising: a tubular axle adapted to be secured, xedly, to an airplane landing gear; a vertically disposed shock pillar xedly secured to said axle; a ski axle, co-axially disposed with and revolvably supported by said tubular axle; means forsecuring said ski axle xedly to a landing ski;'a ski pillar fixedly secured to said ski axle andv disposed for rotation adjacent and parallel to said-shock pillar; a plurality of shock cord bands disposed to encircle the upper ends of said shock pillar and said ski pillar; means for positioning and retaining said bands on each of said pillars; a plurality of arcuateslots in one of said pillars concentric with the center of rotation of said ski pillar; and shear bolts secured to the other pillar and disposed for movement in said arcuate slots.

2. A ski positioning means for light airplanes, comprising: a tubular axle adapted to be se- 4 cured, xedly, to an airplane landing gear; a vertically disposed shock pillar flxedly secured to said axle; a ski axle, co-axially disposed with and revolvably supported by, said tubular axle; means for securing said ski axle xedly to a landing ski; a ski pillar xedly secured to said ski axle and disposed for rotation adjacent and parallel to said shock pillar; a plurality of shock cord bands disposed to encircle the uper ends of said shock pillar and said ski pillar; means for positioning and retaining said bands on each of said pillars; a plurality of arcuate slots in one of said pillars concentric with the center of rotation of said ski pillar; shear bolts secured to the other pillar and disposed for movement in said arcuate slots, and said slots having different lengths to provide a step-by-step overload shear bolt stop.

3. A ski positioning means for light airplanes, comprising: a tubular axle adapted to be secured, ixedly, to an airplane landing gear; a vertically disposed shock pillar l'lxedly secured to said axle; a ski axle, co-axially disposed with and revolvably supported by, said tubular axle; means for securing said ski axle xedly to a landing ski; a ski w pillarxedly secured to said ski axle and disposed ing 4said bands on each of said pillars; a plurality of arcuate slots in one of said pillars concentric with the center of rotation of said ski pillar; shear bolts secured to the other pillar and disposed for movement in said arcuate slots, and said slots being disposed at different distances from the ski axle to provide a step-by-step overload shear bolt stop.

pillar xedly secured to said ski axle and disposed for rotation adjacent and parallel to said shock pillar; a plurality of shock cord bands disposed to encircle the upper ends of said shock pillar and said ski pillar; means for positioning and retaining said bands on each of said pillars, and additional means for connecting the shock pillar and the ski pillar to limit the amount of their relative rotation.

HERBERT G. HAGER.

No references cited.

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