US2810985A - Flying toy - Google Patents

Description

1957 A. K. BILDER 2,810,985

- FLYING TOY I Filed Feb. 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent FLYING TOY Arthur K. Bilder, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 24, 1955, Serial No. 490,284

6 Claims. (Cl. 46-7 6) The present invention relates to a flying toy, and, more particularly, to a flying toy having a collapsible wing and elevator assembly and a flight control system for controlling the maneuverability of the toy during flight.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flying apparatus for transporting an object in flight having a collapsible wing and elevator assembly adapted to be extended in preparation for and during flight and to be collapsed during non-flight conditions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flying toy having a collapsible wing assembly adapted to be collapsed during non-flight conditions to facilitate convenient storage and transportation.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a flying toy having an improved collapsible wing assembly comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted wing sections which are adapted to be serially telescopically nested one within the other.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flying toy having a collapsible wing assembly and resilient locking means for an extended wing assembly to permit the wings to collapse when an obstruction is engaged, thereby preventing serious damage to or destruction of the wing assembly.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a flight control member in a flying toy adapted to serve as an element of the flight control system and also as an element of the collapsible wing assembly.

In accordance with the present invention the foregoing and other objects are realized by providing a collapsible wing assembly and a flight control system mounted on a back support of a flying toy. The wing assembly com-. prises a plurality of wing sections pivotally mounted to the back support, each section having a substantially U-shaped cross-section to permit adjacent wing sections to be telescoped as the wing assembly is collapsed. Means for collapsing and extending the collapsible wing assembly, mounted on the back support, include an actuator slidably engageable with a control track adapted to guide the actuator during operation thereof and to provide a control element in the flight control system. The flight control system comprises a handlebar control member for reciprocating and rotating the control track, and a collapsible elevator assembly responsive to the operation of said control track supported from the back support by an elevator support. The handlebar controls, therefore, control, by actuation of the elevator assembly, the yaw, pitch and roll of the flying toy, and may be preset for a particular flight pattern prior to flight. A power mechanism, comprising a jet or the like, is mounted to the assembly support to provide the necessary thrust for flight of the toy.

Further objects and advantages of the present invenice reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a flying toy embodying the present invention illustrating the collapsible wing assembly in the extended position;

Fig. 2 is another enlarged perspective View of the flying toy of Fig. 1, shown with half of the wing assembly detached;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a model of a human being detached from the flying toy;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the flying toy of Fig. 1, illustrating the wing assembly in an extended posi tion, with half of the wing assembly and the model removed;

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged plan view of the flying toy of Fig. 1, illustrating the wing assembly in the collapsed position, with half of the wing assembly and the model removed;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6--6 of Fig. 5 showing the collapsed wing sections of the wing assembly; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 77 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to Fig. 1 thereof, a flying toy 10 is there illustrated embodying the novel features of the present invention. Briefly, the flying toy comprises a model 11 of a human being, secured by a harness 13 to a back support 12, to which are mounted a collapsible wing assembly 14 and actuating means 15 for collapsing and extending the wing assembly 14. A power mechanism 16 is secured to the back support 12 for providing the necessary thrust to initiate and maintain the aircraft in flight. A flight control system 17 for varying the yaw, pitch and roll of the flying toy, is mounted to the back support 12 and is directly associated with a collapsible elevator assembly 18 supported from said back support 12.

More specifically, the model 11 if embodied in a light weight factory-constructed flying toy would comprise a rigid, fully clothed model 11a including a head, helmet, torso and legs adapted to be stamped or molded from a single plastic die. To simulate human actuation of the flight control system 17, the models pair of arms 11b are separately stamped or molded and later freely connected to the rigid body 11a. A transparent helmet 21, mountable about the head or the shoulder area, is provided to shield and protect the head during flight or during crash-landings. The model 11 may be appropriately painted to accentuate the particular flying garments used. This method of construction thereby reduces to a minimum the manufacturing cost of the model and its associated flying apparel.

In order to secure the model 11 to the flying apparatus, a harness 13 or the like is employed. More particularly, the harness 13 comprises a rigid, solid, jacket 13a having edges deformed into frictional clamps for engaging the edges of the back support 12. It should be clear, however, that the harness may be fastened to the support 12 by any simple fastener, e. g., rivets or the like. The harness jacket 13a, adapted to fit about the torso of the model 11 or 21, has a configuration conformably shaped to the figure of the model 11 and has defined therein apertures for the head, arms, and torso of the model 11.

The back support, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, provides a support for the collapsible wing assembly 14, the means 15 for actuating the wing assembly 14, the flight control system 17 and the harness 13. More specifically, the back support 12 comprises a flat, thin member made of plastic or like material having a generally elliptical configuration on which is integrally molded a pair of rotational pins 27 for pivotally securing the wing assembly 14 to the back support 12. A pair of bushings 12a and 12b support 12 by rivets 28, staples or the like.

integrally molded with the support 12 are provided for slidably securing part of the flight control system 17 thereto.

Referring now to the collapsible wing assembly, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a pair of collapsible wing assemblies 14 mounted to the back support 12. More particularly, as shown in Figs; 4 and 5, each wing assembly 14 comprises a forward wing section 24a and a plurality of secondary wing sections 25a, 25b, 25c, and 25d pivotally mounted to said back support 12, and a cover plate 23 (shown only in Fig. 2) adapted to be folded about and secured to the forward wing section 24a.

Each wing section, comprising a double surface member folded along its leading edge, has a generally triangular configuration with a generally U-shaped cross-section as shown in Fig. 6. To provide for pivotal mounting of the collapsible wing assembly 14, there is defined in the apex region of the wing sections 24a, 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d a plurality of apertures 26 through which the pins 27 are inserted. Likewise, there is provided a pair of apertures 26a in the upper and lower surfaces of the cover plate 23. When the wing sections are telescoped, as best shown in Fig. 6, and the apertures 26 and 26a aligned, the pins 27 are inserted through the aligned apertures and deformed to provide rivet-like heads for engaging the cover plate 23 positioned adjacent to the leading edge surfaces of the forward wing sections 24a. The stability of the wing assemblies 14 is increased by fastening rigidly a portion of the inner edge of the wing section 25d to the back In order to provide for the telescopic mounting of the forward wing section 24a and the secondary wing sections 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d when the wing assemblies 14 are in collapsed position, the bight or leading edge portions of the Wing sections become progressively narrower from the forward wing section 24a to the trailing secondary wing section 25d, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The structure of the forward wing section 24a provides a cover for the telescoped secondary wing sections and includes a folded leading edge 2411a, a trailing edge Mad, and a curved outer edge 2442c connecting said leading and trailing edges Man and 24nd. The trailing edge 24ad is defined by the spaced apart ends of the upper and lower surfaces of the wing section 2411, which are joined along a short length 2411c thereof by a strip 29. To provide for actuation of the wing assembly 14 by the actuator means 15, there is defined in the undersurface of the forward wing section 24a an aperture 49 to which the actuator means is connected. The structure of the secondary wing section a is quite similar to the forward wing section 24a insofar as it has a folded leading edge 250a, but is diiferent therefrom in that the folded leading edge includes a leading edge extension 2511b adapted to engage the trailing edge portion 2502 of the forward wing section 24a during extension of the collapsible wing assembly 14. The wing section 25a, otherwise identical to the wing section 24a, is provided with a training edge 25nd having a pair of surfaces spaced apart along practically the entire length thereof and joined together along a short length 25ae thereof by a strip 29a, and an outer edge 25ac connecting the leading edge 2541a and the trailing edge 25ml. The secondary wing sections 2517, 25c and 25d have substantially identical structures to the wing section 25a, but each wing section has smaller dimensions than the immediately forward wing section to provide for telescoping of the wing sections 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d into the forward wing section 24a.

As best shown in Fig. 5, when the wing assembly 14 is in a collapsed non-flight position, the secondary wing sections 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d are nested or telescoped within the forward wing section 24a, such that the collapsed wing assembly is in close proximity to the back support 12. As is best shown in Fig. 4, when the wing assembly 14 is in an extended flight position, the wing sections 24 and 25 define a wing surface for creating the necessary lift for the flying toy. Since the pair of wing assemblies 14 are symmetrical, a description of the operation of only one wing assembly is set forth. When the forward wing section 24a, in its collapsed position, is actuated and pivotally rotated about its rotational pins 27, the trailing edge portion 24ae abuts against the leading edge extension 25a]: of the secondary wing section 25a, and thereby imparts a rotational movement to the secondary wing section 25a.

As the forward wing section 24a rotates relative to the wing section 25a, the double surfaces of the wing section 24a are resiliently deformed as the trailing edges 24ad slide toward the leading edge of the wing section 25a, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 6. The extension movement of the secondary wing section 25a causes the trailing edge portion 25ae to abut against the leading edge extension 2511b of the wing section 25b, and thereby, in turn, to impart a rotational movement to the wing section 2512. This process of imparting rotational movement to the secondary wing sections 25 is continued until the wing assembly 14 reaches its fully extended position. The wing sections 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d of the wing assembly are serially extended from telescoped position as the forward wing section 24a advances from a collapsed position to an extended position, since the frictional force between the overlapping surfaces of adjacent wing sections is adequate to retain the sections in telescoped position until the leading edge extensions abut against the trailing edge portions of the adjacent wing sections.

The collapsing operation of the wing assembly 14 is generally similar to the extension operation with the exception that the wing sections 25 are sequentially telescoped in inverse order. More specifically, when the forward wing section 24a, in its extended position, is actuated and pivotally rotated about its rotational pin 27, the inner folded surface of the leading edge of the forward Wing section 24a abuts against the leading edge of the adjacent wing section 25a, thereby imparting a rotary movement to the wing section 25a. Pivotal movement of the forward wing section 24a causes the adjacent wing section 25a to be telescoped or nested within the forward wing section 240. As the collapsing movement of the forward wing section 24a and telescoped wing section 25a continues, the inner surface of the leading edge of the wing section 25a abuts against the outer surface of the leading edge of the adjacent wing section 25b, thereby imparting a collapsing rotational movement thereto. Thus, the wing section 25b is telescoped within its adjacent forward wing section 25a, which is telescoped within the forward wing section 24a. As the collapsing action is continued and the forward wing section 24a is moved from its extended to its collapsed position, the wing sections 25c and 25:! are serially telescoped within the wing sections 25a, 25b and 24a.

In order to provide for the collapsing and extending of the wing assembly 14, the actuating means 15 associated with said wing assembly 14 are mounted to the back support 12 and include a latch 31 mounted on the back support 12 to engage and hold an operator 30 in rearward position in which the wing assembly is collapsed. An actuator 32 responsive to movement of the operator 30 is slidably mountable on a control track 33 carried by the back support 12 which comprises a rod adapted to guide the movement of the actuator 32 during operation thereof. More specifically, as best shown in Fig. 2, the operator 30 comprises a manually operable U-shaped lever 300 having its arms terminating in a pair of loops engaging a rod 39b secured to the back support by a pair of clamps 300. A cross bar 300?, secured to and disposed between the arms of the lever 30a by solder or the like, pivotally supports a pair of lever drive arms 30e adapted to interconnect 'the operator 30 with the actuator 32. As clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the U-shaped lever 30a of the operator 30 is spring-biased by a coil spring 30f wrapped around the rod 30b'in such a manner as to bias the U-shaped lever 30a to its forward, extended position, and thereby to bias the collapsible wing assembly toward and in its extended position.

In order to provide retaining means for the operator 30, there is provided the latch 31, mounted to the back support 12, of such configuration as to resiliently engage the lever 30a at its rearward, collapsed wing assembly position. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 7, the latch 31, made of resilient material, comprises a pair of shanks 31:: generally inclined to the back support 12 for abutting against the bight portion of the lever 30a as the lever is rotated to almost its collapsed position, and a pair of shanks for engaging and retaining the bight portion of the lever 30a when the lever 30a is rotated to its collapsed position.

The actuator 32 of the means 15 directly controls and actuates the extending and collapsing operation of the collapsible wing assembly 14, as best shown by Fig. 2. More specifically, the actuator 32 comprises a generally thin carriage 32a, having a substantially square shape, made of a rigid durable plastic material. Integrally provided in the undersurface of the carriage 32a is a bushing (not shown) shaped conformably to the control track 33 for guiding the carriage 32a therealong during extension or collapsing of the collapsible wing assembly 14. In addition, a pair of actuator arms 32c, interconnected between the carriage 32a and the forward wing sections 24a, is pivotally mounted to the actuator 32 by pins 34 integrally molded thereto which are deformed at the terminal ends thereof to provide a head. The arms 320 are pivotally mounted to the undersurface of the forward Wing sections 24a of the wing assembly 14 by deformed offset portions freely inserted into the apertures 29 of the wing sections 24a.

In operation of the wing extending means 15, when the lever 34111 is in its locked position under spring bias, rearward rotation of the latch 31 releases the lever a, so that the lever 30a is rotated under the influence of the spring bias to its forward wing assembly extended position. During this rotary movement, the actuator 32, by virtue of the interconnected lever drive arms 30a, is moved from its rearward position to its forward position. Longitudinal movement of the actuator 32 along the control member 33 causes outwardly directed movement of the actuator arms 32c, hence rotational movement of the forward wing sections 24a about the pins 27, thereby moving the collapsible wing assembly from its collapsed to its extended position. The collapsible wing assembly 14 is movable from its extendable position to its collapsible position by a manual movement of the lever 30a from its forward position to its rearward latched position. However, the spring biased operator 30 permits the collapsible wing assembly to collapse or recoil in the event the flying toy encounters a stationary obstacle along the leading edge of its wing assembly, thereby preventing serious damage or permanent destruction to the wing assembly.

The thrust for the flying toy 10 is provided by the power mechanism 16 which is supported from the forward portion of the back support 12 by a pair of posts 1611 (only one of which is shown). The power mechanism 16 comprises a tapered tubular housing jet burner for receiving readily insertable fused jet cartridges adapted to produce expanding exhaust gases upon ignition thereof. Alternatively, a small whistle adapted to make a shrilling sound analogous to the actual exhaust noise of a jet engine may be employed.

The collapsible elevator assembly 18, similar to the collapsible wing assembly 14, is adapted to be collapsed and extended in response to manual actuation thereof. In particular, the assembly 13 comprises a main elevator section 18a, and a pair of secondary elevator sections 18b adapted to be telescoped within the main elevator section 18a. More specifically, the main elevator section 18a comprises a double surface member of generally trapezoidal configuration having a leading edge 181m provided by a folded surface in which'there is defined a generally rectangular notch 18ab. The main elevator section is further provided with a pair of leading edges 18ac defined by upper and lower surfaces which are spaced apart along the entire length thereof for receiving therein the secondary elevator sections 18b, and which are joined together along a short length 18ad thereof by a strip 36, and with a trailing edge 18ae defined by upper and lower surfaces secured together by glue or the like. Adjacent to the leading edge 18aa there is provided a pair of apertures 41 through which a pair of rivets 35 are inserted to provide pivotal support for the secondary elevator sections 18b, thereby defining between the leading edge 1811a and the forward portion of the secondary elevator sections 18b a sleeve-like bearing 43 into which is inserted a rearward portion of the control track 33. To provide for positioning the secondary elevator sections 18b in a particular semi-telescoped position relative to the main elevator section 18a, there is defined in the elevator section 18a a pair of apertures 42 adjacent to the trailing edge 18ae into which are inserted a pair of positioning rivets 37.

The secondary elevator sections 18b, on the other hand, comprise single surface members of generally trapezoidal configuration having apertures (not shown) defined in the apexes thereof through which the rivets 35 extend for pivotally mounting the elevator sections 1815 to the main elevator section 18a, As best shown by Figs. 4 and 5, one of the elevator sections 181) is defined by a leading edge 1812a, and an opposing inner edge 1811s. It is further defined by a trailing edge 1811b having flanges 1812c and 18bd adapted to abut against the short length 18nd of the main elevator section 18a to limit the range of movement of the secondary elevator section 18b and a forward edge 13b) interconnecting the terminal ends of said edges 181m and 18be. A plurality of holes 49 are defined along the trailing edge 1812b of the elevator section 18b for receiving therethrough the positioning rivets 37 for providing means to vary the degree of telescoping or collapsing of the secondary wing section 18b within the main elevator section 180. While the collapsible elevator assembly 18 facilitates the storage and transportation of the flying toy 10, an important function thereof is to vary the effective area of the elevator surface to increase or decrease the sensitivity of the flight control system 17.

In order to provide means for actuating the elevator assembly 18 in response to the operation of the flight control system 17, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, a generally U-shaped right angularly bent actuator member is provided. A free end portion of the arms 180a of the member 18c is disposed longitudinally between and adjacent to the surfaces of the main elevator section 18a (Figs. 2 and 4). A second intermediate portion of the arms 18cb (Figs. 4 and 7) completely encircles one leg of the rearward portion of the control track 33 and a third portion of the arms 1800, as shown only in Fig. 7, protrudes right angularly from the elevator section 18a through the notch lfiab defined in the leading edge thereof to form a transversely extending bight portion 185d. The bight portion of the actuator member 18c is adapted to engage an elevator support member 17d to provide a pivotal support for rotating the elevator assembly 13 thereabout. Specifically, the elevator support bar 17d comprises a rigid bar having an L-shaped configuration, one end of which is fastened rigidly to the back support 12 by fasteners 39 (Fig. 7). The other end of the bar 17d is terminated in an enlarged loop 17da through which is inserted the bight portion 180d of the actuator bar 180. Forward movement to the right in Fig. 7 of the control track 33 pivots the elevator actuator member 18c and the elevator assembly 18 in a clockwise direction about the terminal loop 17da of the elevator support bar 17d.

Referring now to the flight control system 17, and

The control track or rod 33 carried by the back support 12 at its forward end rigidly supports the actuator 17c and at its rearward end engages the collapsible elevator assembly 18. More particularly, the handlebar 170, comprising a generally U-shaped rod member, having inwardly disposed ends fastened to the control actuator 170, is located relative to the model 11 to provide facile engagement of the hands of the model therewith. The control actuator 170 comprises an integral pair of normally intersecting hollow tubes having a longitudinal sleeve 170a Within which is inserted one end of the control track 33 and a transverse sleeve 17c!) disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal sleeve 17m for receiving therein the terminal ends of the handlebar controls 17a, adapted to be soldered thereto. Furthermore, a Pair of upwardly and inwardly disposed arms 17cc, likewise soldered to the ends of the transverse sleeve 170b, are pivotally fastened to the support bar 1717 by a rivet 44 extending through an enlarged aperture 1712a found in one end of the bar 17b, thereby to provide for longitudinal movement of the control track 33 upon forward movement of the handlebars 17a. No binding of the support bar 17b and the sleeve 17c is produced during limited longitudinal movement of rod 33 because of the inherent flexibility of the rod 33. To provide a support for the control actuator 170, the generally S-shaped support bar 1712 is secured off-center to support 12 by a fastener 38 (Fig. 7). The bar 17b is made of such material as to prevent lengthening or shortening of the bar, thereby to establish a pivot point at the end of the bar 17b about which the handlebars 17a may be pivoted. However, the bar material is deformable laterally to permit the pivot point at the upper end of the support 17b to be deflected transversely upon sideward movement of the handlebar 17a. The bar 17, is thus made of flexible material which retains its deformed condition in any one of a plurality of selected positions after the force applied by the handlebar 17a is released.

The control track 33, therefore, is adapted to serve a dual function of providing a guide for the Sliding movement of the actuator 32 and of providing a control member responsive to the forward and sideward movement of the handlebar 17a. The control track 33, extending forward of the back support 12, has an externally threaded portion 33a to provide for engagement of the control actuator 17c and on which are mounted a pair of positioning nuts 17c adapted to abut against both ends of the control actuator 17c thereby to secure the control actuator 170 to the rod or track 33. As indicated hereinbefore, the control track 33 is slidably mounted on the back support 12 by a pair of bushings 12a and 12b to permit longitudinal reciprocating and pivotal movement thereof. The control track 33, extending rearward of the back support 12, is inclined upwardly and deformed into a substantially rectangular loop 33b which is disposed transversely to the control track 33 and which is received Within the bearing 43 to provide means for interconnecting the collapsible elevator assembly 18 and the flight control means 17.

The operation of the flight control system will now be described. In operation, rotation of the handlebar 17a in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 2) about the end of the support bar 17b imparts longitudinal rectilinear movement to the control track 33 which causes rotation of the elevator actuator bar 180 and thereby elevation of the trailing edge of the elevator assembly 18 to control the pitch of the flying toy 10. Movement of the handlebar 17a in a clockwise direction lowers the trailing edge of the elevator assembly 18. Furthermore, upon movement of the handlebars 17a in a sideward direction, the handlebar 17a pivots the control track 33 to impart pivthereby eontrolling'the pitch, yaw and roll of the the rearward loop 33b of the control track 33 is in engagement with the sleeve-like bearing 43 of the elevator assembly 18, this assembly is rotated or pivoted relative to the enlarged loop 17da of the elevator support 17d, thereby controlling the yaw and roll of the flying toy 10. In addition, the handlebars 17a may be simultaneously moved forwardly or rearwardly and sidewardly to elevate and rotate the trailing edge of the elevator assembly, fiying toy 1 As has been indicated hereinbefore, the flying toy may be factory-assembled and constructed from light Weight material comprising a minimum number of components. It shouldbe evident therefore that the back support 12, harness 13 and the model 11 may be stamped or molded in one operation from one plastic die and the wing and elevator assemblies 14 and 18, respectively, the actuating means 15 for the wing assembly, and the flight control elements 17 simply mounted thereto.

While there has been described what is considered to be a preferred embodiment of the model 11, if the model is manufactured as a hobby kit, it is desirable to provide a model including relatively movable individual component parts, thereby to permit the model to be adjusted to various positions assumed by a human being. As best shown by Fig. 3 there is illustrated a model 21 of a human being comprising a head 21a, a trunk 21b, a pair of upper arms 21c,-a pair of forearms 214:, a pair of hands 212, a pair of thighs 21 a pair of calfs 21g, and a pair of feet 2111. The various components of the model 11 are assembled and interconnected by small rivets 22. Appropriate flying garments comprising, for example, a jacket, 2. pair of trousers, a cap, and a pair of shoes may also be provided to clothe the model 21 in order to further simulate the appearance of a human flyer.

While there has been illustrated a particular embodiment of the flying toy of the present invention, it will be understood that numerous changes and modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, contemplated in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A flying apparatus comprising a support, a plurality of wing sections pivotally mounted on said support in normal telescoped relation one Within the other and having a first and 'a second engaging locking portion, said Wing sections being substantially U-shaped in cross section and having resilient upper and lower surfaces defining between their trailing edges a narrow opening, said resilient surfaces permitting the telescoping of adjacent trailing wing sections through said opening and providing for a smooth continuous wing when said sections are extended, said wing sections being dimensioned to develop a frictional force between contiguous resilient surfaces to retain the sections in extended position, and means for moving one of said wing sections, movement of said one wing section causing the first locking portion thereof to engage said second locking portion of an adjacent wing section to move said win sections from said normal telescoped position to an extended position.

2. In a flying apparatus for transporting an object in flight, the combination of a collapsible wing assembly comprising a support, a pair of wings including a pair of forward wing sections and a plurality of pairs of intermediary wing sections, each pair being pivotally mounted to said support, said pairs of wing sections having approximately U-shaped cross sections and substantially triangular configurations, said intermediary wing sections having somewhat smaller size than adjacent forward sections and having a pair of trailing edges defining an abutment and narrow slit for telescoping the adjacent wing section therethrough so that during the collapsing of said wing assembly the intermediate wing sections may be telescopically nested into adjacent wing sections, said wing sections being constructed to develop a frictional force between contiguous surfaces of adjacent wing sections thereby to retain said wing sections in their extended position, said intermediary wing sections being provided with a flange for engaging said abutment of the adjacent wing section so that during extension of the wing assembly said flanges of said intermediate wing sections serially engage said abutments of said adjacent wing sections to serially extend the nested intermediate wing sections, and means carried by said support for collapsing and extending said wing assembly.

3. In a flying apparatus having a collapsible wing assembly the combination of a support, mean-s for extending and collapsing said collapsible wing assembly comprising an actuator, a control track carried by said support for guiding the movement of said actuator along said control track, a pair of arm members interconnected between said Wing assembly and said actuator, means carried by said back support for locking said actuator means, a handlebar control member supported from said support and engageable with said control track for actuating said control track, a collapsible telescoping elevator assembly supported from said back support and responsive to movement of said control track adapted to vary the sensitivity of the flight control mechanism by varying the collapsible relationship of the elevator assembly, whereby upon manual movement of said handlebar control the position of said elevator assembly relative to said support varies thereby providing a means for controlling the pitch, yaw, and roll of said flying machine to control the flight maneuverability of said flying apparatus.

4. A flying apparatus for transporting an object in flight comprising a collapsible wing assembly including a back support, a pair of wings having a plurality of wing sections pivotally mounted on said back support, each of said wing sections being shaped and dimensioned to be telescoped within an adjacent wing section thereby enabling said pair of wings to be collapsed, collapsing and extending means supported by said back support attached to the pair of wings for collapsing and extending said wings, means supported by said back support for actuating said collapsing and extending means, means .for securing the actuating means in a wing collapsed position or a wing extended position, a flight control mechanism for controlling the yaw, pitch, and roll of said flying rnachine to thereby control the flight maneuverability and operation of said flying apparatus, and a collapsible elevator assembly mountable on said back support and engageable with and responsive to actuation of said flight control mechamsm.

5. A flying apparatus comprising a support, a rod slida bly mountable on said support adapted for reciprocal and rotatable movement, an elevator assembly supported by said support for pivotal movement about two different horizontal axes extending substantially perpendicular to each other and one of which axes extends fore and aft of the apparatus, means connecting said assembly to said rod, and means for imparting reciprocal and pivotal movement to said rod to cause movement of said elevator assembly for controlling the maneuverability of said apparatus.

6. A flying apparatus comprising a support, a rod slidably mountable on said support adapted for rectilinear and rotatable movement; a collapsible elevator assembly controlled by said rod and supported from said support for pivotal movement about two different horizontal axes extending substantially perpendicular to each other and one of which axes extends fore and aft of the apparatus, means connecting said assembly to said rod, said assembly including a main elevator section, and a plurality of secondary elevator sections adapted to be telescoped within said main elevator section; means for maintaining said main and secondary elevator sections in selective positions to thereby vary the effective flight surface area of said elevator assembly; and means for imparting rectilinear and rotatable movement to said rod to cause movement of said elevator assembly for controlling the maneuverability of said apparatus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,353,147 Converse Sept. 21, 1920 1,615,682 Clark Jan. 25, 1927 1,770,014 Ries July 8, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 921,752 France Jan. 20, 1947

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