US2835462A

US2835462A - Knockdown rotary kite

Info

Publication number: US2835462A
Application number: US410117A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry J Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-02-15
Filing date: 1954-02-15
Publication date: 1958-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 1975-05-20

Description

May 20, 1958 L H. J. M E-rm 2,835,462

KNOCKDOWN ROTARY KITE Filed Feb. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 20 [Q91 1 19 it W I IN VE NTOR be 5.2M

ATTORNEYS 20, 1953 H. J. MARTIN 2,835,462

KNOCKDOWN ROTARY KITE Filed Feb. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR ATTORNEYS.

atent 2,835,462 Patented May 20, 1958 KNOCKDOWN ROTARY KITE Henry J. Martin, Saginaw, Mich. Application February 15, 1954, Serial No. 410,117

13 Claims. (Cl. 244-153) This invention relates to kites and more particularly to a knockdown rotary kite which can be readily assembled by children.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a kite which rotates while in the air to produce an attractive animated effect.

Another object of the invention is to design a knockdown kite of this type whose component elements can be readily manufactured and shipped in small cartons zinc} the like and later, after sale, easily assembled by a c id.

A further object of the invention is to design a wellstabilized rotary kite which is light in weight and can be flown on days when there is relatively little wind, yet which is of sturdy and durable construction and can be flown in heavy winds.

Another object of the invention is to design a kite wherein simple and etficient means are acted upon by the wind to revolve the kite which is constructed so that frictional and air resistance opposing rotation is minimized.

A further object of the invention is to design a kite comprising relatively few component parts of a simplenature which can be economically manufactured and sold in competition with conventional type kites.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective, elevational view of the kite in flying position, the arrows indicating the direction of the wind and the direction of rotation of the kite.

Fig. 2 is a front, elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a rear, elevational view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a perspective, elevational view' of one of the vane members.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the kite, the broken lines indicating another position of the central shaft thereof.

Fig. 6 is a view of one of the strips which can be employed to form a supporting hoop.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the free ends of the hoop strip in assembled relation.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view illustrating the manner in which the radially extending cords which connect the various elements of the rotary member are tied in position.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which I have shown the preferred embodi merit of my invention, my kite comprises broadly a sta tionary central shaft 10 on which a wind-rcceiving cylindrical member 11 is rotatably mounted. The kite is designed so that it can be readily assembled by a child from the prefabricated parts which are provided.

Flexible, light metal or plastic strips 12 (see Fig. 6), formed with a tongue 13 at one end thereof and a pair of transversely disposed

slots

14 and 15 at the opposite end maybe provided to form hoops for supporting the light paper body 16 of the kite. The ends of the strips 12 are joined as shown in Fig. 7 with the tongue 13 extending from underneath through the slot 14 and thence back through the slot 15, the extreme end of the tongue thence being bent reversely as shown. The paper body 16 which is shipped as a single tightly rolled sheet, can

then be glued to the outer peripheral faces of the hooped strips 12 which are employed to support the ends thereof, the overlapped edges of the sheet being preferably secured with a suitable glue at 17. Clearly, the glue employed in assembling the kite should be of a type which is insoluble in water and will be unaffected should the kite accidentally become wet.

It will be obvious that pairs of closely spaced openings 18 are provided at circumferentially spaced intervals in the hooped strips 12 and a sharp tool may be employed to punch corresponding openings in the body surface 16 of the kite. Parallelly disposed, longitudinally extending braces 19 can then be secured in position by looping the outer ends of'radially disposed strings or cords 20 through each-pair-of openings 18 and tying them around the braces 19 as shown in Fig. 8. The opposite ends of the cords 20 are tied to disk-like bearings 22 through openings 21 provided therein.

Oppositely disposed segmental vanes V are provided angularly at the rear end of the kite, the vanes being preferably formed of heavy paper having openings 23 along the right angular edge thereof through which the inwardly at approximately a angle to a vertical plane taken through the axis of rotation of the rotary member 11 in Figs. 2 and 3 and operate to spin the member 11 in a counter-clockwise direction when the kite is flying and they are struck by a wind which is proceeding in the direction W.

It will be seen that the shaft 10 extends through bearings22 and projects beyond the ends of the rotary member 11. Provided on the shaft 10 is a stop 24 and mounted thereadjacent on the front face thereof and loosely on the shaft 10 is a disk-like bearing 24a. Since the cords 20 are somewhat slack, it will be clear that the rotary member 11 has a certain flexibility when the foremost bearing 22 is in engagement with the disk 24a, and further the member llhas a limited amount of axial play on the shaft 10 (see Fig. 5) which minimizes frictional resistance when the kite is in flight and the member 11 is rotating.

-A stabilizer 25 which spans the front end of the kite is provided on the front end of the shaft 10, and a stabilizer 26 is provided which depends from the rear end of the shaft 10 at approximately right angles to the stabilizer 25. A line 27 is tied to the end of the stabilizer 26 and extends through and is tied to a looped line 28 which is tied to the respective projecting ends of the stabilizer 25, the line 27 thence leading to the ground as usual.

Gusts of wind proceeding through the cylindrical member 11 strike the vanes V and rotate the member 11 on the shaft 10, the rotation of the cylinder creating a lift in addition to the lifting effect of the wind on the surface 16, which even on days on which there is thereby so that a lift is imparted to the kite.

3 relatively little wind, keeps the kite aloft. With the kite flying in the position shown in Fig. l, the stop 24 prevents the member 11 from slipping into engagement with the stabilizer 26 and there is relativelylittle frictional drag due to rotation of the front disk bearing 22 relative to the disk 2411 or the disk 25 relative to the stop 24. The tilt of the kite in the air (see Fig. 1) controls the rate of climb thereof," the air striking the .undersurface of the kite and being turned downwardly Further, a lift is imparted to the kite by air proceeding into the rotating member 11 and being turned downwardly thereby. The tilt of the kite may be varied by adjusting the length of the line 27 between the line 28 and stabilizer 26, and it is of course desirable to do this in accordance with the amount of wind on a given day. The relative disposition of the stabilizers prevents the kite from rolling in the air about the point where the

lines

27 and 28 are joined and the ends thereof from swaying laterally with respect to one another in the wind. The longitudinal axis of the kite in the air is thus retained in the directional path of the wind.

It will be apparent that I have perfected a very practical rotary kite which can be very readily assembled and flown by children. on the outside surface 16 so that the rotation of the member 11 is readily discernible from the ground and the animation is pleasurable.

What I claim is:

1. In a rotary kite, a tubular wind-receiving surface, a central axially disposed shaft extending beyond the ends thereof on which said surface is rotatably mounted, means catching the wind to cause rotation of the surface, bearings on said shaft connected to said surface to rotate therewith, a line for said kite, and means connected to the ends of said shaft and to said line permitting the kite to fly with the longitudinal axis thereof lying in the prevailing path of a wind current.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said means connected to the ends of the shaft comprises a stabilizer member spanning one end of the kite and a second stabilizing member at the opposite end of the kite disposed substantially perpendicular to said first mentioned stabilizing member, flexible line means connecting the stabilizer members to said line.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in whidh radially disposed cords connect the bearings and windreceiving surface.

4. In a rotary kite a tubular, cylindrical member open at the ends thereof, an axial shaft for said member extending beyond the ends of said member, disks of relatively small diameter revolvable on said shaft adjacent each end of said member, radially disposed cords tied between said disks and the ends of said member, stop means fixed to said shaft near the front end' thereof for limited engagement with said disk on the front end of said shaft, means on said member for causing rotation of said member in the wind, stabilizer-means on said shaft for maintaining the kite in steady flight with the axis of the kite disposed in the directional path of the wind, and a line for said kite leading from said stabilizer means.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said Suitable figures are provided Cit .4 stabilizer means comprises a laterally disposed stabilizer bar on the front end of said shaft spanning said member with both ends thereof extending beyond the edge of said member, a depending stabilizer bar on the rear end of said shaft extending beyond the edge of said member, said line connecting the ends of said lateral stabilizer barand the depending end of the companion stabilizer bar to said line.

6. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said means for rotating said member comprises diametrically opposed segmental vanes with an angular edge thereof connected to said radially disposed cords, the 'other angular edge of each vane having laterally bent tabs secured to the inner wall of said member, said vanes extending inwardly from the rear end of said member at opposite angles with respect to the axis of rotation thereof. I

7. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said member is mounted on strips with the ends thereof interconnected to form hoops, the hoops being spaced apart and supporting the cylindrical wind-receiving surface.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 in which spaced apart pairs of openings are provided in said hoops and surface and longitudinally extending braces are provided for said member, the outer ends of said cords looping through said pairs of openings and being tied around said braces.

9. In a rotary kite, a tubular wind receiving surface open at the ends,thereof to permit the passage of air currents therethrough, substantially axially disposed shaft means on which said surface is mounted, vane means on said surface for catching the wind to cause rotation of the surface, a line for said kite, and means connected to said shaft means and to said line stabilizing the kite so that it flies with its longitudinal axis lying in the prevailing path of wind current.

10. A kite construction comprising a hollow, cylindrical member; support means for said member including a first part located substantially axially within said member and other parts extending radially from said first part and connected to said member; stabilizing means on said first part and operable during flight of said member to maintain the latter in such position that its longitudinal axis lies substantially in the direction of a wind current, said stabilizing means including an elongated element arranged normally to said first part; and a line connected to said stabilizing means for permitting captive flight of said kite.

11. A construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and other parts are relatively rotatable.

12. A construction as set forth in claim 11 including vane means mounted on said member for imparting relative rotation of said member and said first part.

13. A construction asset forth in claim 12 wherein said vane means are mounted within said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 562,246 Rust June 16, 1896 671,865 Mowrer Apr. 9, 1901 2,137,559 Algce Nov. 22, 1938 2,501,442 Donaldson Mar. 21, 1950