US3079116A

US3079116A - Helicopter kite

Info

Publication number: US3079116A
Application number: US169077A
Authority: US
Inventors: Trimble Rhuel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-01-26
Filing date: 1962-01-26
Publication date: 1963-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1980-02-26

Description

Feb. 26, 1963 R. TRIMBLE l 3,079,116

' HELICOPTER KITE Filed Jan. 26, 1962 'Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 46 Rm/EL ',.TEZ/MBLE INVENToR.

il q 6 ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 R. TRIMBLE l 3,079,116'

HELICOPTER KITE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26, 1962 RHUEL TQ//v/B/ E IN VEN TOR.

BY//MW/ "J l J3 A-rToxzN Ev l sheet material.

`tion. -upwardly extending strut at the end of the fuselage, and

Stts

Unit

This invention relates to a helicopter kite and more particularly to a toy kite which is designed to simulate an operating helicopter with rotating supporting blades and rotating stabilizing blades on the tail in which the rotating supporting blades actually provide a substantial portion of the lift for supporting the weight of the kite in Hight and the tail rotor actually helps to stabilize the kite during flight.

Various devices which may be classified as wind driven helicopter kites have been devised which utilize wind driven rotary blades for providing support in a captive aerial device, but all of these devices have utilized fixed rotating blades which do not provide the optimum speed of rotation and lift sufficient to support a substantial weight and furthermore, these devices have been relatively unstable in ilight and very diicult to control.

iBriefly stated, one preferred embodiment of the present invention consists of a light weight elongated framework formed of wire or from wood or plastic rod or tubing, preferably joined with removable preformed plastic joints or glue. The fuselage portion may be triangular 'or circular in cross-section or of any other desired shape and is preferably covered with paper, plastic or some other similar lightweight sheet material. A landing gear preferably extends downwardly and outwardly from the bottom of the fuselage and may, if desired, be provided with stabilizing surfaces formed on the outer ends of the landing gear struts with a suitable dihedral angle which may be adjusted by bending or forming the struts at a suitable angle to provide lateral stabilization for the craft during flight. A horizontal rotor mounted on a vertical shaft extending through the fuselage is preferably provided with three or more rotor blades which are preferably of very light construction having a skeleton framework covered with paper or other lightweight fixed, but a relatively short inner portion `is pivotally mounted with stops to provide a limited degree of rota- `tion" about the rotor shafts so that the inner portion tially parallel with the outer section of the blade as it starts Ito move forward in opposition to the wind direc- A small stabilizing tail rotor is provided on an preferably has two or more rotor blades each of which is pivotally mounted to rotate approximately 180 be- `tween-two positions at right angles to the wind direction. AThe action of the tail rotor appears to improve 4substantially the stability of the helicopter kite during captive aerial flight, particularly when it is being flown in gusty winds of-varying velocity and direction. The

string or guy line which is used to ily the helicopter kite is slidably attached to a resilient curved nosepiece which =forms a part of the fuselage and is connected to the V i `upper bearing for the main rotor shaft so that its position will vary depending on the wind velocity and apply a bending moment to the nosepiece thereby changing the plane of rotation of the horizontal rotor blades with -respect to the fuselage to compensate for the varying The outer ends of the rotor blades are arent O an automatic gear driven timing device which is moved ice very slowly to its unlatching position by a striker on the main rotor blades which strikes and moves the gear one tooth for each revolution of the main rotor and slowly moves a follower on a threaded shaft attached to the gear to a position where it releases a trigger mechanism for opening the cargo hatch. The storage space may contain a small folded parachute, flare or other simulated cargo.

One object of the present invention is to provide a helicopter kite which combines the lifting effect of box kite construction with the lifting effect of a wind driven horizontal'rotor, and also combines the stabilizing effects of dihedral surfaces on an Outrigger landing gear below the fuselage with a tail rotor which is also wind driven in a vertical plane.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a helicopter kite which automatically adjusts its attitude with respect to the wind, to provide an optimum lift and stability in accordance with the wind velocity.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a helicopter kite which will settle down on its own landing gear, stay in an upright position and then take olf, when desired, without the assistance of a person holding it aloft in a dying position.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a helicopter kite which simultaes an operating, powered helicopter inboth its appearance and sound, since the arrangement of the horizontal and vertical rotors is similar to that of an actual helicopter, and the sound made by the moveable sections, as they move rapidly between their alternate positions on the rotors, is similar, on a diminished scale, to that of the motor and rotors of a helicopter in flight.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view illustrating one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary detailed view on an enlarged scale illustrating certain details of construction FIGURE`4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5`5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view illustrating the change in attitude with varying wind velocity.

FIGURE 7v is a fragmentary detailed View on an enlarged scale illustrating the rotary mounting and movement ofthe moveable inner blade portions.

D. FIGURE 8 isa 4detailed sectional view taken on the line` S-S of FIGURE 7 and showing the moveable blade section in its upper position where itis acted on by the Wind to drive the horizontal rotor.

. FIGURE 9 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 7 and showing the moveable blade section in its feathered position going into the wind.

FIGURE l() is an enlarged view of the vertical tail rotor showing one of the blades in a driving position and the other two blades in a feathered position.

FIGURE 11 is a detailed sectional View taken on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a detailed sectional View taken on the line 12-12 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 13 is a detailed view of one modification of -3 the present invention showing lthe releasable cargo hatch and the automatic gear driven release mechanism; and

FIGURE 14 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 14-14 of FIGURE 13.

Referring now tothe drawings in detail and more particularly to the pictorial view of FIGURE 1, one preferred embodiment of 'the 'present invention consists of 'a fuselage having a skeleton framework formed of lightweight flexible rod or tubing such as wire or slender resilient strips of wood, such as balsa, or plastic which may be bent into substantially the shapes as shown.

The skeleton framework of the fuselage preferably consists of two

longitudinal members

21 and 22 which 4taper towards the tail and are joined together by gluing or preferably by a iitting which may be made of lightweight rn'etal, such as aluminum, or plastic.

, y One of the longitudinal members, such as the lower 'member 22, may be extended upwardly to form Vthe upward and rearward extending boom 24 on which the tail rotor 25 is rotatably mounted in the bearing 26 which may also be a lightweight metal or plastic tting secured to the end of the boom 24. This bearing is shown in more vdetail on an enlarged scale in FIGURE 3 and has fa, short headed stub axle 27 extending therethrough with a spacing sleeve 2S positioned between the 'fitting 26 and a disk 29 which is secured to the end of the stub shaft 27.

The three

shafts

31, 32 and 33 are rigidly secured to the outer face of the disk 29 and rotatably mount the three

blades

34, 35 'and 36.' ,p Each of the

shafts

31, 32 and 33 has a pair of stop .pins 'on dia'metrically opposite sides thereof and perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the tail rotor (Le. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the helicopter kite). -YSince all of these pins are identical, they have all been indicated by the same numeral 37. The mode of operation of the tail rotor will be described in more detail in connection with the operation of the helicopter kite 'and in conjunction with FIGURES l0, 1l and l2 to be described subsequently.

The forward portion ofthe kite fuselage is formed by two transverse triangular memberswhich may also be 'formed of wire, tubing, plastic or thin strips of

balsa wood

41 and 42 and two

angular braces

43 and 44 extend forwardfrom the transverse triangular member 42 and are joined at the kforward end of the longitudinal member 21. This portion of the fuselage is preferably covered with vsome suitable fabric such as lightweight paper, 'silk span or a lightweight sheet plastic. The upper and lower longitudinal members 2l and 2 2 4are joined by a curved nosepiece 45 to which the flying line or cable 46 is attached by a slidable eye or guide 47 Ywhich performs a specific function to be described subsequently in connection with FIGURE 6.

The upper and lower

longitudinal members

21 and 22 are provided with the upper bearing member 51 and a lower bearing member 52 shown in FIGURES '2, 4 Vand whichmay be formed therein or secured thereto in Vany suitable manner. These two rotary bearings 5 1 and 52 rotatablyi'supportthe vertical axle 53 on which the horizontal rotor 54 is mounted.

p The horizontal rotor 5 4 consists of a'disk 55 to which aire secur'edl the three

blade shafts

56, 57 and 58 which rotatably mount the three

inner drive blades

61, 62 and 63 as shown in `FIGURE l and FIGURE 7.

Each of these

blades

61, 62 and 63 is `mounted for limited rotation on'its respective shaft between the upper pins 64 which extend at an angle of approximately 45 to the horizontal and another pin 65 which lies in a substantially horizontal plane.

These inner moveable blade portions maypreferably be formed of lightweight plastic or balsa wood or may have a skeleton framework of rod or tubing covered with vpaper or other suitable covering materiala The outer tapered and ixed portions of the

horizontal rotor blades

66, 67 and 63 are rigidly secured to the

blade shafts

56, 57 and 5S and may consist of a skeleton framework formed of lightweight rod or tubing covered with paper, thin sheet plastic or other suitable covering, such as silk span, to form an airfoil section which provides substantial lift to the helicopter kite.

As shown in the enlarged detailed View of FIGURE 7, the outer fixed portions of the horizontal rotor blades have both a leading and trailing edge portion which is rigidly formed by the skeleton framework, such as the

rods

71 and 72, on the blade 67. However, if desired, the rod 72 forming the rigid trailing edge may be eliminated, so that the tlexible covering material 73 is left loose and flexible at the trailing edge and is merely se'- cured to the blade shaft 67, so that the blade will readily adjust itself to varying wind velocity and direction.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show 'the relative positions of the ixed outer blade portion 67 and the moveable inner blade 62 with an arrow indicating the wind direction. In FIG- URE 8 the blade 62 has been moved into the upper position against the stop pin 64 for driving the horizontal rotor, and in the second view of FIGURE 9, Where the blade 63 is feathered moving into the wind, it is rotated downward into the lower position against a lowerstop pin 63. This particular arrangement, as shown in FIG- URE 1 and FIGURES 7 through 9, provides a counterl,clockwise rotation as seen from above for the horizontal rotor to provide lift for the helicopter kite.

FIGURES 10, 1l and 12 show the relative rpositions yof the moveable blades on the vertical tail rotor with the wind direction indicated by the arrow imparting -a clockwise rotation to the tail rotor as seen from the right side `of the helicopter kite. The moveable blade 35 has just rotated into position against one of the diametrically opposite stop pins 37 to 'drive the tail rotor 25 in a clockwise direction, and the other two

blades

34 and 36 are feathered in neutral positions between the stop pins 37 as indicated in FIGURE Referring again to FIGURE 1, 4 and 5, the landing gear consisting of the angularly

bent strut

74 and 75 is secured at its midpoint to the lower longitudinal member 22 and extend downward and outward from the fuselage. 'Ihe outriggers attached to the outer ends of the

strut

74 and 75 are bent upward and are preferably covered with sheet material, such as paper or plastic, as indicated at 76 and 77 to provide stabilizing vsurfaces ata dihedral angle with respect to the fuselage. These stabilizing surfaces, 76 and '77, together with the tail rotor 25, stabilize vthe helicopter kite while in flight and help to prevent excessive yawing, rolling or pitch movements particularly in gusty wind where the wind rapidly changes direction and velocity.

The cargo carrying and releasing mechanism is illus-- trated in FIGURES 13 and 14 as a modification of the structure shown in FIGURES 1 through 12. In this par "ticularembodirnent the two longitudinal members 21 andi 22 are provided with `bearing

members

81 and 82 whichy rotatably support the horizontal rotor axle 53 as well as: the threaded gear shaft 83 on which is mounted agear' 84having teeth which are engaged once during eachrevolutionof the main rotor by a pin 85 mounted on the disk Y55 of the rotor.

An internally threaded follower 86 is mounted-for vertical movement on the threaded shaft 83 and is restrained `from rotational movement by the guide member 87 extending vertically parallel to the threadedvshaft 83.

The guide 87 also acts as a latch for the trigger mem- A'ber or release 88 which is held in a notch in the guide `the weighted parachute 93, which is released after the gear S4 has rotated through sufficient revolutions to move the follower 86 from the lower position to an upper position where it engages the end of the trigger 88 so that it can be moved down by the rubber band 89 to the lower position indicated by dotted lines and thereby release the cargo hatch 91 to open to the position indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 13. Obviously, the release mechanism shown in FIGURE 13 can be set to release the cargo hatch 91 and drop the cargo 93 at any predetermined interval of time after the helicopter kite has taken to the air by varying the initial position of the follower 86 on the threaded shaft S3.

The helicopter kite of the present invention can be made up in kit form wherein all of the parts of the skeletal framework are to be glued or otherwise secured together, as by suitable miniature fittings made of light- Weight metal or plastic, such as the fitting 23 in FIG- URE 2, and certain portions covered with sheet material.

Alternatively the whole helicopter kite may be partially pre-assembled so that it is only necessary to fold the parts out into the position as shown and attach the horizontal lifting rotor and the stabilizing tail rotor at the proper positions.

In the operation of the helicopter kite of the present invention, it is only necessary to place the kite on the ground resting it on its landing gear with the

strut

74 and 75 supporting it. As soon as the wind has started the horizontal and vertical rotors the lift provided by the horizontal rotor 54 and the box kite fuselage will lift the kite off the ground and support it in the air. The .combined lift of the main rotors and the fuselage will sustain flight even in a very light wind.

While the helicopter kite can be flown without the stabilizing tail rotor 25, the tail rotor 25 makes it much more stable in iiight and tends to prevent it from dipping, rolling and yawing, particularly in variable gusty winds where the wind velocity and direction change frequently.

In an alternative form of the invention upper and lower

longitudinal members

2 and 22 and curved nosepiece 45 are made of a more or less flexible materfal. FIGURE 6 illustrates the operation of the kite when it is so constructed. Under normal, light wind conditions, the lift exerted against the flying line or cable 46 is insufficient to overcome the resilience of the body structure, and the horizontal rotors operate in substantially a horizontal plane. Under the iniiuence of stronger winds, and therefore stronger lift forces, the flying line or cable 46 tends to pull the upper and lower

longitudinal members

21 and 22 and nosepiece d5 downward, thereby tilting the upper end of the vertical axle 53 forward and inclinng the plane of rotation of the horizontal rotor 54. The effect of so incliuing the plane of rotation is to reduce the rate of ascent of the kite, and thus to make it more stable under the action of strong wind gusts. It has been observed in experimentation with the kite in this configuration that the invention is not subject to violent upwind and downwind motion, even in high winds.

When it is desired to bring the kite back down to the ground, it is merely necessary to reel in the line 48 and the kite will settle back down on its landing gear with the

strut

74 and 75 again supporting it.

Obviously many other modifications and variatons of the present invention may be made within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A helicopter kite comprising a fuselage having upper and lower longitudinal members joined at their rear ends and connected at their forward ends by a curved nosepiece, transverse spaced members connected to said upper and lower longitudinal members and covered with fabric to form the central portion of said fuselage, two angular struts extending downward and outward from said lower longitudinal member, the outer ends of said struts being bent upwardly, sheet material extending between the outer ends of said struts to form dihedral stablizing surfaces, bearings formed in said upper and: lower longitudinal members within said central fuselage section, a vertical axle mounted in said bearings, a hori-I zontal rotor mounted on said vertical axle and having a plurality of blade shafts extending radially therefrom, a fixed blade mounted on the outer portion of each of said blade shafts anda movable blade portion mounted on the inner ends of each of said blade shafts and stop members mounted on said blade shafts and engaging said movable blade portions to limit movement thereof to an angle equal to or less than a boom extending upward and outward from the joined outer ends of said longitudinal members and a vertical rotor mounted for rotaton on the end of said boom said vertical rotor comprising a plurality of blade shafts with a plurality of blades moveably mounted thereon and stop members on said blade shafts limiting movement of said moveable blades to approximately 2. A helicopter kite comprising a fuselage having upper and lower longitudinal members joined at their rearward end and connected at their forward end by acurved nosepiece, transverse spaced members connected to said upper and lower longitudinal members and covered with fabric to form the central portion of said fuselage, two angular struts extending downward and outward from said lower longitudinal member, bearfngs formed in said upper and lower longitudinal members within said central fuselage section, a vertical axle mounted in said bearings, a horizontal rotor mounted on said axle and having a plurality of blade shafts extending radially therefrom, a fixed blade mounted on the outer portion of each of said blade shafts and a moveable blade mounted on the inner portion of each of said blade shafts, and stop members mounted on said blade shafts and engaging said moveable blades to limit movement thereof to an angle less than 90, and a vertical rotor mounted for rotation on the rear ends of said longitud'nal members, said vertical rotor comprising a plurality of blade shafts with a plurality of blades moveably mounted thereon and stop members on said blade shafts limiting movement of said last named moveably mounted blades to approximately 180.

3. A helicopter kite compris'ng a fuselage having upper and lower longitudinal members joined at their rearward end and connected at their forward end by a curved nosepiece, transverse spaced members connected to said upper and lower longitudinal members and covered with fabric to form the central portion of said fuselage, two angular struts extending downward and outward from said lower longitud'nal member, the outer ends of said struts being bent upward, sheet material extending between the outer ends of said struts to form dihedral stab'lizing surfaces, bearings formed in said upper and lower longitudinal mem-bers within said central fuselage section, a vertical axle mounted in said bearings, a horizontal rotor mounted on said axle and having a plurality of blade shafts extending radially therefrom, a fixed blade mounted on the outer portion of each of said blade shafts and a moveable blade mounted on the inner portion of each of said blade shafts, and stop members mounted on said blade shafts and engaging said moveable -blades to limit movement thereof to an angle less than 90, and a vertical rotor mounted for rotation on the rear ends of said longitudinal members, said vertical rotor comprising a plurality of blade shafts with a plurality of blades moveably mounted thereon and stop members on said blade shafts limiting movement of said last named moveably mounted blades to approximately 180.

4. A helicopter kite comprising a fuselage having upper and lower longitudinal members joined at their rearward end and connected at their forward end by a curved nosepiece, transverse spaced members connected to said upper and lower longitudinal members and covered with fabric to form the central portion of said fuselage, two angular struts extending downward and .outward from said, lower. longitudinal. member, `bearings "formed in 'said upper arid'lowerlongitudinal members within Vsaid central fuselage section, a vertical axle mountedfi'n 'said bearings,a horizontal rotor mounted 'on Said axle and having a vplurality of blade shafts Vextending radially therefrom, a xed blade mounted on Athe outer portion of each of saidblade shafts and a moveable blade 'mounted on the inner portion of each of said .blade Vshafts and stop members mounted-on said blade `shfts"arid engaging said 4moveableblades Ytol limitmovement theref to an angle lessthan 90, a boom extend- Ving'upward and rearward from the joined outer ends of lsaid longitudinal members and a vertical rotor mounted `forjrotation on the endof said boom said'vertical rotor comprising a plurality ofY blade shafts with a plurality of bla'des'moveably mountedthereon Yand stop members on Isai'd vertical rotor blade shafts :limiting movement .of V"said last named moveably mounted blades toapproximately 180V.

'5.fA.he1icopter kite as set forthin claim l wherein ka ying lineconnectorisslideablymounted on said curved nosepiecewherebythe angle of said vertical axle and the anglerof attaokoi said blades :on said horizontal. rotor are -move one tooth on said gear for each revolution, Va

threaded follower mountedlon said threaded .shaft and positioned to release .said latch, and a guide engaging said follower to prevent rotation thereof and move said .follower on said shaft to engage and release said latch after a predetermined number of revolutions of said 1-5 horizontal rotor.

References Cited in the tile of this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS '.20 2,781,989 VHagood etal Feb. 19, 1957 2,893,663 'Wilson July '7, 1959 '3,022,967 Romeo Feb. 27, 1962

Claims

2. A HELICOPTER KITE COMPRISING A FUSELAGE HAVING UPPER AND LOWER LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS JOINED AT THEIR REARWARD END AND CONNECTED AT THEIR FORWARD END BY A CURVED NOSEPIECE, TRANSVERSE SPACED MEMBERS CONNECTED TO SAID UPPER AND LOWER LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS AND COVERED WITH FABRIC TO FORM THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID FUSELAGE, TWO ANGULAR STRUTS EXTENDING DOWNWARD AND OUTWARD FROM SAID LOWER LONGITUDINAL MEMBER, BEARINGS FORMED IN SAID UPPER AND LOWER LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS WITHIN SAID CENTRAL FUSELAGE SECTION, A VERTICAL AXLE MOUNTED IN SAID BEARINGS, A HORIZONTAL ROTOR MOUNTED ON SAID AXLE AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF BLADE SHAFTS EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREFROM, A FIXED BLADE MOUNTED ON THE OUTER PORTION OF EACH OF SAID BLADE SHAFTS AND A MOVEABLE BLADE MOUNTED ON THE INNER PORTION OF EACH OF SAID BLADE SHAFTS, AND STOP MEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID BLADE SHAFTS AND ENGAGING SAID MOVEABLE BLADES TO LIMIT MOVEMENT THEREOF TO AN ANGLE LESS THAN 90*, AND A VERTICAL ROTOR MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON THE REAR ENDS OF SAID LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS, SAID VERTICAL ROTOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BLADE SHAFTS WITH A PLURALITY OF BLADES MOVEABLY MOUNTED THEREON AND STOP MEMBERS ON SAID BLADE SHAFTS LIMITING MOVEMENT OF SAID LAST NAMED MOVEABLY MOUNTED BLADES TO APPROXIMATELY 180*.