US3198423A

US3198423A - Helicoid fan

Info

Publication number: US3198423A
Application number: US384569A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis H Clute
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-07-06
Filing date: 1964-07-06
Publication date: 1965-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-03

Description

Aug. 3, was F. H. CLUTE 3,198,423

HELICOID FAN Filed July 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Shea?I 1 Aug. 3, 1965 F. H. CLUTE 3,198,423

HELIGOID FAN Filed July 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,198,423 IHLICOD FAN Francis H. Clute, Rocky Ford, Colo. Filed July 6, 1964, Ser. No. 384,56? 10 Claims. k(Cl. 23h-121) This invention relates to prime movers for use in motivating mobile vehicles and, more particularly, to a prime mover of the type having thrust-producing fan means forming a part thereof.

The present invention provides mobile structure including fan means which not only provides thrust force for the structure for moving the same in a desired direction, but which creates a region of circulatory or'cy-clonic air flow in advance of the structure and in a direction such that the air pressure in the region will be effectively reduced with respect to that of the surrounding atmosphere. Thus, the decelerating efects on the structure due to air friction will, in turn, be reduced as the structure moves through the region. rihe circulatory air ow is caused by the specific configuration of a pair of fan sections each having a funnel-like housing and helically disposed blades of specific construction for creating the flow at particular locations with respect to the housings.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a prime mover having thrust-producing fan means for actuating the same and for generating a region of reduced air pressure in the direction of motion of the prime mover whereby air drag or air resistance on the prime mover is materially reduced by virtue of the reduced air pressure created forwardly thereof to thereby permit the prime mover to be advanced While expending only a small part of the thrust force to overcome the decelerating effects of air resistance thereon.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a prime mover of the aforesaid character, wherein air is caused to flow along circulatory, cyclonic paths forwardly of the prime mover as a result of the operation of helical fan blades in accelerating the air rearwardly through the prime mover whereby the region forwardly of the prime mover becomes a partial vacuum as a result of the circulatory, Cyclonic moti-on of the air in the region to thereby permit the prime mover to be advanced throughk the region without being subjected to large deceleratin-g forces due to ram air pressure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a prime mover of the above described character wherein the fan blades are disposed within tubular, funnel-shaped housings for creating circulatory air flows through the housings in a direct-ion opposite to the direction of motion thereof while inducing circulatory or Cyclonic fiows of air in the region forwardly of the housings and coextensive with the iiows through the latter, whereby the air ows entering the housings are already following circulatory paths and only a small amount of work is then expended by the fan means in accelerating the air rearwardly through the housing.

Still another object of the present inven-tion is the provision of means within the above described prime mover for changing the circulatory ow of air therewithin to a rectilinear ilow of air as the same leaves the prime mover, whereby the thrust produced by the prime mover acts along a straight line and thus accelerates the prime mover rectilinearly in a forward direction.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of means adjacent the air outlet of the prime mover described above for selectively dellecting the air discharged through the air outlet, whereby the direction of the line of action of the thrust force mayV be selectively varied to thereby alter the direction of movement of said prime mover.

lCe

In the drawings: t

FGURE 1 is a side elevational View of the fan made pursuant to the present invention, parts being broken away and in section to illustrate 'details ofv construction;

FJG. 2 is a front elevational View of the fan showing the inlet thereof;

PEG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-.3 of FlG. l;

PEG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FlG. 5 isa cross-'sectional view of the fan illustrating the helical blades within a pair of funnel-shaped housings which induce circulatory or cyclonic movements of air forwardly of the fan, the cyclonic motions being shown in solid and dashed lines respectively; and

FlG. 6 is a fragmentary view of another form of the helical blades utilized within the housings. Y

The air-actuated prime mover which is the subject of the present invention includes an outer, tubular housing within which is disposed fan means in the nature of a pair of concentric, funnel-'shaped housings each having a number of helical fan blades rotatable about the central axis of said housings.

yMeans is provided for actuating the blades to rotate the same within the housing and thereby to create a pair of circulatory flows of air through and out of the housings so as to provide thrust force for the movement of the entire system in a given direction. Simultaneously, air is caused to follow circulatory Vor cy-clonic paths in the region adjacent to and exteriorly of respective air inlet openings of the housings. As a result, the air pressure in the region is reduced to create a partial vacuum so that decelerating effects on the housings and fan blades due to air friction are minimized when the prime mover moves toward and through the region.

Vane means are provided adjacent the air outlet openings of the housings for changing the circulatory flow of air to rectilinear flow to thereby assure that the line of action of the thrust force is rectilinear. The system will then be advanced forwardly inV a str-aight line. IFurther, means is provided for selectively deflecting the -air discharged fromt-he housings to thereby change the direction of the line of action of the thrustforce and thereby alter the direction of motion of the system as desired.

The helicoid fan forming the subject of the present invention is broadly denoted by the numeral 10 and includes an elongated, outer, tubular housing 12 having a frusto conical side wall 14 which is open at ends 16 and 18 thereof to present air inlet and air outlet openings respectively, the opening 16 being of a greater diameter than opening 18. f

Fan means broadly denoted by the numeral 2t?, is disposed within lhousing 12 and substantially spans the distance between openings 16 and 1S thereof.V -Fan means 2i) includes an elongated shaft 22 which is journalled in bearings V24 and 26 at the ends thereof for rotation relative to housing 12. Bearing 24 is secured to a brace 23 having circumferentially spaced arms 30 extending radially from bearing 24 and terminating on and secured to the inner surface of housing 12. The total area of arms 3G exposed to air entering opening 16 is relatively small in comparison with the `area of the inlet defined by openings 16. Hence, the obstruction of air entering opening 16 is negligible. e

Similarly, bearing 26 is mounted on housing 12 by virtue of a brace 32having circumferentially spaced arms 34 extending radially therefrom and terminating at and secured to the inner surface of housing 12 in any suitable manner. Brace 32 is similar in all respects to braces 2S except that arms 3d are shorter than arms 32. Braces 28 and 32 mount shaft 22 coaxially relative to housing 12 so that the longitudinal axis of shaft 22 is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of housing 12. Also, braces 2S and 32 are mounted substantially in the planes Patented Aug. 3, i965v Yinner surface of housing 12.

of openings 16 and 18 respectively so that shaft 22 sub- I stantially spans the distance betweenthe inlet and outlet openings 16 and 18.

A plurality of elongated, circumferentially spaced inner blades 36 are secured to and spirally or helically disposed about shaft 22 along the length thereof. As shown in FIG. 5, each blade 36 has one end adjacent to bearing 24 and has its opposite end spaced from, but in close proximity to bearing 26. For purposes of illustration, four blades 36 are shown in the drawings secured to shaft 22 for rotation therewith. Each blade 36 decreases in width as the opening 18 is approached so that an imaginary envelope defined by and surrounding the outer peripheral edges of blades 36 would be frusto-conical and concentric to side wall 14. The distance between shaft 22 and the outer peripheral edge of each blade 36 progressively decreases as opening 18 is approached inasmuch as shaft Y22 has a uniform cross section throughout its length.

A first elongated tube 38 is disposed in surrounding relationship to shaft 22 and blades 36, tube 38 being of substantially the same length as blades 36. Tube 38 is frusto-conical, coaxially disposed within housing 12, and the helically disposed, outer peripheral edge of each blade 36 engages and is secured to the inner surface of tube 38, the latter thus forming a housing for blades 36 which, in turn, present with a tube 38, the inner section of fan means 20.

A plurality of elongated, circumferentially spaced, outer blades 40 are secured to and spirally or helically disposed about the outer surface of first tube 38 and are of substantially the same length as blades 36. Each blade 40, like blades 36, decreases in transverse width as opening 18 is approached. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there` is a blade 46 for each blade 36 respectively, each blade 48 being superimposed on its corresponding blade 36 so as e in surrounding relationship to tube 38 and blades 40, tube 42 being of substantially the same length as tube 38 and coaxial therewith. The helically disposed, outer peripheral edge of each blade 4t) engages and is secured to the inner surface of tube 42, the latter thus forming a housing for blades 48 which, in turn, present with tube 42, the outer section of fan means 20. Tube 42 is, therefore, rotatable with first tube 38 and shaft 22 relative to housing 12, it being noted that the outer surface of Second tube 42 is inwardly spaced from, but in relatively close proximity to the inner surface of housing 12. l

As is clear in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, shaft 22 extends through opening 18 and projects outwardly therefrom. A pulley 44 is secured to the end of shaft 22 projecting outwardly from opening 18, and is operably coupled to an endless 'belt 46 trained about a pulley 48 on a power-actuated deprovided for housing 12 adjacentV the outlet opening 18 i thereof. Vane means 56 includes a plurality of elongated vanes 58 of Variable lengths secured to an annular ring 60 disposed within opening 18 and secured to the proximal Vanes 58 are substantially parallel to assure rectilinear ow of air discharged through 'outlet opening 18 from the interior of

tubes

38 and 42.

Vanes 58 are positioned between pulley 44 and the proximal ends of

tubes

38 and 42.

Deiiector means broadly denoted by the numeral 62, is provided on housing 12 adjacent the outlet opening 18 thereof in longitudinally spaced relationship to vane means 56. Deector means 62 includes a pair of elongated shafts 64 andk 66 which are perpendicular to each other and secured to housing 12 by virtue of circumferentially spaced

brackets

68 and 78 respectively. Brackets 68 mount shaft 64 parallel to vanes 58, and brackets 78 mount shaft 66 transversely of vanes 58 as is clear in FIG. 3.

A pair of spaced air deflectors 72 are secured to shaft 64 and extend outwardly therefrom in a direction away from housing 2 as is clear in FIG. 1. Deflectors 72 are each secured at one edge thereof to shaft 64 so that the deectors 72 are coplanar and are shifted in an arc about shaft 64 when the latter is rotated. Deectors 72 define a space 74 therebetween which receives a pair of spaced air deflectors 76 secured at proximal edges thereof toshaft 66. Similarly, deectors 76 define a space 78 to accommodate and receive air deectors 72. By selectively rotating shafts 64 and 66, detiectors 72 and 76 will shift in one direction or the other to thereby alter the direction of motion of the air leaving the air outlet opening 1S and thus change the direction of the line of action of the thrust produced by fan means 20.

In operation, fan 10 is mounted in any suitable manner on a mobile support broadly denoted by the numeral 88, as shown in FIG. l, support 80 being secured to the outermost surface of housing 12. For purposes of illustration only, fan 18 is shown in the drawings as being mounted with the axes of

tubes

38 and 42 in a substantially horizontal disposition. Support 88 may be of any character, for example, an airplane or a vehicle designed to travel over the ground, and therefore, the nature of support 80 is of no consequence other than that the same is mobile.

Operation of motor 58 by interconnecting the same with a suitable source of electrical power, causes shaft 22 and thereby first and

second tubes

38 and 42, to rotate within housing 12 in a clockwise sense when viewing FIG. 2, to create a pair of circulatory flows of air through the latter from opening 16 to opening 18. A first flow of air moves along a circulatory path through tube 38 by virtue of the rotation of blades 36. A second flow of air moves along a circulatory path through tube 42exteriorly of tube 38. Since air is thus accelerated in a rearward direction toward outlet opening 18, a thrust force is exerted by the accelerated air on

blades

36 and 40 to thereby cause fan 16 to move in the opposite or forward direction. The air flows created by

blades

36 and 40 are caused to change from a circulatory motion to a rectilinear motion by vanes 58 so that the thrust force exerted on fan 18 acts along a straight line.

As blades 36 rotate within housing 12, the same induce a circulatory iiow or cyclonic movement of air in the region adjacent to and exteriorly or forwardly of opening 16 in alignment with tube 38. Such induced cyclonic movement of air reduces the air pressure in this region since the air particles in the region are accelerated radially outwardly by centrifugal force in response to the movement of air particles rearwardly thereof into housing 38. The cyclonic ow of air in the region forwardly of opening 16 is shown in solid lines 82 in FIG. 5, and the envelope 84 'of lines 82 is frusta-conical and is coextensive with the configuration of tube 38 because of the angle at which air enters the same. The frusto-conical configuration of tube 38 thus permits a greater area of reduced air pressure to be created in the region than if tube 38 were cylindrical.

Blades 48, upon rotation within housing 12, induce a circulatory flow or cyclonic movement of air in the zone surrounding the region within which the air is circulating by the rotation of blades 36. The cyclonic motion of the air in the annular zone is shown in FIG. 5 by dashed lines 86, and theY air pressure therein, like the air pressure in the aforesaid region, is substantially reduced inasmuch as the air particles in the zone are accelerated radially outwardly by centrifugal force. The envelope 88 of lines 86 is substantially frusto-conical since it is coextensive with the configuration of second tube 42 for the Same reason as set forth above with respect to tube 38 and envelope 84. Tube 42 is thus provided with a frusto-conical configuration to increase the area of reduced pressure in the annular zone normal to the direction of movement of tube 42.

As a result of the reduced air pressure in the region and zone forwardly of inlet opening 16, fan 1t) moves into the region and zone respectively, without being subjected to any substantial air resistance or drag normally encountered with objects passing through the atmosphere. The decelerating effects on fan 1() will thus be minimized. The movement of fan is responsive to the thrust created by the acceleration of air passing rearwardly toward opening 13, such thrust being exerted in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of air out of outlet opening 18.

The reduction of the air pressure forwardly of the inlet` opening 16 is thus responsive to the operation of the thrust-producing means of fan 10, namely, fan means 20. Furthermore, since the circulatory iiows within and without each of the tubes 3S and 42 are substantially coextensive, fan means 2) is not required to create the circulatory liow at inlet opening 16. Thus, only a small amount of work is expended by fan means 2G in accelerating the fiows rearwardly. The confiigurations and the relative dispositions of

blades

36 and 40 and

tubes

38 and 42 provide the basis for the beneficial results set forth above inasmuch as the blades and tubes cooperate to respectively, induce the cyclonic movements of the air exteriorly of

tubes

38 and 42 and to effect the circulation of the air exteriorly of the tubes along paths having diameters greater than that of the respective inlets of

tubes

38 and 42;

Structure (not shown) is preferably carried by support 80 for controlling the operation of motor 50 and defiector means 62, the latter being actuated to change the direction of air issuing from opening 18 to thereby alter the direction of the line of action of the thrust force. The outer cyclonic movement of air is superimposed on the inner cyclonic movement of air and creates a suction which will pull fan 10 forwardly. The inner cyclonic movement creates a helicoid or removes the resistance of air in front of fan 1G so that the latter will move forwardly in the region of reduced air pressure with a minimum of air resistance thereon. The provision of a pair of fan sections to create cooperating Cyclonic movements of air forwardly of fan 10 renders the same more eflicient than if a single fan section were used.

In FIG. 6, another embodiment of fan means 20 is illustrated and includes a plurality of spaced fins 90 secured to the outer surface of first tube 3S disposed within housing 12. In this embodiment, there exists a plurality of sets of fins 90, each set being sprally disposed about tube 38 as the outlet opening 18 is approached. Further, the fins decrease in height from tube 38 as outlet opening 18 is approached to accommodate the frusto-conical second tube 42 and to permit the latter to oe secured to the outermost edges of fins 9).

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A helicoid fan comprising:

a mobile support;

a tubular housing rigidly secured to said support and having a pair of aligned openings at opposed ends thereof defining an inlet and an outlet therefor;

a first fan section within said housing and including a first frusto-conical tube having open ends and a num,

ber of first circumferentially-spaced, helically disposed blades within and secured at their outer peripheral edges to the inner surface of said first tube, one end of said rst tube and the ends of said first blades proximal to said one end being disposed substantially at the inlet of said housing;

means mounting said first section to said housing for rotation about the longitudinal axis of said first tube, the outer surface of the latter being spaced inwardly from the inner surface of said housing;

a second fan section secured to said first section for rotation therewith and disposed between said housing and said first tube, said second section including a second truste-conical tube concentric to said first tube and having open ends, and a number of second, cir- -cumferentially spaced helically disposed blades between said rstand second tubes and secured at the inner and outerperipheral edges to the proximal surfaces of said Afirst and second tubes respectively, one end of saidsecond tube and the ends of said second blades proximaltrto said'one end of the second tube being disposedsubstantially at the inlet ofsaid housing, the. diameters of said-first and'secondtubes progressivelydecreasing as saidfoutlet is approached; means secured to said housing across said outlet for controlling the direction of movement of air passing out of the housing through said outlet to thereby permit control of the line of action of the thrust produced by the rearward acceleration of the air in response to the rotation of said first and second blades; and means for rotating said first section, whereby said first and second blades accelerate the air entering said inlet rearwardly of said housing and induce respective circulatory flows of air toward said inlet from the region forwardly thereof with said flows having envelopes coextensive with respective tubes to thereby effect a reduction in the air pressure in said region and the minimizing of decelerating effects on said housing and fan sections as the same move into the region. n

2. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing is provided with a frusto-conical side wall, said second tube being spaced from and in relatively close proximity to said side wall.

3. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a shaft disposed centrally of the housing and a pair of braces across the inlet and outlet respectively, for securing the ends of the shaft to the housing, each of said braces having an area exposed to the flow of air adjacent thereto substantially less than the area of the opening at the corresponding end of the housing.

4. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein the opposite ends of said first and second tubes and the ends of said first and second blades proximal to said opposite ends are spaced from, in relatively close proximity to, and forwardly of said controlling means.

.5. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein is provided a second blade for each first blade respectively, said second blades being superimposed relative to respective first blades to present radial extensions thereof.

6. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing is provided with a frusto-conical side wall, said second tube being spaced from and in relatively close proximity to said side wall, there being a second blade for each first blade respectively, said second blades being superimposed relative to respective first blades to present radial extensions thereof.

7. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controlling means includes al plurality of vanes perpen dicular to the longitudinal axis of said housing and having faces parallel to said axis, and a deflector shiftably mounted on the housing rearwardly of said vanes and disposed for deecting the air fiowing rearwardly from said outlet.

8. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a shaft, said housing having a frustoconical side wall, said first and second tubes and said side wall being coaxial with said shaft.

9. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second blades is continuous between the ends thereof.

10. A helicoid fan as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second blades includes a plurality of spaced blade sections.

(References on following page) 7 Y 8 References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 478,959 7/29 Germany.

1/84 Fanly 103 g9 4,260 1836 France.

g/36 Lamm 2532.143 Y 2,851 1880 Great Britain,

4/95 Erb 23() 12() 5 10,114 1914 Great Britain.

6/ 24 Jensen 60-35.5 11/31 Daniels 230 122 JOSEPH H. BRANSON, JR., Pl'lmlll'y Extlmller. 11/43 Atkins 230-122 HENRY F, RADUAZO, Examiner.

5/52 Mosher 103-89 lo 4/56 Hait .1 230-120 X

Claims

1. A HELICOID FAN COMPRISING: A MOBILE SUPPORT; A TUBULAR HOUSING RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING A PAIR OF ALIGNED OPENING AT OPPOSED ENDS THEREOF DEFNING AN INLET AND AN OUTLE THEREFOR; A FIRST FAN SECTION WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND INCLUDING A FIRST FRUSTO-CONICAL TUBE HAVING OPEN ENDS AND A NUMBR OF FIRST CIRCUMDREENTIALLY-SPACED, HELICALLY DISPOSED BLADES WITHIN AND SECURED AT THEIR OUTER PERIPHERAL EDGES TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FIRSTT TUBE, ONE END OF THE SAID FIRST TUBE AND THE ENDS OF SAID FIRST BLADES PROXIMAL TO SAID ONE END BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE INLET OF SAID HOUSING; MEANS MOUNTING SAID FIRST SECTION TO SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID FIRST TUBE, THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE LATTER BEING SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING; A SECOND FAN SEACTION SECURED TO SAID FIRST SECTION FOR PROTATION THEREWITH AND DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SAID FIRST TUBE, SAID SECOND SECTION INCLUDING A SECOND FRUSTO-CONICAL TUBE CONCENTRIC TO SAID FIRST TUBE AND HAVING OPEN ENDS, AND A NUMBER OF SECOND, CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED, HELICALLY DISPOSED BLADES BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND TUBES AND SECURED AT THE INNER AND OUTER PERIPHERAL EDGES TO THE PROXIMAL SURFACES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND TUBES RESPECTIVELY, ONE END OF SAID SECOND TUBE AND THE ENDS OF SAID SECOND BLADES PROXIMAL TO SAID ONE END OF THE SECOND TUBE BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE INLET OF SAID HOUSING, THE DIAMETERS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND TUBES PROGRESSIVELY DECREASING AS SAID OUTLET IS APPROACHED; MEANS SECURED TO SAID HOUSING ACROSS SAID OUTLET FOR CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF AIR PASSING OUT OF THE HOUSING THROUGH SAID OUTLET TO THEREBY PERMIT CONTROL OF THE LINE OF ACTION OF THE THRUST PRODUCED BY THE REARWARD ACCELERATION OF THE AIR IN RESPONSE TO THE ROTATION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND BLADES; AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID FIRST SECTION, WHEREBY SAID FIRST AND SECOND BLADES ACCELERATE THE AIR ENTERING SAID INLET REARWARDLY OF SAID HOUSING AND INDUCE RESPECTIVE CICRULATORY FLOW OF AIR TOWARD SAID INLET FROM THE REGION FORWARDLY THEREOF WITH SAID FLOWS HAVING ENVELOPES COEXTENSIVE WITH RESPECTIVE TUBES TO THEREBY EFFECT A REDUCTION IN THE AIR PRESSURE IN SAID REGION AND THE MINIMIZING OF DECELERATING EFFECTS ON SAID HOUSING AND FAN SECTIONS AS THE SAME MOVE INTO THE REGION.