US886159A - Aerial apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 886,159. PATENTED APR. 28, 1908. I

M. B. SELLERS.

AERIAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' INVENTOH MATTHEWB SELLER 5 By r A W/TSSES 6 (7! /I I M i ATTORNEYS No. 886,159. PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

M. B. SELLERS.

AERIAL. APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUE-Y 24,1907.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' .INVENTOI? MATTBEWB- SELLERS Arrow/U8 Y PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

M. B. SELLERS. AERIAL APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1907 3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

mwslvrofi SELLER 5 MATTHEWE ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

MATTHEW B. sELL Es, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

- AERIAL APPARATUS.

Application filed July 24:, 1907.

constructions and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my apparatus from the under side and in the position it assumes when flying.

- Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a front view thereof. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper side of the apparatus. Fig. 6 is a side view of the apparatus in the act of Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view illustrating the adjustable connection ofthe stay wires with the rear end of the boom. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view illustrating the connection between the spars and the side bar of the wings. Figs. 9 and 9 illustrate in detail the connection between the line wires and the coupling rods. Fig. 10 is a detail cross-section illustrating the knee blocks for securing the inner ends of the spars to the boom. Fig. 11 is a detail section illustrating the curvature of the ribs and the span wires for holding the same at the desired curvature, and Fig. 12 is a detail view illustrating the abutment for the ring of the rudder guy lines.

In the accompanying illustrations I have presented my invention in the form of a kite, the wings of which operate as an aeroplane and the object of the invention'is to produce a construction with the greatest liftin' power for a unit area and one having little wind resistance, and which can be easily adjusted to properly fly in the practical operation of the invention. ,These results are accomplished in part by the particular form of the wings; by the cylindrical form of the rudder and by the .means for bracing and staying the different parts whereby a light construction is made possible, the strength and rigidity increased and the spars and ribs of the sails are so formed as to avoid their exposure to the wind, thus giving the minimum head resistance in the use of the invention. I

For convenience of reference I designate Specification of Letters Patent.

the boom more or less.

Patented April 28, 1908.

Serial No. 385,323.

the part H as a cylindrical rudder. This cylindrical rudder presently described, exerts a peculiar steadying action but is not designed to operate with a lifting action and to this end it will benoticed that the rudder, as more fully described, is placed at an angle to the dihedral angle formed by the wings which angle is adjustableby the bending of Because of this negative angle of inclination the rudder does not form a part of the lifting surface but tends to maintain the lifting surfaces or wings at one particular positive angle to the -wind. The term negative angle is widely used in aeronautics. A surface is inclined at a negative angle when its forwardprolongation would extend below the horizon or below the line of its motion, or in a kite below the line of the wind" s motion, and when the surface points practically above the horizon, etc., the angle is positive. When disturbing causes tend to make this angletoo small the wind will impinge on the rudder more forcibly and by depressing it tip up the wings, bringing them back to proper angle of incident, as will more fully appear on inspection of the drawings. Should there be a further tendency to increase the angle of the wings to the direction of the wind then the wind will impinge upon the lower surface of the rudder and raise it, bringing the wings back toward the proper angle.

In the construction shown the kite is formed with a central boom A and with wings B on opposite sides thereof, and at a dihedral angle and these wings are constructed alike and comprise a suitable covering B having casings in which are fitted ribs C and other casings in which are fitted, what for convenience of reference I term the s ars D which latter extend from end to end 0 the wings and are connected at their outer ends by the side bars D and are secured at their inner ends to the boom A by means of knee blocks D as-shown in the drawings. These spars D are set at an angle to each other and being together with the ribs inclosed in casings in the covering B are not exposed to the wind so I avoid as far as possible wind resistance in the operation of the'invention. Moreover, this construction of a covering with casings fitting on the spars facilitates the erection and taking apart of the kite which will be found convenient for shipment and storage.v The side bars .D: being con nected with the cover B are provided with sockets inwhich fit pins at the outer ends of the spars D, as best-shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The ribs are connected at their ends by span wires C which'operate to hold the ribs curved to a proper degree to give the desired curvature from front to rear of the wings, this being desired in aeroplanes in securing the best lifting power and the greatest angle of elevation in the use of devices of this character. These s an wires C similar to the line wires present y describedare hooked in engagement with the parts to which they connect so they can be readily detached when desired. The connection of the line wires with the coupling rods shown in the form of hooks, is an important feature ofmy invention. It will be understood that the dismounting and assembling of the several parts is important and in securing this it is desirable to have the line wires which form braces and stays for the different parts, provided with coupling rods for connection'with the parts which it is desired to stay or brace, and as in practice fine wire such as a proper gage of piano wire is used for the. braces or stays, it has been found impracticable to connect such wires directly with the hooks or their coupling bars by any ordinary form of connection, as the wires would cut or break. Therefore, I have through a long series of experiments devised the construction best shown in detail in Figs. 9 9*, for connecting the line wires lettered in said figures as 1 with the coupling rod lettered in said figures as 2. In this construction the coupling bar 2 is bent between its ends to form an eye 3 and line wire 1 passes along the shank 4, throu h the eye 2 and is given one or more turns a out the eye and then several turns around the shank, then one or more turns at 5 around the line wire, then several turns around the shank back to the eye, then one or more turns at 6 in the eye. The Winding of the wire at 5 around the main portion of the line wire is important as it revents slipping of the line wire, and it is ound in practice that this form of connection is eflicient and practicable and serves the purpose for which it is designed. I have illustrated in Fig. 9 the operation partly effected, that is to say, down to the point where the wire is-twisted at 5 around the body of the line wire and in Fig. 9 I show the connection complete between the hue wire and the coupling Wire. Manifestly, this coupling rod may be any suitable form of wire of a sufficient gage to give the stiffness necessary to hold its form and by preference the coup ing rod isbent at its end opposite the shank into hook form to engage with the loops or staples with which it is engaged 1n the use 01" the invention.

The covering of the wings may be of silk or other suitable fabric and this is stretched tight by connecting the inner edges of the olpposite wings by suitable devices. As. s

In bracing the opposite wings on their,

upper sides I provide the transverse back stayg, G in the form of wires having at their ends'.hooks engaging with eyes or staples G on the spars midway between the ends of the latter and I alsoprovide dia onal back stays G having hooks at their en s engaging with the staples G, and diagonal stays extending between the front staples G of one wing and the rear staples G of the opposite wing as shown in 5 of'the drawin I also provide boom stays G hooked at t eir front ends into the rear staples G of the wings and extending thence inwardly and rearwardly and adjustably connected at their rear ends with the boom A near the rear end of the latter'. The purpose of these boom stays G is to secure the boom at its rear end at any desired angle by bending the boom laterally in order to set the rudder H at any suitable angle to the plane of the keel. In adj ustably securing 'the boom stays G it is preferred to provide a hook G on the boom near its rear endand preferably within the cylindrical rudder H and to connect such hook G with the coupling rods G of the stays G by linked chains G, the adjustment being effected by engaging any desired links of the chains with the hook G as best shown in Fig. 7 of the draw- 'ings.

The transverse stays G are capable of a sli ht yielding or sprin action longitudina 1y, this being effected y coiling the wires G at G7 and then pulling the coils out nearly straight as will be understood from the drawings, see particularly Figs. 4 and 5.

On its under side the aeroplane is braced from the lower ends of posts I depending from the boom A and forming the braces for the keel J. In thus bracing the under side of the aeroplanes I employ, see Figs. 1 and 3, the rear stay wires K, k and the frontstay wires K, K and K By preference the wires K, K and K are united at their inner ends and connect by a hook K common to all with an eye at the lower end of the front ost I, the outer ends of the stays K, K and 3 being provided with hooks engaging with eyes orstaples on the under side of the Wings as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3 of The rear post I of the keel J t the drawings: is braced by a rearwardly extending stay wireI connected at its rear end with the boom and an upwardly projecting post I in alinement with the rear post I and immediately above the boom A, forms a bearing intermediate the ends of the upper boom erally therefrom, ribs crossin It will be understood from the foregoing that the several stays are provided at their ends with coupling rods as illustrated in detail in F ig. 9 and may be conveniently attached and detached whenever desired.

The keel J extends lon itudinally and in a vertical plane immediate y below the boom A, and at a point midway between the op 0- site edges of the aeroplane provided by the opposite wings as show a he rudder H is in cylindrical form and preferably is formed with a suitable tube H of any desired flexible material havin a rear hoop H and a forward 1100 H tie rear hoop having uy lines H wit a central ring to fit on t e rear end of the boom A and abut a suitable rearwardly facing projection H, see Fig. 12, and the front hoop H has connected with it guy lines H" engaging at their front ends with hooks H on the boom in such manner as to secure the cylindrical rudder over the rear end of the boom with the latter concentric with the rudder as will be understood from Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6 of the drawin By properly adjusting the boom stays, t e boom may be bent to deflect it in any suitable manner in order to cause the rudd the operation of the invention.

In practice it is found best to set the rudder so that it will incline upwardly toward its rear end when the wings are at a mined angle, and the leverage is su cient to make the regulation very close.

It will be noticed that this rudder is set at an angle with the lifting front surface afforded by'the wings and the open cylindrical rudder when applied as shown tends to maintain the lifting surface at the desired angle, and, when disturbed, to return it to such angle in the practical use of the invention.

. In bending the boom to project more or less upwardly, ment of the upper boom stay may by cutting off the hook from one coupling rods of said stay and bending another hook at a proper point thereon. This can be conveniently affected as it is only necessary to adjust the said stay at rare intervals.

I claim;

be effected of the end 1. An aerial apparatus comprisin a cenextending latg the spars, and covering means formed with the spars, and ribs, wings at a dihedral angle on opposite sides of the boom, transverse anddiagonal backstays above the wings, posts depending from the boom and material connecting the said posts and forming a keel below the boom, stays between the wings and the said depending posts and stays between the wings tral longitudinal boom, spars dihedral angle, a

er to properly steady the apparatus in redeterto cause its rear end the adjust- I slipped at said ends upon their res point I and the rear ends ofthe boom and adjustably connected with'the latter, and an open cylindrical rudder in rear of the wings and carried by the boom, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

An aerial apparatus comprising a boom, wings extending laterally therefrom and at a dihedral angle, and a cylindrical rudder in rear of and at an angle to the dihedral angle formed by the wings.

3: In an aerial apparatus, the combination of a pair of laterally extending wings set at a central boom between the inner ends of said wings, and a cylindrical rudder on said boom in rear of the wings.

4. An aerial apparatus comprising an inclined sustaining surface and acylindricalrudder in rear of the inclined surface and connected with the sustaining surface, whereby .to guide and steady the a paratus.

In an aerial apparatus, t e combination of a wing or an aeroplane, arched from front torear, and having a plurality of ribs extending from front to rear, whereby to maintain its curvature, with stays connecting the ends of said ribs whereby to maintain them in a bowed form.

6. In an aerial apparatus having wire stays, the combination ent between its ends formin an eye, and having a shank beyond the sair eye, of a line wire extending along the shank and through the eye and around the same, and then wound along the shank toward the extremtwisted back along the shank and wire and passed throughthe loop or eye and around the same.

7. An aerial apparatus comprising wings adapted to operate with a lifting action and arran ed at a dihedral angle, and an open cylincIrical rudder in rear of the lifting wings and at an angle to the dihedral angle formed by the wings.

In an aerial alpparatus the combination y pro ecting spars, hide-- of a boom lateral 1pendent coverings for the opposite spars and aving casings open at their inner ends and at said ends on their respective spars, and means securing the opposite coverings at their inner ends whereby theymay be held' on their respective spars, substantially as set forth.

9. In an aerial apparatus, the combination of a boom, spars projecting laterally therefrom, coverings having laterally extending casings open at their inner ends and slipped ective spars, means connecting the inner 81H site coverings whereby to secure the same on their respective spars, and ribs extending from front to rear'of the respective coverings s of the oppo- 3 and secured thereto, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

wings, the said diagona 2O 1 10. In an aerial apparatus the combination with a boom and t e laterally extending the angle of the rear end of the boom relative to said front end, substantially as set forth.

11. In an aerial a paratus the combination with a boom, an wings at the front end thereof, of a cylindrical rudder encircling the and stays between said rudder and the boom.

12. In an aerial apparatus the combination with a boom, and laterally extending wings at a dihedral angle, of transverse stays extendingbetween the opposite wings above thesame, and diagonal stays between the said wings and crossin each other above the stays being secured at one end to one side of the central line of the apparatus and at the other end at the other s1 e of said central line, substantially as set forth. v

13. In an aeria a paratus the combination with a boom, an wings extending laterally therefrom, of posts de ending from the boom, and stays between t e posts and the opposite wings.

14. In an aerial a tion with a boom, an the laterally extending Wings, of posts depending from the boom, and stays com rising a plurality of branches connected at t eir'outer' ends with their respective wings and united at their inner ends and connected with the posts, as set forth.

15. In an aerial a paratus the combination with a boom, an wings, and an 0 en cylindrical rudder at the rear end of the oom, of boom stays secured at their front ends to the wings and inclining thence inwardly and rearwardly and connected at their rear ends with the boom.

16. In an aerial apparatus the combination with the opposite wings, of stays comprising line wires and coupling rods at the ends thereof, the said rods being rovided between their ends with eyes and wit shanks beyond the same, and the line wires bein twisted around the shanks and through anc l around the eyes, and also having portions twisted around the main portions of the line wires as and for the purpose set forth.

17. An aerial ap paratus com rising a boom, wings exten ing laterally t erefrom at a dihedral angle and having their surfaces substantially.

paratus the combinastantially as herein shown.

' the laterally extending therefrom and having spars,

and extending to connections between the 'opfiosite wmtgs it yasset ort their inner edges, substantia 19. In an aerial apparatus the combination of a central boom, wings on o posite sides thereof, an open cylindrical ru der on the boom, in rear of the win s, and a stay extending above the boom an connected at its front and rear ends thereto, whereby it may operate to deflect and vary the angle of the rudder relatively to that of. the wings.

20. The combination in an aerial apparatus of a boom, wings extending laterally knee blocks to which said spars are secured at their inner ends, means securing the knee blocks to the boom, stays for the wings, a rudder on the boom in rear of the wings, substantially as set forth. a

21. In an aerial apparatusfa wing covering, havin transverse ribs, and longitudinal casings, a apted to be drawn on or ofl supporting spars and spars in said casings, su

22. In an aerial apparatus, the combination of suitable sustaining surfaces, with a rearwardly extending boom, and an open cylindrical rudder carried by said boom, and normally inclined at a negative angle to the direction of motion, and ca able of adjustment laterally and vertica ly, whereby to guide andsteady the apparatus.

23. An aerial apparatus, com taining surface, a boom suita ly attached the rear of said surface, and an 0 en cylindrical 'tail or rudder carried by said oom, and capable of adjustment laterally and vertically, whereby to guide and steady the apparatus.

24. In an aerial apppar'atus, a wing or aeroplane, comprising a suitable covering, ribs extending from front to rear of same, and casings extendin from end to end of the covering, and spars tting in said casings, whereby the covering with 1ts ribs can be drawn on or off the supporting spars.

MATTHEW B. SELLERS.

rising a sus- Witnesses:

SOLON O. KEMON, PERRY B. TURPIN.

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