US926971A - Means for reducing air resistance on vehicles. - Google Patents

Description

G. A. AHRENS. MEANS FOR REDUCING AIB RESISTANCE ON VEHICLES. APPLIOATIOK FILED OCT. 17,1908.

926,971 Patented July 6, 1909.

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APPLIOATIOH FILED OUT. 17,1908.

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GEORGE A. AHRENS, OF MUKWONAGO, WISCONSIN.

MEANS FOR REDUCING AIR RESISTANCE 0N VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Application filed October 17, 1908. Serial No. 458,281.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. Annmvs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mukwonago, in the county of VVaulresha and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Means for Reducing Air Resistance on Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the resistance to the passage of a railway car, automobile, or other vehicle through air may be materially reduced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a railway car or other vehicle with ducts or passages leading from end to end thereof and arranged to permit the free passage of air from the front to the rear of the vehicle, thus afiording a passage through which the air may travel as the vehicle advances, and reducing the degree of compression at the front end of the vehicle and preventing or minimizing the formation of a partial vacuum at the rear end. of the vehicle.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being un-.

derstood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figu1'e 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a railway car constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention, a pair of air ducts or tubes 10 are arranged under or in the lower portion of the body of the vehicle, and extend from end to end thereof. These tubes are formed of some smooth or polished material for the purpose of reducing the frictional resistance to the passage of the current of air, and further are preferably tapered in diameter from end to end. It will be noted that the larger end of one of these tubes is at one end of the vehicle,

while the largerend of the other tube is at the opposite end of the car, so that the dc vice is available for movement of the vehicle in either direction. When traveling in one direction, the air enters the small end of one of the tubes, passes therethrouglti, and discharges at the larger end, while in traveling in the other direction, the air enters the smaller end of the mating tube, and travels toward the larger end thereof.

In the ends of the vehicleare formed a large number of openings 1 1. In the present instance there are three vertical series of such openings, one near each side, and one at the center of the end portion, as will be evident on reference to Fig. 2, and leading downward from these openings are entrance tubes 12, all of which discharge finally into the main duct 10. The tubes 12 are also preferably tapered, gradually increasing in diameter from the entrance openings 11 to the point of discharge, so as to offer minimum resistance to the passage of the air current.

Each of the entrance months 11 is provided with a flap valve 13 pivoted. at its upper edge immediately within the mouth of the opening, and so arranged as to yield inwardly when subjected to the pressure of the air, so that the streams of air may pass through the openings and thence through the down Wardly trending tubes 11 to the main duct 10, while on movement of the car in the op posite direction these flap valves will automatically move to closed position by gravity.

There is, of course, a set of entrance openings or ducts at each end of the car or other vehicle one set communicating with one of the main ducts 10, while the other communicates With the mating duct, so that the device may be available for movement of the vehicle in either direction, although this, of course, will not be necessary when the invention is ap lied to automobiles, flying ma chines, or like vehicles, which are intended to travel practically in but one direction.

It is, of course, a Well known fact that the air offers enormous resistance to the passage of a rapidly moving car, not only from the increase in density of the air at the front of the vehicle, but, also, from the vacuum orpartial vacuum that is formed at the rear end thereof, and anything that will tend to decrease the compression at the front and increase the pressure at the rear will materially aid the travel of the vehicle.

It is OlJVlOUS 1n the present lustance, that the numerous 0 enings formed at the front end of the vehicle will permit the passage of a large quantity of air, and that this air passing directly to the rear of the vehicle will tend to destroy the partial vacuum created by the forward travel of said vehicle.

YVhat is claimed is 1. A vehicle provided with an air duct leading from end to end thereof, said duct tapering in diameter and being largest at the rear or discharge end.

2. A vehicle having a main air duct leading from end to end thereof, there being numerous openings formed at the front end of the vehicle, and minor ducts leading from said openings to said main duct.

3. A vehicle having a main duct leading from end to end thereof, the front end of the vehicle having a plurality of openings, minor ducts leading from the openings and discharging into the main duct, and automatic valves for elosingsaid openings.

4. A vehicle having a pair of ducts disposed in parallel relation and leading from end to end thereof, there being openings formed at each end of the vehicle, and minor ducts leading from said openings to the main ducts, one set of duets being available for use when the vehicle is moving in one direction, and the other set being brought into use when the vehicle is moving in the opposite direction.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aIliXed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE A. AHRENS.

l/Vitnesses PERRY P. CAMP. Envrn CAMP.

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