US968734A - Aeroplane flying-machine. - Google Patents

Description

J. M. BIG-Gs. AEBOPLANB FLYING MACHINE. APPLIEJATION IILEDJUNE 28, 1909. 968,734. Patented Aug. 30, 1910..

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T751985 II'VVEIV-TOR dam M. 5/665" ATTORNEYS J. BIGGS. AEROPLANE FLYING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 28, 1909.

968,734. I Patented Aug. 30,1910.

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ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

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.J. M. BIGGS.

IIVI/EIVTOR (/o/m/ IV. 5/GG5 BY ATTORNEYS ABROPLANE FLYI'NG MAGHINB. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1909.

.vwmmssss J. M. BIGGS.

AEROPLANE FLYING MACHINE. APiLIOATION FILED JUNE 28, 1909.

Patented Aug. 30,1910.

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-' lNl/EIVTOR dam/V. Ewes AITORNEYS 6%Mg/VE88E8 mp nnirn n STATES JOHN 'BIGGS, or DAYTON, omo.

PATENT, clarion.

I AEROPLAN E FLYING-MACHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Application filed June 28, 1909. Serial No. 504,717.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, JOHN M. Bless, a

- citizen of the United .States, and a resident itself by the weightof the A further object of my invention is to a specification.

of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplane F lying-Machines, of-which the following is My invention relates ,to an improved aeroplane and it consists in the combinations, constructions and in described'and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an aeroplane of symmetrical and pleasing appearance in which the framework'is made v .of a shape to give the greatest strength and rigidity, with two wing-like planes attached to the edges and a third plane forming a canopy above it.

A further object of my invention is to relieve the sameness of the surface of the side planes. To this end I make use of the stars .by striking a cross or contrary current from any direction it will automatically right car.

' provide meansby which the steering of the wheels attached to the aeroplane upwardly or downwardly may be easilyaccomplished. To attain this I secure to. the main frame a wire rope, cable or other connection'which passes around the axle'of a steering Wheel in the suspended car and thence out to. the opposite end of the frame. The turning of the steering wheel thus gives a relative movement to the .car and the planes and causes the latter to tilt upwardly or downwardly to any desired angle.

A. further object of my invention is to provide means for preventing injury to the car and its occupants when the machine descendsfito the earth, the means by which this is accomplished comprising a set of body of the car' and pairs of spring runners. The wheels pro-' arrangements heretions being shown in ject'below the runners normally and strike the ground first in the descent, but if the pressure is greatenoughthe springs of the car to which the axles areattached, are flexed and the runners come into play thereby relievingthe strain on the wheels. Other objects and'advantages will appear features of the device. will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which similar characters indicate like parts in the various views, in which Y Figure 1 is a side view of the device; Fig. 2 is a detail view of the means for tilting the planes upwardly and downwardly; Fig. 3 is -a rear view of the device, certain porplan view of a portion .of the main framework; Fig. 5 is a plan .view porting planes, and Fig. 6 isa detail View of the ball-bearing joint.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a main frame, such as that shown in the drawings, consisting of the side tubes A, A, see Figs. a and'5, andt-he cross members B and B. The latter are formed preferably of two pieces screwed into the joint, J, of the kind shownin detail inFigLG. The upright arms 0 and C are secured to the front and the framework. The tube sections E and F connect the joint J with the front and rear end plates G and H respectively. Theguy ropes K and L extend from the front plate Gr through theside tubes A and A respecs The guy rope M, see Fig. 1,- extends rom the plate Gr through a central tube D which joins the uprights C and C, to the rear end plate H. '.A central shaft S extends from the front to the rear of the-device and through the end plates G and H. At the forward end of the shaft is secured a propeller R and an- .other propeller P is secured to the rear end. Referring now to'Fig. 6 it will be seen that the joint J isprovided with a ball bearing portion 7' arran ed to receive the end thrust of the shaft while the plate H is provided with a ball bearing portion p arranged to receive the thrust from the propeller P in the opposite'direction; The main shaft Sis provided with a pulley or driving wheel 8 secured to the shaft in the manner clearly shown inthe figure.

in the following specification and the novel sectionpFig. 4 is a tively and connect with the rear end late H.

of the main suprear joint J respectively and form part of Referring now to Fig. 3 I have shown the car 1 suspended from the cross members B by means of the arms 2 which are pivotally attached to the cross bar 3 running underneath the car. The forward end of the car is similarly supported and the car therefore is enabled to swing backward and forward on the pivoted arms. The wheels 1 are secured at the front and rear ends of the car 1 by flat springs 5 which in turn are connected with the bottom of the car. Attachedto the bottom of the car on either side thereof are the runners (S and 6. These runners it will be observed are inside of the wheels. This enables the wheels to be set far apart to give a wide wheel base.

Referring now to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the main suspending planes consist of two wing like surfaces X and Y respectively. These are pivotally attached to the rods or cables m and y at each side of the main frame, these rods being carried by the ends of the arms B and B. These planes or wings may be raised or lowered at different elevations, but in their normal position are extended in the manner shown in Fig To relieve the sameness of so much plane surface stars and stripes are used to give the effect illustrated in Fig. 5.

The central plane Z is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. It is made by placing small uprights of tubing 2' on the main frame to which a. surrounding rim 9' of wire is secured. The frame is covered with a series of strips of wood or aluminum held together with aluminum wire and this framework is covered with silk or canvas;

The steering of the aeroplane is accomplished by the hand wheels 7 and 8. The former is on a shaft 9 having a wheel 10 on its bottom around which a rope or cable 11 is wound, the ends of which are attached to the wheels 12 and 12 on the rods 13 and 13' to which the rudders 14 and 14' are secured. The shifting of the hand wheel 7 turns the rudders on their respective shafts so as to cause a movement in a lateral direction. The hand wheel 8 is on a shaft 15 having a small drum over which the cable 16 passes, the cable being wound with one or two turns around the drum. The cable 16 passes underneath an idler 17 at the forward end of the car and then outwardly and is attached to the front plate G. The opposite end of the cable is passed around the idlers 18, 19, 20 and 21 and is attached to the rear end plate H. The hand wheel 8 may be locked in position by means of the spring actuated dog 22 which engages the ratchet wheel 23 on'the shaft 15 but which may be released by pressing down on the handle, thereby withdrawing the dog and permitting the movement of the wheel.

IVhile I have described only one rope 16, it will be understood that there are two,16

and 16, one on each side of the machine as clearly shown in F 3.

In order to insure equilibrium I may providea keel O underneath the canopy plane Z and a smaller keel 0 on top of the same, see Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The machine may be run by any suitable motor carried in the car or underneath of it by a belt over the pulley s. The engine may be reversed and the machine may be propelled in either direction.

The guidance of the machine is accomplished as stated before by turning the hand wh el 7 which turns the rudders l4 and 1 1 at either end of the machine. In tilting the machine upwardly or downwardly the hand wheel 8 is manipulated, winding up the rope on one side and paying it off on the other. This causes a relative movement of the suspended car and the rest of the machine, z'. e., the planes and the main frame. The center of gravity being low the car automatically retains its position and hence the planes are tilted, thereby eausingtlie device to ascend or descend at will. I desire to call particular attention to this means of tilting the planes upwardly or downwardly, since it forms one of the main features of my invention.

The frame already describedis a minimum of weight with a maximum of strength.

The car may be of any approved design but is well lighted and is inclosed on all sides to protect the occupants from the wind and the weather.

It will be observed that the machine runs in alongitudinal direction or in the direction of its length like a boat, bicycle, or a railroad train instead of going sidewise in the manner of certain well known aeroplanes.

The center of gravity of the device is low and therefore the machine is stable. Ordinarily, as when the machine is on the ground, it is supported by means of the wheels 4, but if, in making a descent the impact on the ground is great the wheels are forced upwardly against the'tension of the springs 5 and the runners 6 are brought into contact with the ground thereby relieving the wheels of the great strain and preventing them from breaking.

I am aware that other forms of the device based upon the same idea might be made, but I consider as my own and desire to claim all such modifications as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An aeroplaneflying machine, comprising a main frame, a suspending plane secured thereto on each side thereof, a third plane secured at the top of said frame becar suspended from said main frame, springs secured to said car, wheels carried by sail springs, runners secured to said car, said wheels being adapted to project normally below said runners but to move-upwardly under increased pressure to bring said runners into operative position.

3. An aeroplane flying machine,'comprising a main frame, a suspending planesecured thereto on each side thereof, a third plane secured at the top of said frame, between said side planes, a car suspended centrally of the device, said car being provided at its ends with downwardly projecting fiat springs, wheels carried by said springs,

runners secured to said car body below said springs said wheels being arranged to prop rt 'j'ect' normally below said runners and to move upwardly by a flexure of their supsprings to bring said runners into operative position.

4. An aeroplane flying machine comprisfling a main frame, ;a suspending plane se cured thereto, at eachifside thereof, a third plane secured to thefltop 'of said frame between said sideplanes, a car pivotally suspended from said frame, on-an axis transverse of the machine, springs at the forward and rear ends of the car, wheels carried by said springs, runners carried by said car, said runners having downwardly projecting JOHN M. BIGGS. Witnesses:

I. L. HALDERMAN,

. H. E. HESSLEB.

portions at the ends of the car and having

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