WO1984002692A1

WO1984002692A1 - Glider

Info

Publication number: WO1984002692A1
Application number: PCT/EP1984/000012
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rolf Becker
Original assignee: Rolf Becker
Priority date: 1983-01-15
Filing date: 1984-01-14
Publication date: 1984-07-19
Also published as: DE3301212A1; EP0131607A1

Abstract

The glider is provided, in addition to its symmetric bearing surfaces (2) secured to the fuselage (1), with two wing-like oscillating surfaces (4) which may pivot upwardly and downwardly, symmetrically arranged above the fuselage, from a relatively rigid bearing leading edge (40) up to a trailing edge (41) and having an increasing elasticity aileron section so as to provide the glider with an additional propulsion. A bearing shell (6) carrying the pilot is pivotingly arranged about a transversal axis (60) in the cockpit of the pilot and enables a pivoting motion from its vertical starting position to take a lying flight position. A pedal device (53) moveably and longitudinally arranged on the fuselage (1) is connected by transmission cables to the oscillating surfaces (4) so that the latter may be synchronously moved upwardly and downwardly by actuating the pedals, the shoulder support (61) secured to the bearing shell (6) forming a counter-bearing for the pilot.

Description

Glider

The invention relates to a glider with symmetric wings that are rigidly connected to the fuselage.

Today's gliders, unlike so-called hang gliders, rely on a tow plane at the start, which brings the unpowered glider to the desired altitude before the start of the sailing phase. Taking advantage of favorable thermals, the pilot then endeavors to keep his glider at the highest possible altitude for as long as possible. An essential prerequisite for maintaining or even increasing the flight altitude is propulsion, which is initially transferred from the tow plane to the glider and allows the buoyancy forces to act on the wings. However, an increase in the flight speed (propulsion) is not readily possible after the glider has been released without a corresponding loss in flight altitude.

The invention is based on the consideration that it would be desirable, both for reasons of sailing and in the interest of expanding the starting and flying possibilities of gliders, to equip the glider with a propulsion device that can be driven by muscle force and to mount it in the manner of slope gliders or To enable kites to launch themselves.

OMPI Even before the advent of motor-driven propeller aircraft, attempts were made to achieve the propulsive force required to develop the necessary propulsion, that is to say flying speed, by means of a propeller driven by muscle power. Even taking into account modern plastics technology and the possibility of producing relatively light and large plastic wings, the use of propellers driven by muscle power in association with gliders is unfavorable. The propulsion power of a propeller powered by muscle power is naturally relatively low and only effective if it rotates with the pilot's energy input. In resting phases, on the other hand, it represents only ballast both in terms of the propulsion component and in relation to the buoyancy component, and the force transmission elements also make a not insignificant contribution to the overall weight of the glider. There are also particular problems with landing and especially with a relatively steep landing curve. For these reasons, propulsion devices that can be driven by muscle power for sailing purposes have never been able to establish themselves.

The invention is based on the object of designing the glider of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that starting with muscle power alone and after lifting using a propulsion device which can be driven by muscle power, the propulsion power can be increased. The propulsion device should also take rest periods, i.e. H. unactuated, contribute to an increase in the buoyancy component by enlarging the effective wings.

To achieve this object, the invention provides that a glider plane with symmetrical wings that are rigidly connected to the fuselage, and two swing-up wing-like, also symmetrically arranged swinging surfaces above the fuselage, which can be moved up and down synchronously by the pilot are equipped, and that a support shell supporting the pilot from the shoulders to the pelvic region is pivotally mounted about a transverse axis in the pilot's cockpit and a pivoting

OMPI movement of the pilot from an approximately vertical take-off position to a lying flight position allows a pedal arrangement which is movably mounted on the fuselage in longitudinal guides to be connected to the oscillating surfaces via cable pulls in such a way that the latter synchronously up and down during a back and forth pedal movement ¬ are moved, with shoulder¬ attached to the carrier shell supporting the abutment for the pedal movement _. ng executing Pi form and that the vibrating surfaces each run from a relatively rigid, leading leading edge to the trailing edge towards an increasingly elastic, flexible fin section and can give the glider additional propulsion when operated in the manner of a wing beat.

The carrier shell, which can be swiveled in the manner of a suspension, allows the pilot to take off independently of a tow plane by starting from a ground elevation. After taking off and reaching the initial gliding phase, the pilot can move his body on the supporting shell supporting him into the roughly horizontal flight position and put his feet on the pedals. When the pedals are moved, preferably by an in-phase pushing movement with both feet, alternately stretching and pulling in both legs, the greatest physical forces are used to move the two swinging wings or surfaces up and down. The shoulder supports forming the abutment ensure that the pilot's torso remains stationary and the full movement stroke is transmitted to the pedals. It is important that the power transmission from the pedals via the cable pulls to the oscillating surfaces is designed in such a way that the relatively high buoyant reaction forces on the oscillating wings are applied during the downward movement by the stretching phase of the pilot's legs, while the pulling-in movement of the Legs of the swiveling movement of the oscillating surfaces is assigned and is supported by the always effective reaction forces in the course of the upward movement of the oscillating surfaces. With a suitable construction, the wing is in the form of flippers

O PI

the pedal movement and its transmission to the wing-like oscillating surfaces give the glider a clear propulsion which, in cooperation with the wings and the oscillating surfaces, significantly increases the buoyancy component during the flight. In the rest position of the pedals, e.g. B. with straight legs, the oscillating surfaces act as additional wings and thereby increase the areas of attack relevant for buoyancy. On the other hand, however, the wings rigidly connected to the fuselage stabilize the trajectory and relieve the oscillating surfaces of part of the lift reaction forces. In spite of the optimal use of force in the drive arrangement according to the invention, these reaction forces would be so great (eg 300 to 600 kg) that they could be applied by the pilot at short notice and reduced by suitable reduction gears (pulley blocks). Because of the special combination of wings and oscillating surfaces, the invention therefore minimizes the safety risk and ensures reliable gliding flight even during periods of weakness of the pilot operating the propulsion device.

In order to give the oscillating surfaces and their actuating cables the ground clearance required for takeoff and landing, a further development of the invention provides that the two oscillating surfaces extend laterally from an extension arm attached to the fuselage. The oscillating surfaces are therefore offset so far upwards that, above all, the cable pulls which pull the oscillating surfaces down with a vertical component have a vertical component which is sufficiently long in relation to the horizontal component. In order to make the flow around the wing as independent as possible from the oscillating surfaces, in particular in the aerofoil area, that is to say for aerodynamic reasons, the oscillating surfaces are preferably offset in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft from the aerofoils originating from the fuselage. In an alternative embodiment, however, the oscillating surfaces can also be arranged on or in replacement of the outer end sections of the supporting surfaces and can be pivoted about a connecting axis in each case. In this embodiment, the glider has only two wings, each with a rigid section close to the fuselage, which forms the fixed wings, and a section away from the fuselage, which is provided with oscillating surfaces and adjoins the rigid wing section. Here, too, the wings should be offset vertically with respect to the fuselage, that is to say be arranged with greater ground clearance.

In a preferred development of the invention, a fuselage opening is provided beneath the carrier shell, which gives the pilot the legroom required for take-off and the freedom of movement required for tilting into the lying flight position. Two handles for holding the aircraft at take-off are attached in the area next to the fuselage opening.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each oscillating surface is assigned a cable connected to form a closed loop, which engages with an upward strand and a downward strand on the free end section of the oscillating surface and is firmly connected to the pedal arrangement. With the closed rope loop, the respectively relieved rope strand follows the tensioned rope strand with minimal adjustment effort. In order to produce sufficient rope tension and to compensate for a low permanent rope stretch that is unavoidable during operation, a rope length adjustment device is assigned to each rope pull in a development of the invention.

A locking device is preferably arranged between the swivel bearings of the two oscillating surfaces and can be actuated from the pilot's cockpit to simultaneously lock the two oscillating surfaces. With the aid of this locking device, the pilot can determine the oscillating surfaces in a position which is expedient for gliding flight, in order to rest, for example, from the load on the pedal movement. The swinging wings can be swiveled around an axis that is fixed to the aircraft and via an E each Be arranged on the other side of the pivot axis plunger, the pivoting movement can be blocked by rotating about an axis perpendicular to the swing surface axis. The plunger or its pivot axis can be rotated by actuating an actuating lever located in the pilot's cockpit via a cable pull.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing. The drawing shows:

Fig. 1 is a schematic front view;

Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned side view;

3 shows a partial view from above of an embodiment of the new glider with a propulsion device driven by muscle power in the form of a pair of swinging wings;

4 shows a side view of the pedal arrangement, which is guided in a sled-like manner in the fuselage direction, for driving the swinging wings;

5 shows a schematic illustration of the swivel bearing arrangement of the swinging wings and the locking device assigned to them for locking the pivoting movement, viewed in the direction of the pivoting axes of the swinging wings;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view of the arrangement according to

Fig. 5 along the section line VI-VI in Fig. 5; •

7 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a glider with the features of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a partial view of the wing spar.

The glider shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 7 in various views has a fuselage 1 equipped with a pilot's cockpit, to which a symmetrical pair of wings 2 is attached. On a boom 3 placed on the fuselage 3, two swing wings 4 are pivotally mounted in a symmetrical arrangement and design. The pivot axes assigned to the two oscillating vanes 4 run in the exemplary embodiment shown

O PI

^ (Fig. 3) parallel to each other and to the flight axis. Stops, not shown in the drawing, limit the swiveling deflection of the two swing wings 4 downwards and above all upwards.

The swinging wing movement is brought about by two synchronously driven cable pulls 5, each of which is fed back in a closed loop, each with upper and lower runs 50 and 51. Both rope runs attack relatively far outside on the associated swing wing 4. The exit point of the lower run 51 from the fuselage should be as deep as possible and the vertical distance from the exit point to the point of application 52 of the cable run on the swing wing should be as large as possible, so that the tensile force transmitted above all through the lower cable run has a pronounced effective vertical component. The vertical distance in the illustrated embodiment is approximately 1.5; the vertical boom 3 is correspondingly long, too. The upper rope strand 50 also needs a vertical component to convert the associated rope pulling force into an upward pivoting movement and is therefore guided outwards from the boom at the upper end of a boom extension 30 (FIG. 1). .

2 have a fin-like profile tapered towards the rear, are relatively stiff in the area of the front (widened) leading edge and are designed to be elastically yielding towards the rear trailing edge 41, preferably by tapering the profile. Such a design in the manner of bird wings or fins results in a lagging of the downstream fin area behind the swiveling movement when the swinging wings move and thus a propulsion component which increases the lift in the area of the two wing pairs 2 and 4 in basically the same way. The swing wings 4 are preferably made of a suitably elastically deformable plastic and can be provided with mutually spaced ribs Z ^' in the direction of flight. Similar to bird swings, they can have slit-like interruptions running towards the trailing edge 41 or be pinnately lamellar (FIG. 7). As can best be seen in FIG. 2, a carrier shell 6 is mounted in the front fuselage area near the center of gravity of the aircraft so that it can pivot about a horizontal transverse axis 60. The carrier shell 6 is suitably adapted to the body shape of the pilot and has fork-shaped shoulder supports 61 at one end, which the pilot in the start-up phase, that is to say when starting as shoulder straps for supporting the aircraft and in the flight phase with the carrier shell 6 pivoting approximately horizontally serves as a shoulder abutment for the pedaling movement for driving the oscillating surfaces 4. It should be noted that under the term "carrier shell" also deformable structures, for. B. a corset construction formed from straps can be rotatably attached at points on the transverse axis 60. In the bottom area of the fuselage below the carrier shell 6, a fuselage opening 11 is formed which gives the pilot the leg room necessary for take-off and the freedom of movement necessary for tilting into the flight position and for pivoting the legs into the fuselage 1. In addition, two handles 12 are arranged next to the fuselage opening 11, on which the pilot can hold the aircraft, especially during take-off and take-off. Suitable runners 13 or a light undercarriage 14 are provided under the fuselage floor to facilitate take-off and landing.

In the exemplary embodiment described, a pedal arrangement 53, schematically shown in FIG. 4, is used to drive the swinging wings 4 with a slide 55 guided in hull-proof parallel guide rails 54, approximately parallel to the flight axis, on which a double pedal or a step plate 56 with suitably designed Catching shoes are pivotally mounted for receiving and holding the toes. The carriage 55 can be moved back and forth with roller bearings in the direction of the double arrow A in the parallel guide rails 54 (only one of the two guide rails is shown in FIG. 4) under the pilot's pedaling movement. With the carriage 55, the strands 50 and 51 are attached to the front and rear fastening loops 57 for pivoting the pivoting wings 4 up and down. As seen in Fig. 4

OMPI If the pedal is moved in the direction of arrow A, the lower cable strand 51 is lengthened or shortened to the extent that the upper cable strand 50 is shortened or lengthened. A suitably arranged deflection roller arrangement 58 guides each cable pull 5, consisting of the runs 50 and 51, through the hull 1 and the two cable runs 50 through the boom 3 upwards to the exit point at the extension 30 of the boom 3.

Since the two cables 5 assigned to the swing wings 4 have to be moved synchronously under the influence of the pedal movement, the individual rollers of the roller arrangement 58 for the left and right cables can be connected to one another in pairs in a rotationally fixed manner. A suitable tensioning device is used for tensioning the cable pulls 5, which can be implemented, for example, by displacing two adjacent deflection rollers 58 against one another in suitable guides in order to lengthen or shorten the deflection path. In an alternative embodiment, a screw coupling can also be provided in the cables, the span of which can be changed by screwing a nut in relation to the screw bolt engaging in the nut.

The stroke of movement of the pedal arrangement 53 in the two guide rails 54 is sufficiently large that the full pedaling movement can also be used by a large pilot.

The pedal arrangement shown in FIG. 4 can be assigned a preferably form-locking braking device which fixes the carriage 55 in one or more predetermined positions in the two guides 54. Such positively locking brakes are known in the prior art and therefore do not require any further explanation. The parking brake can be connected via a suitable linkage or a cable pull with a brake lever arranged in the pilot's cockpit.

- l EΛ

OMH be bound so that the pilot can lock the swinging wings 4 by fixing the pedal arrangement 53 in a predetermined position in order to rest and to make the swinging wings effective as stationary wings.

Another embodiment of a locking device for the two swing wings 4 is illustrated in association with the swing wing mounting in FIGS. 5 and 6. The two swing wings 4 are pivotally mounted on the two pivot axes 49 fixed to the boom. A sleeve 42 is rotatably mounted on the pivot axes 49, which is rigidly connected on the side adjacent to the associated swing wing with a connection base for connecting a suitable support spar for the swing wing and on the side facing the interior of the boom with a guide cylinder 44 . A piston 45 is axially displaceably and rotatably mounted in the guide cylinder 44 via suitable bearings. The two different oscillating wings associated pistons 45 are rigidly connected to different parts of a joint 47, in the embodiment shown in the drawing, the right piston 45 with a joint sleeve 47a and the left piston with a joint axis 47b. A through opening for the left piston 45 is formed in the joint sleeve 47a, which allows the two joint parts 47a and 47b to be pivoted relative to one another over a pivot angle of more than 180 °. When the swinging wings 4 are pivoted, a forced movement coupling of the wing pivoting deflection takes place via the joint 47, the joint 47 moving in a direction normal to the pivot axis of rotation and to the stationary pivot axes 49 in the direction of the double arrow B. .

The swing wing bearing arrangement shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 enables, in addition to the positive coupling of the wing flapping of the two swing wings via the joint 47, locking of the wing movement and locking of the swing wings in the position shown in FIG. 5. For this purpose, an actuation lever 48, which is rigidly connected to the hinge axis 47b in the illustrated embodiment. If the entire joint 47 is rotated in the position shown in FIG. 5 about the wing axis or the central axis of the pistons 45, the joint is blocked against movements in the direction of the double arrow B (FIG. 5). The actuating lever 48 can be guided into the pilot cockpit, for example, via a cable tension that is held in a spring-loaded manner. In this exemplary embodiment, a suitable gripping mechanism is arranged in the pilot cockpit, which closes when a lever is actuated on the cable pull leading to the actuating lever 48, so that the pilot cockpit pivots the entire joint 47 about via the cable pull and the lever 48 the wing axis can be done.

Of course, the glider described is provided with a suitable rowing device and a tail unit, which allows the glider to be navigated in a conventional manner.

The glider described therefore enables a take-off similar to a slope glider without the aid of a tow plane. The pilot is buckled up in the carrier shell 6 and carries the weight of the glider on the one hand over the shoulder supports 61 and on the other hand over the holding handles 12 arranged on both sides of the bottom opening 11 when starting or starting as soon as the necessary buoyancy forces are obtained by starting from a ground elevation ensure that the flying device is lifted off, the pilot swivels his body axis around the pivot axis 60 of the carrier shell 6 into the approximately horizontal flight position, also with the support of his body, and holds his feet in the catch baskets of the pedals or tread plate 56 on. The rowing ^'and Naviga¬ tion lever located on reaching the approximately horizontal flight position in an ergonomically favorable reach of the pilot. By pushing in the direction of the double arrow A (FIG. 4), the pilot can swing over the swinging wings 4 in this position the cable pulls 5 perform suitable wing flaps in order to increase the propulsion or the flight speed and thus to increase the effective lifting forces. When the pedal strokes are interrupted, the pilot expediently actuates the locking device in order to lock the swinging wings in a suitable desired position, for example in that in accordance with FIG. 5. Since the swing wings 4 which are arranged vertically and in the direction of flight in accordance with FIG. 2 form additional wings, the rigid wings 2 can be shortened or reduced accordingly in order to minimize the weight of the aircraft. In this sense, the material of the aircraft fuselage 1, the boom 3 and the wings 2 and 4 is designed as a particularly light plastic or plastic fiber material, the wall thicknesses being minimized taking into account the required load-bearing capacity and stability.

FIG. 7 shows a glider constructed in a lightweight construction with the features of the invention. The swinging wings 4 are modeled on the wing plumage of the birds. For this purpose, the wing spar 70 shown in FIG. 8 is provided with bores 71 which are essentially open to the direction of flight. These bores lie in different planes and in the area of the wing tips 72 also in different directions to one another. This ensures that an overlapping plumage arises after insertion of spring-like, thin plastic sheets 73. As with natural plumage, the individual plastic leaves 73 are supported against one another and result in a stable swinging wing 4 with a very low weight.

Although the invention has been described above on the basis of preferred physical embodiments, it is clear to the person skilled in the art that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the pivotable carrier shell need not be a rigid structure, but can be entirely or partially formed by deformable sections, by longitudinal and / or transverse belts in the manner of a corset or the like. There are also various alternatives for the construction of the swing wings, their storage and connection to the fuselage, their actuation system, their transmission means and the area and arrangement ratio of wing wings and swing wings, for which protection is sought within the scope of the claims becomes.

OMPI

Claims

Expectations

1. Glider with symmetrical wings that are rigidly connected to the fuselage and two swinging up and down, wing-like also symmetrically arranged swinging surfaces above the fuselage, which can be moved up and down synchronously by the pilot, characterized in that one of the pilots of carrier device (6) supporting the shoulders up to the pelvic region, in particular a carrier shell, is pivotally mounted about a transverse axis (60) in the pilot's cockpit and allows the pilot to pivot from an approximately vertical starting position to a lying flight position, that a pedal arrangement (53), which is movably mounted on the fuselage (1) in longitudinal guides (54), is connected to the oscillating surfaces (4) via cable pulls (5) in such a way that the latter (4) during a back and forth pedal movement ( A) are moved up and down synchronously, with shoulder supports (61) attached to the carrier shell (6) supporting the abutment for d The pilots perform the pedal movement and that the oscillating surfaces (4) each run from a relatively rigid, leading leading edge (40) to the trailing edge (41) into an increasingly elastic, flexible fin section and the glider when actuated in Art can give propulsion to a wing beat.

2. Glider according to claim 1, characterized in that the two oscillating surfaces (4) from a fuselage (1) set out boom (3) laterally.

3. Glider according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that. the oscillating surfaces (4) are offset in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft relative to the wings (2) extending from the fuselage (1).

4. Glider according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the oscillating surfaces on the outer end portions of the wings are pivotally mounted about a connecting axis.

5. Glider according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized ge indicates that below the carrier shell (6) a Ru pf- öffπung (11) is provided, which gives the pilot the legroom necessary for the start and for tilting into the lying position Flight position gives the necessary freedom of movement and that in the area next to the fuselage opening (11) there are two handles (12) for holding the aircraft at takeoff.

6. Glider according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized ge indicates that each oscillating surface (4) is associated with a connected to a closed loop ge cable (5), with an upward strand (50) and one after lower pulling strand (51) engages the free end section of the associated vibrating surface (4) and is firmly connected to the pedal arrangement (53).

7. Glider according to claim 6, characterized in that each cable pull (5) is seen with a rope length adjustment device.

8. Glider according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized ge indicates that the pedal arrangement (53) has a in two lateral, mutually parallel guide rails (54) 'guided carriage on which a double pedal or a pedal plate (56 ) is pivotally mounted.

OMPI \ 6

9. Glider according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a locking device (z. B. 47, 48) for locking the two oscillating surfaces (4) is provided in a predetermined position which can be actuated from the pilot's cockpit .

10. Glider according to claims 8 and 9, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the locking device is the carriage (55) in a predetermined position in the guide rails (54) positively locking locking device.

11. Glider according to claim 9, characterized in that the locking device is arranged in the middle between two stationary pivot bearings (42, 49) of the swinging wing (4) Ge¬ joint (47) with an articulated sleeve (47a) and an articulated axis (47b) has, which are rotatable relative to each other about a central axis, and that the two joint parts (47a and 47b) are each connected to one of the swing wings (4) such that the

Up and down movement of the two swing wings over the joint (47) is forcibly coupled.

12. Glider according to claim 11, characterized in that the joint is pivotable about a normal to the hinge axis wing axis and that an actuating lever (48) for ver. pivoting the joint (47) via a cable and an adjusting mechanism is connected to a locking lever in the pilot cockpit.

13. Glider according to claim 12, characterized in that the cable actuating lever (48) with the adjusting mechanism in the pilot cockpit connecting cable is held taut by a spring and the adjusting mechanism. has a gripping device for selectively engaging a section of the cable pull.

OMPI