Rotary wing device

A rotary wing device has a circular stabilizer disc and, secured normally thereto, a bilaterally symmetrical wing member having a first symmetry axis intersecting the center of the stabilizer disc. The ends of the wing member at the first symmetry axis are connected through pin connections to a string harness whereby the device functions as a kite when the wing member rotates about the first symmetry axis. At least one guy wire connects the frame of the stabilizer disc to the frame of the wing member in each quadrant of the device. The same device may function in free flight without the string harness. The device preferably is fabricated from rod or tube frames covered with plastic films.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to rotary wing devices which are suitable for use as 
kites but which may have other applications. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Rotary wing kites of the prior art have been difficult to control in 
flight. See DESIGN Pat. No. 160,910; U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,794. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Rotary wing devices, as kites, rotate about a first symmetry axis of the 
wing member in an air current and obtain a lift in accordance with the 
Magnus effect. 
The present rotary wing device provides increased performance and economy 
of construction. The present rotary wing device comprises a flat wing 
member and a flat stabilizer disc which are joined together at right 
angles. The flat wing member possesses bilateral symmetry and its first 
symmetry axis intersects the center of the stabilizer disc whereby the 
entire rotary wing device is radially symmetrical about the first symmetry 
axis. Both the wing member and the stabilizer disc are formed from an 
outline framework which is covered by a dimensionally stable film. The 
wing member and the stabilizer disc are connected together by providing a 
central slot in the stabilizer disc through which the wing member is 
inserted. 
Rigidity of the rotary wing device is achieved by means of guy wires which 
extend from the edges of the stabilizer disc to the edges of the wing 
member in each quadrant of the device. The guy wires function to transfer 
stresses from the wing member to the stabilizer disc and vice versa. 
Fastening pins are provided at the intersection of the outer edges of the 
wing member with the first symmetry axis. A suitable kite harness, which 
may be flaccid or rigid, is connected as a "V" to the fastening pins (at 
the free end of the "V"), and to a kite-string at the apex of the "V". 
In an alternative embodiment, the harness and kite-string may be omitted 
and the device may be used as a free flight device. In a further 
alternative embodiment, two or more of the rotary wing devices may be 
assembled on a common frame; driving means are provided on the frame to 
rotate the wing members relative to the frame.

The rotary wing device 1 comprises a flat wing member 2, shown as 
elliptical in shape, which fits into a slot 3 centrally positioned in a 
stabilizer disc 4. The wing member 2 has a peripheral frame 5. The 
stabilizer disc 4 has a circular frame 7. The frames 5, 7 may be made of 
shaped wood, metal or plastic. Metal or plastic rod or tubing is 
preferred. A particularly useful frame material is plastic rod or tubing 
such as glass-fiber-reinforced plastic or carbon-filament-reinforced 
plastic rod or tubing. A covering membrane 6 is provided for the wing 
member 2. A covering membrane 12 is provided for the stabilizer disc 4. 
The covering membrane 6, 12 stretch across the frames 5, 7 respectively 
and are fastened thereto by means of adhesives or tapes or by 
film-shrinking procedures. Typically the stabilizer disc 2 has a diameter 
from six inches to three feet when the device is employed as a kite. 
The covering material preferably is a thin plastic film, such as 
polyethylene terephthalate which is sold in the U.S.A. under the trademark 
Mylar and is sold elsewhere under the trademark Melonex. Such material in 
0.5 mil thickness is optimum for kite construction. The covering material 
may be used in thicker or thinner films. The polyethylene terephthalate 
films are dimensionally stable, have a useful film strength, are resistant 
to puncture and tearing. Other useful covering materials include other 
plastic films such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, 
polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene chloride, metal foils, woven fabrics, 
non-woven fabrics, strong papers and the like. 
The stabilizer disc 4 has a central slot 3 formed across a diameter for 
receiving the wing member 2. With the wing member 2 centered in the slot 
3, the coverings 6, 12 may be sealed, together along the slot 3 suitably 
by means of an adhesive tape or appropriate sealant. 
For packaging and transporting purposes, the stabilizer disc 4 can be 
rotated about its diameter relative to the wing member 2 so as to lie flat 
against the wing member 2. When the device is assembled, guy wires 8, 9, 
10, 11 extend from the edges of the stabilizer disc 4 to the edges of the 
flat wing member 2 in each quadrant of the device. The guy wires 8, 9, 10, 
11 provide stability and rigidity for the assembled device and serve to 
transfer stresses from the stabilizer disc to the wing member and vice 
versa. The guy wires may be fabricated from plastic filaments or woven 
plastic strands, from metal wires, from suitable threads or strings. 
The rotary wing device can be readily assembled and disassembled by 
providing two opposed guy wires, e.g., 9, 11, which are detachably 
engaged, as by a hook and eye connection. By detaching opposing guy wires, 
the stabilizer disc 4 can be rotated in the direction of the remaining guy 
wires until it lies flat against the wing member 2. To reassemble the 
device, the stabilizer disc 4 is repositioned and the two detached guy 
wires are reconnected. 
While FIG. 1 shows a single guy wire in each quadrant of the device, it 
should be understood that multiple guy wires may be provided in each 
quadrant connecting the stabilizer disc frame 7 to the rotary wing member 
frame 5. 
The wing member 2 is essentially flat. This feature is believed to be the 
reason for the outstanding flying ability of the present rotary wing 
device--in comparison with prior similar devices which have employed 
profiled wing members. 
A harness 14 is attached by pin connections 15 to the ends of the wing 
member 2. The pin members 15 are aligned with the first symmetry axis 17 
of the wing member 2. A single kite-string 16 is attached to the apex of 
the "V" which forms the harness 14. Alternatively two kite-strings (not 
shown) may be used, one each connected to the two pin connections 15. As 
shown in FIG. 2, the connection between the kite-string 16a and the 
harness 14a, 14b, may be provided with a suitable control device 18 which 
controls the relative lengths 14a, 14b of the harness between the control 
device 18 and the pin connections 15a, 15b so as to alter the flight 
patterns of the device. As shown in FIG. 3, the control device may be a 
spool 18a about which the harness 14a', 14b' is coiled and to which the 
kite-string 16a' is fastened. 
While the wing member 2 is bilaterally symmetrical about the first symmetry 
axis 17, it should be noted that the wing member 4 also is bilaterally 
symmetrical about a second symmetry axis 19 which is perpendicular to the 
first symmetry axis 17 and which is coincident with the slot 3 of the 
stabilizer disc 4. 
The shape of the wing member 2 in the drawings is shown as elliptical with 
the major axis of the ellipse coinciding with the first symmetry axis 17. 
However the second symmetry axis 19 may be longer than the first symmetry 
axis 17, provided that the second symmetry axis 19 is less than the 
diameter of the stabilizer disc 4. 
The flat wing member 2 also may have a diamond shape or a circular shape 
which accommodates two perpendicular symmetry axes. Other geometric shapes 
which will satisfy the need for two perpendicular symmetry axes also may 
be selected for the flat wing member 2. As shown in FIG. 4, it is possible 
to alter the aspect ratio of the flat wing member 4a of the device 1a by 
providing means for sliding two halves of the flat wing member 4a toward 
each other through the central slot (not shown) in the stabilizer disc 2a 
to a retracted position 4'a. The flat wing member retains its bilateral 
symmetry about the first symmetry axis 17a in both the extended position 
wherein the width of the flat wing member 4a is maximum and the retracted 
position wherein the width of the flat wing member 4'a is minimum. 
In use as a kite, the device 1 spins about the first symmetry axis 17 with 
the wing member 2 having its kite-string edge (that is, the edge which is 
nearest to the kite-string 16 at any instant) moving upwardly. Such 
rotation constitutes a stable flight mode. The rotation of the device 1 
may be reversed, for example, by suitable controls, by changes in the 
kite-string tension, so that the kite-string edge of the wing member 2 
moves downwardly. This flight mode alters and the device descends rapidly. 
Stable flight can be restored by suitable controls or by changes in the 
kite-string tension. A skilled kite operator can cause the device to 
ascend and to descend by skillfully causing changes in the direction of 
rotation of the wing member 2. 
The flight direction can be controlled by adjusting the angle of the plane 
of the wing member 2 with respect to the plane of the stabilizer disc 4. 
Normally the planes of the flat wing member 2 and the stabilizer disc 4 
are at right angles to each other. A slight change in that angle (prior to 
flight in the case of a kite) will cause the device to move in a 
corresponding direction. The angle adjustment may be achieved by altering 
the relative lengths of guy wires 8, 9, 10, 11. 
Mechanical linkages (not shown) or other means may be provided to regulate 
the relative lengths of the guy wires 9, 10, 11, 12, and thereby control 
the direction of movement of the device. Such mechanical linkages or other 
means may be operated by remote controls or by supplemental kite strings, 
for example, 
Occasionally when the device is operated as a kite, the rotation of the 
flat wing member may cease in flight and the kite will appear stationary 
for extended periods. 
When the coverings 6, 12 are formed from metal foils or metallized plastic 
films, arresting visual effects are created as ambient lights are 
reflected from the rotating surfaces. One or more spot light may be 
directed against an airborne device to create attention-arresting light 
flashes in the sky. A particularly useful application of the present 
rotary wing device is for rescue work. Lost boats, landed aircraft, 
hikers, skiers, travelers can attract attention by flying the metallized 
kites of this invention. The turning surfaces reflect sunlight, moonlight 
and other ambient lights. The surfaces also may be made from a 
microwave-reflective material to facilitate identification of the devices 
by radar detection equipment. 
The rotary wing device 1, free of harness and kite-strings, can be used as 
a free flight toss-and-catch toy thrown from one person to another. 
Multiple units of the device might be tossed into the air for free flight 
creating sparking visual effects in the sky. 
As shown in FIG. 5, the harness may be fabricated as a rigid arcuate member 
18 from lightweight metal rods or tubing, plastic rods or tubing, 
especially fiber-reinforced plastic tubing. The rigid arcuate member 18 
accommodates the rotation of the device and precludes the possibility of 
interference between the harness and the rotation and thus renders the 
device snag-proof. The open ends of the rigid arcuate member 18 are 
rotatably connected to the pin members. Alternatively as shown in FIG. 6, 
the harness may be fabricated as an enclosed rigid member 19, circular or 
elliptical in form from the same lightweight materials. The enclosed 
harness is connected at diametrically opposed points to the pin members. 
The enclosed harness has the advantages of the arcuate harness of FIG. 5, 
i.e., it is snag-proof, but in addition the harness of FIG. 6 has an 
interesting benefit when the device is employed as a tosstoy. By proper 
manipulation, the rotary device of Fig. 6 will perform like a boomerang 
and will return gracefully to the thrower. 
With appropriate materials of construction, the present device can be 
produced with a diameter (stabilizer disc) of three feet and a weight of 
three ounces or less. 
As shown in FIG. 5, multiple units 20 (20') of the device may be assembled 
on a common frame 21 which has opposed yoke arms 22, 23 (22', 23') with 
bearings 24, 25 (24', 25'). The wing members 26 (26') of the multiple 
units 20 (20') have a lengthwise shaft 27 (27') connected through the 
bearing 24, 25 (24', 25') to a pulley 28 (28') which in turn is connected 
through a drive belt 29 (29') to a drive pulley 30 (30') which is driven 
by a suitable reversing power source 31 (31'). By positively driving the 
wing members 26 (26') in the same or in opposite directions, and by 
properly adjusting the inclination of the stabilizer discs 32, 32' to wing 
members 26, 26' for the units 20 (20'), the movement of the assembly of 
FIG. 5 can be controlled in free flight.