Patent GB-1445835-A (GB)
Title: Toy flying machines
IPC: A63H27/00
Filed: 1973-03-05
Abstract: 1445835 Toy gliders R M P LECKIE 4 Oct 1973 [4 Oct 1972 5 March 1973] 45789/72 and 10479/73 Heading A6S A toy glider has a fuselage, with wings or a part of the wings hinged to the fuselage removable between retracted positions and operative positions, the wings being biassed to pivot to their operative, open positions from their retracted positions but being retained temporarily after launch in their retracted positions by the action of aerodynamic surfaces which subsequently, after wing opening to the operative position act as lift surfaces. In one form, the wings 11, Fig. 1, of a toy glider have bars 13 on pivots 16 at their leading edges. Sheets of flexible material 14 connected between the bars 13 and the glider fuselage 10 provide the main areas of the wings 11. Arms 17 fast with the pivoted bars 13 carry freely sliding sleeves 18 each having a hook 19 engaged with an elastic band 21 lodged over the nose 22 of the glider. The elastic band 21 biasses the wings 11 to the open position shown. To launch the toy glider, the wings 11 are pivoted back to lie parallel to the fuselage 10. Pins 29 at the ends of the wing bars 13 are then lightly latched with pins 28 forming a catch at the rear end of a lever 23 (see also Fig. 2) mounted on a pivot pin 24 in a slot 25 along the fuselage 10. An elastic band 26 biasses the lever 23 to turn clockwise. The frictionally engagement between the wing pins 29 and the lever catch pins 28 is insufficient by itself to restrain the wings 11 in their pivoted-back position. Accordingly a small wing 27 is provided upon the catch lever 23, so that movement of the glider through the air reacts through the wing 27 to help maintain the wing pins 28, 29, &c. engaged. In use, the wings 11 are folded back, and the pins 28, 29 engaged; the wings 11 are held by hand in this folded-back position. A catapult is engaged with a hook 31 on the fuselage, and the glider released. Initial fast movement through the air reacts upon the wing 27 of the catch lever 23 to retain the wing pins 28, 29 engaged, with the wings 11 folded back. As the velocity of the glider decreases, the reaction upon the wing 27 falls. Ultimately the catch 28, 29 is released, the wings I spring out and the glider returns slowly to earth. Instead of the lever 23, the whole tailplane (12), Fig. 4 (not shown) may pivot to provide a releasable latch for the wings. The wings may instead pivot at their trailing edges, Fig. 5 (not shown), or may pivot forwards Fig. 6 (not shown) being then mounted at the rear of the fuselage. In another form, a glider has a plastics fuselage 40, Figs. 7, 8, with a weighted nose 41. Sheet plastics wings 44 are hinged along the sides of the fuselage and have anchorages 47 for an elastic band 48 which biasses the wings upwards against a stop 50. Inclined fins 45 are formed at the trailing edges of the wings 44. To fly the toy glider, the wings 44 are turned downwards, so that their lower faces abut. The fins 45 then diverge outwardly. A catapult is engaged with a hook 51 on the fuselage, and the glider released. Initially the force of the air on the fins 45 keeps the wings 44 in their downwards, back-to-back position. As the glider's velocity falls, the force of the air on the fins 45 decreases, and the elastic band 48 turns the wings 44 out to the position shown.