Patent GB-191008822-A (GB)
Title: Aeromobile.
Inventor: HARRIMAN JOHN EMERY
IPC: B64C33/02
Filed: 1910-04-12
Granted: 1911-03-23
Abstract: 8822. Harriman, J. E. April 12. Aerial machines with and without aerostats; planes, arrangement and construction of; parachutes; propelling; steering. - An aerial m a c h i n e is provided with one or more pairs of laterally - extending supporting planes or wings which are pivoted .to the longitudinal . back-bone of the machine in order that they may be adjusted to balance the machine or vibrated to raise it, the .wings being provided with separate parts on which the aviator can bear his weight so as to raise or lower the wings. The wings 3, 4, Fig. 4, are shown in biplane arrangement, and comprise front and rear curved spars connected by ribs, the curvature of which increases from the tip to the inner end. The wings are carried by front and rear spars 5 connected at their inner ends by rods 24 and braced by struts 6, 8, 9 joined together at their lower ends. The spars 5 are also braced by ties 7 connected to the ends of the spars and passing around the lower end of the rods 6. The spars 5 of the superposed planes may be arranged parallel to one another or may converge, as shown, being connected to a bracket 17 pivoted on the outer casing 2, Fig. 1, of the back-bone 1 of the machine. The inner ends of the spars are crossed, as shown, and are connected by front and rear pairs of links 18 to a longitudinal rod 19 slidable vertically at its front end in a slotted guide 20 depending from the casing 2 and connected at its rear end to a vertical rod 22 slotted to pass over the back-bone 1 and carrying the seat for the aviator. The rod 19 is connected to the platform by springs 36, 37 tending to raise the rod and lower the extremities of the wings. A spring 35, Fig. 4, connecting the lower ends of the rods 6 also tends to lower the wings. The aviator can raise the wings (1) by standing on the bars 24 at the inner ends of the wings, (2) by sitting on the seat, which, through the rod 22, lowers the rod 19, and he can raise or depress the wings by moving inwards or outwards the bars 31, 32 carried by the frame of an arched roof 30 pivoted to the spars 5. The sides of the arched roof are preferably of transparent material. The wings can be adjusted also by means of compressed air acting on a piston-rod 38, Fig. 1, connected to the rod 19. The piston-rod 38 is held in any position by a pawl 44 engaging with a rack on the piston-rod. The tips of the wings can be warped by cords 110, Fig. 4, which are connected to the tips, passing around pulleys on the rods 6, and are connected to cranks at the ends of the rotatable bars 31, 32. The space between the superposed wings may be enclosed to contain a buoyant gas for raising the machine. In the monoplane arrangement of the wings, the gas bags are attached to the wings. In a modified form, the wings may consist of three superposed planes 150, 151, 152, Fig. 18, each provided with front and rear spars, connected at their inner ends by rods 162 from which the platform 164 is slung by links 165. The spars at the front and at the rear are pivoted to one another at the point 163, and rods 166 are provided for the aviator to grasp. By transferring his weight to the rods 166 or to the platform 164, the aviator can lower or raise the wings. Springs 167 tend to lower the wings. The wings, platform, and a fixed supporting plane 170 can be formed of depending flaps which close to form a continuous surface when they descend. The rods 166 can be moved longitudinally to operate by cords 173 a rudder 174, Fig. 20, extending from a fixed vertical plane 171. The rudder can be turned by a crank 187 into an horizontal plane to act as an elevator. In another form, the spars 176, Fig. 21, of the wings are pivoted together at 179 and are curved as shown, so that the springs 180 connected to their ends tend to hold the wings either raised or lowered. In another form, the spars of the wings do not cross one another, but are pivoted at their inner ends. The platform is supported from the wings, and a spring and the weight of the operator tend to lower the wings. The wings are raised by the operator forcing apart the hand-rods 166. The platform 182, Fig. 26, may be slung directly from the pivot 163 of the wings, in which case the wings are lowered by the aeronaut acting on the rods 166 and by the motor acting on the devices 183. This form of the machine may be provided with lifting- screws 186 and a propelling-screw 184. In addition to the operation and warping of the wings 3, 4, Fig. 1, before described, steering may be effected by one or more horizontal planes 49, 50, Fig. 5, and vertical planes 71 carried by a U-shaped frame 48 situated either at the front or rear of the main planes, and adjustable about three axes. The steering- planes may be detached from the machine and used as a glider. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the steering-planes 49, 50 are provided with a central longitudinal aperture, and are secured by wire bracings to the frame. 48. The frame 48 is carried by a transverse rod 70 mounted to rotate in a bearing 69 rotatable about a vertical axis on a bracket 67. The bracket 67 is secured by a thumb-screw to the rotatable casing 2 surrounding the longitudinal back-bone 1. The vertical arms of the frame 48 carry the vertical rudder surfaces 71, which are preferably made of transparent material. The bracket 67 carries a depending hand-lever 113, by reaction against which the passenger sitting on the seat 112 in the frame 48 can move the frame independently of the aviator, should the latter become incapacitated. The aviator, situated between the main planes 3, 4, can turn the frame 48, and the surfaces 71 carried thereby, about a vertical axis by cords 87 connected to the ends of the transverse rod 70 and connected to the bars 31, 32, which can slide longitudinally on their bearings in the frames 25, 26. The tilting of the planes 49, 50 to vary the inclination is effected by cords 79 connected to the lower end of the frame 48, and by cords 82 connected to the upper end of the frame, which are connected to the ends of a transverse bar secured to the upper end of a steering- lever 78 pivoted on the casing 2. The cords 82 before connecting with the transverse bar are passed around pulleys 83. By moving the lever 78 sideways, the casing 2 is rocked on the shaft 1 and turns the planes 49, 50 about a longitudinal axis so as to raise one side and depress the other. The movement of the lever 78 to vary the inclination of the planes also serves to alter the plane of action of a rear auxiliary propeller 93 which is mounted on its shaft so that it can turn about a transverse axis. Pivoted to the rear of the casing, and controlled by cords actuated by the lever 78, is a double lever 99 provided with rollers which bear against the hub of the propeller 93. In a modified form, the rollers 102, 103, Fig. 10, bearing against the propeller hub are of unequal size, so that when the casing 2 is moved longitudinally on the shaft 1 the rollers cause the propeller to take up an inclined position. The main and auxiliary propellers 45, 93 are driven by shaft 1 which is connected to the motor. The shaft 1 rotates inside the casing 2. A seat 114, Fig. 1, for a passenger is hung from the backbone of the machine, and can be moved longitudinally thereon by cords 116 to adjust the centre of gravity of the machine. Aerial machines adapted to travel also on land and water.-Land-wheels are arranged at the front and rear of the machine, and wheels 107 are fitted to the lower end of the bracings of the wings. Floats 141, 142, 145 to support the machine on water are situated at the lower parts of the wing frames and of the rear frame 48. Tanks, arrangement of.-The tanks 117, 118, Fig. 4, for the fuel and cooling-water of the motor are situated on the planes, and are each divided into two parts, containing respectively the water and fuel.