Patent GB-441084-A (GB)
Title: A new or improved wind screen for aircraft
IPC: B64D7/02
Filed: 1934-07-13
Abstract: 441,084. Windscreens and gun-dispositions on aircraft. VICKERS (AVIATION), Ltd., and WALLIS, B. N., Byfleet Road, Weybridge, Surrey. July 13, 1934, Nos. 20578/34 and 9141/35. [Class 4] [See also Group XXI] A windscreen for the nose or tail of an aircraft, and which may be used as a gunmounting is in the form of a body of revolution about an axis so disposed that the screen forms a continuation of the aircraft body, the screen being mounted so as to be angularly adjustable about its axis. As shown in plan view in Fig. 2 the screen 1 is formed as a transparent body or glazed frame and is used as a gun-mounting constituting the nose of the fuselage 2 on which it is rotatably mounted by means of segments 28 forming a complete or incomplete annular bearing including flanges 29, Fig. 10, connected radially-adjustably to the fuselage and a projecting runway 30 for pairs of rollers 31, 32 which are carried by eccentric pins 33 on the base of the screen and bear respectively on the flanges and web of the runway. To retain the screen in any position, one or more selfapplied brake-shoes (not shown), or other means may be provided connected for example by a Bowden wire to a pedal or other control which may be supplemented by a power device for rotating the screen. The observer or gun-operator occupies a seat 3, Fig. 2, pivotally mounted and preferably vertically - adjustable on a post carried by a bracket projecting into the screen from the fuselage, a foot-rest 6 being fixed to the seat. Alternatively the seat may be otherwise mounted to have any required motion. The gun 8 is rotatably mounted in gimbals 37, Fig. 7, in a carriage 9 slidable on rollers 10, 11 on the flanges and webs respectively of opposed channels 12, 13 bordering a slot 7 formed in one side of the screen, a counterbalance weight being carried in a carriage 14, Fig. 2, mounted between extensions of the channels and being connected to the gun-carriage by an endless cable 15 so that the two carriages move oppositely and maintain the balance of the screen. The balance weight alternatively may be arranged to move radially and, by increasing its movement, may be of less mass than the gun. A brake 26 is self-applied against the channel 13 and is retractable by a Bowden wire operated from a control on the gun or gun-carriage. In order to cover the slot as the gun is being moved, an articulated band is rolled at one end on an adjustable spring reel 24, Fig. 2, at the forward end of the slot and is hinged at its other end to the gun-carriage, the band consisting of a series of metal slats 17, Fig. 4, and a series of transparent strips 19 mounted between rollers 21, 22 running on the webs and flanges respectively of opposed channels 23 fixed on the outside of the screen at the borders of the slot 7. As the gun-carriage is moved along the slot the open portion thereof is protected from draught by a transparent deflector 38 fixed to the carriage. Alternatively the band may be in two parts on each side of the gun-carriage and adapted to roll on reels at the forward and rear ends respectively of the slot, thus dispensing with the deflector. Blinds &c. inside the screen may protect the observer from the sun.