Patent GB-885663-A (GB)
Title: Improvement relating to aircraft
IPC: B64C29/00
Filed: 1957-12-06
Abstract: 885,663. Propelling aircraft. LAING, N., and ECK, B. Dec. 6, 1957 [Dec. 7, 1956(3) ; Dec. 31, 1956(2) ; April 18, 1957], No. 38086/57. Class 4. [Also in Groups XXI and XXVI] Transverse-flow blowers having means for inducing an approximately cylindrical vortex flow through the blower as described in Specification 876,611 are used for the jet propulsion of aircraft. Fig. 19 shows a delta-wing aircraft in which vertical lift is provided by four transverseflow blower rotors 190 driven by three interconnected turbines 190a, stabilization being effected by jets at 193, 194. In high-speed (e.g. supersonic) flight, when the delta wing provides the lift, the blower air intake openings 191 in the upper surface of the wing can be closed by covers 196. An aircraft, Figs. 20 and 21, which can also run as a road vehicle on retractable wheels 207, comprises four transverse-flow blower rotors 200, each in four sections, for providing vertical lift. A cowling 206 prevents the propulsive air jets from escaping laterally during take-off. The rotors are driven by a power unit 200a which is centrally located so that it can be jettisoned in emergency without effecting the equilibrium of the aircraft. In the aircraft shown in Figs. 23 and 24, vertical lift is provided by pairs of transverse-flow blower rotors 232, 233, each pair being driven by a turbine 237. The turbines are connected to a common gas-generator 239. Alternatively, the rotors may be driven by a piston engine. When the aircraft is used as a road vehicle, sub-frames 234 carrying the rotors 233 are brought into the position shown in Fig. 27, as by folding relative to main frames 231. Fig. 30 shows a modification in which rotors 300 are disposed on arcs 300a (or alternatively on straight lines), the outer pair of each set of four rotors being retractable to the dotted position. The flow through the rotors is guided by members 303. Figs. 32 and 33 show a vertical-lift launcher for a rocket 320; the launcher could be modified to form a long-range aircraft. Three symmetrical arms 321 each carry four transverse-flow blower rotors 323 driven by two gas turbine engines 325. The lift provided by the rotors is augmented by the turbine exhaust which is downwardly and outwardly directed through cowlings 326. The rocket tail fins 329 pass through slits 328 on launching, in the light aircraft shown in Fig. 34, a pair of transverse-flow blower rotors 345 are mounted sideby-side on an inclined axis behind the pilot's cabin 341 and driven by piston engines. The propulsive air flow can be throttled, either by movement of the guide body (not shown) stabilizing the vortex of each rotor 345 or by movement of deflecting members. The glider. shown in Fig. 36 comprises an auxiliary power unit in which an opposed-piston I.C. engine 364 drives a transverse-flow blower rotor 366 contained within guide means 367. When not in use, the power unit is retracted into the dotted position within the fuselage. Figs. 39 and 40 show an aircraft in which transverse-flow blower rotors 393 are mounted within the wings to provide a jet flap effect for generating lift and may produce the whole of the forward thrust. Alternatively, turbo-jet or ram jet power units may be provided for producing thrust in normal flight, the jet flap effect being used only to generate lift during take-off and landing. The rotors are driven by an engine 394 which may be of radial type with a cooling air volute discharging rearwardly at 395 to provide additional propulsive thrust. In the above embodiments, guide members as described in Specification 876,611 may be used for controlling and throttling the flow. Internal guide and control means as shown in Fig. 2 of Specification 876,612 may be used. Where two rotors are provided side-by-side, the arrangement shown  in Fig. 4 of Specification 876,613 may be used. Where a rotor is driven by a gas turbine, the turbine blades may be carried by the rotor. Where turbines are driven by the exhaust from a main jet-propulsion engine, deflecting means may be used to deflect the jet for this purpose during take-off and landing. In the case of a long blower rotor comprising several sections, a bearing may be provided between each section, the bearings being held rigidly when starting up and released when the critical speed is reached. Specifications 885,665 and 885,666 also are referred to.