Patent GB-190925116-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Heavier-than-air Aeronautical Machines.
Inventor: KNY ERHARD CECIL
IPC: B64C3/38
Filed: 1909-11-01
Granted: 1910-10-27
Abstract: 25,116. Kny, E. C. Nov. 1. [Cognate Application, 13,119/10.] Aerial machines without aerostats; cars.-A monoplane machine comprises a body a, Fig. 1 and 2, supporting-planes e, f, f<1> adjustable about transverse axes l, m, rear rudder 4 and biplane elevator h, front propeller 5 driven by a motor b, and rear propellers 7 driven by a separate motor c and adjusted by swinging their shafts 8 in vertical planes about their front ends. Vertical planes 12 are fixed to the body a at opposite sides of the propeller 5 to screen the main planes e. The body a is made somewhat boatshaped and of a more or less rectangular section with a tapering rear end, and provides accommodation for two aviators, one in charge of each motor, and also for a number of passengers between the two motors and behind the rear motor. The front planes e are mounted on the machine by means of a pair of spars i, which are connected to disks or levers k mounted to rotate about their centres. In a modification of this machine, the two supporting-planes e, f are of uniform size and are arranged as shown in Fig. 7 ; there are two propellers in the front of the machine instead of one ; and fixed horizontal and vertical planes are provided at the rear end of the body, the elevator and rudder being hinged to these fixed planes. Planes, construction of. -The front planes e, Fig. 1, are recessed at the front edge to receive the propeller 5, and the rear plane f, f<1> is T-shaped as shown. Downwardlyprojecting planes 2, 3 are freely hinged to the rear edges of the planes e, f to increase their lifting power. The front portions of the main planes may be made flexible, as shown in Fig. 9, so that the curvature of the plane may be varied. Such flexible portion is constructed of wires 35 connected to a front spar 36 and to arms 37 fixed to a rod i, which extends through the ribs 34 and is rotated therein for warping the plane. Steering and balancing are effected by the following arrangements :-(1) The main planes of the machine are arranged to be adjusted about transverse axes, the planes at opposite sides of the machine being adapted to be adjusted simultaneously or independently ; (2) the front edges of the planes may be flexible and arranged to be warped simultaneously with the adjustment of the planes about their transverse axes, so that an increase or decrease of the angle of incidence is automatically accompanied by a corresponding increase or decrease in the curvature of the plane, or the warping may be independent of the adjustment of the angle of incidence ; (3) lateral balancing-planes may be provided at the rear edges of the main planes ; (4) the rear propellers may be adjusted in vertical planes for raising or lowering the machine ; (5) pivoted or fixed controlling- planes are provided at the rear of the machine. (1) Fig. 3 shows one arrangement in which main planes e, f are adjusted in the same sense about axes e, m by chain gearing v, w operated by worm gear p and a hand-wheel r. Separate operating- gear may be provided for the planes e, f, and moreover the planes at opposite sides of the machine may have independent operating- gears. In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the planes e, f are connected to the sprocket-wheels of the chain gearing by pitch-chains 31, 33 as shown. Further, in order to counteract any excess of weight either at the front or rear of the machine, the front and rear main planes may be provided with means, such as ratchet or clutch gear, for adjusting their angles of incidence with referenee to one another. (2) The front portions of the main planes may be rendered flexible by means of wires 35, Fig. 9, connected to the front spar 36 and to arms 37 fixed on an axis i, which is rotatably mounted in the ribs 34 and provided with additional arms 38, which are connected by links 41 to the spar 36 and by links 39, Fig. 11, to standards 40 supporting the axis l, so that when the plane is turned about this axis l, the curvature of the plane is automatically varied by the constraint of the links 41,38, 39. The warping may be effected independently of the adjustment of the angle of incidence by adapting the lower ends of the links 39 so that they may be adjusted along the standards 40 by hand or otherwise. (3) Auxiliary planes 2<x> at the rear of the main planes e, Fig. 1, may be arranged to be adjusted in opposite directions. (4) The rear propellers 7 are secured upon shafts 8, the front ends of which are mounted in arms 10 rigidly fixed to the body, while the rear ends are mounted in arms 11, which are preferably hinged to the body so that they may be raised or lowered. (5) A biplane elevator h and rudder 4 are provided at the tail. In a modification, these planes are replaced by fixed vertical and horizontal planes which cross each other and are provided with an elevator and rudder hinged at the rear. Propelling.-In the machine shown in Fig. 1, a front propeller 5 is driven by one motor b, and rear propellers 7 are driven by a separate motor c. The front propeller 5 is mounted in a recess in the front plane e, which is shielded from the action of the propeller by vertical planes. In modification, there are two propellers at the front and two at the rear, those at one side of the machine rotating oppositely to those at the other side. Shock of landing, deadening.-In order to prevent damage to the wheels 13, Fig. 2, skids 14 may be arranged somewhat in front of and below the wheels so as to come into contact with the ground first, the skids being provided with springs, mounted for example in a buffer casing 16, to take up the shock.