Patent GB-885666-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in aircraft wings
IPC: B64C23/00
Filed: 1957-12-06
Abstract: 885,666. Aircraft. LAING, N., and ECK, B. Dec. 6, 1957 [Dec. 7, 1956(2) ; Dec. 31, 1956 ; April 18, 1957], No. 29475/61. Divided out of 885, 663. Class 4. [Also in Group XXVI] A jet flap wing comprises a blower including at least one cylindrical bladed rotor running longitudinally of the wing and means to generate a vortex extending lengthwise of the rotor eccentrically of its axis and to guide air twice through the blades of the rotor, so that in operation, air is drawn in from one area running longitudinally of the wing, and discharged at another such area. Fig. 1 shows some of the blades 3 of a rotor, being concave in the direction of rotation, and having their outer edges leading their inner edges. A guide surface 9 is spaced from the rotor by at least one third of the blade depth, and results in the formation of a stationary vortex V, airflow through the rotor being shown by the streamlines F. Maximum flow velocity occurs near the streamline MF, where the air flow is deflected through 180 degrees. In Fig. 5, guide bodies 50, 51, 52, 53 are stationary and located within the rotor. The vortex V develops about the body 53. Further guide plates 54, 55, 56 are provided, and butterfly type valve members 57a, 57b, 57c, are used to control the mass flow. The blades are supported by discs or rings arranged at intervals along the rotor. The rotor may be driven by a torque shaft, or by a gas flow directed on to turbine blades on the rotor, the gas passing out of the turbine blades then flowing into the rotor, see Figs. 9-14, not shown. In a wing, the air intake may be in the upper surface, at two fifths or nine tenths of the wing chord from the leading edge. In Fig. 17, the rotor 174 is located at the trailing edge of a wing 170, and is mounted on a chordwise movable member 175, so that it may be retracted to the broken line position 176, and the wing contour is then completed as shown in broken lines at 173, the rotor only being used during take-off and landing. The rotor may rotate clockwise, as shown, or anticlockwise, the air intake then being at the upper rear face, and discharge at the lower forward face. The guide means 177 is inside the rotor, and may be rotatable to vary the direction of discharge, and hence the circulation round and lift on the wing. In Fig. 19, the rotor 191 co-operates with a guide body 192 to establish a vortex V. Air is drawn in through aperture 193, and discharged into a convergent duct with walls 195, 196, leading to a second rotor 198, guide means for which is formed by the trailing edge 199 of wall 196 and results in a vortex V<SP>1</SP>. This rotor is not power driven, but autorotates, and discharges the air from the duct downwardly. In Fig. 21, there are three rotors 213a, 213b, 213c, with guide means 214a, 214b, 214c, forming vortices V. Air is drawn in through aperture 211, and discharged downwardly through aperture 212. The ducts 215a, 215b between successive rotors form diffusors. An adjustable flap 216 controls the direction of discharge. Similar embodiments show the use of one or two rotors, Figs. 16 and 20, (not shown) In Fig. 23, a trailing edge flap 230 is hinged to the wing 231 at 232. The rotor 233 and its guide means 237 are mounted on a retractable member 234, so that when the rotor is retracted to the broken line position, flap 230 can be swung up, and encloses the rotor. The rotor discharges over the surface 230a of flap 230, and pivoting of the flap varies the direction of discharge. In a modification, Fig. 22, (not shown), the rotor is non-retractable, and the rotor and flap are so mounted that when the flap is downwardly inclined, the rotor discharges along its forward -and downwardly facing surface. When the flap extends rearwardly, it forms a vertical duct with the wing, the rotor being in the duct. The guide means for the rotor is formed by the leading edge of the flap. In Fig. 27, both the inlet 273 and the outlet 274' are in the wing undersurface. The inlet is closable by a sliding cover 275. The trailing edge 276 is movable bodily rearwardly on rods 277. In Fig. 28, a rotor 243 and guide means 244 draw air inwardly through an aperture 245, and discharge over the upper surface of a flap 242 through a slot like nozzle 241. This may remove the boundary layer from the upper surface of the wing. The direction of discharge is variable by pivoting flap 242. In a modification, Fig. 28, (not shown), a second rotor discharges through a second nozzle along the undersurface of the flap. In a further embodiment, the aperture 245 is replaced by an opening in the wing undersurface, and the upper surface of nozzle 241 is a flap which is pivotable to vary the nozzle area. In Fig. 28, a further rotor 262 with guide means 264, receives air from aperture 245, and discharges it rearwardly over the wing upper surface through a closable aperture 265. In the various embodiments, the rotors may be used only during take-off and landing to provide lift, or may also provide forward thrust. Specifications 876,611 and 885,665 also are referred to.