Patent GB-362360-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for stabilizing aircraft, submarines and the like
IPC: B64C17/00
Filed: 1930-09-01
Abstract: 362,360. Stabilizing aircraft and submarines. ERICKSON, L. A., West McHenry, Illinois, U.S.A. Sept. 1, 1930, No. 26071. [Classes 4 and 114.] For stabilizing aircraft, submarines, &c., a pendulum 42, Fig. 10, co-operates with contact plates 44 .. 47 to close circuits for energizing electromagnets 52 .. 55 which close the circuits of reversible motors 81, 134 for tilting pivoted planes. An aeroplane is described having an upper series of planes 19, Fig. 3, divided at the centre and pivoted about transverse shafts supported by members 21, and a lower series of planes 18 pivoted on shafts projecting from each side of the fuselage, the upper planes being tiltable in opposite directions for lateral balancing automatically or manually at will and the lower planes being tiltable manually in conjunction with the upper planes for varying the lift. An elevator 23 is operable manually or automatically at will. The planes are connected by a system of links and levers passing through the hollow members 21 to two pairs of rods 35, 37 extending longitudinally of the machine to the control cabin where they are connected to bellcrank levers 105, 185, Fig. 13, having pin and slot connections to rods 96, 97 and 76, 77, Figs. 11 and 13, of the control apparatus. The rods 76, 77 are fixed to a ring 80 in which rotates an internally' toothed ring 82 to which the rods 96, 97 are symmetrically pivoted at 98, 99. The rods 96, 97 slide in bearings 94, 95 on a bar secured to the fuselage and the whole apparatus is supported through ball connections on the ends of the rods 76, 77 by an arm 169 on a hand-lever 162 which can be locked to a quadrant 165 pivoted about hinges 166, 167. An upward extension 171 on the end of the arm 169 engages the lower end of an arm 86 on the ring 82 so that lateral movement of the lever 162 causes opposite movements of the rods 96, 97 and therefore opposite movements of the planes 19 on the two sides of the machine. Fore and aft movements of the lever 162 by raising and lowering the four rods 76, 77, 96, 97 move the whole of the planes simultaneously. in the same sense. The arm 86 is normally centred by springs 91, 92. A pinion 85 on the reversible motor 81 carried by a bracket 75 on the apparatus enables the planes 19 to be tilted automatically by turning the ring 82, the motor being controlled by the pendulum device and electromagnetic relays already described. Switches 124, 125 in the path of the arm 86 prevent excessive movement of the planes. The pendulum also controls the elevator 23 by energizing a reversible motor 134, Fig. 8, acting on a rack 133 on a vertical bar 132 connected to the elevator cables. The bar 132 is normally centred by springs 138, 139 and limit switches 155, 156 prevent overactuation of the elevator. One of the elevator cords is connected to the lower end of a hand-lever which is also capable of lateral tilting to control the rudder. A locking lever 179 on the lever 162, and a similar lever on the elevator control lever, breaks the circuit of the automatic control when manual control is desired.