Patent GB-403157-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in flying machines
IPC: B64C27/00
Filed: 1932-07-14
Abstract: 403,157. Supporting and propelling aircraft. McLAUGHLIN, R. J., 73, West End Avenue, Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. July 14, 1932, No. 19945. Convention date, Aug. 17, 1931. [Classes 4 and 114.] A flying machine is supported by oppositely driven horizontal hollow wind wheels having peripheral hollow teeth resembling those of a buzz-saw and adapted to drive air inwardly towards the centres of the wheels whence it escapes axially downwardly. Fig. 1 shows an aircraft provided with fixed wings 15 set at a dihedral angle and upper and lower wind-wheels mounted on oppositely rotated tubular shafts 6, 10, respectively. The wind-wheels are formed with teeth 7, 8, Fig. 2, shown in section in Fig. 13. The upper wind-wheel comprises an outer metal covered surface 80, a similar inner surface 85 braced to the outer surface by trusses 81 and a lower surface 82 terminating at 3 where is the central axial vent permitting air entering at 7 and passing between surfaces 82, 85 to escape downwardly. Further bracing is shown at 79, 83 and 86 and 2 indicates a spoke as shown in Fig. 2. The lower wind-wheel is similarly formed, but the lower inner surface 74 is braced by trussing and the upper surface terminates in register with the axial vent of the upper wheel, curved surfaces 28, 29 being employed to prevent escape of air. The lower axial vent extends to the ring 11, Figs. 2 and 13. Upper and lower spokes 2, 13 are of streamline section. Rings 30, 31, Fig. 13, on the upper and lower wheels also tend to prevent escape of air from the centre of the wheels. The shaft 6 revolves on bearings on a central shaft 39, Fig. 11, and the shaft 10 revolves on bearings secured to the body. Three water-cooled motors of 80 horse-power each indicated at 59, 63 and 65, Fig. 11, are arranged radially around the shaft 39 and drive gear wheels with hemispherical teeth meshing with similar recesses formed in upper and lower wheels 33, 36, Fig. 12, connected to the shafts 10 and 6, respectively. The connection between these wheels and their respective shafts is by upper and lower spiral springs 60, 67, 69, 71 connected to the rim of the wheels and to the shafts in the manner shown in Fig. 11. The springs are enclosed by plates 32, 66, 68, 37. The upper and lower springs of each pair are connected to diametrally opposed points on to rim of the driving wheel. Also meshing between the wheels 33, 36 is a gear wheel 41 on a shaft 44 spigoted into a shaft 21, Fig. 3, upon which is mounted the propeller. The driving connection between shafts 44, 21 is by a spiral spring anchored to the shafts at its opposite ends. The propeller shaft, Fig. 3, is journalled at its outer end in a bearing 26 formed in a cone-member 20 braced to the body by hoops 16. The propeller comprises curved vanes 18, Figs. 3 and 4, designed to drive air inwardly into a space 19. The vanes are attached at their front ends to the shaft 21 and at their rear ends to a circular hoop 17 stayed from the shaft 21 by arms 25. The latter may be twisted to form a wind-wheel, the blades having an angle of incidence to the air current through them of approximately 45‹ at the outer ends decreased to about 5‹ towards the axis. The teeth openings 7, 8 of the wind-wheels may be provided with automatic shutters 49, Fig. 10, spring influenced to close the openings when the external and internal air pressures balance as may occur on the retreating side of the wind-wheel when the peripheral speed of rotation equals the speed of translation of the wheel.