APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION
Year: 1884

page_text: Í, HORATIO FREDERICK PHILLIPS, of 31 Chapel Street, Park Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION" to be as follows—
1
My invention relates to means to be used in conjunction with suitable propelling
apparatus for raising and.supporting an aerial machine or vehicle in the air. For
this purpose I provide the machine with a series of narrow blades arranged at
suitable distances apart so that air may act. independently upon each without
disturbance by the others.. The object of these blades is to deflect upward air that
comes in contact with their forward edges or portions in such a way as to cause a
partial vacuum to be created over a portion of the upper surface of the blade thus
aiding the air below to support the weight.
To this end the blades are made with doubly curved or inclined upper surfaces.
The under sides of the blades may be flat or concave in cross sectional form,
whilst the upper surfaces may be convex in cross section or of a form bevelled
towards each edge. The curvature of the convexity or the degrees of angularity
as the case may be will depend upon circumstances.
J.
-The propellers employed may with advantage be constructed with blades to
operate on the same principle.
"

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. .
J, HORATIO FREDERICK PHILLIPS, of 31 Chapel Street, Park Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION and .in what, manner the same is to.be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to means to be used in conjunction with suitable propelling
apparatus for raising and supporting an aerial machine or vehicle in the air. For
this purpose I provide the machine with a series of narrow blades arranged at
suitable distances apart so that air may act independently upon each without
disturbance by the others. The object of these blades is to deflect upward air
that comes in contact with their forward edges or portions in such a way as to
cause a partial vacuum to be created over a portion of the upper surface of the
blade thus aiding the air below to support the weight. To this end the blades
are made with doubly curved or inclined upper surfaces. The under sides of the
blades may be flat or concave. in cross sectional form, whilst the upper surfaces
may be convex in cross section or of a form bevelled towards each edge. The
curvature of the convexity or the degrees of angularity as the case may be will
depend upon circumstances.
The propellers employed may with advantage be constructed with blades; to
operate on the same principle.
Upon the annexed sheet of drawings there are shewn in cross section various
forms of blades according to my invention. Some of these are comparatively
narrow, and some are broader, but all are characterised by having doubly curved
or inclined upper surfaces, with flat or concave under surfaces. In Figs.1 and 2
the under surfaces are flat or very nearly so, while the curvature of the upper
surface is not great. In Fig 3 the curvature is more marked Figs 4 and 5 are
broader examples with a moderate degree of curvature both above and below.
Fig 6 shews an extreme case in-which the distinguishing features of the invention
are probably carried to excess. It, however, serves admirably to demonstrate the
phenomenon which it is the object to produce, for if a current of air be made to
impinge upon it in the direction of the arrow a₁, it can be shewn by means of a
delicate gauge, such as a ribbon or thread that an induced current flows in the
direction of the arrow a. Figs 7 and 8 are also sections of forms used to demon-
strate the action of the air upon the blades, and to shew that the air is deflected
upwards by the forward part of the upper surface and a vacuum is formed on the
after-part. If blades of this section be pivotted at their front edges, or at a point
in advance of their front edges, and be exposed to a current of air of sufficient
velocity coming in the direction of the arrow they will rise into the position shewn
(with relation to the direction of the current) in the drawings.
It is advantageous that the greatest depth of hollow should be one third of the
total width from the forward or leading edge, and the amount of concavity of the
lower surface and convexity of the upper surface should bear a relation to the
speed of the air current, when this is possible.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The use for raising, supporting and propelling aërial machines or vehicles, of
blades the upper surfaces of which, viewed in cross-section, are bounded by one
or more curved lines, or by two or more straight lines, or by curved and straight
lines, so arranged that a current of air striking the forward edge of the blade at an
acute angle is deflected upwards by the forward part of the surface, and a vacuum
(or partial vacuum) is formed on the after surface substantially as described.
2. The use for raising, supporting and propelling aërial machines or vehicles, of
blades of the form substantially as described with reference to and illustrated in
the drawings annexed.