Improvements in Flying Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
I, GEORGE LOUIS OUTRAM DAVIDSON, of 59, Jermyn Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: :-
This invention relates to automatic apparatus for maintaining the equilibrium
of a flying machine.
The machine is provided with a tail in three parts situate at the rear part of
the machine, two side parts pivotted to horizontal longitudinal axes and a central
part pivotted to a horizontal transverse axis.
Each side part is connected to and turned by an endless chain carried over
guide pulleys. One branch passing above and the other below the pivot of the
central part so that when the latter is raised or lowered as hereinafter described
both chains are pulled in one direction or the other causing an additional move-
ment of the side parts.
The side parts are also turned independently of the central part by a motor
carried by the latter and acting on the chains, the gearing being such that the
chains are in this case pulled in opposite directions, one side part being raised when
the other is lowered. The central part carries a second motor working a vertical
screw which passes through a nut fixed to the main frame of the machine so that
when the screw is turned the whole tail is raised or lowered as the case may be.
Both motors are put into action by a pendulum which tends always to keep
vertical. When the machine inclines to one side or the other the pendulum puts
the first mentioned motor into action in one direction or the other so suitably
adjusting the side parts of the tail and when the machine inclines either up or
down longitudinally to a greater angle than that to which the mechanism is set
the pendulum put the second motor into action in one direction or the other so
raising or lowering all three parts of the tail as above described.
Dated this 20th day of June 1808
GEORGE L. O. DAVIDSON.
Improvements in Flying Machines.
I, GEORGE LOUIS OUTRAM DAVIDSON, of 59, Jermyn Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to automatic apparatus for maintaining the equilibrium
of a Aving machine.

page_text: Figure 1 is a sectional plan and Figure 2 a central vertical section.
The machine is provided with a tail in three parts a bb situate at the rear part of
the machine, two side parts 6 fixed to horizontal longitudinal axes 61 and a central
part a pivotted to a horizontal transverse axis a¹.
The axis 6 of each side part b has fixed to it an arm 62, is connected to and
turned by an endless chain c, carried over guide pulleys d, one branch passing
above and the other below the axis a¹ of the central part a so that when the latter
is raised or lowered as hereinafter described both chains are pulled in one direction
or the other causing an additional movement of the side parts.
b
The side parts 6 are also turned independently of the central part a by a motor e
acting on the chains c, the gearing being such that the chains are in this case
pulled in opposite directions, one side part b being raised when the other is lowered.
The motor e drives a shaft et having on it a worm gearing with the worm wheel e²
on the same shaft as the chain wheel e³ around which one of the chains passes.
The shaft e has on it a toothed wheel e gearing with a toothed wheel e on the
shaft which carries a worm gearing with the worm wheel e' on the same shaft as
the chain wheel 8 around which the other chain passes. The body of the machine
carries a second motor f working a vertical screw I which passes through
a nut h
working in a slotted arm fixed to the centre part a of the tail so that when the
screw is turned the whole tail is raised or lowered as the case may be.
Both motors are put into action by a pendulum j which tends always to keep
vertical. When the machine inclines to one side or the other the pendulum puts
the first mentioned motor e into action in one direction or the other so suitably
adjusting the side parts b of the tail and when the machine inclines either up or
down longitudinally to a greater angle than that to which the mechanism is set
the pendulum puts the second motor f into action in one direction or the other so
raising or lowering all three parts of the tail as above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The tail having two side parts pivotted to a central part which is pivotted to
the body substantially as described.
2. Working the side parts by chains passing on each side of the pivot of the
middle part so that the side parts are turned relatively to the middle part by the
motion of the latter substantially as described.
3. Turning the two side parts simultaneously in opposite directions by a single
motor substantially as described.
4. Governing the motors by a pendulum substantially as described.
5. The means for working the tail substantially as described and illustrated in
the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of March 1890.
GEORGE L. O. DAVIDSON.