US1011604A - Aeroplane. - Google Patents

Description

H. J. FRENCH.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9.,1910.

Patented Dec. 12,1911.

Her-barf ..I.Frennh H. J. FRENCH. AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1910. 1,01 1,604. Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' Hat-heft .lF'I'Emnh V auomu HERBERT J. rRENcH, or sna'rrnn, wAsHIivsroNQ AEBOPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented fl ec 1 2 Application filed June 9,1910 Serial No. 565,927.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HE BERT J. FRn oH, a. citizen of the United States of America, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aero-.

planes, 'of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relatesto heavier-than air flying machins'and the principal object of the same is to produce a flying machine of the aeroplane type in which a novel combined supporting plane and rudder is provided and arranged at the forward end of the machine so that it is always in position to be seen by the aviator.

The invention also contemplates a novel main plane which is provided. withbalancing fins provided with movable sections adapted to be manipulated to deflect the air beneath the lowered end of the main plane to check tilting ofthe machine, the movable and stationary portions of the fins opposing skidding l of the machine.

In addition to the foregoing prominent features, the invention contemplates the employment of propelling means which project beyond the rear of the machine, and novel supporting means for the machine when on the ground which also absorbs shocks and jars incidental to. landing.

In carrying out the objects of the invention generally stated above it will be under stood, of course, that the essential features thereof are necessarily susceptible of changes in details and structural arrangements, one

preferred -'and practical embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein-:--- I .Figure 1 is a perspective view .of the improve'daeroplane. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view. F ig. 3 is "a View in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the combined supporting plane and rudder.

' Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation a .plan view of a foot lever for controlling the tilting movements of the supportingplane and rudder. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary showing the guiding means for the rear of the supporting plane and rudder. Fig. 6 is view showing a plate that controls the balancing fins, and a hand lever that controls .the vertical movements of the supporting plane and'rudder. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the construction ofv the supporting plane and'rudder.

a detail fragmentary sectional: view .of the main plane and the finsocarriedgthereby.

Fig. 10 is a detail view ofa yieldablerpulle used in connection with the leads ofrcontro ling lines or cables. v Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, it will 'be seen that .theimproved aeroplane comprises an elongated frame formed of the spaced base members- 1--2 which converge and have their forward ends fastened together.. saidbase members are connected at intervals by the transverse brace bars 3,and carry'uprights 4 which are arranged in" pairs the members of which converge and-support the upper centrally located longitudinal frame member 5. The frame member!) is "in the form of an arch and the forward end Gextends down to and is rigidly fastened to the for-" ward ends of the base members 1 and 2. A

resilient skid or runner 7 extends beneath the forward portion of theframe, the free end of said skid having a wire or othersuitable connection 8 withone of'the forward braces 3. Said skid serves as a'supp'ort'for the forward end of the frame when on the ground and the connection 8 permits resiliency thereto so that the shocks" and jars incidental to traveling over the ground or when landing from a flight, are absorbed.

The rear end of the plane is provided with similar skids or runners 9 the free 'ends of which are connected by an axle 10 that (San ries the wheels or'rollers11.'- Each skid or runnerQ'has a wire or other suitable connection 12 with the base offthe frame.-- Therear skids absorb the shocks and jars in the manner described in connection with the forward skid and when on the ground the wheels or rollers carry: all the weight, but

when landing heavily, the'wheels rise or give, and the skids themselves come in contact with the ground and supp'ort'jal-l" the weight, thus taking a too heavy strain-off the. wheels or rollers. The-*frame" is made of light butstrong materiahfsuch as bamboo,

and the runners or skidsare made ofstrong, but resilient material,.such as hlckoryl -At the rear of the frame,--aplatform -l3 is provided for the motor 14,- the shaft '15 of which carries a sprocket wheel 16 that has a chain connection 17' with a propeller shaft 18 journaled in'thc rear uprights of the frame. Said shaft-projects wellb'e'yond the rear end of the frame and has a probeing exerted upon the plane such as might damage the same, and also for the fact that pulleys to keepthe springs will cause the the cables taut.

A foot. lever59 is pivotally mounted on one of thebraces 3 adjacent the aviators seat 21. The ends of said lever project beyond the. sides of the supporting frame. Cables; 60 connect the ends'of levers 59 with portions of the forward edge of the plane 40 on opposite sides of the universally connect-' ed." centerxthereof. Said cables pass over pulleys 61- which are preferably the same as the pulleys-at the rear of the plane, and are carried by the base of th supporting frame. It will be seen that by rocking lever 59, the plane may be readily tilted to steer the aeroplane horizontally, the necessary rotation being permitted through the rotary sleeve 30, and the rotary ferrule 43 carried by,an arm 41.

From the foregoing description itwill be apparent that this aeroplane provides means whereby the aviator can control the steering, propulsion, balance, and the means that prevent skidding from the seat 21-, these parts of the invention being so arranged that but two hand levers and one foot lever are necessary.

In, Fig. 4, a detail view of the combined rudder and supporting plane is shown to illustrate a preferred method of constructing the plane. Referring -thereto it will be seen that the plane is composed of forward and rear edge bars 62 and 63 and connecting ribs 64 that are overlapped by sheets of veneer 65. The, rearwardly projecting arm 41 may be formed by extending two of the veneer sheets and clamping them together intermediate their lengths, and at their ends by the rotary ferrule. The described frame is held assembled by the edge strap 66 which is fastened in position by screws 67,

and is covered by suitable fabric 68 that is held in position by the Wires 69 and staples 70. Said plane 40 is provided withcent-rally located upper and lower socket plates 71 in which the standards 72 are -mounted. Said standards are provided withcaps. 73 from which the stays .74 radiate and-connect with the-edges of the plane. Y The fins of the main plane are braced by -=the stays 7 5,- and, as] shown, in Fig. 9, they covering of the main plane.

are preferably formed of fabric 7 6 which is stitchedor otherwise fastened to the fabric Said main plane is preferably similar in construction to the combined supporting plane and rudder, and has the ends connected to the base members of the frame by the brace )VLIQSJ'T.

The wings of the aeroplane are generally called planes but in reality; they are not plane surfaces since they are curved, or arched so that the surface underneath concave, and on top convex. This curvature is necessary in order to utilize more fully the air currents which are deflected downward by theforward part of the wing. The efficiency of the wings depends on two things: (1) the angle of attack (angle at which the wing is set as viewed from the side) and (2) the curvature. The angle. of attack is obtained by so attaching the wing to the supporting frame; the curvature is obtained by so constructing the ribs.

In my invention undertake to combine the angle of attack and-the curvature as follows: The front part say) of the wing is flat, then the curvature begins, curving back and down throughout the remainder of the wing. The curvature may be either circular or parabolic but it is so regulated that the rear beam is brought down well below the front beam. Then the line through both beams is the angle of attack.

By the word aeroplane herein used, I desire to include all types of flying machines wherein these principles may be embodied.

hat I claim as my invention is :f

1. An aeroplane comprising a supporting frame, a main lane arranged transversely of the rear portlon thereof, vert cal fins arranged transversely of the end portions of plane, extensions carried by said fins for righting the aeroplane when tilted, combined steering and supporting means carried by the frame, and propelling means also carried by the frame.

4. An aeroplane comprising a frame, a main plane carried thereby,-rightin'g fins. carried by the main-plane, fin'extensions hinged to said fins, means connecting said extensions to cause the same to operate simultaneously, combined steering and supporting means carried by said frame, and propelling means also'carried by said frame;

5. An aeroplane comprising a frame, a main plane therefor, vertical fins carried by said plane, deflecting extensions hinged to said fins, a coupling for said extensions, means controlled from the frame for operating said extensions, steering means carried by said frame, and propelling means also carried by said frame.

6. An aeroplane comprising a frame, a main plane therefor, skidding reducing fins carried by said plane, righting extensions hinged to said fins, a plate rota'tably connected to said frame, cable connections between said plate andsaid extensions, a lever for holding said plate in a vertical position while the frame is tilted, steering'means car-Y ried by said frame, and propellng means also carried by said frame.

7. An aeroplane comprising a frame, a

main plane carried thereby, fins carried by said plane, righting extensions carried by said fins, a hand lever controlling the operation of said extensionaa'combined' plane and rudder carried by said frame, means operated by said lever for controlling-the vertical steering of said plane, independent means for controlling the horizontal steering of said plane, and propelling means carried by said frame.

8. A flying machine comprising a suppnrtin'g frameincluding upper and lower longitudinally arranged members, a steering plane having its forward edge universally connected to the forward end of said support ing frame, a resilient connection between'the' rear edge of said plane and the lower members of said supporting frame to normally retain the plane at right angles to the support-ingframe, meansfor manually operating said plane, fixed sustaining meansntthe rear end of said. supporting frame,anc l pro; pelling means at the rear end of said frame.

9. Anaeroplane comprising a frame formed of spaced. parallel base members, an upper member, brace connections between the base and the upper members,-a vertical standard at-'.the. front of said frame, and vertically arranged parallel guiding standards at the front portion of said frame;- a steering plane extending transversely of said frame between the front and the guide standards, means for universally connecting the front edge of said planeto the front standard, an arm carried bythe rear edge of. said plane and projecting between the guiding standards, means for adjustably and yieldably connecting the rear of said plane to said frame, means for operating said plane for vertical steering, independent means for operating said plane for horizontal steering, and fixed sustaining means carried by said frame.

l0. 2 An aeroplane comprising a supporting frame, a steering plane universally. connected to the forward portion thereof, means for operating said plane for vertical steering, means for independently operating said plane for horizontal steering, a fixed plane at the rear of said frame, vertically arranged fins extending transversely across said fixed plane, righting extensions hinged to the forward ends of said .fins, a coupling connecting said fins, and means operable from said frame for simultaneously actuating said extensions.

11. An aeroplane comprising a supporting frame having a-vertical standard at the front thereof and guide standards adjacent said front standard; a bearing sleeve rotatable in said front standard, an eye clamped to said sleeve, a steering plane extending across said frame between the front and the standards, an eye carried by the front edge of said plane and linked to the eye of said bearing sleeve, an arm projecting from the rear of said plane and extending between the guide standards, yieldable means for adjustably connecting said arm to said frame, means operable from the frame for adjusting said plane for vertical steering, means operable from said frame for adjusting said plane for horizontal steering, and fixed sustaining means carried by said frame.-

12. Anaeropla'ne comprising a supporting frame including a vertical front standard, a laterally projecting eye rotatably connected to said standard, spaced parallel vertical guiding standards carried by'the front portion of said'frame, a steering plane extending transversely of 'said frame between said front and guiding standards, an eye guide carried by the central portion of the front edge of said'plane and linked to the eye of thefront standard, an arm projecting centrallyfrom the rear edge of said plane'and movable between the guiding standards, yieldable means for adjustably connecting said arm to said frame, means for operating said plane for vertical steering, means for operating said plane for horizontal steering,

and fixed sustaining means carried by said frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT J. FRENCH. Witnesses:

F. FQVROOM N, H, Josnrn DorLE.

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