US1104542A - Aeronautical machine. - Google Patents

Description

J. R. PORTER.

AERONAUTICAL MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 27, 1913.

Lwkw Patented July 21, 19M;

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J. R. PORTER.

ABRONAUTIGAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILBD JAN. 2.7, 1913 1 1@4 5%2 Patented July 21, 19M;

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ROBERTSON PORTER, OF HOLBORN, LONDON, ENGLAND.

AERONAUTICAL MACHINE.

To all 'tU/LOWL it may concern Be it known that I, JAMns RomiRTsoN lonrnn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 9 Grays Inn Square, Holborn, in the county of London, England, civil engineer, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aeronautical Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aeronautical machines of the type in which the machine is provided with a horizontally rotating fan or propeller which draws in air from the upper end of the machine and expels it through a passage formed with surfaces which deflect the air downwardly.

The present invention consists in an improved construction designed to increase the efliciency of the machine and to enable the travel of the machine to be readily controlled.

One feature of the invention is the provision of a conical deflecting surface surrounding the axis of the propeller to deflect the air gradually from the inlet to the outlet passage,while another feature is the provision of flaps for controlling the discharge of the air according to the direction of travel desired.

The invention further consists in the combination and arrangement of partsas hereinafter described and .moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 illustrates in vertical section my improved construction of machine, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of half. the upper side of the machine. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrative of a modified construction.

In the drawings a and b are the two deflecting surfaces forming between them an annular outlet passage 9; the two surfaces being curved so that the upper side of the machine is concave and the underside convex while the outlet opening is approximately horizontal. The inner edge of the upper deflecting surface a is turned upward as at a so forming an ogee and is provided with a ring which is connected by means of spokes c to a central plate or hub 0 This hub forms a bearing for the upper end of the shaft (2 of the fan or propeller d. The inner edge of the lower deflecting surface I) is also provided with a ring 6 to which is attached a circular framed structure 6'. Within this structure may be mounted a sleeve 6 forming the lower bearing of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 27, 1913.

Patented July 21, 1914. Serial No. 744,458.

propeller shaft cl, as shown in Fig. 1, or the engine K for driving the said shaft may be mounted in the structure 6, as shown in Fig. 3. Any suitable and known type of internal combustion engine may be employed, same being connected by means of spur gearing of the epicyclic type to the propeller shaft d. To provide for the efficient cooling of the engine K the latter is surrounded by a casing Z open at the bottom and at the top.

Attached to the propeller shaft ad is a conical deflecting surface h which rotates with the propeller d, and at the base of this conical deflecting surface is a fixed deflecting surface it forming a continuation of the conical deflecting surface It to the inner edge of the lower deflecting surface 7). Thus it will be seen that the lower deflecting-surface b is also ogee in form similarly to the upper deflecting surface a. The upper and lower deflecting surfaces a b are connected together by means of struts c, and the outlet from the passage formed between these two surfaces is controlled by any suitable closures such as flaps g which are hinged to the one or the other of the said surfaces. According to the construction shown in Fig. l the flaps g are hinged to the lower deflecting surface I), and according to Fig. 3 they are shown hinged to the upper deflecting surface a.

These flaps extend around the lower open endof the passageway g, and it is obvious that they may be suitably positioned and proportioned in length relative to the circumferential edges of said passageway.

' From Fig. 3, however, it will be seen that the upper deflecting surface a is extended below the outer edge of the lower deflecting surface 6 and that such extended portion is formed with openings 9 to receive the flaps 9 when the latter are in position to open fully the outlet from the passage 9. The closures or flaps g, which may be flexible, are connected in any suitable way with a controllin lever 9 mounted in the under carriage of t e machine. The special form of connecting means for operating the flaps is obviously not important, and in the drawings, for simplicity of illustration, this feature is merely shown diagrammatically by the cords 9 The lever g is pivoted in such a. manner that it may be turned in any direction to enable the flaps g to be operated as desired. The undercarriage is provided with a landing chassis f and is suspended from the structure 0 by means of a braced framing or column 7.

Air drawn in by means of the propeller d through the upper opening of the machine is deflected by the surfaces h, h surrounding the propeller shaft and passes into the passage 9 formed between the upper and lower deflecting surfaces at b, and is expelled downwardly. When it is desired to move the machine forward, either along the ground or when in the air,'th flap g at the front of the machine is operated to close or partially close the outlet from the passage g, while the remaining flaps remain open, the effect being that the forward portion of the machine tends to tilt, owing to the velocity of the air being curtailed or stopped by the flap 9, and a forward motion is produced. In a similar mannerthe machine may be caused to travel in any other direction by operating the flap which corresponds to the direction of travel desired.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An aeronautical machine consisting of a framework; an outer and an inner lower wall constructed and spaced apart to form a downwardly flaring annular passageway, the

lower-edge of said inner wall terminating in the plane of the lower edge of said outer wall; an upper intake annular passageway formed by a continuation of said outer wall and an internal conical member having an unimpeded concave outer surface, forming a continuation of said inner wall, and providing a deflecting surface for directing the incoming air to said flaring passageway; and means for drawing in and propelling said incoming air through said passageway, substantially as described.

2. In an aeronautical machine, the combination of an outer, and an inner wall constructed and spaced to provide upper and lower reversely curved annular passageways forming a continuous downwardly flaring passageway of ogee contour, having unimpeded interior deflecting surfaces, and provided with open ends terminating in planes at right angles to the major axis of said machine; means for drawing air inwardly through said upper passageway and discharging same outwardly through said lower passageway; and means controlling the discharge of air from said lower passageway at varying positions of its circumference, substantially as described.

I 3. In an aeronautical machine, the combination'of a suitably supported outer and an inner wall constructed and spaced to provide an upper and a lower reversely curved annular chamber, forming a continuous open ended annular passageway, the upper portion of said inner wall comprising a hollow twopart conical member having an outer concave deflecting surface, a transverse space being provided between the upper and lower portions of said two-part member; a rotary driven shaft extending longitudinally within said hollow conical member; and radial arms on said shaft, provided with propeller blades operating in said upper annular chamber, substantially as described.

4. In an aeronautical machine, the combination of a suitably supported outer and an inner wall, constructed and spaced to provide an upper forming a continuous downwardlyflaring passageway of ogee contour, said passageway having open ends disposed in planes at right angles to the major axis of the machine; rotary driven propeller blades mounted and operating in said upper annular cliainber; movable closures cooperating with the lower open end of said lower annular chamber for controlling the discharge of air therethrough; and means for operating said closures at varying positions around said lower open end, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I-have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

J AMES ROBERTSON PORTER.

Witnesses:

H. D. JAMESON, O. J. WORTH.

and a lower annular chamber,

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