US1338435A - Driving mechanism for airplanes - Google Patents

Description

F. GLATZ.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR AIRPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I2, 1919.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

F. GLATZ.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR AIRPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, I919.

1,338,435. Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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I N VEN TOR ATTORNEY.

vMissouri- Driving Mechanism for Airplanes, of which UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK GLATZ, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR AIRPLANES.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

' To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, FRANK GLA'rz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of have invented a new and useful the following is a specification.

My invention relates to drivmg mechanism for airplanes, and the ob ect of my 1nvention is to provide a durable and efficient driving mechanism having facility for driving a plurality of propellers.

I attain this object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which-Figure 1, is a front elevation of an airplane equipped with my invention, and showing a plurality of propellers driven thereby. Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the machinery bed. Fig. 3, is a sectional view of the bed,taken on the line 33 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a side elevation of the body portion of an airplane, partly'broken away, and showing my invention arranged therein. Fig. '5, is a top plan view of the driving mechanism in operative position in the body of an airplane, and showing the flat ringshaped gear device in the'channel in the bed and means for driving the same. Fig. 6, is a sectional view of the bed taken on the line 6-6, on Fig. 5, and showing the gears in the gear pit operable by the ring-shaped gear device, and Fig. 7, is a plan view of the flat ring-shaped gear device.

Similar numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawin s1, is the body portion of an airplane in'w ich a steam generator 2, is stationed and supplied with liquid or fluid fuel from a tank 3, flowing by gravity through pipes 4, and, preferably delivered in the form of a spray, into a combustion chamber 5, associated with the steam generator. Steam cylinders 6, are disposed horizontally above the steam generator and are provided with steam pressurefrom the steam generator through pipes 7, the steam is throttled in the well known manner of steam engines by a throttle lever- 8, which is extended from the throttle valve 9, inwardly of the airplane for the convenience of the operator. Directly in advance of the steam as iron, steel, andthe like and, in this instance, is formed to have a cylindrical body annularly extending channel 11, is formedin the upper end of the bed member and ad acent the outer edge thereof and a plurality of ballv bearings are mounted therein. A gear pit 13, is excavated in the channel at the front of the bed member and 1s elongated transversely of the bed to a degree adapted for receiving a plurality of gears forming part of the driving mechanism. A shaft 14, is revolubly mounted in the body of the bed and transversely of the gear pit, on which shaft a gear 15, is mounted in such a manner that the cogs thereof shall project a little distance above the pit 13, into the channel 11. A shaft 16 is revolubly mounted in the pit and in parallelism with the shaft 14, and a gear 17, is mounted thereon in engagement with gear 15. A shaft 18, is revolubly mounted across the pit at the opposite side of the shaft 14, and a gear 19, is mounted thereon, but is not engaged by the gear 15. A shaft 20, is revolubly mounted across the pit below and adjacent the shaft 18, and a gear 21, is mounted thereon in engagement with gear 19. All the gears mentioned are in the pit 13, the latter may be provided with grease or other lubricant suitable for lubricating gears operating at high speed. The shafts 16 and 18, are extended outwardly of the front side ofthe bed member and propellers 22, are mounted on the projecting ends thereof. If a single propeller is desired the shaft 14, is extended outwardly of the front of the bed member and equipped with a propeller. Posts 23, are mounted on the upper side of the bed member, at opposite sides thereof, and outwardly of the channel 11, and in the center of the upper end of the bed a post 24, is mounted. A crank shaft 25, is journaled in the posts 23 and 24, at one side of the bed member and a crank shaft 26, is journaled in the posts 23 and 24, at the opposite side of the bed. Crank shaft 25, is connected with a connecting rod 27, and the latter connected with .a piston stem 28, of one of the cylinders 6, and crank shaft 26, is connected with a connecting rod 29, and the latter connected with the piston stem 30 of the steam cylinder 6, at the other side of the bed. A fiat ring-shaped driving gear 31, having radially extending cogs or teeth 32, on its upper and lower sides, is

' lodged in the channel 11, with its outer margin bearing on the ball bearings 12, and the cogs on its lower side are engaged by the gear 15. A gear 33, is mounted on the crank shaft 25, and is engaged by the cogs on the upper side of the ring-shaped gear. A. gear 34, is mounted on the crank shaft 26, and is engaged by the cogs on the upper side of the ring-shaped gear. The crank shafts 25 and 26, are driven by the cylinders in op 0- site directions, the former is driven orwardly and the latter rcarwardly and, thereby, the gears 33 and 34, also operate in reverse directions, but unitedly drive the ringshaped gearin its proper direction. \Vhile I show the driving mechanism operating with steam power it is understood that the same may be operated by any suitable power, such as electric motors and gas motors.

My invention operates as followsThe cranks 25 and 26, are driven in opposite directions by the engines which are arranged and connected with the cranks for this purpose. In Fig. 5, the crank 25, is shown going over forwardly, at the forward stroke of its engine, and crank 26, is shown going over backwardly, at the back stroke of its engine. Crank 25, thus drives the gear 33, forward and crank 26, drives the gear 34, backward, thereby, forcing the ring-shaped gear to turn by their united action, although operating in opposite direction. The lower side of the ring-shaped gear drives the gear 15, and the latter drives the gears 17 and 21, the latter gear driving the gear 19, the

motions of the respective gears, excepting the prime movers being shown by the arrows marked adjacent the gears, on Fig. 6. Thearrangement of the gears, in this in stance effect the driving of the propellers in Igpposite directions.

aving described my invention what I claim is A driving mechanism for airplanes. consisting of a bed member having an annular channel in its upper side and a pit excavation in the channel, a flat ring-shaped gear device operating in the channel in said bed member and having cogs or teeth on its upper and on its lower sides, oppositely disposed independently operated crank shafts mounted on the upper side of said bed memher and having gears engaged by the cogs on the upper side of said ring-shaped gear device, a plurality of propeller shafts revolubly mounted in said bed member and projecting outwardly therefrom and provided with propellers and within the bed member with gears. power receiving and power imparting devices operating between said propeller shafts and the lower side of said ring-shaped gear device, and means for turning said crank shafts in opposite directions.

Kansas City, Mo., June ith, 1919.

FRANK GLATZ.

\Vitnesses HENRY STUBENRAUOH, ELvA GILLHAM.

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