US3446502A - Model airplane control device - Google Patents

Description

May 27, 1969 DAMRON ETAL 3,446,502

MODEL AIRPLANE CONTROL DEVICE y Filed July e, 1967 sheet of 2 A/E/S May 27,1969 c. QAMRQN E'rm.

` MODEL AVIRPLANE CONTROL DEVICE Filed July 6, 1967 Z of2 Sheet INVENTORS 601490544, @4M/@QV United States PtCIlt Y 3,446,502H- MODEL AIRPLANE CONTROLDEVICE Cordell. Damron, R.F.D. 2, VBox 755, andThurmanil. Borders, City 4, Box 14A, both of. Pikeville, Ky.` 41501 Filed July 6, 1 967, Ser. No. 651,428

Int. Cl. A63h 27/02; A63g 5/00, 31u/14 U.S. Cl. 272-,31 Claims upwardly or downwardly, as desired ffor controlling-the airplane. j

' The" present invention relates to a model airplane con-A trolY device vso that a novice or generally inexperienced operator of flying gas driven or jet driven model airplanes may amply control the'attitude, iiight and other parameter of the airplane by sitting outside of the flying circle in a uniform or fixed position and maintain control of the model airplane without turning around upon each revolution of the flying aircraft, and by means of a single master control station.

I t is a further object of the presentinvention, therefore, to provide a simple set of controls including an upright hollow tubing or shaft with a central control rod axially disposed therein, and having linkage mechanisms between the model aircraft and the upper end of the control rod, and a' remote mechanical linkage system "affixed to the lower end of the control rod for achieving the objects and advantages of the present invention. v

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon'full consideration of the following detailed decsription and accompanying drawings in which: A

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation View of the essential structural components of the present invention, including the stationary parameter rod and axially `disposedgcontrol rod therein with the attending control linkage mechanisms in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the lpresent invention;

FIGURE 2 .is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the structures disposedat the upper endl of the upstanding pole, showing the linkage mechanisms attached thereto;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation wiew seen along lines 3 3 of FIGURE 2; f

FIGURE 4 is a further embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is an additional embodiment showing further control rods used n conjunction with the practice of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view taken along lines 6 6 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown' in FIG- URE 1 an upstanding hollow mounting pole 10 which has a peaked pipe cap 12 to facilitate installation and mounting of the mounting pole in the earth, the mounting pole having a guy wire ring 14 about which are mounted a plurality of guy wires 16, 16 secured at their lower ends by a spike 18 into the earth or ground 20. There is a lever mounting bracket 22 at the lower end ice of the mounting pole 10, having an arm 24, to which is Imounteda triangular plate lever mechanism 26 by a pivot or rivet arrangement 28. The triangular lever mechanism 26 is essentially a portion of a two wire toggle arrangement including lines 32 which extend from holes 34, 34 of the triangular lever mechanism 26 to a pivot mounted level arm 36 having holes 38, 38 for terminating the links of the lines 32, 32. The lever 36 is mounted by a pivot 40 in a -base frame 42, and compensating springs 44, 44 may be provided to maintain the lines 32, 32 in a tensioned condition.

Within the hollow mounting pole 10, there is a control orv actuator rod 50 which extends upwardly from the top4 of the'mounting pole 10, and having its lower end connected mechanically to point 52 of the triangular lever mechanism 26 as shown in FIGURE 1. On the upper end and follower balls 60, 62 on a pivoted bracket assembly 66 which is mounted by a pivot 68 on a mounting 70 provide a repeat arrangement of the toggle arrangement seen in the triangular lever mechanism 26. Thus, lines 72, 72 are coupled or connected at their ends to 74, 74 in the bracket arrangement 66, and the other ends of lines 72, 72 control the attitude or other control parameter of the model airplane at the end of the lines 72, 72 as it rotates about the revolving disc which is mounted for free rotation with respect to the mounting pole 10.

As is shown in FIGURE 2, the rotating disc 80 is mounted for free rotation with respect to the mounting pole 10, 'and the control rod 50 is seen to be disposed coaxially within the mounting pole 10, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

In FIGURE 4 there is seen a similar arrangement of mounting pole having supporting guide wires 104 and an actuator control rod 106 which terminates at the upper end in a ball or U-swivel joint 110 to actuate a bell crank 112 to control the actuation of toggle lines 114, 114. The bell crank 112 is mounted from a ybracket 116 on a rotating disc 118 that turns about a mating interface 120 between the revolving disc hub 122 and the upper end of the pole 100. Similarly, at the lower end of the control rod 106, there is a clevis or ball-swivel equivalent type connection to a toggle arm 128 pivotally mounted by pivot 130 on a bracket 132. In the toggle plate 128, there are holes 136, 136 to which are mounted the toggle lines 140, 140 which terminate at their ends to the master station, as is similarly described in connection with the right-hand portion of FIGURE l.

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 show a further arrangement by which more than two control lines are adapted to be tensioned and released for controlling any of four various parameters of the model aircraft in flight. The mounting pole has an intermediate hollow actuator rod 154 and an inner control rod 158 for actuating bell crank arms 160, 162, respectively, at the upper end of the mounting pole 150, which are mounted from a supporting bracket 166 supported from a revolving disc 168 having frictionally engaging interface 170 with the top of the pole 150.

The lower end of the mounting pole 150 is provided with bell crank arms 170, 172 supported from a mounting bracket 176, and in which each of the toggle plates extending from the bell arms 170, 172 control lines terminating in a control handle lever 180, 1-82, as shown. The control levers 180, 182 are pivotally mounted from a mounting main control station 186. The base of the mounting pole 150 terminates in a supporting disc 190.

What is claimed is:

1. A model airplane control device comprising an upstanding hollow mounting pole, an axially disposed control actuator rod within said hollow mounting pole for moving along the axis thereof, means mounted at the upper end of the control rod, a revolving disc mounted in rotatable relation to the upper end of the hollow mounting pole including means on the revolving disc to wire mount a model airplane including a triangular lever mechanism mounted at the periphery of the revolving disc, and having a toggle connection to the means mounted on the control rod, a toggle arrangement lever mechanism mounted at the lower end of the hollow mounting pole to actuate the control rod in a desired direction for correspondingly controlling the model airplane mounted from the wires connected to said upper triangular toggle mechanism.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein guy wires are used to support the hollow mounting pole, and on which the lower toggle mechanism is mounted from a support bracket.

3. The invention according to claim 2, in which a further hollow control tube is coaxially mounted within the hollow mounting pole for providing further control between a position remote from the lower end of the hollow mounting pole to a model airplane suspended in revolvable relation to the upper end of the rotating disc,

and in which an additional toggle mechanism is used to correlate the `movement from the displacement of the further hollow control rod from said remote position to the model airplane.

'4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said toggle mechanisms comprise bell crank brackets to achieve transfer of movement from the control rod and control tube to the model airplane.

5. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said toggle mechanisms include bal1 and socket mechanisms to relay and transfer motion from the control rod means to the toggle mechanisms.

References Cited Cottle 46-77 X MILTON KAUEMAN, Primary Examiner. v

Us. C1. XR.

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