GB102154A - Improvements in Flying Machines with Revolving Wings. - Google Patents

Abstract

102,154. Beurrier, A., Bigourdan, E., and Lecoin, L. Nov. 6, 1915, [Convention date]. Aerial machines without aerostats; propelling; steering, balancing, and regulating altitude.-An aerial machine resembling a monoplane is provided with two large-bladed screw propellers in place of wings, and is controlled by varying the pitch of the propellers and by varying the inclination of individual blades, the propellers serving as planes when the blades are turned into one plane. Modifications are described (1) in which two superposed propellers are used mounted above the machine, and (2) in which two propellers are arranged on each side of the fuselage. The propellers are mounted on upwardly convergent axes, as shown in Fig. 1, to give inherent stability, and are driven through bevel-gear by shafts 40, 41 connected by flexible couplings to a transverse shaft geared to the engine. Each propeller has four blades adapted to tilt about radial axes, and each blade is connected by four shrouds 21--24, Fig. V., to a corresponding rocking beam 20 mounted on the lower part of the propeller shaft. One end of each rocking beam has a roller engaging a groove in a collar 26. concentric with the propeller shaft, which is supported at diametrically opposite points by two rods 32 connected to levers 33. The levers 33 are connected by rods 29 to levers 28, Fig. IV., coupled by ball-jointed rods 27 to a cross-head 44 on a spindle 30 provided with a hand-wheel 31. The lower end of the spindle 30 is screwed and passes through a nut 42 mounted in gimbal rings. Movement of the collar 26 along its axis alters the pitch of the propeller as a whole; but when it is tilted from its normal position at right-angles to the propeller shaft by differential movements of the supporting-rods 32, the blades are caused to feather so as to displace the thrust of the propeller towards the front or rear of the machine. Swinging movements of the spindle 30 control the lateral and longitudinal tilting of the machine respectively, by causing opposite adjustments of the pitch of the propellers on the two sides of the machine and by causing the propeller blades on both sides of the machine to feather. When the spindle 30 is screwed in its nut, the collars 26 are actuated to cause equal adjustments of the pitch of the two propellers. By operating the spindle to give a forward tilt of the machine as a whole, the propeller thrust has an horizontal component producing forward motion, and the machine can be guided as in an aeroplane by its tail-planes. A backward tilt retards the machine. In the modification having two superposed propellers, only one is adjustable, but its collar 26 is supported at three points and connected to three arms on the cross-head of the spindle 30, so that the thrust may be displacced in any direction. In the modification having four propellers, the collars 26 need only be capable of moving axially so as to adjust the pitch of each screw as a whole. Should the engine fail, the blades are turned until they have no pitch, so as to act as planes enabling the machine to glide to earth.