GB731413A - Improvements in or relating to aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

731,413. Aircraft. GOODYEAR AIRCRAFT CORPORATION. Nov. 25,1953 [March 9, 1952], No. 32691/53. Class 4. An aircraft comprises an aerofoil shaped body, a longitudinal duct extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, a well in the body containing a pair of contra-rotating variable pitch rotors, and a set of adjustable louvres in the upper and lower surfaces of the body, the rotors, with the louvres closed, forcing the air through the longitudinal duct to operate the aircraft as an aeroplane, and, with the louvres open, drawing air through the well to operate the aircraft as a helicopter. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the rotors 7 are shown lying in a well 8, being driven by a motor 3 through gearing 6. The rotor axis is tilted forward about 7 degrees, so that the rotor lies slantwise across the longitudinal air duct 9. Guide vanes 65 guide the airflow onto the rotors. Inwardly opening louvres 10 and 11 are pivoted at their leading and trailing edges in the upper and lower surfaces respectively, and are operated by short levers, Fig. 1 (not shown) interconnected by a cable operated by an electric motor. In flight as an aeroplane, the louvres may be slightly open to give control of the boundary layer. A fuel tank 4 is disposed above the rotor hub. The two rotors may be disposed side by side, and may be turned by fluid jet reaction. In the control system shown in Fig. 5, rotation of hand wheel 43 operates cables 46, 47 secured to cable 49 which operates the ailerons 17, and also differentially operates a pair of segmental surfaces 19 adapted to cut off part of the lower well opening to assist in roll control. Rocking the control column 43 about a lateral axis operates cables 34, 35 to adjust the elevator 16, and also operates a pair of surfaces 18 to assist in pitch control. A rudder bar 20 operates rudder 16 through cables 23, 24, and by a lever 27 and push rod 28, changes the blade pitch of the two rotors differentially to assist yaw control by varying the torque reaction. A hand lever 29 operates, by cable 30, lever 31, and push rod 32 to change the rotor blade pitches in the same sense.