US1050573A - Buoyancy-indicator. - Google Patents

Description

- G. A. SPRATT.

BUOYANGY INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. za, 1910.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE;

oEoEGE A. SPEATT, or coATEsvILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

EOYANCYLINDIcATQE.

To all 'whom it may-concern.' f

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. SPRA'rr, a

. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Coatesville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, have invented a 'Buoyancy-Indicator,

` of which the followingisy a specification.

My invention relates to aeroplane's. and accessories therefor; and the object'of my inventio'ngis to provide means for indicating to the operator the approximateforce'of the wind andlconsequently its approximate eX- tent of bubyancy or lifting power; the term Wind as here used referring to therelative speed Abetween air and aeroplane. A knowledge of the amount of the available supporting power of the wind, and the actual Iamount of supporting `power being used as support, is highly desirable at all times, and especially so in making a landing, for contact with the ground should be made whenl the supporting pressure just equals the weight of the aeroplane. The aeroplane should not be driven against the ground by an excessive speed nor be allowed to fall against the ground as a result of too slow a speed. It is essential for safe aviationJ to be able to recognize and acquire that vSpeed at which the pressures will just supportthe weight. y

My invention consists of a speed indicator so vcorrelated to the weight of the aeroplane that it shows at a vving powerl of the win in terms o the weight of the aeroplane. It presents a min- 5 imum of weight and of resistance to advance throughthe air. It comprises a tell-tale in the form of a bladed fan or propeller lof light construction to bev mountedat some convenient point upon the aeroplane in advance of the operator. Other features of my`invention will be pinted out hereinafter, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, in which: Figui-e 1, 'is'a pers ective view illustrat- `ing a 'conventional orm of a vbiplane to "which my invention may beapplied; Fig. 2,

*isa'n enlarged perspective view of thev buoyancy indicator structure illustrated in Fig.

FI; 'Fi-g.' 3, is a view illustrating va modifica- 00 'tion embodying my invention, and Figs. 4 and 5, are views of details of my invention..

i 'supported shaft or spindlel so mounted as glance, the sup ort- -speeiacation of Letters raient. A Patented Jan, 14, 1913, Application med February 23, 1910. Serial No. 545,36-9.

for the purpose, and these blades are free to rotate on the splndle; being arranged to turn agamst the tension of-a spring, preferably coiled, indicated at 3, one end of'which is connected'to the spindle and the other end to said blades Atthe opposite end of the spindle, tail vanes 5 may be employed, triangular inzshape, extending to a point at the rear end of the spindle, and connected at their inner ends to cross-bars 6 carried by the spindle; the ends of which may be connected pto the-spindle by cords 7. At the forward end of the spindle, a Weight 8 may be placed. If desired, the blades may be of distinctive colors.

The spindle 1 is supported by a swivel or universal joint carried by a suitable standard 9. `As shown in the drawings, this consists of a yoke by cords 11 within a ring 12 mounted on the 'standard 9 which may be secured at a convenient point y with respect to theaeroplan'e l structure directly within the'vision ofy the operator. Ivhave shownin full lines o'n Fig. l, the preferred position. of the indicator and in'dot-ted lines other positions in which "such indicator may bev placed. The form of swivel or universal joint shown may be ernployed, but I do notwish to be limited to the precise construction, since many other forms of swivel or universal joint connections, all within the scope of my invention maybe employed. u

The tension of the spring is-preferably therefore, will v member 10, suspended whether or not the wind or air currents are above or lbelow the degree of force or velocity necessary to provide sutiicient buoyancy to sustain the aeroplane.l j,

'In the form of structure shown in Fig. 3 the tail vanes are omitted and the blades are `mounted on a spindle supported in substantially the same manner as that indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that the blades are placed `at the rear and are suiicient to counterbala'nce the weight disposed 1, blades 2.arej0urna1ed-5fbyon the otherside of the support and perform j substantially the same functions as the tail;

I block 14, interposed between the spindle 1 and said springror by any other convenient@I means affording a rigid connection between .blades maybe colored black and white, or

.varies in addition to those described `with lthe length of spring, since any addition to v higher speed for support. Thiscan be done 1. Then jby revolvingl the clamp once `coil of spring and moving the clamp along sen-t the speed increase demanded bya definite load added. For instance, one coil orA accomplished byv providing a set screw 15, to engage the ,spindle when the "Weight" is 'finally positioned at the desired point.

. entering the hole in the weight alongwith v is a safetydevice, lby which the supporting 'At n'o speed, ae., 1n a calm, thel white blade, for instance, should `be down and lie' respect to the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The mounting for the spindle shown -in Fig. 3-may be substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 2, or any other mounting that. Will provide a yielding support for the spindle may be employed.

I may also provide means for shortening the weight of an aeroplane 'demands a by fastenmg the sprlng to the spindle by means 'of a running clamp 13 having a set screw 14, l instead of fastening the spring permanently tothe spindle as shown in Fig.

around the spindle thereby takingup one the spindle, the spring would tighten (z'. e., increase) the tensional resistance to repreone-half coil or any proportionate and necessary amounty as the `case might be, would be taken up for each 100 lbs. added to the load. The clamp is noted as a running clamp to convey the meaning that the spring may be shortened by vadjusting the clamp alone, and the angle of the blades, when at rest,is unaltered by such shortening of the spring.

The spring may be held to the clamp by a these parts when the clamp is adjusted withA respect tothe spindle.

It may also be desirable' to provide means for adjusting the weight 8. This may be Other means may be provided to accomplish the same purpose, for instance a wedge the spindle mightbe just as serviceable and in some. instances as satisfactory.

The Amainl purpose of my invention is to assist the begmner. My improved indicator pressures or amount ofv buoyancy at ,f the aviators command .isryisually indicated in` proportions of the total weight of the load carried. It is carried upon the aeroplane in advance v ofthe aviator and in the most direct range or line of his vision. The

otherr easily distinguished, distinctive colors, red and green, etc.

in visualline, parallel with the supportingy post;` The spring should be of such strength revolution, the aeroplane can rise. Any

that when a speed just suflicient to support the mail load has' been naines the pres# sures on the blades should cause one complete revolution. A greater speed will continue 'to tighten this spring and a lesser speed will allow 'the spring to turn the blades toward their original position.

My buoyancy indicator is also al guide to the wind direction. Its use may be described as follows: In starting, the aeroplane should head to `the oncoming Wind as indicated by this jinstrument.- If the wind presses the blades one-fourth of a revolution, one-fourth If the blades indicate less than a revolution While in flight, the supporting pressures are insuficient for support and the machine slumps.

In preparing to alight, if the blades show less than a revolution; say three-fourths of a revolution at the time of alighting, the shock will bethat of one-fourth of the total weight descending.` If they show' say one and vone-quarter revolutions at the instant of striking the earth, thereis a momentum of one-quarter of the weight of the machine ,that must be` overcome by the contact.

I claim:

1. In a buoyancy indicator for aeroplanes, the combination .of a support onstandard, a ring carried at the upper end of the same, a

yoke suspended within said ring and capable of universal movement therein, a spindle carried by said yoke, a blade mounted for rotation upon said spindle,and means for y regulating the movement of saidiblade.

2.- In-a buoyancy indicator for aeroplanes, the combination of a support or stan a yoke suspendedwithin said ring .for unlversal'movement, a spindle carriedby said yoke, a freely movable bladed member journaled thereon, tension means for sail bladed member vcomprising a spring having one end connected to the spindle and the opposite end connectedto the bladed member, and a weight! carried by said spindle.

. 3. p In a buoyancy indicator for aeroplanes, the combination of a support or standard, a rin carried by the same, a yoke suspended wit in said ring for universal movement, a spindle carried by said yoke, a bladed mem- Fbei: journaled thereon and freely movab1e,.

means for keeping the structure headed into ard, a Y HV ring-carriedby the upper end of the same,

the wind comprising a plurality of vanes carried by the spindleA at or adjacent one end of the same, and a spring having one end connected to the spindle and the opposite end connected to the bladed member for imparting tension'to tlie latter and regulating movement `of the same.

4. In a buoyancy indicator for faeroplanes, the vcombination of a ysupport or standard, Ia y .ring `carried by the same, .a yoke member, :flexible cords carried by :said ring for :supporting said yoke member the ring Q and permitting universal movement of the same, a spindle carried by said yoke, a rotatably mounted -blade on said spindle, and adjustable. means between said blade and spin- (lle for regulating the movement of said blade. 1

In testimony whereof, I have signed my two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE A. SPRATT.

name to this specification, in the presence of 2

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