US1579654A - Combination air, land, and water plane - Google Patents

Description

April 6 1926.

A. J. HARPSTRITE bomsmmxou AIR, LAND, AND WATER PLANE Filed Nov. 12, 1924 4 Sheets-Shah's 1 April 6 1926.

A J. HARPSTRITE 4 COMBTNATION. AIR, LAND,v AND WATER PLANE Filed Nov. 12; 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet .2

April 6 1926. 1,579,654

A. J. HARPSTRITE GOMBTNATION AIR, LAND, AND WATER PLANE 7 Filed Nov. 12, 1924 -4 Sheets-Sheet 3 60 X; as

April 6 I926; 1,579,654

A. J. HARPSTRITE I dOMBTNATION AIR, LAND, AND WATER PLANE Filed Nov. l2, 1924 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Apr. 6 1 926, it

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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- COIBTNATION AIR, LAND, AND WATER PLANE.

7 "Application flled li'ovem ber 12, 1824. Serial No 748,495. I boat bow. Figure 55 To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS STRITE, resident of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combination Air, Land, and lVater Planes, of whichthe following is a specification. i I

This invention relates to vehicles and more particularly-to a flying vessel of the heavier-than-air type.

An object of the invention is to providea craft adapted for flying, for land travel, and for water travel. An object is to provide an aerial vessel having a main supporting plane which is adjustably mounted on an axistransverse, to'a cabined'hull and which plane lies longitudinally of the hull' and head on above the bow of the boat. An

object is to provide a positive means and an auxiliary safety means forcontrolling the angle of tilt of the plane for ascending-and descending. I

ing four main groundwheels for permitting the craft to be propelled by its air propeller while aground, and an object is to provide means for casterin the front wheels to steer the vessel for lan running.

An object is to shroud the front wheels to reduce air resistance when flying.

An object is to provide a hull having a plane-forming bottom and, which also provides, along each side, a separate fuel tank below -an"inne'r bottom.

An object is to provide safety the-various contro s.

generally provide for a reduction of air resistance by construction and arrangement of brakes for the parts to the end that a very high speed may be obtained in airtravelling.

An ob ect is 'to provide the vessel with a direct-l1 t action propeller to aid the plane to provide control means for throwing this proppller into and out of effect.

T e invention-consists of apparatus more particularly described. in the following drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a-perspective of, the. craft. Figure 2 is a cross-section of-.the prow,

showing the slide operating pinion. Figure;- 3 1s a plan ofthe steering wheel operating citizen of the United States, andof the controls.

object is to provide an air craft hav And an object is to element in making ascent and descent, and

specification referring to the "accompanying device arranged in the 4 is a central, lon itudinal section of the craft. Figure 5 is a .l'ont elevation of the adjusting'slide. Figure 6 is a plan-of elements 0 Figure 7 is an elevation of control brake. section on a plane just in front of the axle of the top, main plane. Figure 9 1s a dia-' gram of the rudder working bight. Figure 10 shows the craft equipped with a. directlift action propeller, Figure 11 is' a perspective showing scoop planes to throw air from the head propeller up into the parachute or top plane. Fi res 12 and 13 show in detail'the air propel er.

The craft comprises a boat body having 7 upwardly convergent side walls 2 joining 4 asloping top deck 3 having lateral side wings 4 along the'corners. These wings are. braced at 5, and have tension lines 6 connected to a crossbeam 7 at the bow of the body. The bow has a fore deck 8 inclining up to a central cabin transom 9, windowed fore, aft and laterally giving clear view for the aviator from a seat 10 in the cabin. .A feature of the invention consists of so forming the outer bottom of the hull with outwardly ,a-nd downwardly divergent plane faces 11 to give lifting action on air or on water. y 4

, An inner cabin floor 12, from side to side, 5 forms separate tanks 13 for carrying separate supplies of liquid fuel, so that-should Q one tank spring a leak, the other has a safety reserve.

On the boat keel His secured a suitable 9o motor M having a rear clutch 15 to connect with and drive a shaft 16 having a. propeller 17 to drive the craft while afloat.

deck hatch 19 provides for ingress and egress while afloat. Atthe front end of the motor v isaclutch i and drive mechanism 20 for connecting up a shaft 21 mounted in and extending from the .100

bow and carrying an air propeller 22., The propeller has blades medially secured to the rear edge of a re-enforcingcylinder 23 havmg a front knife edge to reduce air resistance. This enables use of a propeller large sweep and high pitch for hi h speed/1 without danger of snapping ofi the lades. 5

To obtain speed'in air flight and also in-fi;

Figure 8 is a vertical cross- 00 crease safety I provide an elongated, tunnelshaped top, main flying plane of ap: proved structural embodiment, preferably of smooth inside and outside surface, as of aluminum sheets, to reduce air resistance. The plane has a salient, curved nose 26 and is amply provided with transverse beams 27 and skeleton carlines 28 and stringers 29. This plane is disposed longitudinally along and above the boat body and, by virtue of its size, and its arched form, provides a material parachute effect in descending. The plane 25 is mounted, rearwardly of its longitudinal center, on an axle 30 journaled in posts'31extending up from the boat.

Positive means are provided for tilting the top plane 25 to vary the angle of incl dence. Also, an auxiliary or safety control means is provided for use if the former means give way.

The positive means includes a slide 33 slotted at 33 to pass over the propeller shaft 21 and being slidably mounted in bow stand.

ard 34 which is curved concentric to the axis of the axle 30 as, also, is the slide 33. The

' latter is securely attached to a crossbeam I by a hand Wheel 43. While the Worm and well t-russed up by guy lines 56.

gear may hold the shaft 38, I prefer to employ a brake operative to prevent slipping of the slide 33 after it has been set by the aviator operating the wheel 43. Such abrake is shown in Figure 7 as including a drum on which is a turn of cable 51 fast at one end and attached to a spring 52 at the other, which tightens the cable bight to hold the drum. Pressure on a pedal 53 slacks up the cable so that the drum and its shaft can turn. Strong braces 55 connect the slide 33 to the sides of the top plane 25. This'is also The auxiliarv control means includes a pair of reins 57 having lines 58 runnine back to a reel 58* on rod 41. This reel may attach to wheel 43 and so pull back'or-let out the reins which connect the boat bow and the fore and of the top plane. The reel, if inde endent, may have its own brake device 50% (similar to brake 50).

Direction of flight is'controlled by .a tail rudder 60 pivoted on a vertical hinge 61 and having a rope bight 62 led to remote pulleys 63, atopposite sides of the plane and thence to rear pulleys 64, thence down to a drum 65 loose on the cross-rod 41. This drum is turned by a hand wheel 66 and held fast by a manually released brake 50".

In addition to providing. for air and water travel by the craft, 1 also provide for la' nd travel and turning movements, utilizing the air propeller 22 for propulsion. To that end I mount rear ground Wheels 68 and frontsteering Wheels 69, which have knuckle arms 7 0 connected by a drag link 71 arranged in a cross-tube 72 in the hull so that water may freely enter. into this tube extends a packed steering post 73 having a spool 74 with a few turns of cable 75 leading out and. attached to the steering link 71. At one point the cable is attached to the spoolso as to prevent slip. The post has at the inner end a removable steering wheel 76 for operation by the aviator while running on land.

A lever 7 8 controls clutches 15-20 to driven and vice versa.

Safety lines 80 connect the ends of the I main plane and the ends of the boat body to insure a parachute action in any emergency. To reduce head resistance sharp nose shrouds 81 nearly enclose the front running wheels 69. y

A central landing wheel 82 is mounted at the bottom end of the prow.

As shown in Figure 10, another feature of the craft consists of a top propeller 84 having a vertical shaft 85 sliding up and down in a fixed, central tubular bearing 86 projecting nearly to the top of the arched main plane and being guyed by wires 87 to the oat. The lower end ofthe shaft 85 is splined in a hollow shaft 88 having a gear 89 meshing with anothter gear 90 on a sleeve 91 having a clutch 92 for connecting it to the motor shaft.

Thus the top or lifting propeller can be driven at will with or without the propellers 1722 or either of them. i

I prefer to make the top propeller 84 of disappearing form and therefore form a-depresslon 25 in the crown of the plane 25 wlnch may be concave or up curved longitudinally as well as transversely, (Fig. 10). A slot 94 in the depression bottom allows the planeto tilt clear of the upright 86.

On the shaft 85 is a collar 95 having pins 96 connected to endless cables 97 fixed to a spool 98 aside of the shaft. This spool is turned by a gear means and crank 99 thereby raising. the propeller 84 out of the recess 25*, to a desired degree, or lowering it.

The combined effort of main plane 25 and propeller 84 is, therefore, to cause a quick take-ofl' when propeller 22 is speeded up. The propeller 84 may be used to retard descent in conjunction with the parachuteplane 25.

As shown in Figure 11, air-diverting planes 100 may be provided at the bow of the boat body to throw air from the propeller 22 up into the top plane. The planes 100 maybe released at the bottom from the boat and then hinged out on rods 101 so that for water reserve, they will not check speed.

' 84 can be steady when there happens to be 'a'heavy be set with its ring either in front or rear of the blades.

When the craft is afloat the toppropeller run fast enough to keep, the boat sea running.

Ample side wings 103 give lateral stability to .the craft when flying, and the top propeller 84 will be highly assistful. in steadying boat'when the air is in a pockety condition, or tends to roll the craft.

lVhat isclaimed is:

1. Acombined land, air and Water vessel including a boat body having front steering wheels, rear running wheels, means in the body for operating the steering wheelsfor land travel, fixed side planes along the body, a main flying plane 0 concaved under face lying longitudinally over and along the boat, means for tilting the plane longitudinally to vary the angle of incidence,- and a rudder for aerial flying.

2. A combined land, air and water vessel including a boat body provided with a including a boat body provided with a versely of the boat, an aerial rudder,

, apinion engaging driven propeller, a longitudinally, extending,'top plane pivoted transversely of the boat, an aerial rudder,a bow rack connected to the plane and sliding on the boat prow and guided in a path having the plane pivot as its axis, and a control means including a pinion engaging the rack to raise and:

lower the bow end of the plane.

3. A combined land, air and watervessel driven propeller, a. longitudinally, extending, tunnel-shaped top plane pivoted transa bow rack connected to the plane andslidingon the boat prow, and a control means including the rack to raise and lower the bow end of the plane and a second and safety, auxiliary plane-control means.

4. A land, air and water vessel including i a boat body with rear running and front the boat body,

steering wheels for land use, a longitudinally extending, main flying plane, arched transversely and having a transverse axle in and a bridle means for controlling'the angle of the plane as to the boat.

-5. A land, air and water vessel includingv a boat body with rear running and front steering wheels for land use, a longitudinally extending, main flying plane, arched transversely. and having a transverse axle in the boat body, and a bridle means for controlling the angle of the plane as to the boat and an air rudder lying below and tilting with the plane.

6. A land, air and water vessel including aboat body with rear running and ,front steering wheels for land use, a longitudinally .said slide.

extending, main flying plane, arched transversely and having a transverse axle in the from opposite sides of the rudder tail to and down from the axle to the control pit in the boat. y g

7. An aerlal vessel including a boat body having a longitudinally extending, main supporting planemounted on an axle transversethe boat body, a prow structure extending upward from the body and being curved concentric to the center of the'said axle, a slide fitting and moving up and down in the prow and being attachedto the front end of'the .said plane, and control means for operating the slide to determine the angle of the plane.

' 8..An aerial vessel'including a boat body having a longitudinally extending, main supporting plane mounted on an axis transyerse the boat body, a prow structure. extendmg upward from the body and curved concentric to the said axis, a slide .adjustablyv mounted in the prow and including a rack, and a pinion engaging therack and having control means in theboat body, the slide being connected to the front end of the plane to tip it on the axis.

-9. An aerial vessel including, a boat body having a longitudinally extending, main supporting plane, a transverse axle on the body and carrying the plane, a prow structure extending upward from the boat body and concentric to the axle, a propeller in front of the prow and having its shaft extending back through the prow into the body, a slotted slide movable up and down I in the prow, said shaft passing through the slot in the slide, and control means in the body ofthe boat for adjusting the plane by 10. An aerial vessel including a boatbody having a longitudinally extending, main supporting plane pivotedon an axis'transverse the boat body, a. slide mounted cen-- trally and adjustably in the prow of the boat and connected by a cross arm to the front end of the plane, rack and pinion means for adjusting the slide, and means extended to the cock-pit of the boat for controlling said slide.

11. An aerial vessel including a boat body having a longitudinally vextending, main supporting plane-pivoted on an axis transverse the body, a slide adjustably mounted in the prow of the body, means connecting the slide to the frontend of the plane, man-- ual control means to shift the slide to vary the angle of the plane above the boat, a

power. plant in the boat, a-propeller shaft,

passing through theslide and having a pro peller in front of the prow and being driven by the said plant, and a Water propeller at the stern driven by the power plant.

12. An aerial vessel including a boat body, a main lifting plane longitudinally dis-' posed above the body and having a transverse axis on the body, a tail rudder mounteel in the plane, a head propeller for the vessel, a slide at the proW of the vessel for ti1ting the plane on its axis, a transverse fixed rod in the boat body, and independently operative means on the said rod for contr0lling the rudder and the said slide.

13. An aerial vessel including a boat body, a main lifting plane lying parallel to and above the body and tilting on a transverse axis thereon, positive mechanism for tilting the front end of the plane up or down, and a safety means for controlling the plane in event of failure the said mechanism, and including flexible eonnections between the boat and the front end of the plane, and a hauling-in ineans attached to the connections to vary the angle of the plane.

14. An air craft having, in combination, a boat with a power plant, a main flying plane, a bow tractor propeller, a shiftable lifting propeller above the plane, and means for selectively, or concurrently, driving the propeller from the power plant.

15. An air craft having, in combination, a boat- With a power plant, a main flying plane, a bow propeller, lilting propeller above the plane, and means for selectively, or concurrently, driving, the propellers from the power plant, and means for raising and lowering the lifting propeller.

15. An air craft having. in combination, a boat with a power plant, a main. flying plane, a bow propeller, a lilting propeller above the plane, and means for selectively, or concurrently, driving tne propellers from the power plant, and means for raising and lowering the lifting propeller; the plane having a recess in its top for receiving the lowered top propeller.

AUGUSTUS J. DTnlR-PSTRITE.

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