US1185536A - Automatic stabilizing mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

E. RABICK. AUTOMATIC STABILIZING MECHANISM.

Patented May 30, 1916.

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E. RABICK. AUTOMATIC STABILIZING MECHANISM. Paten'ted Mayan; 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV- 30. 1915.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV- 30. 1915. I 1 185 536 Patent-ed May 30, 1916.

., s SHEETSSHEET3- EDWARD RABICK, OF STAFFORD, OREGON.

AUTOMATIC STABILIZING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916.

2 Application filed November 30, 1915. Serial mi. 64,310.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD Ramon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stafford, in the county of Clackamas and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stabilizing Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in flying machines of the aeroplane'class, and particularly to automatic stabilizing devices for maintaining the lateral equilibrium of flying machines of this character.

One object of the invention is to provide a flying machine embodying a car serving: as a pendulum weight and a gliding structure" pivoted thereto for relative lateral motion, together with stability planes or surfaces adapted to be operated by the relative motion produced between the car and gliding surface when the latter moves out of the balanced position, whereby these stabilizing planes will be automatically adjusted to return the machine to a state of normal balance or equilibrium.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction and organization of controlling elements, whereby an efficient type of automatic balancing mechanism is produced.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figurel is a front elevation of a flying machine embodying my invention, showing the parts in normal positions Fig. 2. is a sectional plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section. Fig. 4 .is a longitudinal section on line H of Fig. 1. Figs. Sand 6 are views illustrating the balancing operations.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of the machine, which, in the present instance, is of the nacelletype, and I is suitably constructed to receive...the pilot,

passenger or passengers, if any, the motor 3, p

and the fuel tank and other weightyelements of the craft and load, .whereby the car in practice is adapted to serve the function of a pendulum weight and to maintain its normal position by gravity. This body may be equipped with the usual rudders, and' as shown is provided with a pair of spaced and suit-ably braced bearing standards L and front and rear bracing posts 5 and 6.

Supportedby and upon the body is a gliding structure 7, shown in the present instance as of the biplane type, and provided centrally with V-shaped bearing standards having depending vertex portions, which are provided with apertures for the passage of a rod or shaft 8, passing also through apertures in the standards 4, and forming planes 9' and 10 thereof, which planes may have any desired lifting curvature. Bracing wires or cables 11 and 12 connect the front and rear portions of the gliding structure, on opposite'sides of its longitudinal center, with the front and rear posts 5 and (3. whereby the parts are more securely reinforced and braced. without interfering with free relative pivotal-motions between the'car and gliding structure. The posts and standards may be reinforced from the car body by suitable braces 13, as shown. Springs 14 are arranged at the opposite sides of the gliding structure ,and connect the same with the opposite sides of the body, and these springs have a counteracting action and are of sutlicicnt strength to normally hold the gliding structure from pivotal motion when said gliding structurois at rest as upon the ground or upon the surface of a body of water, withoutinterfering with the tilting motions -which may be produced by variations of air-pressures upon the wings of the supporting surface. For the purpose of maintaining lateral stability, stabilizing surfaces, such as ailerons 15 and 16 are pivotally mounted upon the gliding structure on I opposite sides of the longitudinal center of saidstructure and preferably in proximity to the outer rear corners thereof. These ailerons are hinged or pivoted to tilt in a vertical plane, and

are coupled for movement in unison by an upper cord or connection 17 passing through guide openings 18 in the upper plane at points in advanceof the ailerons and having its intermediate portion extending longitudinally along the upper surface of said plane. The ailerons are also connected by lower controlling cords or cables 1.9. and 20 with opposite sides of the body 1, the respectivecords 19 and 530 respectively passing from the undersurfaces of the ailerons at their outer free ends forwardly over the surface of the lower plane, thence through guide members 22, thence inwardly along the upper surface of the lower plane and downwardly through guide openings 23 therein beneath the plane to the opposite sides of the body, to which they are'suitably attached at their inner or forward ends. It will be observed that the intermediate portions of these cords or cables are arranged in lapping relation the cord or cable 19 of the right hand aileron being connected with the left side of the body While the c'ordor cable 20 from the left aileron is connected with the right hand side of the body.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that when the machine is in straight away flight and normally balanced, the gliding structure is disposed in a horizontal position or at the correct flying attitude and the controlling cords l9 and 20 are arranged to maintain the ailerons in neutral or non-acting position. If, however, the gliding structure should be tilted so as to be depressed at the lefthand side and elevated at the right hand side, it will be evident that a relative motion between the car and gliding structure will be established, whereby the cord 20 connected with the aileron at the right hand side will be relaxed, while the cord 19 connected with the aileron at the left hand side will be drawn upon to effect a depression of the left hand aileron and GlGVtljlOll of the right hand aileron by which a lifting action will be secured at the left hand side and a depressing action at the right hand side. to restoreithe machine to a state of balance or equilibrium. Similarly, if the gliding structure should tilt laterally in the opposite direction, a reverse action of the cords and aileron would take place, resulting in a depression of the right hand aileron and elevation of the left-hand aileron to restore the balaiice of the machine, the springs 14. in these operations yielding to permit of the described relative motions between the body and gliding structure, while serving to maintain the gliding structure in a normal horizontal position, when the machine is traveling in still air or is subjected at all points to substantially equal lifting pressures. By the construction of balancing mechanism described a simple and efi'ectiw controlling means is provided which may be applied to any ordinary type of craft and which is not liable to get out of order.

I claim 1. A flying machine including a weighted body, bearings projecting upwardly from the body, posts projecting upwardly from the body in front and rear of the bearings, a gliding structure provided with bearing members pivotally connected with the firstnamed bearings to adapt the gliding structure to tilt laterallyin either direction with relation to the body, flexible bracing connections between the frontand rear portions of the gliding structure and the said front and rear posts, balancing surfaces upon the gliding structure at opposite sides thereof, springs connecting the body and glid: ing structure to oppose a yielding resistance to the tilting of the latter, and means controlled by the pivotal movements of the body for adjusting the balancing surfaces. 2. A flying machine including a weighted body, superposed supporting surfaces of the biplane type, the upper surface being provided with a pair of guide openings, and the lower surface with a pair of guide opcnings and guide members laterally beyond said guide openings, said surface being pivotally mounted for relative lateral tilting motions upon the body, springs connecting the supporting surface with the body to oppose a yielding resistance to the tilting of the gliding structure in either dire tion, balancing planes pivotally mounted at the opposite sides of the gliding structure, a connection between said balancing planes movable through the guide openings in the upper supporting surface, and flexible connections leading from the lower portions of the balancing surfaces forwardly and through said guide members upon the lower surface, thence inwardly along said surface past each other in lapping relation, and thence downwardly through the guide openings in the lower supporting surface and connected with the opposite sides of the car.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD Ramon.

Witnesses C. H, DYE, VERA J, llnxourons.

Copies-of thiis patent may be ebtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commirsaioner of Iatenta,

- Washington, 1). 2.

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