US1886278A - Automatic safety landing reversing propeller - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 1, 1932. j

R. C. WILSON AUTOMATIC SAFETY LANDING REVERSIN G PROPELLEB 3 Sheetsl-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12. 1931 Nov. 1, 1932. R. c. wmson AUTOMATIC SAFETY LANDING REVERSING PROPELLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FilecLFeb. 12. 1931 Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES RICHARD 0. WILSON, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA AUTOMATIC SAFETY LANDING REVERSING PROPELIJER Application filed February 12, 1981. Serial No. 515,329.

ihis-invention pertains to new and novel means for reversing a plurality of airplanereversing the propeller blades for landing and to automatically re-set the said blades 15 for forward flying.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for turning the ropeller blades by the motion of the revolving shaft of the propeller by means which engages and turns at the blades of the propeller.

Anotherobject of the invention is to dispense with the use of sprin s in the main operation of my improved device, thereby eliminatin a source of danger and unreli- 2 ability in ifi'erent temperatures and various kinds of climatic conditions. I

Another object of the invention is to provide means that may be installed and removed in exactly the same fit and key-way that is as used on any planes with non-reversible propellers upon which this device is to be installed.

Further objects of the invention are to rovide means adaptable for two, three and our :5 blade propellers; a practically automatic functioning of the reversing means to land and in resetting the blades for an immediate take-off if desired, with no care or attention of the pilot and without stoppage of the mofitor, allparts being easily accessible for inspection or replacing; the changing of the pitch while flying for speed, in gaining elevation and for conserving fuel by properly adjusting the pitch of the propeller after 4: flattening out-for flying.

The foregoing and such other objects as may appear from the ensuing description are accomplished by the combination, construction, arrangement and location of the several parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, and more particularly-pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that slight changes in the precise form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification it will beseen that:

Figure 1 is an elevationof a portion of my improved propeller hub, showing a portion of the blade reversing mechanism n section.

Figure 2 is a central sectional elevation of the means shown in Fig. 1. m

Figure 3 is an elevation of the front portion of a part of the-propeller hub, showing the hub broken away.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail partly in section and partly in elevation, and

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken in the w plane of the dotted lines 5'5, Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated it will be seen that the numeral 1 designates the propeller hub, shown as cylindrical, 76 and provided at each of its ends with a tubular sleeve 2, adapted to receive and retain a propeller blade. The hub is provided at its cen' ter with a transversely extending tapered socket 3, adapted to receive the main engine or propeller shaft 4 to the threaded end portion of which the hub is secured by means of a threaded lock nut 5.

When normally flying the gearing is not engaged; as moving parts such as are atv present used are not used in connection with this type of machine. When it is desired to reverse the propeller, after nearing the ground or other landing with the motor slowed down, the pilot s oves the reverse lever in the cockpit slightly ahead which allows the movement of the reverse mechanism. v a The link end 6 is lowered by the slight turning to the right of the reverse lever in the as cockpit; this lowers a link member '6' carrying the rack 7 which carries six flexible teeth as shown at 8, these teeth engage conical teeth on the power wheel 9 as this wheel is carried around by the hub 1 which-is as usual we versed the requirement for this special deping back into safe? keyed to the motor shaft 4 by the key 10. The use of this key 10 is emphasized for the reason that this mechanism is designed to replace the present non-reversible propellers, using the same taper fit shown at 10, in-the super parasol flier for experimenting on which the mechanism is designed, so that the present distance between the motor and the propeller hub, in this case, is practically not increased and the changing from the present type of non-reversible propeller to this reversible one, or vice versa, is a matter of only a few minutes and requires no shop or other expense.

Upon the engagement of the flexible teeth 8 with the conical teeth 12 of the power wheel 9 at its upper rim, themovementof this upper rim is retarded while the center of the power wheel 9 on its shaft 9 is carried to the left, in this case, describing the dotted circle, as the power wheel revolves around the motor shaft 4, the top of the power wheel 9 is turned to the right as long as its conical teeth 12 are meshed with the flexible teeth 8 carried by the reverse tooth rack 7. As there is a power wheel 9 for each propeller blade and one stationary tooth rack 7, motions of the power wheels are not continuous; the propeller blades all turning at once, 'when either of the power wheels isengaged, through the idler 14, secured at the front endof the motor shaft 4 to insure exactly similar pitch of the different propeller blades.

After six and a quarter revolutions of the.

power wheels 9, the propeller blades have resign for-this p ane. Upon the desired movement of the blades the friction wheels 15, carried on one end only of the five sets of bolts 16, at positions 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 should impinge on the ends of their slots such as are shown by the dotted lines 22, 23 and 24, Fig. 2, and by full lines 24 in the hub 1, stopping the turning of the blades which are mounted inside ofthe sleeves 2 and secured to the said sleeves by the through bolts 16, and since the power wheels 9 cannot then turn, the flexible teeth 8 assume the neutral positions with ends at 26, thus allowing the power'wheels to he carried around the common or motor center without the retarded or turning motion of their upper rims. The functioning of this reversing, to the time of the bending clear of the flexible teeth requires about two and a half seconds 9 with the present 260 R. P. M. of the slowed motor, slowed down for the downward sweep to the landing site. Upon the bending to the position 26 of the flexible teeth 8, the rack is forced upwards until drawn into the secure flying position as at first, by the slipposition of the reverse shaft and lever in' t e cockpit; these cannot again be manipulated until the pilot shoves the reverse lever forward the required slight distance unlock it. This insures against I reversing -slowed down motion. If desired to resume immediate flying the reverse lever is again freed by being forced ahead the required slight distance'for unlocking after which it ,is turned slightly to theleft and the resetting tooth rack 27 is raised slightly by the raising of the link end 6 which causes the flexible teeth 28 to engage with the conical teeth 12 of the power wheel 9 which causes an opposite direction of the power wheels in the retarded movement of their rims, thus causing the propeller blades carried by the sleeves to resume their original position, about sixty degrees around the shell of the hub 1, until the roller friction wheels 15 are stopped by the ends of their respective slots, and the flexible teeth 28 are bent. to positions 29 which stops the movement of the power wheels 9. Similarly to the upper reversing rack 7 performance, the curved flexible teeth ends at 29 cause the resetting rack 27 to be forced down to its former flying position clear of the conical teeth 12 on the power wheels 9 and the securing device on the reverse lever in the cockpit looks it in the safe position until it is again desired-to reverse the propeller as at first described.

This automatic resumption of theflying position of the propeller blades for a quick take-off after landing is accomplished in about four seconds after the control or reverse lever has been turned to reset for flying.

The-reverse or resetting movements of the propeller blades do not require the attention nor manipulation by the pilot, as the revolving of the propeller at the slowed down speed for landing furnishes the power as above described. 'The flexible teeth furnish the automatic functioning in small designs of this ropeller and the use of a screw governor f not shown), operated by any suitable means in the larger designs furnish an accurate and positive stoppage of blade movement by manipulating either up or down, the tooth rack 7 for reversing and tooth rack 27 for resetting.

Movement of the propeller blades secured inside the sleeves 2 is caused by the power wheels 9 through their shafts 9 turning the gear wheels 30 thus communicating movement to the front of the propeller throughthe gears 30 on the front of the shafts 9 of the power wheels extending through the hub 1. The actuated gear wheels 30' through their shafts 31 operate the worm gears 32 which impart rotary movement to the racks 33 carried by steel rings 34 riveted to the irmer end portion of each sleeve 2. The double worm drive gears 32 provide an even ull on the sleeves carrying the propeller bla es and also furnish a positive locking and securing device for the prevention of movement and chattering of the propeller blades. The undesired varying of pitch in the propeller blades is prevented by the idler gear wheel 14 which is actuated by the forward gear 30 thus also imparting movement to all the propeller m blades at each meshing of the flexible teeth 8 and 28 with the conical teeth of the power wheels 9, thus providing a multi-drive arrangement in case of damage to one of the power wheels 9. The. flexible teeth are gov- 15 erned by springs 41 and 42 of sufiicient strength to actuate the power for reversing the propellerblades without fail and also are designed to bend toneutral position when the blades have moved to the desired angle, so as to unmesh the reversing and resetting rack teeth from the conical teeth of the power wheels 9 and throw their safety catches into play in the cockpit after the blades have been reversed or reset without any attention from the pilot other than the'manipulation of the control lever, all parts of the device are easily and readily replaced and open for inspection and for oiling and cleaning. The bolts 16 carry the roller friction wheels 15 and also secure in place the wooden or steel propeller blades within the sleeves 2. There are ten of these roller friction wheels 15 for overcomin centrifugal action. Two slides disposed at 3 and 37' assure contact of motor bracket 38 and sliding bracket 39 swinging at pivot 40. The half ellipse 40 formed in the lower end portion of the sliding bracket 39 controls the stroke of the reversing tooth rack 7 and the resetting tooth rack 27.

It will be evident that the function of the coiled springs 41 and 42 is to keep the points of the teeth 8 and 28 at the proper pitch position to engage the conical teeth of the power wheel- 9, the tension of said springs being 45 regulated by the nuts, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, so that they allow the teeth to take the neutral position, at 60. It will be obvious that where climatic conditions allow, the use of friction material may 59 be employed instead of the teeth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. An airplane propeller having a hub, a

main shaft to which the hub is rigidly secured, a plurality of sleeves rotatably fitted within said hub, a pivoted and adjustable link:

' member carried at the inner side of the hub,

said link having an upper and a lower tooth-' 60 ed rack secured thereto means disposed with- .in the hub and meshing with externally disposed means coacting with said racksand teeth for reversing the propeller blades with said sleeves. I

2. An airplane propeller having a hub, a

' in the hub and externally of said hub for immotor shaft rigidly secured to the hub, a plurality of sleeves rotatably secured within said hub, a pivoted and adjustable link member carried at the inner side of the hub, an upper and a lower rack member secured to the outer face of said link, flexible teeth carried by each rack, and meansv formed on each sleeve meshing with externally disposed means and coacting. with said racks and teeth for reversing the propeller blades disposed within the sleeves. I

I 3. An airplane propeller having a hub, a

motor shaft rigidly secured to the hub, a plurality of sleeves'rotatably secured within said hub, a pivoted and adjustable. link member carried adjacent said hub, an upper and a lower toothed rack secured to the link, and

means coacting with internal and external means and with said racks for reversing the propeller blades to an extent of about sixty degrees.

4. An airplane propeller having a hub, a motor shaft to which the 'hub is fixedly secured, a plurality of sleeves rotatably securedwithin said hub, a pivoted and adjustable link member carried adjacentthe inner side of thehub, means for adjusting said link member, an upper and a lower rack member formed with the link member, and means dis posedwithin and externally of the hub cothe hub for reversing the propeller.

5. An airplane propeller having a hub, a main shaft to which the hub is-fixedly secured, a plurality of sleeves rotatably secured within said hub, a propeller blade fittedwii'hin each sleeve, a pivoted and adjustable link member carried at the rear of said hub. a plu rality of rack members secured to said link, a plurality of gear wheels carriedat the front of said hub, a plurality of screw gears meshing with racks disposed within the hub, means for adjusting said link member, and means coacting with said link member for reversing said propeller blades. I

6. An airplane propeller having a hub, a motor shaft fixedly secured to the hub, a plurality of sleeves rotatably secured within the hub. a link member pivotally secured at the rear side of the hub. a gear wheel carried at the rear side of the hub, gear wheels carried at the front side of the hub, and means carried at the upper and lower portion of the link and coacting with means disposed'withm parting a reverse movement to the, propeller.

7. The. combination with an airplane propeller hub, of a plurality of propeller blades rotatablymounted W thin the hub. a plurality of rotatable sleeves mounted within the hub, gearing for rotating said blades, said gear-' ing comprising a link member having-an upper and a lower flexible toothed rack secured to said'links, gear wheels secured at the front and rear of said-hub, and means disposed with p I acting with said link member and carried by the hub and externally thereof coacting with the said racks for reversing said propeller blades. i

8. The combination with an airplane pro- 5 peller hub, of a plurality of propeller blades rotatably mounted within the hub, a plurali of rotatable sleeves mounted within the hu gearing for rotating said blades, said gearing comprising a link member formed with an upper and a lower rack provided with flexible teeth, gear wheels secured at the front and rear of said hub, and means disposed internally and externally of the hub coacting with the link member for reversing the said propeller blades. V

9. The combination with an airplane propeller of a hub, a plurality of sleeves rotatably mounted within the hub, a propeller blade fixedly secured within each sleeve, a

pivoted and adjustable link member secured adjacent the rear. of the hub, said link carrying an upper and a lower flexible toothed rack, means for adjusting the link member, gearing for rotating said blades, said gearing comprising a gear wheel disposed at the rear of the hub, gear wheels disposed at the front of the hub, a plurality of screw gears meshing with racks formed on the outer face of each sleeve and disposed within the hub, and means carried by the link member and meshing with a gear for imparting reverse movement to said blades.

y 10. A propeller having a hub, a motor shaft fixedly secured to said hub, a plurality of 39 sleeves rotatably secured within the hub, a

propeller blade mounted in each sleeve, a link member pivotally secured to the rear of the hub, and means cooperating with said link member for changing the pitch of each blade an after flattening out for flying.

11. A propeller having a hub, a motor shaft fixedly secured to said hub, a plurality of sleeves rotatably mounted within the hub, a propeller blade mounted within each sleeve, a

- link member pivotally secured at the rear of said hub, an upper and lower set of flexible teeth carried by the link member, and means coacting with said teeth for reversing and resetting said propeller blades.

RICHARD 0. WILSON.

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