US1979298A - Aeroplane wing - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1934. s. TREY ET AL AEROPLANE WING Original Filed Aug. 21. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INWNTGES: Serge Heyand Mlliam 190mm;

MIR A ITORNE Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AEROPLANE WING Serge Trey and William Howard, College Point,

Application August 21, 1931, Serial No. 558,534 Renewed February 2, 1934 20 Claims. (Cl. 244-12) Our invention relates to aerofoils and, more valve 14 is closed, the valve 15 is open, and viceparticularly, to the wing of an aeroplane proversa. For intermediate positions, both valves vided with a generator for directing a stream of are partially open. air to the leading edge of the wing. During flight, the valve 15 is open, admitting The invention is designed (1) to effect more air to the blower 5 which throws an air stream co favorable aerodynamic conditions in the neighinto the hollow space I through the duct 8. From borhood of the aerotoil, (2) to increase the lift the space 7, the air is expelled through the ports ing capacity of the wing, and (3) to decrease the along the leading edge of the wing 6. The drag. or even to cause a negative drag to take ports 10 may extend the entire span of the wing,

10 place, thus creating a force of propulsion; all or only a portion thereof. The velocity of the 65 of which efiects tend to increase the general efflair jet through the ports 10 is regulated by shiftciency of the aerofoil. ing the gears in the gear box 4'. While a cen- The invention is further designed to reduce trifugal blower is shown in the drawings, it is to the landing speed of an aeroplane by simultanebe understood that it serves merely as an illusl5 ously increasing the lift and the drag. tration and that any generator for producing a 70 Other purposes of the invention will become stream of air in the described manner may be apparent from the description which follows. used in connection with the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of an Likewise, controlling the speed of the air jet aeroplane embodying our invention, partly shown may be effected in other ways than the one illusin section. Figure 2 is a cross section of the trated here to show a concrete example only, 5

same aeroplane taken along the line 2-2 of Figor a separate engine may be provided for energizure 1, a portion of the fuselage being broken off ing the blower at a variable speed, independentto more clearly disclose the arrangements of the ly of the propeller speed. device. Without going into the theory of the device in Referring to the figures in detail, 1 is the fuse-- detail, it may be said that the effect of the upward 80 lage of the aeroplane; 2 is the propeller operated .jet of air along the leading edge of the aerofoil, by the engine 3. To the engine frame is atas shown, is twofold: (1) it serves to correct the tached a gear box 4', from which extends the unfavorable aerodynamic conditions obtainingin shaft 4 upon which is mounted a centrifugal wings devoid of the present invention by relieving blower 5, it being understood that the shafts of the pressure on the forward end of the wing, and the propeller 2 and of the centrifugal blower 5 (2) it acts to diminish the inclination from the are co ected b Suitable ars arranged within vertical of the resultant force to which the susthe gear box 4'. These gears may be shifted taining power of the aeroplane is due, thereby iny m n f the handle 4 through a suitable creasing the lift component and. at the same time,

3 linkage The Wing 6 0f he aeroplane has creating a negative drag component which, in 90 a ho 9 the forward connected absolute amount, may be less than, equal to, or to the blo 5 y means 8- dllct FrOm s greaterthan the positive drag component present hol ow sp ce I a channel 9 leads to e open n in wings devoid of the shown arrangement for air 0 w h s forms an p end of the passage jets. When the negative drag component thus y duct T Opening 10 is P e ab y created is greater, in absolute amount, than the 5 located at the intersection of the median surface positive drag existing without the air jet, the total, 01 th w with th leadin d e th reof. r or resultant, drag is negative, i. e. a force of proclose to it, above or below. An air port 15, shown pulsion is created, in the figure as a scoop adapted to be swungopen On landing, the valve 15 is gradually closed,

or shut, thus constituting an inlet air valve, for whi1e,./at the same time, opening the valve 14. 100 admitting air to .the blower 5, is connected with Air is then sucked in at the trailing edge of the the blower 5 by the passage way or duct 16. A wing and delivered to the blower, the jet at the hollow space 11 at the trailing edge of the wing leading edge operating as before. One effect is 6, provided with a suction port 12, connects with that the lift is increased owing to the absorption the blower 5 by means of the passage ways 13 of the eddy currents always present at the trail- 105 and 16.. A valve Moperates to close or open the ing edge in standard design wings, and another pasage way 13. The valve 15 swings on a pivot eifect is that a force in the direction of flight, 1'7; the valve 14, on a pivot 18. The two valves equivalent to a positive drag on the wing, is creare connected by the linkage 19--2021 and are ated, thereby slowing down the speed of the aerooperated by means of a handle 22. When the plane, while, at the same time, the loss of liitin 11o power due to the reduced speed of the aeroplane is compensated by the increase in lift due to the first effect.

All of the above results have been checked up and fully substantiated in a series of comprehensive tests conducted in a wing tunnel in the city of New York.

We claim:

1. The combination with an aerofoil, of means for producing an air stream, and an open duct for said air stream terminating substantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with the leading edge thereof.

2. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means external thereto for producing an air stream, and an open duct for said air stream terminating substantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with the leading edge thereof.

3. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means for producing an air stream, and a duct for said air stream having an opening substantially at the intersection of the median Surface of the aerofoil with the leading edge thereof for the escape of said air stream in an upward direction.

4. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means external thereto for producing an air stream, and a duct for directing said air stream to the leading edge of said aerofoil, said duct being provided with an opening substantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with said leading edge to permit said air to escape upwardly.

5. An aeroplane comprising an air stream generator attached to the fuselage, and an open duct from said generator to the wing of said aeroplane terminating substantially at the intersection of the median surface of said wing with the leading edge thereof.

6. An aeroplane comprising an air stream generator attached to the fuselage, and a duct for directing said air stream to the leading edge of the wing of said aeroplane, said duct being provided with an opening substantially at the intersection of the median surface of'said wing with said leading edge to permit said air stream to escape in an upward direction.

'7. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edge of said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, and a passage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil, said passage way being provided with an opening for permitting the air to escape along said leading edge in an upward direction.

8. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailin edge of said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, and a passage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil, said passage way being provided with ports at or near the median line of said leading edge to permit the air to escape in an upward direction.

9. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air stream generator external thereto, a suction port at the trailing edge of said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, and an open passage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil terminating at or near the median line thereof.

10. An aeroplane comprising an air stream generator attached to the fuselage, a suction port atthe trailing edge of the wing of said aeroplane, a duct from said suction port to said generator, and a passage way from said generator to the leading edge of said wing, said passage way being provided with an opening at or near the median line of said leading edge to permit the air to escape in an upward direction.

11. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air circulating system comprising an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edge of said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, a passage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil, an intake valve for admitting air to said generator, and a valve for closing or opening said duct according as said intake valve is opened or closed.

12. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air circulating system comprising an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edge of said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, a passage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil, an intake valve for admitting air to said generator, and a valve for closing or opening said duct according as said intake valve is opened or closed, said passage way being provided with ports to permit the air to escape upwardly along said leading edge.

. 13. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means for producing a stream of air, an open duct for said air terminating substantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with the leading edge thereof, and means for controlling the velocity of said stream of air.

14. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means external thereto for producing a stream of air, an open duct for said air terminating substantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with the leading edge thereof, and means for varying the velocity of said stream of air.

15. The combination with an aerofoil, of means for producing a stream of air, a duct for directing said stream to the leading edge of said aerofoil, said duct being provided with an opening substantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with said leading edge to permit said air stream to escape upwardly, and means for controlling the velocity of the escaping air.

16. The combination, with an aerofoil,. of means external thereto for producing a stream of air, a duct for directing said stream to the leading edge of said aerofoil, said duct being provided with an opening substantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with said leading edge to permit said air stream to escape in an upward direction, and means for varying the velocity of the escaping air.

17. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air circulating system comprising an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edge of said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, a passage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil, an intake valve for admitting air to said generator, a valve for closing and opening said duct, means for operating said valves to close one while opening the other one, and means for controlling the velocity of the air in said circulating system.

18. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air circulating system comprising an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edge of said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, a passage way from said generator to the leading edge of saidaerofoil, an intake valve for admitting air to said geenrator, a valve for closing and opening said duct, means for operating said valves to close one while opening the other one, ports at the end of said passage way for permitting the air to escape upwardly along the said leading edge, and means for controlling the velocity of the escaping air.

19. An aeroplane comprising an air stream generator, a duct for directing said stream from said generator to the leading edge of the aeroplane wing, said duct being provided with an opening substantially at the intersection of the median surface of said wing with said leading edge to permit said air stream to escape in an upward direction, and means for varying the ratio of the velocity of the escaping air to the speed of the aeroplane propeller.

20. An aeroplane comprising an air circulating system including an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edge of the aeroplane wing, a duct from said suction port to said generator, a passage way from said generator to the leading edge of said wing, an intake valve for admitting air to said generator, a valve for closing and opening said duct, means for operating said valves to close one while opening the other one, ports at the end of said passage way at or near the median line of said leading edge to permit the'air to escape in an upward direction, and means for controlling the velocity of the air in said circulating system.

SERGE TREY.

WILLIAM HOWARD.

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