Circular vertical take off & landing aircraft

• US 20030127559A1
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Ronald Walmsley
• Original Assignee: Eric Ronald Walmsley
• Inventors: Walmsley, Eric Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 6,698,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/23C
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0066 with horizontal jet and jet deflector
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/001 Flying saucers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/06 having disc- or ring-shaped wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/062 having annular wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/15 for conventional or electronic warfare
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/12 using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors

Abstract

A circular VTOL aircraft with a central vertically mounted jet or rocket engine 7, (or engines) having below vertical thrust vents 14 at cardinal points, together with a jet rocket engine 20 (or engines) horizontally mounted on turntable pod 16 which is steerable through 360 degrees and centrally situated below the vertical engine (s). Alternatively the horizontal engine can be replaced by central thrust vent 36 delivering thrust from the vertical engine to vectored thrust nozzle 37 attached to the turntable. Thrust from the four vertical thrust vents is controlled by valves 21 giving VTOL thrust control as well as pitch and bank control. The horizontal engine provides acceleration and retro-thrust for horizontal flight and directional control through 360 degrees. The passenger cabin is situated in the main body of the aircraft. Fuel tanks are installed around the central engines. The flight-deck is situated at the top-centre of the craft above the engines, which are detachable for maintenance.

Claims

1. A disc-shaped VTOL aircraft wherein a central jet or rocket engine (or engines) delivers thrust downwards to four vertical thrust vents (which may have vectored thrust nozzles) situated at cardinal points below the said engine, together with a central horizontally mounted jet or rocket engine (or engines) delivering horizontal thrust and fixed to a turntable pod which is steerable through 360 degrees and is situated centrally below the vertical thrust engine (or engines).

2. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central horizontal engine (or engines) is replaced by the addition of a central thrust vent (or vents) delivering thrust from the vertical engine/s to a horizontal nozzle within a vectored thrust unit which is connected to a turntable and rotates through 360 degrees in order to steer the craft.

3. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the passenger compartment, as well as fuel-tanks, payload and weapon-bays are incorporated in the main circular body of the craft, and wherein the flight deck is situated above the central engines and is separate from the passenger compartment.

4. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claims 1 to 3 wherein the passenger compartment is re-designated mostly to fuel-tank space, the engine and vent systems upgraded for rocket power, and the hull structure reinforced to achieve the performance parameters required for space-shuttle flight.