Convertible aircraft

• US 3,327,969 A
• Filed: 10/12/1965
• Issued: 06/27/1967
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1965
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Helicopters Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Robert E. Head
• Inventors: Head, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US04/495,241
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• US Class Current: 244/7.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage

Claims

1. AN AIRCRAFT SUITABLE FOR SELECTIVE OPERATION IN HELICOPTER OR AIRPLANE MODES OF AIRBORNE FLIGHT AND FOR INFLIGHT CONVERSION FROM ONE MODE TO THE OTHER, SAID AIRCRAFT COMPRISING:

(A) A FUSELAGE HAVING A TAIL SECTION;

(B) A SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS;

(C) SUSTAINING MEANS MOUNTED ON THE FUSELAGE FOR STATIONARY AND ROTATING CONDITIONS, SAID SUSTAINING MEANS BEING CHARACTERIZED BY (A)AN AIR FOIL SHAPED HUB OF SYMMETRICAL PLAN FORM, AND BY (B) THREE RADIALLY-EXTENDING THRUST-PRODUCING BLADES CONNECTED TO THE HUB SO AS TO ACCOMMODATE CHANGES IN THE PITCH ANGLES OF THE BLADES RELATIVE TO THE HUB;

(C) THE PLAN FORM AND AIRFOIL SECTION OF THE HUB BEING SUCH THAT WHEN THE SUSTAINING MEANS IS IN A STATIONARY CONDITION SAID HUB IS EFFECTIVE FOR SUSTAINING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MODE;

AND (D) THE CHARACTER OF THE BLADES BEING SUCH THAT WHEN THE SUSTAINING MEANS IS IN A ROTATING CONDITION THE BLADES ARE EFFECTIVE FOR SUSTAINING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE HELICOPTER FLIGHT MODE, SAID BLADES BEING FURTHER CHARACTERIZED BY (E) TIP-PORTIONS PROVIDED WITH FIRST AND SECOND JET-PRODUCING OPENINGS CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED SUCH THAT THE FIRST OPENINGS ARE EFFECTIVE FOR EXPELLING JETS OF PRESSURIZED GAS FOR CAUSING ROTATION OF THE SUSTAINING MEANS, AND SUCH THAT THE SECOND OPENINGS ARE EFFECTIVE FOR EXPELLING JETS OF PRESSURIZED GAS FOR COUNTERACTING ROTATION OF THE SUSTAINING MEANS EFFECTED BY THE JETS OF PRESSURIZED GAS EXPELLED BY THE FIRST OPENINGS;

(D) NOZZLE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUSELAGE FOR EXPELLING A THRUST-PRODUCING JET OF PRESSURIZED GAS FOR PROPELLING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE PLANE FLIGHT MODE;

(E) GAS-CONDUCTING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE AIRFOIL-SHAPED HUB AND THE THRUST-PRODUCING BLADES INTERCONNECTING THE FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS IN THE TIP-PORTIONS OF SAID BLADES WITH THE SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS AND THE NOZZLE MEANS, SAID GAS-CONDUCTING MEANS INCLUDING (A) FIRST INSTRUMENTALITIES FOR SELECTIVELY DIRECTING THE FLOW OF PRESSURIZED GAS FROM THE SOURCE TO THE FIRST AND SECOND JET-PRODUCING OPENINGS IN THE TIP-PORTIONS OF SAID BLADES OR TO THE NOZZLE MEANS, AND (B) SECOND INSTRUMENTALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH SAID TIP-PORTIONS OF THE BLADES FOR DIRECTING THE FLOW OF PRESSURIZED GAS THROUGH THE FIRST OR SECOND OPENINGS SUCH THAT THE JET-PRODUCING FUNCTIONS OF SAID OPENINGS ARE EFFECTIVE FOR CAUSING ROTATION OF THE SUSTAINING MEANS OR FOR STOPPING SUCH ROTATION;

(F) POSITIONING MEANS FOR FIXEDLY LOCATING THE SUSTAINING MEANS IN A STATIONARY CONDITION SUCH THAT TWO OF THE THRUST-PRODUCING BLADES EXTEND LATERALLY FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FUSELAGE AND THE THIRD BLADE EXTENDS IN LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FUSELAGE, SAID POSITIONING MEANS INCLUDING (A) A LOCKING MECHANISM HAVING A FIXED MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE AND A MOVABLE MEMBER ADAPTED FOR ENGAGING THE HUB OF THE SUSTAINING MEANS;