High speed, long range turbo-jet aircraft

• US 3,907,219 A
• Filed: 10/26/1973
• Issued: 09/23/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack W. Pharris
• Original Assignee: Jack W. Pharris
• Inventors: Pharris, Jack W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blix, Trygve M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen L.
• Application Number:
  US05/409,887
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 244/6,7R,7A,17.11,17.19,17.23,23D 415/147 60/39.15,39.2,226 416/161,23,149,150
• US Class Current: 244/7.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings

Abstract

An aircraft forwardly propelled by fan jet engines during fixed wing flight, is operated in a VTOL mode by powered rotation of a rotary wing through a rotor assembly in an extended position. Power for the rotor assembly is obtained from the engines through a transmission disengaged for autogyro operation during transition to or from fixed wing flight. The rotor assembly is braked and retracted after it is unloaded from the engines in order to accommodate fixed wing flight.

Claims

1. In an aircraft having an elongated fuselage, a rotor assembly, rotary wing means connected to the rotor assembly, power operated means connected to the rotor assembly for displacement between retracted and extended positions, and pitch control means comprising a non-rotatable casing axially displaceable with the rotor assembly between the extended and retracted positions, a control shaft operatively connected to the rotarY wing means and extending through the rotor assembly, screw means slidably mounted in the casing for axial displacement of the control shaft, a nut rotatably mounted in the casing in engagement with screw means, cable means drivingly engaged with the nut for rotation thereof to impart axial displacement to the screw means and the control shaft, support means pivotally mounted in the fuselage and connected to the casing and operating means mounted on the support means for actuation of the cable means in the extended position of the rotor assembly.

2. In an aircraft having an elongated fuselage, a fixed wing secured to the fuselage, an attitude controlling tail assembly secured to the fuselage and reaction thrust generating means for forwardly propelling the fuselage along a longitudinal axis thereof;

a rotor assembly, a rotary wing means connected to the rotor assembly for rotation during helicopter and autogyro operations, power operated means connected to the rotor assembly for displacement between retracted and extended positions relative to the fuselage, disengageable transmission means drivingly connecting the thrust generating means to the rotor and tail assemblies for powered rotation during said helicopter operation, control means for selectively disengaging the transmission means to unload the rotor and tail assemblies from the thrust generating means, and means for conditioning the thrust generating means while unloaded from the rotor and tail assemblies during autogyro and fixed wing operations to increase forward propulsion of the fuselage, the thrust generating means comprising a fan jet engine having a compressor and a turbine to which the transmission means is connected, said conditioning means including intake control means for reducing inflow of air to the compressor during helicopter operation.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said transmission means includes reduction gear means connected to the thrust generating means for transmitting torque therefrom, one-way clutch means for transmitting said torque in one direction to the rotor assembly during said helicopter operation, and clutch means selectively disengageable by the control means for interrupting said transmission of torque to mechanically unload the thrust generating means, whereby the rotary wing means overruns the rotor during autogyro operation in response to forward propulsion of the fuselage by the thrust generating means.

4. The combination of claim 2 including means fixed to the fuselage for locking the rotary wing means against rotation in the retracted position of the rotor assembly.

5. In an aircraft having an elongated fuselage, a fixed wing secured to the fuselage, an attitude controlling tail assembly secured to the fuselage and reaction thrust generating means for forwardly propelling the fuselage along a longitudinal axis thereof;

a rotor assembly having a rotational axis in perpendicular intersecting relation to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, rotary wing means connected to the rotor assembly for rotation during helicopter and autogyro operations, power operated means connected to the rotor assembly for displacement between retracted and extended positions relative to the fuselage, disengageable transmission means drivingly connecting the thrust generating means to the rotor and tail assemblies for powered rotation during said helicopter operation, control means rendered operative in the extended position of the rotor assembly for controlling the pitch of the rotary wing means during helicopter and autogyro operations, means for conditioning the thrust generating means while unloaded from the rotor and tail assemblies by the transmission means during autogyro and fixed wing operations to increase forward propulsion of the fuselage, and means for braking rotation of the rotor and tail assemblies, said transmission means including reduction gear means connected to the thrust generating means for power take-off therefrom, one-way clutCh means for transmitting torque in one direction from the reduction gear means to the rotor assembly during said power take-off, and selectively disengageable clutch means for interrupting said transmission of torque during the autogyro and fixed wing operations to unload the thrust generating means, the thrust generating means comprising a fan jet engine having a compressor and a turbine to which the reduction gear means is connected, said conditioning means including intake control means for reducing inflow of air to the compressor during said power take-off, the pitch control means including a non-rotatable casing axially displaceable with the rotor assembly between the extended and retracted positions, a control shaft operatively connected to the rotary wing means and extending through the rotor assembly, screw means slidably mounted in the casing for axial displacement of the control shaft, a nut rotatably mounted in the casing in engagement with screw means, cable means drivingly engaged with the nut for rotation thereof to impart axial displacement to the screw means and the control shaft, support means pivotally mounted in the fuselage and connected to the casing and operating means mounted on the support means for actuation of the cable means in the extended position of the rotor assembly.

6. The combination of claim 5 including bearing means mounted on the power operated means for rigidly supporting the rotary wing means only in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage to accommodate flapping laterally of the fuselage.

7. The combination of claim 6 including thrust direction controlling means connected to the thrust generating means for opposing attitude changing forces applied to the aircraft while in vertical motion during helicopter operation.

8. The combination of claim 7 including means fixed to the fuselage for locking the rotary wing means against rotation in the retracted position of the rotor assembly.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said rotor assembly includes an elongated, tubular rotor shaft having a lower end connected to the casing and an intermediate splined portion, said one-way clutch means being effectively engageable with the rotor shaft between the lower end and the splined portion in the extended position of the rotor assembly, and a tail rotor drive gear rotatably mounted by the fuselage in engagement with the splined portion of the rotor shaft.

10. The combination of claim 5 wherein said rotor assembly includes an elongated, tubular rotor shaft having a lower end connected to the casing and an intermediate splined portion, said one-way clutch means being effectively engageable with the rotor shaft between the lower end and the splined portion in the extended position of the rotor assembly, and a tail rotor drive gear rotatably mounted by the fuselage in engagement with the splined portion of the rotor shaft.