Toy flying machines

• US 3,943,657 A
• Filed: 10/04/1973
• Issued: 03/16/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Malcolm Paul Leckie
• Original Assignee: Robert Malcolm Paul Leckie
• Inventors: Leckie, Robert Malcolm Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Louis G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cutting, Robert F.
• Application Number:
  US05/403,412
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 46/79, 46/80, 244/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 446/62
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/00 Toy aircraft; Other flying toys toys with parachutes A63H33/20

Abstract

A toy flying machine is capable of operating in two regimes, in one of which the wings are retracted and so produce a reduced air resistance and in the other of which the wings are outstretched so that the machine operates as a glider. The first regime is used for launching and the second represents normal flight. The wings are biassed to their outstretched positions and are held aerodynamically or mechanically against the bias until the machine has gained height when the wings are released.

Claims

1. A toy flying machine comprising

a fuselage,

a plurality of wings, each of said wings including a rigid front bar forming a leading edge thereof, and flexible sheet material attached to said bar and to said fuselage and for providing an aerofoil surface for the wing in operative position thereof,

means for pivotally mounting said bars of said wings to said fuselage so that they are movable between an operative position wherein said flexible sheet material provides an aerofoil surface and maximum gliding of the machine is possible, and a retracted position wherein said flexible sheet material is folded up and minimum machine air resistance is provided,

biasing means for exerting a biasing moment on said wings which is less in said retracted position than during pivoting of said wings toward operative position, and

means subject to aerodynamic pressure dependent upon the forward motion of the machine for controlling movement of said wings between said retracted and said operative positions.

2. A toy flying machine comprising

a fuselage,

a plurality of wings,

means for pivotally mounting said wings to said fuselage so that they are movable between an operative position wherein maximum gliding of the machine is possible, and a retracted position wherein minimum machine air resistance is provided,

biasing means for exerting a biasing moment on said wings which is less in said retracted position than the moment exerted therby during thereby of said wings toward said operative position from said retracted position, said means comprising, for each wing, a rid member attached to the wing and a collar slidable along said rod member, and elastic means biasing said collars toward one another so that said wings may be moved from their retracted to their operative position by sliding movement of said collars along said rod members, and

means subject to aerodynamic pressure dependent upon the forward motion of the machine for controlling movement of said wings between said retracted and said operative positions.

3. A machine as recited in claim 2 wherein said elastic means comprises an elastic band linking said collars to one another and to said fuselage.

4. A toy flying machine comprising

a. a fuselage having a pair of generally vertically extending side surfaces, and a top and a bottom,

b. a plurality of wings,

c. means for pivotally connecting said wings to said fuselage so that they are movable from a retracted position wherein they extend downwardly generally against said fuselage side surfaces and in which position minimum air resistance is provided and in which position they are disposed during initial flight movement, and an operative position wherein said wings extend generally horizontally and wherein maximum gliding of the machine is possible,

d. biasing means for biasing said wings from said retracted position toward said operative position, and

e. aerodynamic means formed on said wings for holding them in said retracted position against the bias of said biasing means during initial movement of said machine in flight, but allowing movement of said wings under the influence of said biasing means toward said operative position thereof after said machine has generally reached its flight apogee.

5. A machine as recited in claim 4 wherein said aerodynamic means comprises a flap formed on each wing and extending generally upwardly therefrom.

6. A machine as recited in claim 5 further comprising stop means formed on said fuselage and extending generally horizontally for limiting the upward movement of said wings into said operative, generally horizontally extending position thereof.

7. A method of flying a toy flying machine, said machine comprising a fuselage having a pair of vertically extending side surfaces and a top and a bottom, a plurality of wings, means for pivotally connecting said wings to said fuselage so that they are movable from a retracted position wherein they are held extending generally downwardly generally against said fuselage side surfaces and an operative position wherein they extend generally horizontally, biasing means for biasing said wings from said retracted position toward said operative position, and aerodynamic means formed on said wings for holding them in said retracted position against the bias of said biasing means during initial movement of said machine in flight but allowing movement of said wings under the influence of said biasing means toward said operative position thereof after said machine has generally reached its flight apogee, said method comprising the steps of

manually folding said wings downwardly to said retracted position thereof,

launching said machine by applying a forwardly directed force thereto, and

releasing hold of said wings in said downwardly extending retracted position thereof simultaneously with the launching of said machine, said wings remaining in their retracted position under the influence of said aerodynamic means until the apogee of the machine flight is generally reached, whereat said wings will move to their operative position under the influence of said biasing means and remain there during the remainder of machine flight.