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Multi-purpose aircraft

  • US 5,645,250 A
  • Filed: 08/26/1993
  • Issued: 07/08/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A multi-purpose aircraft comprising(a) a fuselage having a generally cylindrical structure defining a forward end to an aft end, the fuselage being closed at the forward end by a nose section and closed at the aft end by a tail section, said fuselage further having a hull-shaped underside having forward and aft landing gear openings, said fuselage further having a port lateral recess and a starboard lateral recess;

  • (b) a compound aircraft wing attached to said fuselage comprising(1) a fixed wing section comprising a bilaterally symmetrical aircraft wing providing lift in response to the flow of air thereacross defining leading and trailing edges and defining port and starboard halves, said fixed wing section being at least partially hollow and being open at the port and starboard ends, said fixed wing section further having a recess along the top surface of both the port and starboard halves;

    (2) a port wing extension panel comprising a forward port lift spar, a center port drag spar, and an aft port lift spar, which port spars are disposed in parallel relation and each spar being substantially the same length as said fixed wing section, substantially one-half the length of said spars being enclosed by and giving structural support to an outer skin so as to form a port aircraft wing extension section ending in a wing tip, said port wing extension section providing lift in response to the flow of air thereacross, said port wing extension panel being extendably mounted inside said fixed wing section such that said port wing extension panel is extendable from the port opening of the fixed wing section such that substantially all of the port aircraft wing extension section protrudes from the port end of the fixed wing section and the portion of the port spars not enclosed by an outer skin being still inside said fixed wing section, said port wing extension panel further being mounted inside said fixed wing section such that said port wing extension panel is retractable within said fixed wing section such that substantially all of the port wing extension panel is enclosed by said fixed wing section;

    (3) a starboard wing extension panel comprising a forward starboard lift spar, a center starboard drag spar, and an aft starboard lift spar, which starboard spars are disposed in parallel relation and each spar being substantially the same length as said fixed wing section, substantially one-half the length of said spars being enclosed by and giving structural support to an outer skin so as to form a starboard aircraft wing extension section ending in a wing tip, said starboard wing extension section providing lift in response to the flow of air thereacross, said starboard wing extension panel being extendably mounted inside said fixed wing section such that said starboard wing extension panel is extendable from the starboard opening of the fixed wing section such that substantially all of the starboard aircraft wing extension section protrudes from the starboard end of the fixed wing section and the portion of the starboard spars not enclosed by an outer skin being still inside said fixed wing section, said starboard wing extension panel further being mounted inside said fixed wing section such that said starboard wing extension panel is retractable within said fixed wing section such that substantially all of the starboard wing extension panel is enclosed by said fixed wing section, said port wing extension panel and said starboard wing extension panel being mounted in such relation that said port spars and said starboard spars are in interlocking juxtaposition inside the fixed wing section so as to permit the complete retraction of both the port and starboard wing extension panels within said fixed wing section at the same time; and

    (4) means for effecting the extension and retraction of said port and starboard wing extension panels;

    (c) one or more engines, mounted on the inside of the fuselage, each of said one or more engines, when operating, causing rotation of an engine shaft;

    (d) a port mounting armature comprising a unitary body pivotally mounted on the trailing edge of the port half of the fixed wing section, the pivotal mount defining an upper portion and a lower portion of said port mounting armature, the armature being positioned on the fixed wing section and shaped so that when pivoted to port, the lower portion of said port mounting armature nests in said port fuselage recess and the upper portion of said port mounting armature nests in the recess in the port half of the fixed wing section, the upper portion of said port mounting armature including at least one port propeller nacelle in which a port shaft and propeller assembly is rotatably mounted, which port shaft and propeller assembly extends aft of said at least one port propeller nacelle such that the propeller portion of the port shaft and propeller assembly is positioned aft of the trailing edge of the fixed wing section, said propeller portion being a pusher propeller, the lower portion of said port mounting armature further comprising integrated pontoon and wheel landing gear, said port mounting armature being further shaped such that when pivoted to starboard, the wheel and the pontoon are oriented, at separate points of rotation of the port mounting armature, to a position appropriate for contact with the landing surface upon landing, and the upper portion of the port mounting armature is raised above said fixed wing section;

    (e) a starboard mounting armature comprising a unitary body pivotally mounted un the trailing edge of the starboard half of the fixed wing section, the pivotal mount defining an upper portion and a lower portion of said starboard mounting armature, the armature being positioned on the fixed wing section and shaped so that when pivoted to starboard, the lower portion of said starboard mounting armature nests in said starboard fuselage recess and the upper portion of said starboard mounting armature nests in the recess in the starboard half of the fixed wing section, the upper portion of said starboard mounting armature including at least one starboard propeller nacelle in which a starboard shaft and propeller assembly is rotatably mounted, which starboard shaft and propeller assembly extends aft of said at least one starboard propeller nacelle such that the propeller portion of the starboard shaft and propeller assembly is positioned aft of the trailing edge of the fixed wing section, said propeller portion being a pusher propeller, the lower portion of said starboard mounting armature further comprising integrated pontoon and wheel landing gear, said starboard mounting armature being further shaped such that when pivoted to port, the wheel and the pontoon are oriented, at separate points of rotation of the starboard mounting armature, to a position appropriate for contact with the landing surface upon landing and the upper portion of the starboard mounting armature is raised above said fixed wing section;

    (f) belt drive means connecting each engine shaft to at least one propeller shaft in such a manner that rotation of the engine shaft causes rotation of each propeller shaft and propeller to which said belt drive means is attached;

    (g) compound landing gear comprising(1) a forward landing gear component positioned forward of the center of gravity of the aircraft, substantially completely retractable into the fuselage through said forward opening in the fuselage, including integrated steerable ski and steerable wheel subcomponents; and

    (2) a main central landing gear component, substantially completely retractable into the fuselage through said aft opening in the fuselage, including integrated skis and steerable wheel subcomponents, which, when retracted, assist in formation of a step in the fuselage.

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