Aeronautics and astronautics – Composite aircraft
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-30
2001-05-01
Barefoot, Galen L. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Composite aircraft
C244S049000, C244S087000, C244S056000, C244S121000, C244S130000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224012
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND-FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention provides a relatively simple and low cost airplane that is capable of extended ground travel that eliminates weight, cost and use penalties of prior concepts.
BACKGROUND DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Over the years numerous attempts have been made to devise a way to combine the utility of the automobile with the advantages inherent with the freedom and swiftness of flight.
Previous attempts were made by D. H. Wooley in U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,478 (1993) entitled “Airplane Efficiency, Safety and Utilization” and fifteen other similar patents referenced in that document. That attempt and all other previous attempts have not proven to be practical or competitive with conventional means to tranport people in the commuting range (nominal 30 to 300 miles) where it would be most useful and in demand. However, the above patent presented several features that resolved deficiencies of prior proposals but did not satisfactorily address the ground propulsion weight penalty issue and the flight surface stowage problem. This proposal presents novel concepts to resolve these two issues to make a complete, low cost machine that uses easy to get hardware.
This present invention includes a radical approach to the challenge with a novel means of propulsion and a simplified conversion from one mode of travel to the other mode of travel that eliminates the weight, complexities and cost penalties of prior art.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
The objects and advantages of this means of ground propulsion and stowage of flight surfaces are:
(a) a separate means of propulsion for ground travel is not required and the need for an aft fuselage, clutch, transmission, drive shaft, differential, and ground drive wheel is eliminated;
(b) the stowage of flight surfaces for ground travel is reduced to a simple central pivot of the main wing with no folded or jointed wing structure other than the usual hinged control surfaces;
(c) a flexible safety grid is deployed only on the ground to prevent objects from being drawn into the engine or striking the propeller or propellers;
A summary of the special features of this invention [denoted by (new)], and including the prior patented features of Pat. No. 5,201,478 [denoted by (prior)] are as follows:
1. (new) Ground travel propulsion is provided by aerodynamic means (propeller or jet) that is oriented or tilted upward to eliminate air blast impingement on other vehicles or objects with this same means of propulsion capable of being orientated to provide optimum alignment of thrust for flight;
2. (new) The apparent incompatibility of combining a light weight aircraft with a road traveling vehicle that must be made heavy enough to withstand cross-winds and undulating roadways cannot be remedied by simply making the machine heavier. However, the tilting of the power thrust vector provides the needed force to counteract wind force and inertial forces caused by roadway perturbations. This needed counteracting force is provided by the downward thrust component;
3. (new) No aft fuselage, no clutch, no transmission, no drive shaft, no differential, and no ground drive wheel are required with this concept;
4. (new) A top mounted one-piece, light weight, high strength state-of-the-art wing that rotates horizontally a nominal 90 degrees that has a span that is about the same length as the overall length of the vehicle provides a simple, light weight means of converting flight surfaces for ground travel;
5. (new) A light weight, high strength flexible grid or net (nylon or equivalent) that is deployed only during ground travel prevents objects from entering or striking the propulsion system when it is required and is aerodynamically clean when stowed;
6. (new) The lower support wing rear spar is comprised of a fixed section and a pivoted section that provides the necessary connection between the vertical twin tails, the main support wheels and the engine ganged together to pivot as a unit. Individual wheel suspensions and individual shock absorbers are not shown for clarity but these components may be required;
7. (new/prior) Twin vertical tail/support wheel assemblies that are pivoted provide downward projected surfaces and gear retraction during flight and upward rotated surfaces and main support gear extension during ground travel with an integral arrestor hook incorporated into each assembly near the rear support wheel;
In summary, the above new features are to be incorporated into the combined vehicle concept of Pat. No. 5,201,478 and all features of that vehicle are retained in this present invention except the overall cambered contour of the fuselage is not maintained (no aft body) and structural complexities and heavy components cited above have been eliminated. The prior features are retained to provide the most practical and usable overall configuration to meet the challenges of the goal of a competitive vehicle. These prior features are as follows:
(a) (prior) Automatic main gear retraction and extension provided by the vertical tail pivot feature that requires no operator assistance;
(b) (prior) Variable thrust vectoring inherent with the tilted thrust feature with separate operator adjustment means;
(c) (prior) Positive yaw/roll coupling instead of adverse coupling due to lowered placement of the vertical tail provides natural coordinated turn/bank response for smoother control;
(d) (prior) Less vertical tail area required by tail being more effective in unobstructed higher energy airflow;
(e) (prior) Minimized ground clearance of vehicle provided by pivoted aft assembly that automatically maintains propeller or jet clearance during all phases of operation including take off and landing rotations;
(f) (prior) Maximized aerodynamic ground effect by lower support wing coupled with minimum legal ground clearance;
(g) (prior) Lower height and profile area provided by minimized ground clearance and “inverted” vertical tail lessens cross-wind forces during ground travel and reduces ground handling and servicing equipment and eliminates scaffolding and tall hangar facility requirements;
(h) (prior) The safety hook feature is retained by applying this hardware to both pivoted aft vertical tail and support wheel assemblies thus increasing its effectiveness.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2384296 (1945-09-01), Gluhareff
patent: 2505652 (1950-04-01), Schweitzer et al.
patent: 3012737 (1961-12-01), Dodd
patent: 4401338 (1983-08-01), Caldwell
patent: 4690352 (1987-09-01), Abdenour et al.
patent: 5201478 (1993-04-01), Wooley
patent: 5435502 (1995-07-01), Wernicke
patent: 5597137 (1997-01-01), Skoglun
patent: 5984228 (1999-11-01), Pham
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