Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft – lighter-than-air – Airship and helicopter sustained
Patent
1977-03-24
1978-09-19
Barefoot, Galen L.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft, lighter-than-air
Airship and helicopter sustained
244 2, 244125, B64B 134
Patent
active
041148371
ABSTRACT:
An air lifting vehicle includes, inter alia, a main frame containing an engine, a helicopter-type rotor driven by the engine, a rear located propeller which provides torque compensation for the rotor as well as yaw control for the vehicle, and a pilot's cabin. Attached to the frame through a plurality of outwardly extending truss members is a keel structure which includes a circular truss section essentially coaxial with and positioned above the rotor and other generally triangular or rounded triangular truss sections attached fore and aft of the circular truss section. Balloon members including fore and aft generally triangular Forlanini envelope sections are secured to the keel and laced together at the center to define a circular opening or duct above the rotor. A pair of forward thrusting propellers are driven by an auxiliary engine carried in the frame and are gimbaled in the elevational plane for pitch control of the vehicle. A pair of inflatable air ballonets is carried in each envelope section which are independently inflatable and deflatable to assist in pitch control. They also progressively deflate at increasing altitude to permit the lighter-than-air gas in the envelopes to expand. Suitable landing wheels and an air cushion pad are provided for landing and for supporting the vehicle on the ground. A second embodiment having a much larger payload includes a pair of fore and aft positioned rotor and engine units with corresponding circular openings in the envelope structure serving as ducts for the rotors.
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McIntyre David G.
Pavlecka Vladimir H.
Barefoot Galen L.
Skagit Corporation
Smith Robert C.
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