Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DESCRlPrION
This invention relates generally to novel and advantageous improve-
ments in joined wing aircraft, and more particularly, to aircraft of the type
stated which utilize a series of airfoil structures including a variable airfoil
cylindrical wing joined by other members which all act together to improve
the aerodynamical stability of the aircraft, and the whole wing assembly once
being detached from the fuselage, affords an unprecedented means of
recuperating the separated components in the event of an aborted flight.
Following is a brief description of the prior art, firstly in U.S. Patent
No. 4,365,773 to Wolkovitch which discloses an aircraft which employs a
pair of first wings extending outwardly and forwardly from the vertical fin
and a pair of second wings extending outwardly and backwardly from the
t`orward portion of the fuselage at a lower elevation than the first airfoils.
The pairs of wings along with the fuselage present a double triangle or
diamond shape in both front elevational view and top plan view. Wolkovitch
also incorporates winglets structurally connecting the wing tips of the
corresponding first wings and second wings, said winglets having airfoil
surt`aces extending vertically substantially beyond the tip ends of the first and
second wings. Wolkovitch also discloses a wing structure where the average
thickness varies along the chord of the wing. Wolkovitch further discloses
a plurarity of tail fins known as twin tail fins to which are connected a series
of flat wings. However, in the Wolkovitch patent, as disclosed, the front
elevational view cannot produce a partial circular shape unless infinitesimally
small first pairs of flat wings are connected to infinite numbers of second
pairs of dihedral wings, thus rendering his concept of no apparent advantages
due to the numerous joints and wings causing h-lel~l~nce drag.
Furthermore, Wolkovich's wing design does not propose a variable
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airfoil wing where the upper and lower camber, thus the average thickness,
varies along the span of the wing such that the upper portion of the cylindrical
wing acts for lift, and the lower portion of the wing acts as a winglet for
lateral stability, as will be disclosed further in this description.
Canadian Patent No. 380,491 to Keough discloses a safety landing
device for aircraft, comprising a housing adapted to an aircraft, containing a
parachute, securing means, weights, cables, and manually controlled means
for deploying the parachute. This apparatus and like components common in
parachute and recovery systems form no part of this invention. Moreover,
Keough makes no mention of a separable fuselage at or near the wing
assemblies.
Canadian Patent 791,550 to Wiant discloses a recovery package for
retrieving a special purpose test capsule deployed from a rocket-powered
carrier vehicle at high altitude, numerically in the 300,000 to 400,000 feet
range. Wiant's patent refers to spacecraft, and not aircraft which are
incapable of such altitudes, and similarly to Keough, Wiant does not disclose
a separable aircraft fuselage. The parachute deploying apparatus and like
components common in parachute and recovery systems form no part of this
invention.
U.S. Patent 3,881,671 to Bouchnik teaches means for safely lowering
a joined fuselage section by means of a parachute, the fuselage section also
having manoeuverable airfoils. However, Bouchnik's invention provides for
auxiliary pivotable wings which are deployed after the cabin separation
occurs, said auxiliary wings in the deployed position being pivoted forwardly
and providing an increased glider wing surface. Further, Bouchnik claims the
use of a parachute system is to stabilize the detachable cabin section once
severed from the fuselage. Also, Bouchnik describes the use of a rocket in
the detachable cabin section to provide power for reclimbing. Bouchnik does
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not imply, nor can it be suggested from his disclosure, that the cabin section
of his aircraft, once detached from the fuselage, has the capacity of non-
assisted free-flight of reclimbing with the aid of stationary fixed wings located
at the front of the cabin, or fuselage, and deployment of a parachute at near-
zero vertical speed, such that the detached portion of the aircraft descends in
an upright position. Bouchnik's claims are for a gliding or a longitudinal
descent only.
U.S. Patent 2,941,764 to Lee discloses an aircraft comprising a
fuselage having a rear and front section capable of being detached from said
rear section in an emergency, said front section being equipped with flaps for
stability which are deployed upon dislocation. Lee's flaps have no function
in the aircraft's manoeuverability in normal flight. Further, Lee discloses the
aid of rockets actuated with said flaps to compensate for the initial pitch and
roll motions to prevent tumbling. The present invention discloses frontal
fixed-wings, in the form of canards, which act for manoeuverability in normal
flight, and upon a fuselage separation, said canards act non-assisted for the
pitch and roll motion controls of the severed frontal portion of the fuselage.
This is not held to be obvious trom Lee's disclosure.
The inadequacies of the prior art have been resolved by the present
invention which provides for an aircraft comprising a fuselage; a first
cylindrical airfoil connected to a vertical tail fin and eYtending outwardly and
convexly therefrom; a second and optional third airfoi] connected at a forward
portion of the fuselage and at a lower elevation than the first cylindrical airfoil
and f~xtending outwardly from the fuselage, the third airfoil located at a higher
elevation on the fuselage than the second airtoil, the first airt`oil extending
forwardly and second and third airfoils extending rearwardly, the second
airfoil connecting the t`irst airt`oil at a lower elevation than the third airfoil
connecting the first airfoil.
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A variation of the invention further includes a separation compartment
in the fuselage located at or near the front of the wing assemblies, an
additional fourth set of wings, or canards, located ahead of the separation
compartment, said separation co-~pa~llllell~ providing for a dislocation of the
fuselage from the wing assemblies in the event of an aborted flight for a slow
descent of the separated components by means of parachute deploying
apparatus common to both separated components, the parachute deploying
apparatus and like components common in parachute and recovery systems
forming no part of this invention. The purpose of the canards are to right the
nose of the fuselage up to a stall point, and to prevent a rotating motion of the
fuselage. Ordinary manoeuvering capabilities of the whole aircraft in normal
flight are held to be evident for the canards.
Still another part of the present invention is a wing construction for
an aircraft comprising a cylindrical wing member having an airfoil surface,
a leading edge and a trailing edge, and variable outer and inner cambers.
Cross-sectionning along the span of the cylindrical wing member, beginning
at the vertical t;n connection, the outer camber being positive (convex) and
the inner camber being negative (concave) for maximum lit`t, and continuing
along the cylindrlcal wing span the outer camber becoming slighter in
convexity and the inner camber nearing zero (flat) at or near the circular
wing's 45 degree point as viewed from the front elevational view and, still
continuing along the cylindrical wing span, the outer camber still becoming
slighter in convexity whilst the inner camber increases from zero or flat
camber to positive (convex) camber until both outer and inner cambers
become equal at or near the second wing's connection if the said second wing
has zero degree in dihedral angle, or at the circular wing's 90 degree point
as viewed from the front elevational view, the circular wing at this point
serving the same purpose as a winglet t`or lateral stability. Allowing the
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lower second airfoils to have a negative dihedral angle, and still continuing
along the span of the cylindrical wing in a similar fashion, the outer camber
still decreasing in convexity and nearing to zero or flat camber whilst the
inner camber increases in convexity up to a point at or near the circular
wing's 135 degree locality as viewed from the front elevational view. Still
continuing along the circular wing's span in a similar fashion, the outer
camber becoming negative (concave) and the inner camber becoming larger
in convexity for m;lximum lift. If the circular wing would be unfurled into
a flat wing, the cylindrical wing's outer and inner cambers being analogous
to a flat wing's top and bottom cambers respectfully, it can be shown that the
conventional flat wing's top camber would vary from positive (convex)
camber at its origin to negative (concave) camber at its tip and, similarly its
bottom camber would vary from negative (concave) camber at its origin to
positive (convex) camber at the flat wing's tip. Such a flat wing configuration
is not practical in conventional aircrafts and the variable airfoil concept
presented forth can only be applicable to a circular, cylindrical or elliptical
wing design.
It is an overall aim of the present invention to provide a joined wing
aircraft having an improved strength to weight ratio, relatively superior
stiffness, and minimal aerodynamic drag.
It is also an aspect of this invention to provide a joined wing aircraft
with an improved wing structure containing a cylindrical wing member which
possesses unequaied lifting and directional capacities, as well as circum-
ferentially distributed out-ot:plane loads onto said cylindrical wing.
Yet another object of the present invention is to procure a joined wing
aircraft having superior characteristics whilst being marginally inexpensive to
manufacture.
Still another aim of the present invention is to provide a joined wing
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aircraft having a separable wing assembly from the fuselage as a safety
measure for recuperating separated components by means of parachutes
common in parachute recovery systems.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a joined wing
aircraft having a separable wing assembly from the fuselage as a means of
storage.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention may present
themselves from the following description when considered with the accom-
panying drawings, in which:
Fgure 1 is a top plan view of a joined wing aircraft with a cylindrical
wing;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view partly in section of the aircraft of
Fg. l;
Figure 3 is a t`ront elevational view of the joined wing aircraft of
Figs. 1 and 2;
Figure 4 is a t`ront perspective view of the aircraft of Fgs. 1-3;
Fgure 5 is a rear perspective view of the aircraft of Figs. 1-4;
Figure 6 is a sequential diagram of the sat`ety features of this
embodiment;
Figure 7 is an elevational sectional view of Line III-III of Fg. 1,
illustrating a joined wing aircraft fuselage's release mech:~ni.~m.~;
Figure 8 is a graphical representation illustrating an analysis of the
lift capacities of individual wings of a cylindrical joined wing aircraft;
Fgure 9 is a t`ragmentary front elevational view of a cylindrical wing;
Figure 10-a is a sectional view of Lines a-a, b-b, c-c, and d-d of
Figure 9, if maximum lift is desired;
Figure 10-b is a sectional view of Lines a-a, b-b, c-c, and d-d of
Fgure 9, if maximum speed is desired;
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Fgure 11-a is a diagrammatic front plan view illustrating an analysis
of the lifting and directional components acting upon the cylindrical wing;
Fgures 11-b and 11-c are graphical representations of the lift and
directional components, respectively, illustrated in Fgure 11-a;
Flgure 12 is a top plan view of a variation of a joined wing aircraft
with a cylindrical wing configuration, comprising the first cylindrical airfoil
connected to the tail fin, and a second set of flat wings extending from the
tips of the first wing connected forward to the fuselage;
Figure 13 is a front elevational view of the aircraft of Fig. 12.
Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the
drawings which designate identical or corresponding practical embodiments
of the invention throughout the several views, Fig. 1 illustrates a joined wing
aircraft having a fuselage 10, into which are arranged the passenger
compartment 11 and the cockpit 12 in the frontal section of the fuselage, a
cargo hold 14 in the rearward end of the fuselage, and a protective "airspace"
15, or separation compartment, separating the passenger compartment and the
cargo hold. Also connected at the rearward end of the fuselage is an
upwardly extended tail fin 21.
The joined wing aircraft illustrated is provided with a cylindrical wing
assembly 20 which comprises of two or more distinct sets of airfoils at the
rearward end of the fuselage, prior to the airspace 15 located forwardly of the
wing assembly 20. A first cylindrical airfoil 24 is structurally affixed to the
uppermost portion of the tail fin 21. This wing 24 extends radially or
convexly downward and forward to the fuselage therefrom. The obvious
difference and unique advantages of this cylindrical wing over conventional
flat wings will be disclosed further in this specification.
At or near the tip of the cylindrical wing is structurally aMxed a
second pair of lower wings 23, extending forwardly and inwardly to the
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fuselage, structurally connecting the fuselage ~ ald of the separation
compartment 15, at a lower elevation to the connection of said cylindrical
wing and rear vertical fin.
It can be observed that these lower wings and circular wing, along
with the fuselage, present a circular shape in the front elevational view as
illustrated in Flgure 3, and a diamond or double triangle shape in the top plan
view as illustrated in Figure 1.
At an intermediate point along the span of the cylindrical wing 24,
between the rear vertical tin junction to the cylindrical wing 24, and the
cylindrical wing tips connection to the second pair of lower flat wings 23,
there may also be a third set of flat wings 22 connecting the cylindrical wing
24, said third set of wings 22 extending forwardly and inwardly to the
fuselage from the cylindrical wing junction, structurally connecting the
fuselage rearward of the separation compartment 15, at an upper location on
said fuselage than the second set of lower flat wings 23.
It can also be observed that these upper third set of flat wings and the
cylindrical wing, along with the fuselage, present a circular shape in the front
elevational view as illustrated in Figure 3, and a double triangle or diamond
shape in the top plan view as shown if Flgure 1.
The connections of the individual wing tips to each other may be by
means of streamlined surfaces: whether they be structurally rigid junctions,
as that for the first cylindrical airfoil 24 to the tail fin 21; engine housings 26,
as that for the third set of flat wings 22 connecting the cylindrical wing 24.
It should be held obvious that variations thereof may exist, such as
wheel fairings at the junction of the cylindrical wing 24 and the lower second
set of flat wings 23. Water floats and engine housings may comprise yet
another variation of streamlined surfaces at this last junction.
At the forward-most section of the aircraft may be located a pair of
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canards 25, as viewed in Fgures 1 to 6.
On each of the individual wing structures, there may be located on the
trailing edges of the airfoils hinged or pivoted surfaces. Ailerons 27 or like
components common in aircraft lift and manoeuvering capacities may be
located on the second set of lower flat wings 23, upper set of flat wings 22,
and front set of canards 25. Additionally, rudders 28 or like components
common in controlling or stabilizing the position of an aircraft about its
vertical axis may be located on the vertical tail fin 21 and at a mid-position
on the cylindrical airfoil 24.
Referring now to Figure 2 and cross-sectionning along the fuselage
10, the wall 30 between the passenger compartment 11 and the separation
compartment 15, and that between the separation compartment 15 and the
cargo hold 14, have an absorbant capacity or property common to shock
attenuation devices in aircraft design.
Referring also to Fgure 6-a to 6-e which shows a sequential
illustration of the safety benefits as well as the novelty to the application of
the separation compartment 15 to conventional joined wing configurations,
only in such a case as a certain aircraft is fitted with a joined wing rearward
of the separation chamber 15 and a set of canards 25 forward of said
separation compartment.
Strategically located release-type mech~nicms 31, of the type common
to aerospace separation devices, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, manually or
automatically activated, would separate the fuselage 10 from the rear wing
assembly 20 in an emergency while the aircraft is in flight, causing a
disjunction 32 of the fuselage 10' from the joined wing assembly 20' rearward
of the separation compartment 15.
Upon dislocation 32 or immediately thereafter, a primary parachute
40 is deployed t`rom the rear of the joined wing assembly 20', which then
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unfolds one or more main parachutes 41, thus decelerating the speed of the
severed joined wing assembly 20' and preventing possible collision from the
fore section of the fuselage 10'.
While in free flight, manually or automatically controlled manoeuvers
are undertaken by the canards 25 to right the nose of the fuselage 10' up to
a stall point, and to prevent a rotating or spinning motion of the fuselage.
At, near, or after the vertical stall point, a primary parachute 40 is
deployed from the nose cone 16, which then unfolds one or more main
parachutes 41, thus providing a slow descent for the fuselage 10', these
parachute deploying devices and associated equipment being common
mech~ni~m~ in parachute recovery systems.
In the event of the landing site being land, an absorbant wall 30
common in aircraft impact energy dissipation located at the rear of the
fuselage 10' would provide a dampening effect.
The cylindrical wing assembly 20', or any other joined wing
assembly, with the engines 26 de-activated, could be brought down safely in
a similar fashion using one or more parachutes 41 common in parachute
recovery systems. An absorbant wall 30 at the front of the dislocated joined
wing assembly 20', could also be incorporated to provide a dampening effect
upon impact following the slow descent of the joined wing assembly.
This disjunction of the frontal portion of the fuselage 10' from its
rearward portion 20', or joined wing assembly, is also useful for storage
purposes.
Flgure 8 illustrates the lift capacities of a test model using conven-
tional theories and, following the laws of similarity in fluid dynamics, is
applicable to larger scale prototypes.
Figure 9 and Figures 10-a and 10-b illustrate the unique construction
of the cylindrical wing, comprising an airfoil surface 50, a leading edge 51,
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a trailing edge 52, a variable outer camber 53, and a variable inner camber
54. As sectionally viewed along Lines a-a through d-d of Figure 9, for
maximum lift, the outer camber 53 of the cylindrical wing varies from
positive camber at the tail fin junction to negative camber along the radial
span of the wing, as represented in Views a-a through d-d of Figure 10-a.
Similarly, as sectionally viewed along Lines a-a through d-d of Figure 9, for
maximum lift, the inner camber 54 of the cylindrical wing varies from
negative camber at the tail fin junction (View a-a) to positive camber along
the radial span of the wing, as represented in Views a-a through d-d of
F gure 10-a.
The outer and inner cambers of the cylindrical wing being analogous
to the upper and lower cambers of a conventional flat wing, it can be
observed that this type of wing structure where the upper and lower cambers
vary in such a tashion along the span of the airt`oil would not be practical in
a flat wing structure.
Also, as sectionally viewed along Lines a-a through d-d of Figure 9,
for maximum speed, the outer camber S3 of the cylindrical wing varies from
positive camber at the tail fin junction (View a-a) to no less than zero or flat
camber along the radial span of the wing, as represented in Views a-a through
d-d of Figure 10-b.
Similarly, as viewed along Lines a-a through d-d of Fgure 9, for
maximum speed, the inner camber 54 of the cylindrical wing varies from
positive camber at the tail fin junction to no less than zero or flat camber
along the radial span of the wing, as shown in Views a-a through d-d of
Fgure 10-b. Again, the outer camber 53 and inner camber 54 of the
cylindrical wing being analogous to the upper and lower cambers, repectively,
of a conventional flat wing, it can be observed that this type of wing structure
as represented in Figure 10-b where the upper and lower cambers vary in
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such a fashion along the span of the airfoil would not be practical on a
conventional flat wing structure.
Fgure 11-a typically illustrates a diag,al"",;t~ic front plan view of an
analysis of the vectorial forces acting upon the cylindrical wing. Fgure 11-b
shows how the lifting components Fy~ represented as the ordinate, varies in
magnitude versus the degree or location along the cylindrical wing, repre-
sented as the abscissa. F~ure 1 l-c demonstrates how the directional
components Fy~ represented as the ordinate, varies in magnitude versus the
angle or location along the cylindrical wing, represented as the abscissa. It
can be observed that both these components vary in an exponential or almost
sinusoidal form. It is clear that such a wing lift profile and directional profile
cannot be attained in a conventional flat wing structure.
Fgure 12 illustrates a plan view of a variation of a joined wing
aircraft with a cylindrical wing configuration. The joined wing aircraft
illustrated is provided with a cylindrical wing assembly 20 which comprises
a first cylindrical airfoil 24 structurally aMxed to the uppermost portion of the
tail fin 21. This cylindrical wing 24 extends radially or convexly downward
and t`orward to the fuselage 10 therefrom.
At or near the tip of the cylindrical wing 24 is structurally affixed by
means of a streamlined surface connection 26 a second set of lower wings 23,
extending forwardly and inwardly from said connection 26, structurally
connecting at a frontal portion of the fuselage 10.
On each of the individual wing structures, there may be located on the
trailing edges of the airfoils hinged or pivoted surfaces. Ailerons 27 or like
components common in aircraft lifting and manoeuvering capacities may be
located on the second set of lower flat wings 23, and the uppermost portion
of the cylindrical wing 24. Additionally, rudders 28 or like components
common in controlling or stabilizing the position of an aircraft about its
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vertical axis may be located on the vertical tail fin 21, and at tbe lower
portion of the cylindrical wing 24.
It can be observed that these lower flat wings 23 and circular wing
24, along with the fuselage, present a circular shape in the front elevational
view as illustrated in Figure 13, and a diamond or double triangle shape in
the top plan view as illustrated in Figure 12.
Figure 13 illustrates the front elevational view of a variation of the
joined wing aircraft shown in Figure 12. It may be held obvious to those
skilled in the art of aircraft construction that variations of Figures 12 & 13
by incorporating more flat wing assemblies would yield multiple diamond or
double triangle shapes.
It can be observed from Figures 11-a through 11-c that the force
components acting upon the cylindrical wing are of highest magnitude nearest
their junctions, and hence produce an improved aerodynamic quality to the
joined wing configuration. Stronger structural members at these locations,
along with the proportionately distributed forces along the circumference of
the wing, minimi7e~ fluttering of said cylindrical wing, and is advantageous
over conventional flat wings where the acting forces are equal in magnitude
and direction throughout the span of said flat wings.
Thus, it has been described and illustrated a novel and unique
cylindrical wing being part of a joined wing assembly for an aircraft, in which
the cylindrical wing is joined by members which provide a structural
connection and also enhances the aerodynamic capacities of the aircraft, hence
fulfilling all the associated objects and advantages sought therefor. There has
also been illustrated and described a unique and novel fuselage separation for
an aircraft in which the disjoined fore and aft portions of the aircraft thereof
are recuperated by means of parachutes common in parachute recovery
systems, and which fult`ills all the associated objectives and advantages sought
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therefor.
It should be understood that any changes, modifications, variations or
other applications or uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon
consideration of this disclosure and its associated drawings, and all such
changes, modifications, variations, or any other applications which do not
depart from the scope and spirit of the invention are considered to be covered
by the invention which is limited only by the accompanying claims.
