Compound helicopter

Claim 2

A helicopter for hovering flight and vertical takeoff and landing, a vertical fin comprising a fixed surface and a moveable surface on the trailing edge of said surface and a moveable surface on the leading edge of the fixed surface, an adjacent propeller supported aft of the fin for rotation to accelerate the airflow over the fin, the propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades supported by a center hub for individual transverse angular pitch variation of the blades independently in the feather axis, a swash plate means associated with the propeller and interconnecting means to the propeller blades to vary the pitch angle of the individual propeller blades during each revolution of the propeller thereby to impose different air velocities on the right and left surfaces of the fin to counteract the torque of the helicopter rotor when hovering.

Claim 3

A helicopter with a lifting rotor for vertical takeoff and landing, a vertical fin comprising a fixed surface, and a moveable surface on the trailing edge, adjacent the trailing edge of the fin a propeller having swash plate means supported for rotation to swash plate the airflow over one surface of the fin and to decelerate or reverse the airflow over the opposite surface of the fin to produce a variable antitorque moment in opposition to the lifting rotor.

Claim 4

A helicopter with a lifting rotor for vertical takeoff and landing, a vertical fin comprising a fixed surface, and a moveable surface on the trailing edge, adjacent the trailing edge of the fin a propeller having swash plate means supported for rotation to swash plate the airflow over one surface of the fin and to decelerate or reverse the airflow over the opposite surface of the fin to produce a variable antitorque moment in opposition to the lifting rotor.

Claim 5

In a helicopter for vertical takeoff and landing flight a vertical fin, an adjacent propeller supported for rotation and to accelerate the airflow over the fin, the propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades with the blades supported by a center hub for individual transverse angular pitch variation in the feather axis of the blades independently, a swash plate means associated with the propeller blades and interconnecting means to the propeller blades to vary the pitch angle of the individual propeller blades differentially during the revolution of the propeller to provide differential airflow on each side of the fin to counteract the torque of the helicopter rotor during vertical taKeoff and landing.

Claim 6

In a helicopter for vertical takeoff and landing flight a vertical fin, an adjacent propeller supported for rotation and to accelerate the airflow over the fin, the propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades with the blades supported by a center hub for individual transverse angular pitch variation in the feather axis of the blades independently, a swash plate means associated with the propeller blades and interconnecting means to the propeller blades to vary the pitch angle of the individual propeller blades differentially during the revolution of the propeller to provide differential airflow on each side of the fin to counteract the torque of the helicopter rotor during vertical taKeoff and landing.

Claim 7

In a helicopter for vertical takeoff and landing and for flight, a vertical fin comprising a fixed surface and a moveable surface on the trailing edge of the fixed surface, an adjacent propeller supported aft of the said fin for rotation and to accelerate the airflow over the fin, the propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades supported by a center hub for individual transverse angular pitch variation of the blades independently in the feather axis, a swash plate means associated with the propeller blades, and interconnecting means to the propeller blades to vary the pitch angle of the individual propeller blades during each segment of revolution of the propeller to counteract the torque of the helicopter when over hovering.

Claim 8

In a helicopter for vertical takeoff and landing and for flight, a vertical fin comprising a fixed surface and a moveable surface on the trailing edge of the fixed surface, an adjacent propeller supported aft of the said fin for rotation and to accelerate the airflow over the fin, the propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades supported by a center hub for individual transverse angular pitch variation of the blades independently in the feather axis, a swash plate means associated with the propeller blades, and interconnecting means to the propeller blades to vary the pitch angle of the individual propeller blades during each segment of revolution of the propeller to counteract the torque of the helicopter when over hovering.

Claim 9

An aircraft comprising a left- and right-hand wing, a fuselage, a vertical fin and horizontal tail surface aft of the wings, aft of the said tail surfaces a pusher propeller supported for rotation, a helicopter lifting rotor substantially at the center of gravity above the fuselage for vertical takeoff and landing, a powerplant to drive the helicopter rotor with interconnecting driving means to the propeller, said propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades supported concentrically by a center hub for rotation of the propeller, the hub having rotatable means for each blade to rotate transversely in the feather axis to vary the blade pitch angle, a swash plate means associated with the said propeller blades with interconnecting means thereto and control means to the pilot to vary the pitch angle of the said propeller blades independently of each other during each revolution of the propeller, said swash plate and propeller means providing an airflow at the vertical fin which can be varied differentially from one side of the fin to the other thereby producing main rotor antirotor torque moments for vertical takeoff and landing and hovering flight, and equal airflow on each side of the fin for level flight to provide forward thrust to the aircraft.

Claim 10

An aircraft comprising a left- and right-hand wing, a fuselage, a vertical fin and horizontal tail surface aft of the wings, aft of the said tail surfaces a pusher propeller supported for rotation, a helicopter lifting rotor substantially at the center of gravity above the fuselage for vertical takeoff and landing, a powerplant to drive the helicopter rotor with interconnecting driving means to the propeller, said propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades supported concentrically by a center hub for rotation of the propeller, the hub having rotatable means for each blade to rotate transversely in the feather axis to vary the blade pitch angle, a swash plate means associated with the said propeller blades with interconnecting means thereto and control means to the pilot to vary the pitch angle of the said propeller blades independently of each other during each revolution of the propeller, said swash plate and propeller means providing an airflow at the vertical fin which can be varied differentially from one side of the fin to the other thereby producing main rotor antirotor torque moments for vertical takeoff and landing and hovering flight, and equal airflow on each side of the fin for level flight to provide forward thrust to the aircraft.

Claim 11

A helicopter with a lifting rotor for takeoff and landing and level flight, a pusher propeller supported for rotation, opposing the lifting rotor an antitorque rotor supported on an axis of rotation 90* to the axis of rotation of the said pusher propeller, the said propeller''s and said antitorque rotor blade''s arc of rotation located, and having positive connecting means, to intermesh during each revolution.

Claim 12

A helicopter with a lifting rotor for takeoff and landing and level flight, a pusher propeller supported for rotation, opposing the lifting rotor an antitorque rotor supported on an axis of rotation 90* to the axis of rotation of the said pusher propeller, the said propeller''s and said antitorque rotor blade''s arc of rotation located, and having positive connecting means, to intermesh during each revolution.

Claim 13

An aircraft comprising left- and right-hand wings, a fuselage, a vertical fin and horizontal tail surfaces, a pusher propeller supported for rotation, a helicopter lifting rotor substantially at the center of gravity above the fuselage for vertical takeoff and landing and level flight, an antitorque rotor supported on an axis of rotation 90* to the said propeller''s axis of rotation, said propeller''s and said antitorque rotor blade''s arc of rotation located, and having positive connecting means, to intermesh during each revolution of said propeller and said antitorque rotor.

Claim 14

An aircraft comprising left- and right-hand wings, a fuselage, a vertical fin and horizontal tail surfaces, a pusher propeller supported for rotation, a helicopter lifting rotor substantially at the center of gravity above the fuselage for vertical takeoff and landing and level flight, an antitorque rotor supported on an axis of rotation 90* to the said propeller''s axis of rotation, said propeller''s and said antitorque rotor blade''s arc of rotation located, and having positive connecting means, to intermesh during each revolution of said propeller and said antitorque rotor.

Claim 15

A helicopter lifting rotor comprising a hub, rotor airfoil blades freely supported in the said hub for rocking the blade airfoil exclusively on the feather axis, the airfoil blades supported in the hub forward of the center of lift of the blade''s airfoil, an aerodynamic servo tab hingedly attached to the trailing edge of the blade airfoil with control means to the pilot to vary the tab''s angle and aerodynamic force on the rotor blade, thereby adjusting the feather angle and pitch angle of the rotor blade, means supporting the center hub of the main lifting rotor for vertical displacement from the centerline of the aircraft to provide offset rotor lifting moments to counteract the adverse rolling moments during high speed flight when the advancing and retreating blades due to disparity in air velocity produce unequal lift and cause the aircraft to roll, and pilot controllable actuating means to displace the rotor hub from a vertical centerline position Of the aircraft.

Claim 16

A helicopter lifting rotor comprising a hub, rotor airfoil blades freely supported in the said hub for rocking the blade airfoil exclusively on the feather axis, the airfoil blades supported in the hub forward of the center of lift of the blade''s airfoil, an aerodynamic servo tab hingedly attached to the trailing edge of the blade airfoil with control means to the pilot to vary the tab''s angle and aerodynamic force on the rotor blade, thereby adjusting the feather angle and pitch angle of the rotor blade, means supporting the center hub of the main lifting rotor for vertical displacement from the centerline of the aircraft to provide offset rotor lifting moments to counteract the adverse rolling moments during high speed flight when the advancing and retreating blades due to disparity in air velocity produce unequal lift and cause the aircraft to roll, and pilot controllable actuating means to displace the rotor hub from a vertical centerline position Of the aircraft.

Claim 17

An aircraft comprising left-hand and right-hand wings, a fuselage, vertical and horizontal tail surfaces, propeller thrust means, a helicopter lifting rotor for takeoff and landing, the rotor comprising hub means and blade means, the blade means supported within the hub for rocking the blade on the feather axis of the blade airfoil, mechanical actuating means associated with the rotor hub to rotate the trailing blade airfoil into the feathered vertical position and to rigidly retain the trailing blade in a vertical fin position to cause the rotor to remain stable in a feathered position by aerodynamic action of the trailing blade in high speed flight.

Claim 18

An aircraft comprising left-hand and right-hand wings, a fuselage, vertical and horizontal tail surfaces, propeller thrust means, a helicopter lifting rotor for takeoff and landing, the rotor comprising hub means and blade means, the blade means supported within the hub for rocking the blade on the feather axis of the blade airfoil, mechanical actuating means associated with the rotor hub to rotate the trailing blade airfoil into the feathered vertical position and to rigidly retain the trailing blade in a vertical fin position to cause the rotor to remain stable in a feathered position by aerodynamic action of the trailing blade in high speed flight.

Claim 19

In an aircraft for vertical takeoff and landing, a vertical fin comprising a fixed surface and moveable surfaces on the leading and trailing edges of the fixed surface, an adjacent propeller supported aft of the fin for rotation and to accelerate the airflow over the fin, the propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades supported by a center hub for individual angular pitch variation of the blades independently on the transverse feather axis, a swashplate means associated with the propeller blades, and interconnecting means to the propeller blades to vary the pitch angle of the individual propeller blades during each segment of revolution of the propeller to provide increased airflow velocity on one side of the vertical fin and to provide reduced airflow velocity on the opposite side of the fin thereby to produce a force transverse to the propeller''s rotation axis.

Claim 20

In an aircraft for vertical takeoff and landing, a vertical fin comprising a fixed surface and moveable surfaces on the leading and trailing edges of the fixed surface, an adjacent propeller supported aft of the fin for rotation and to accelerate the airflow over the fin, the propeller comprising one or more airfoil blades supported by a center hub for individual angular pitch variation of the blades independently on the transverse feather axis, a swashplate means associated with the propeller blades, and interconnecting means to the propeller blades to vary the pitch angle of the individual propeller blades during each segment of revolution of the propeller to provide increased airflow velocity on one side of the vertical fin and to provide reduced airflow velocity on the opposite side of the fin thereby to produce a force transverse to the propeller''s rotation axis.

Claim 21

An aircraft comprising left and right-hand wings, a fuselage, vertical and horizontal tail surfaces, engine means providing forward thrust means to the aircraft, a helicopter lifting rotor for takeoff and landing, the rotor comprising hub means and airfoil blade means, the said blade means supported within the hub for rocking the blade on the feather axis of the blade airfoil, braking means to the rotor to stop the rotor in flight for airplane flight, mechanical actuating means associated with the rotor hub to rotate the trailing blade of the rotor into the feathered vertical position and to rigidly retain the trailing blade in a vertical fin position.

Claim 22

An aircraft comprising left and right-hand wings, a fuselage, vertical and horizontal tail surfaces, engine means providing forward thrust means to the aircraft, a helicopter lifting rotor for takeoff and landing, the rotor comprising hub means and airfoil blade means, the said blade means supported within the hub for rocking the blade on the feather axis of the blade airfoil, braking means to the rotor to stop the rotor in flight for airplane flight, mechanical actuating means associated with the rotor hub to rotate the trailing blade of the rotor into the feathered vertical position and to rigidly retain the trailing blade in a vertical fin position.

Claim 23

An aircraft as in claim 11 having mechanical actuating means associated with the rotor hub to rotate the trailing blade of the rotor into the feathered vertical position and to retain the trailing blade in a vertical fin position to cause the rotor to remain aerodynamically stable when feathered, mechanical actuating means to the other blade of the rotor with resilient connection means to raise the trailing edge of the airfoil upward in the feathered position thereby allowing the airfoil blade to rotate on the feather axis when subjected to aerodynamic side loads when the helicopter rotor blade is in the feathered attitude.

Claim 24

A helicopter lifting rotor comprising a hub, rotor airfoil blades supported in the said hub for rocking the blade airfoil exclusively on the feather axis, means to adjust the feather angle and pitch angle of the rotor blade, means supporting the center hub of the main lifting rotor for horizontal displacement from the vertical centerline of the aircraft to provide off set rotor lifting moments to counteract the adverse rolling moments during high speed flight when the advancing and retreating blades due to disparity in air velocity produce unequal lift and cause the aircraft to roll, and pilot controllable actuating means to displace the rotor hub from a vertical centerline position of the aircraft.

Claim 25

A helicopter lifting rotor comprising a hub, rotor airfoil blades supported in the said hub for rocking the blade airfoil exclusively on the feather axis, means to adjust the feather angle and pitch angle of the rotor blade, means supporting the center hub of the main lifting rotor for horizontal displacement from the vertical centerline of the aircraft to provide off set rotor lifting moments to counteract the adverse rolling moments during high speed flight when the advancing and retreating blades due to disparity in air velocity produce unequal lift and cause the aircraft to roll, and pilot controllable actuating means to displace the rotor hub from a vertical centerline position of the aircraft.