US3618875A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
V/stol aircraft
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1969-02-24
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Granted: 1971-11-09
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Expires: 1989-02-24
Abstract
Abstract A V/STOL aircraft comprises a fuselage having tandem wings which are offset lengthwise and vertically. Identical propulsion units are provided in each wing half. Each power unit comprises a pair of gas generators mounted respectively above and below the wing half and a pair of lift fans mounted within the wing structure on opposite sides of the engines. A valve system diverts the hot gas stream of the engines into a plenum chamber formed integrally with the wing structure. The hot gas streams are then directed from the plenum chamber to a tip turbine which powers the lift fans when vertical thrust is desired in operation of the aircraft. When forward speed of the aircraft is great enough for the aircraft wings to have sufficient lift, the hot gas streams are directed through propulsive nozzles providing a forward thrust component. In cruise, one engine of each power unit could be shut down. Each engine and each lift fan has emergency capacity which is automatically brought into play in the event of a failure of a lift fan or engine, with proper adjustments being made to the other power units to maintain balance and controlled operation of the aircraft in the lift mode.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter G Kappus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:23
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64C; B64C29/00; B64C29/0008; B64C29/0016; B64C29/0025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A V/STOL aircraft comprising a fuselage, tandem wings spaced apart lengthwise of the fuselage, each wing half of the tandem wings having essentially continuous airfoil surfaces, a propulsion unit for each wing half, each propulsion unit comprising, a pair of gas turbine engines, horizontally mounted on the wing half and respectively having propulsion nozzles through which the hot gas streams of the engines may be discharged, one of said engines and its nozzle being mounted above the wing half and the other of said engines and its nozzle being mounted below the wing half, a pair of lift fans mounted generally within the outline of the wing half with one lift fan inboard of the engines and tHe other lift fan outboard of the engines, and means for selectively directing the engines'' hot gas streams to power the lift when a vertical thrust component is desired and through both the respective propulsion nozzles where a forward thrust component is desired.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A V/STOL aircraft comprising a fuselage, tandem wings spaced apart lengthwise of the fuselage, each wing half of the tandem wings having essentially continuous airfoil surfaces, a propulsion unit for each wing half, each propulsion unit comprising, a pair of gas turbine engines, horizontally mounted on the wing half and respectively having propulsion nozzles through which the hot gas streams of the engines may be discharged, one of said engines and its nozzle being mounted above the wing half and the other of said engines and its nozzle being mounted below the wing half, a pair of lift fans mounted generally within the outline of the wing half with one lift fan inboard of the engines and tHe other lift fan outboard of the engines, and means for selectively directing the engines'' hot gas streams to power the lift when a vertical thrust component is desired and through both the respective propulsion nozzles where a forward thrust component is desired.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 1 wherein, the wings are vertically spaced.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 2 wherein, the engines of all propulsion units are essentially identical and the lift fans of all propulsion units are essentially identical.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
113 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 3 wherein, the lift fans have tip turbines driven by the hot gas streams of the engines to power the lift fans and each wing half has aligned openings in its upper and lower surfaces for inlet of air to the lift fans and discharge of propulsion streams, each of said wing halves has pressure plenum chambers defined by structural elements of the wing half, each chamber having a downwardly open outlet peripherally of the upper opening, for discharging the hot gas stream to the tip turbine, each chamber including a nonstructural aerodynamic surface in scroll form for directing the hot gas stream to the tip turbine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 1 wherein, the engines of all the propulsion units are essentially identical and the lift fans of all propulsion units are essentially identical and further including, means for shutting down selected engines to conserve fuel in the cruise mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 5, further comprising, means for shutting off air flow through the inoperative engines.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 1 wherein, the engines of all the propulsion units are essentially identical and have emergency power ratings and the lift fans of all propulsion units are essentially identical and have emergency power ratings and further including, means responsive to a failure of any one engine for increasing the power of the other engine of that propulsion unit to its emergency rating and reducing the power setting of the engines in the diagonally opposite wing half and increasing the engines and lift fans of the remaining propulsion units to their emergency ratings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
99 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 1 wherein, the engines of all the propulsion units are essentially identical and have emergency ratings and the lift fans of all the propulsion units are essentially identical and have emergency power ratings and further including, means responsive to a failure of any one lift fan for increasing the output of the other lift fan of that propulsion unit to its emergency power rating, reducing the power output of the lift fans of the diagonally opposite unit and increasing the engines and lift fans of the remaining propulsion units to their emergency ratings.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
122 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 1 wherein, the lift fans are disposed in side-by-side relationship and the lift fans have tip turbines driven by the hot gas streams of the engines to power the lift fans and each wing half has aligned openings in its upper and lower surfaces for inlet of air to the lift fans and discharge of propulsion streams, each of said wing halves has pressure plenum chambers defined by structural elements of the wing half, each chamber having a downwardly open outlet peripherally of the upper opening, for discharging the hot gas stream to the tip turbine, each chamber including a nonstructural aerodynamic surface in scroll form for directing the hot gas stream to the tip turbine.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
94 words
A V/STOL aircraft comprising, a gas generator, a wing having aligned openings in its upper and lower surfaces and structural elements defining a pressure chamber at least partially surrounding said openings and having a downwardly open outlet peripherally of the upper opening, means for connecting the chamber to the gas generator discharge, a lift fan having a fan inlet registered with the upper opening and a tip turbine registered with Said pressure chamber outlet, said fan and tip turbine being registered with said discharge opening, whereby the chord of said wing may be minimized.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
94 words
A V/STOL aircraft comprising, a gas generator, a wing having aligned openings in its upper and lower surfaces and structural elements defining a pressure chamber at least partially surrounding said openings and having a downwardly open outlet peripherally of the upper opening, means for connecting the chamber to the gas generator discharge, a lift fan having a fan inlet registered with the upper opening and a tip turbine registered with Said pressure chamber outlet, said fan and tip turbine being registered with said discharge opening, whereby the chord of said wing may be minimized.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 10 wherein, said chamber includes a nonstructural aerodynamic surface in scroll form for directing the hot gas stream to the tip turbine.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
98 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 10 wherein, the wing has second aligned openings in its upper and lower surfaces disposed in side-by-side relationship lengthwise of the wing with the first openings and the structural elements define a pressure chamber also at least partially surrounding said openings and having a downwardly open outlet peripherally of the second upper opening and a second lift fan having a fan registered with the second upper inlet opening and a tip turbine registered with said second pressure chamber outlet, said second fan and tip turbine being registered with said second discharge opening,
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 12 wherein, the wing includes lengthwise extending spars, portions of which define said pressure chamber and between which the engines are mounted, said wing further including ribs on opposite sides of the two lift fans, said ribs further defining portions of the pressure chambers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
A V/STOL aircraft as in claim 13 wherein, the gas generator is mounted on the wing between the two lift fans, thereby eliminating the need for duct connections beyond the bounds of the pressure chambers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-08 | 1975-05-10 | 1975-11-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-08 | 1979-05-10 | 1979-11-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-08 | 1983-05-10 | 1983-11-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |