Rotary wing aircraft lift and propulsion method and systems

Claim 2

A rotary power producing system comprising a rotor, bearing means supporting said rotor for rotation about an axis, a plurality of burner thruster units mounted on said rotor at positions spaced away from said axis of rotation arranged to produce torque around said axis, air-compressor means, drive means coupling said air-compressor means to said rotor to be driven thereby, means extending from said air-compressor means to said burner thruster units for supplying air under pressure from said air-compressor means to said burner thruster units, a source of fuel, a fuel line extending from a position near said axis of rotation out to each of the burner thruster units for supplying the fuel from said source to said burner thruster units, means for igniting the fuel in said burner thruster units, said units discharging products of combustion to produce torque around said axis for turning said rotor, each of said fuel lines including a pressure-balancing fuel flow control regulator to control the flow of fuel while counteracting the effect of centrifugal force due to rotation of the rotor, said fuel flow control regulators being positioned near to the respective burner units and each including a cylinder extending at right angles to a radial line from the axis of the rotor, a piston in said cylinder dividing the cylinder into a fuel supply chamber and a balancing chamber, a fuel outlet from said fuel supply chamber communicating with the associated burner unit for supplying fuel thereto, a valve for controlling the flow of fuel through said outlet, said valve being actuated by said piston, spring means urging said valve towards its closed position, the fuel line communicating with the supply chamber, a second line extending from a position near to the axis out to each balancing chamber for balancing the effect of centrifugal force on the fuel in the fuel lines, and a fuel pump connected to each of the fuel lines for increasing the pressure in the fuel lines to increase the flow of fuel to the burner thruster units.

Claim 3

A rotary power producing system comprising a rotor, bearing means supporting said rotor for rotation about an axis, a plurality of burner thruster units mounted on said rotor at positions spaced away from said axis of rotation arranged to produce torque around said axis, air-compressor means, speed-increasing drive means coupling said air-compressor means to said rotor to be driven thereby, compressed-air conducting means extending from said air-compressor means to the hub of said rotor and ducts extending from the hub out to the respective burner thruster units for supplying compressed air to said units at a pressure exceeding atmospheric, a source of fuel, means for supplying the fuel from said source to the hub of said rotor and fuel lines extending from the hub out to the respective burner thruster units for supplying fuel to said units, means for igniting the fuel in said burner thruster units, said units having discharge means arranged in said rotor to discharge the products of combustion to produce torque for turning said rotor, power output means driven by said rotor, a pressure-balancing fuel flow control regulator positioned near each of said burner units, each of said pressure-balancing fuel flow control regulators including a cylinder extending at right angles to a radial line from the hub of the rotor, a piston in said cylinder, a fuel outlet from said cylinder communicating with the associated burner thruster unit for supplying fuel thereto, a valve for controlling the flow of fuel from said outlet, said valve being actuated by said piston, spring means urging said valve towards its closed position, the fuel line communicating with said cylinder on one side of said piston such that an increase in the pressure in said fuel line causes said piston to increase the opening of said valve, and a second line extending from a position near the hub out to said cylinder and communicating with the opposite side of said piston and containing fuel for balancing the effect of centrifugal force on the fuel in said fuel line.

Claim 4

A rotary power producing system comprising a rotor, bearing means supporting said rotor for rotation about an axis, a plurality of burner thruster units mounted on said rotor at positions spaced away from said axis of rotation arranged to produce torque around said axis, air-compressor means, speed-increasing drive means coupling said air-compressor means to said rotor to be driven thereby, compressed-air conducting means extending from said air-compressor means to the hub of said rotor and ducts extending from the hub out to the respective burner thruster units for supplying compressed air to said units at a pressure exceeding atmospheric, a source of fuel, means for supplying the fuel from said source to the hub of said rotor and fuel lines extending from the hub out to the respective burner thruster units for supplying fuel to said units, means for igniting the fuel in said burner thruster units, said units having discharge means arranged in said rotor to discharge the products of combustion to produce torque for turning said rotor, power output means driven by said rotor, a pressure-balancing fuel flow control regulator positioned near each of said burner units, each of said pressure-balancing fuel flow control regulators including a cylinder extending at right angles to a radial line from the hub of the rotor, a piston in said cylinder, a fuel outlet from said cylinder communicating with the associated burner thruster unit for supplying fuel thereto, a valve for controlling the flow of fuel from said outlet, said valve being actuated by said piston, spring means urging said valve towards its closed position, the fuel line communicating with said cylinder on one side of said piston such that an increase in the pressure in said fuel line causes said piston to increase the opening of said valve, and a second line extending from a position near the hub out to said cylinder and communicating with the opposite side of said piston and containing fuel for balancing the effect of centrifugal force on the fuel in said fuel line.

Claim 5

A rotary power producing system as claimed in claim 2, in which a plurality of air diffusers are included in said rotor, said diffusers being positioned in said rotor near to the respective burner thruster units, said diffusers serving to diffuse the compressed air from said ducts into said burner thruster units.

Claim 6

A rotary power producing system as claimed in Claim 3 in which a third fuel line connects to the inner end of each of said second lines, said third lines extending out to the respective burner thruster units for carrying to the burner units any fuel which leaks past the respective pistons, and a flashback arrestor located in each of the third lines near the respective burner thruster units.