Aircraft propulsion system

Claim 2

In an aircraft propulsive system having a power source, a compressor driven by the power source, a main supporting airfoil surface having conduit means therein connected to said compressor, an auxiliary airfoil surface arranged in spanwise extending spaced biplane relation to said main airfoil surface, end plates extending from the outer ends of said auxiliary airfoil surface to the main supporting airfoil surface, the space between said surfaces forming a rectangular spanwise extending propulsive duct, said duct having an inlet open to the ambient atmosphere, a mixing section and a diffuser section adapted to discharge to the atmosphere, a plurality of nozzles each connected to said conduit means and adapted to discharge Air into said duct inlet section substantially throughout the spanwise cross section thereof to mix with air flowing into said inlet section from the ambient atmosphere and to produce thrust in expanding through said duct diffuser section and a flap on the aft portion of one of said airfoil surfaces and adapted to be adjusted to vary the propulsion duct diffuser exit area.

Claim 3

The structure as claimed in claim 1, in which a spanwise extending flap is provided on the other of said airfoils, both of said flaps when deflected downward directing the discharge flow from said duct in a downward direction and said second named flap having nozzle means on its suction side adjacent the flap leading edge, a connection between said flap nozzle means and said primary source of air under pressure, said flap nozzle means being effective when both flaps are deflected downward to remove the boundary layer from the suction side of the second named flap and by Coanda effect to additionally deflect the flow discharge from said duct.

Claim 4

The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the main supporting airfoil surface is provided with a trailing edge flap, said flap having nozzle means adjacent its leading edge, a connection between said nozzle means and the conduit means connected to the compressor, said nozzle means directing jets of air over the suction surface of said main airfoil surface flap and when said flap is deflected downward to increase the downward deflection of the main discharge from said propulsion duct by Coanda effect.

Claim 5

The structure as claimed in claim 3, in which said auxiliary airfoil is positioned above the main supporting airfoil surface adjacent the leading edge thereof, said auxiliary airfoil having a chord less than one-half the chord of said main supporting airfoil surface, the thrust augmentation increase being developed by deflection of the airflow over the suction side of the main supporting airfoil surface.

Claim 6

A lifting and propulsion means for aircraft including at least one pair of spanwise extending airfoils positioned in spaced biplane arrangement to form a propulsion duct therebetween, said duct having a convergent inlet section communicating with the ambient atmosphere, a mixing section and a diffuser section, one of said airfoils having a portion thereof serving as an internal conduit and adapted to be connected to a primary source of air under pressure, a plurality of spanwise spaced hollow streamlined fairings extending across said duct and each connected to said internal conduit, each of said streamlined fairings having external nozzle means over the exterior surface thereof for injecting primary air into the inlet portion of said duct substantially throughout the spanwise cross section thereof and to induce a secondary flow of air into said duct through the inlet thereof to mix with the primary air in said propulsion duct mixing section and to expand in said diffuser section to create a propulsive thrust and a spanwise extending flap on one of said airfoils adjustment thereof varying the exit area of the diffuser section of said duct.

Claim 7

A lifting and propulsion means for aircraft including at least one pair of spanwise extending airfoils positioned in spaced biplane arrangement to form a propulsion duct therebetween, said duct having a convergent inlet section communicating with the ambient atmosphere, a mixing section and a diffuser section, one of said airfoils having a portion thereof serving as an internal conduit and adapted to be connected to a primary source of air under pressure, a plurality of spanwise spaced hollow streamlined fairings extending across said duct and each connected to said internal conduit, each of said streamlined fairings having external nozzle means over the exterior surface thereof for injecting primary air into the inlet portion of said duct substantially throughout the spanwise cross section thereof and to induce a secondary flow of air into said duct through the inlet thereof to mix with the primary air in said propulsion duct mixing section and to expand in said diffuser section to create a propulsive thrust and a spanwise extending flap on one of said airfoils adjustment thereof varying the exit area of the diffuser section of said duct.

Claim 8

In an aircraft propulsion system having a power source, a compressor driven by the power source, a main supporting airfoil surface, an auxiliary spanwise extending airfoil surface arranged in spaced biplane relation to said main airfoil surface, vertical end plates extending from the tips of said auxiliary airfoil surface to said main airfoil surface, the space between said surfaces forming a rectangular spanwise extending propulsion duct, said duct having an inlet open to the ambient atmosphere, a mixing section and a diffuser section adapted to discharge to the ambient atmosphere, means connecting the hollow interior of one of said airfoil surfaces to said compressor to receive air under pressure therefrom, a plurality of streamlined fairings extending in spaced relation across said duct normal to the plane of said airfoil surface, the interior of each of said fairings being connected to the interioR of the airfoil surface receiving air under pressure from the compressor and discharge nozzle means over the surface of each of said fairings to discharge primary jets of air substantially over the length of the fairing into the propulsion duct inlet substantially throughout the spanwise cross section thereof, a flap on the trailing edge of said auxiliary airfoil surface and extending over the span of said auxiliary airfoil surface and adjustable to vary the exit area of the propulsion duct, a spanwise extending flap on said main supporting airfoil surface, nozzles adjacent the leading edge of said last named flap, means connecting said flap nozzles to the interior of the airfoil surface carrying air under pressure from the compressor whereby said flap nozzles discharge air over the suction surface of said main airfoil surface flap so that the flap when deflected downward will induce by a Coanda effect an additional deflection downward of the airflow from said propulsive duct.

Claim 9

In an aircraft propulsion system having a power source, a compressor driven by the power source, a main supporting airfoil surface, an auxiliary spanwise extending airfoil surface arranged in spaced biplane relation to said main airfoil surface, vertical end plates extending from the tips of said auxiliary airfoil surface to said main airfoil surface, the space between said surfaces forming a rectangular spanwise extending propulsion duct, said duct having an inlet open to the ambient atmosphere, a mixing section and a diffuser section adapted to discharge to the ambient atmosphere, means connecting the hollow interior of one of said airfoil surfaces to said compressor to receive air under pressure therefrom, a plurality of streamlined fairings extending in spaced relation across said duct normal to the plane of said airfoil surface, the interior of each of said fairings being connected to the interioR of the airfoil surface receiving air under pressure from the compressor and discharge nozzle means over the surface of each of said fairings to discharge primary jets of air substantially over the length of the fairing into the propulsion duct inlet substantially throughout the spanwise cross section thereof, a flap on the trailing edge of said auxiliary airfoil surface and extending over the span of said auxiliary airfoil surface and adjustable to vary the exit area of the propulsion duct, a spanwise extending flap on said main supporting airfoil surface, nozzles adjacent the leading edge of said last named flap, means connecting said flap nozzles to the interior of the airfoil surface carrying air under pressure from the compressor whereby said flap nozzles discharge air over the suction surface of said main airfoil surface flap so that the flap when deflected downward will induce by a Coanda effect an additional deflection downward of the airflow from said propulsive duct.