Abstract Tail-less airplanes, such as dsclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,438,597 as a stall occurs or is about to occur, may be flown at very high angles of attack to generate favorable spanwise vorte, flows which augment the swept wing profiles creating resultant wing profiles having better lift characteristics, i.e., the vortexes created are lift generating. However, the aircraft is then uncomfortable to be in during such flights at very high angles of attack. Therefore to achieve the benefits of this lift generating vortex flow, without maneuvering such aircraft into a very high angle of attack, the swept wing is equipped with airfoil structures and accessories therefor, which are extended beyond the cruising speed contour of the swept wing, at lower speeds, to create spanwise vortex air flows which selectably enlarge the effective overall airfoil contours as sensed by the passing major air flows. Sustaining aerodynamic lift forces are thereby created at angles of attack well beyond the stall angles of the cruising airfoil contour, and by timely use of such airfoil structures, the vortex air flows are created soon enough for lift generating, so stable flight conditions may be created without so extensively altering the pitch of the landing and/or slow flying tailless aircraft.
A wing for an aircraft comprising a main air foil member, a first flap structure pivotally secured to the leading edge of said member for swinging movement between a first position in which its outer surface forms a smooth continuation of the upper surface of said main member and a second position in which the trailing edge of said flap structure is disposed a substantial distance above the upper surface of said main member, said flap structure being so mounted on said main member as to prevent flow of air between said flap structure and said main member when said flap occupies said second position, whereby a lift generating vortex will be formed adjacent the upper surface of said main member rearwardly of said flap structure, and second flap structure pivotally secured to said main member adjacent the trailing edge thereof, said second flap structure being movable between a first position in which it forms a smooth continuation of the trailing surface of said main member and a second position in which it is inclined with respect to the surface of said main member, to dispose a portion of said second flap structure a substantial distance above the upper surface of said main member, and said second flap structure is spaced rearwardly of the trailing edge of said main member to provide a slot for air to flow from the lower surface of said main member upwardly around the trailing edge of said main member and forwardly into said vortex.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
250 words
A wing for an aircraft comprising a main air foil member, a first flap structure pivotally secured to the leading edge of said member for swinging movement between a first position in which its outer surface forms a smooth continuation of the upper surface of said main member and a second position in which the trailing edge of said flap structure is disposed a substantial distance above the upper surface of said main member, said flap structure being so mounted on said main member as to prevent flow of air between said flap structure and said main member when said flap occupies said second position, whereby a lift generating vortex will be formed adjacent the upper surface of said main member rearwardly of said flap structure, and second flap structure pivotally secured to said main member adjacent the trailing edge thereof, said second flap structure being movable between a first position in which it forms a smooth continuation of the trailing surface of said main member and a second position in which it is inclined with respect to the surface of said main member, to dispose a portion of said second flap structure a substantial distance above the upper surface of said main member, and said second flap structure is spaced rearwardly of the trailing edge of said main member to provide a slot for air to flow from the lower surface of said main member upwardly around the trailing edge of said main member and forwardly into said vortex.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A wing according to claim 1 wherein said main air foil member is swept back at opposite sides of a center line and wherein said first and second flap structures each include a pair of flaps, each flap extending outwardly from the region of said center line toward the tip of said main air foil member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The wing according to claim 2 wherein said second flap structure at each side of said center line comprises a pair of flaps, one of said pair of flaps being mounted for movement upwardly of said main air foil member and the other flap being mounted for movement downwardly of said main air foil member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The wing according to claim 1 together with a duct system in said main air foil member fo supplying air to said vortex.