US4566699A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Flying apparatus and method
Assignee: RICHARDS AEROSPACE RESEARCH Corp A CORP OF MN
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Filing: 1982-12-27
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Granted: 1986-01-28
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Expires: 2002-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A novel and improved heavier-than-air flying craft (20) is the subject matter of this patent application. The craft (20) includes an airfoil (22), over an upper wall (28) of which multiple fluid streams are directed. The craft (20) can include a multiplicity of main engines (54) for directing the fluid streams. Vertical ascent and horizontal translational flight can be controlled by modulating the flow of exhaust from these engines (54). The craft (20) can further include auxiliary engines (58) for facilitating horizontal translational flight and yaw control engines (56) to augment yawing of the craft (20). None of the engines (54, 56, 58) have moving parts, and the airfoil (22) has no moving parts in the external air stream.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph R. Cucuzza
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:45
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64C; B64C29/00; B64C29/0008; B64C29/0016; B64C29/0025; B64C39/00; B64C39/001; B64C39/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
331 words
A heavier-than-air flying craft, comprising: (a) a cabin; (b) a single annular airfoil having a central aperture formed therein, said cabin being disposed within said aperture and secured to said airfoil, said airfoil including a curvilinear upper wall defining an annular portion, concentric relative to said aperture, having a multiplicity of radially outwardly venting louvers formed therein; (c) a plurality of main engines spaced angularly about said cabin, controllable from said cabin, each including a radially extending exhaust duct disposed beneath said airfoil wall to direct exhaust generated by said engines radially outwardly, through said louvers, and over an upwardly facing surface of said wall, wherein each of said engines includes component elements fixed relative to one another to define an airfoil-engine assembly having no moving parts; (d) wherein flight of the craft is accomplished without movement of any component in the external air stream when the craft is in powered flight; (e) means for controlling yawing motion; (f) wherein said airfoil further includes a lower annular wall converging with said upper wall proximate a peripheral edge thereof and wherein said yawing motion control means comprises a pair of engines controllable from said cabin and mounted between said upper and lower walls, each mounted proximate the periphery of said airfoil and having an exhaust duct directed in an opposite circumferential direction from that in which the exhaust duct of the other of said yaw control engines is directed; (g) forward flight auxiliary propulsion means; (h) wherein said forward flight auxiliary propulsion means comprises a plurality of auxiliary engines suspended from said lower wall, each of said auxiliary engines being controllable from said cabin and including a radially and generally rearwardly extending exhaust duct; and (i) wherein said lower wall has a radially inwardly disposed annular recess formed within, and wherein said auxiliary engines are mounted within said recess with said exhaust ducts of said auxiliary engines disposed to direct exhaust rearwardly therefrom immediately below a lower surface of said lower wall.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
331 words
A heavier-than-air flying craft, comprising: (a) a cabin; (b) a single annular airfoil having a central aperture formed therein, said cabin being disposed within said aperture and secured to said airfoil, said airfoil including a curvilinear upper wall defining an annular portion, concentric relative to said aperture, having a multiplicity of radially outwardly venting louvers formed therein; (c) a plurality of main engines spaced angularly about said cabin, controllable from said cabin, each including a radially extending exhaust duct disposed beneath said airfoil wall to direct exhaust generated by said engines radially outwardly, through said louvers, and over an upwardly facing surface of said wall, wherein each of said engines includes component elements fixed relative to one another to define an airfoil-engine assembly having no moving parts; (d) wherein flight of the craft is accomplished without movement of any component in the external air stream when the craft is in powered flight; (e) means for controlling yawing motion; (f) wherein said airfoil further includes a lower annular wall converging with said upper wall proximate a peripheral edge thereof and wherein said yawing motion control means comprises a pair of engines controllable from said cabin and mounted between said upper and lower walls, each mounted proximate the periphery of said airfoil and having an exhaust duct directed in an opposite circumferential direction from that in which the exhaust duct of the other of said yaw control engines is directed; (g) forward flight auxiliary propulsion means; (h) wherein said forward flight auxiliary propulsion means comprises a plurality of auxiliary engines suspended from said lower wall, each of said auxiliary engines being controllable from said cabin and including a radially and generally rearwardly extending exhaust duct; and (i) wherein said lower wall has a radially inwardly disposed annular recess formed within, and wherein said auxiliary engines are mounted within said recess with said exhaust ducts of said auxiliary engines disposed to direct exhaust rearwardly therefrom immediately below a lower surface of said lower wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 wherein said main engines are positioned within said airfoil, beneath said upper wall and radially inwardly from said annular portion having said louvers formed therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A craft in accordance with claim 2 wherein said exhaust ducts of said main engines are uniformly spaced about said airfoil at equal angles relative to adjacent of said ducts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A craft in accordance with claim 3 comprising 20 engines and wherein said exhaust ducts are spaced angularly at approximately 18° from adjacent of said ducts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of plenums, each communicating with one of said exhaust ducts and being disposed adjacent an angular section of said annular portion of said upper wall having said venting louvers formed therein to direct exhaust generated by an engine communicating with a particular plenum through said louvers and radially outwardly over said upwardly facing surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A craft in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said plenums has an angularly flaring and vertically flattened profile.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
A craft in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said plenums has a cross-sectional area, taken in a plane generally normal to a longitudinal axis of its corresponding exhaust duct and extending radially with respect to said airfoil, larger than the cross-sectional area of said corresponding exhaust duct, wherein the velocity of engine exhaust decreases as said exhaust expands when transiting from said duct to said plenum.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A craft in accordance with claim 7 wherein said plenum cross-section is approximately twice as large as said duct cross-section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 wherein said yaw control engines are disposed diametrically opposite one another about said airfoil and at stations laterally with respect to an intended direction of motion of said craft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of auxiliary engines is disposed angularly aligned with one of the rearwardly positioned of said main engines.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A craft in accordance with claim 10 comprising four auxiliary engines, two of said auxiliary engines being positioned on either side of a fore-and-aft axis of the craft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
83 words
A craft in accordance with claim 11 wherein said auxiliary engines each include an air intake and said cabin includes a peripheral wall, and wherein said cabin peripheral wall has formed therein air passage means extending from a forward portion thereof rearwardly along at least one side of said compartment to an area proximate said auxiliary engines, wherein a ram-air effect is achieved at said air intakes of said auxiliary engines as the craft moves forwardly driving air through said air passage means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A craft in accordance with claim 12 wherein an air passage channel extends rearwardly along either side of said operator compartment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 wherein said main, auxiliary, and yaw control engines burn propane.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 wherein said main, auxiliary and yaw control engines burn liquid fuel and further comprising at least one toroidal fuel tank enclosed within said airfoil between said upper and lower walls.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A craft in accordance with claim 15 wherein said at least one fuel tank is circular in cross-section.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A craft in accordance with claim 15 wherein said tank includes a plurality of baffles spaced at locations along said torus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A craft in accordance with claim 15 further comprising heat shielding means for minimizing transfer of heat from said main, auxiliary, and yaw control engines to said at least one toroidal fuel tank enclosed within said airfoil.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a heat shield insulating said cabin from heat generated by said main, auxiliary, and yaw control engines.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cabin is defined by a wall having a compartment formed therein and wherein said forward flight auxiliary propulsion means comprises a plurality of auxiliary engines housed within said compartment, each of said auxiliary engines being controllable from said cabin and including a generally radially oriented exhaust duct extending rearwardly from said compartment.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for controlling rolling and pitching motion, and wherein said rolling and pitching motion control means comprises said plurality of main engines in combination with said airfoil.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
A craft in accordance with claim 21 wherein said yawing motion control means and said rolling and pitching motion control means include no moving parts in the external air stream when the craft is in powered flight.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A craft in accordance with claim 22 wherein said yawing motion control means and said rolling and pitching motion control means comprise propane powered pulse jet engines having no moving parts.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A craft in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for supporting the craft when it is on the ground.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
A craft in accordance with claim 24 wherein said support means comprises a plurality of struts extending downwardly from one of said airfoil and said cabin.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A craft in accordance with claim 25 comprising three support struts spaced equi-angularly from one another about said cabin at 120°.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
128 words
In combination with an annular airfoil having an upper wall defining therein an annular portion having a multiplicity of outwardly venting louvers; a plurality of radially extending, equi-angularly spaced engines disposed about the airfoil to direct exhaust through said louvers and over an upwardly facing surface of said wall, each of said engines having its air intake situated in a common chamber, and wherein, during movement of the combination structure in an intended direction of forward movement, engines forwardly disposed can be shut off and function as ram air ducts through which air can pass into said common chamber and to air intakes of operating engines said engines each comprising a three-stage combustion air intake, and wherein operation of said engines occurs without movement of component elements thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
128 words
In combination with an annular airfoil having an upper wall defining therein an annular portion having a multiplicity of outwardly venting louvers; a plurality of radially extending, equi-angularly spaced engines disposed about the airfoil to direct exhaust through said louvers and over an upwardly facing surface of said wall, each of said engines having its air intake situated in a common chamber, and wherein, during movement of the combination structure in an intended direction of forward movement, engines forwardly disposed can be shut off and function as ram air ducts through which air can pass into said common chamber and to air intakes of operating engines said engines each comprising a three-stage combustion air intake, and wherein operation of said engines occurs without movement of component elements thereof.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-01-27 | 1989-07-29 | 1990-01-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-01-27 | 1993-07-29 | 1994-01-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-01-27 | 1997-07-29 | 1998-01-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |