US1291678A - Wing construction. - Google Patents

Description

H. KLECKLER.

WING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION mzo MAR. 31. 1916.

' avwem roz HENRY KLECKLEE.

Patented J an. 14,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET i H. KLECKLER. WING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 3| I916.

Patented Jan. 14-, 1919.

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amwmtoi H ENEYKLECKLER Quiet/"e13 H. KLECKLER.

WING CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION man MAR. 3|. 19m.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

HENRY KLECKLER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CURTISS AEROPLANE MOTOR CORYORATION, A CORPORATION OF N'EW'YORK.

AND

WING consrntrcrron.

To all/whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY KLEGKLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wing Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to aircraft equipment and more particularly to an improved supporting plane or wing of a construction designed to secure a maximum of rigidity andstrength with a minimum .of weight and resistancecharacteristics essential'to increased speed and lifting efiiciency in a flying machine. I

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved wing structure stripped of its fabric cover- Fig. 2 is an end view illustrating the general streamline form of the wing;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail transverse sectional view illustrating the wing nose construction Fig. 4 is a plan View illustrating in detail the manner in which one of the compression struts and wing beams are joined;

Fig. 5 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 3 illustrating in elevation one of the web strips;

Fig. 6 is a viewsomewhat similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the connection between one of I the web strips and the wing beams;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a similar view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1; y

Fig. 9 is a similar view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a similar view on the line 10-10 of F1g.-1;

Fig. 11 is an elevation illustrating a modi fied form of compression strut;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross section on the line 1212 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 13 is a detail sectionalview illustrating the wing-hinge construction.

The wing in its preferred embodiment comprises parallel wing beams 15 and 16 Specification of Letters Patent.

mounted to extend laterally of the body of the craft (not shown) in a direction transverse to the line of flight. The rear wing beam 16 is extended slightly beyond the end of the forward wing beam 15 at its outer end to obtaina somewhat greater spread at the trailing edge with resulting increased lateral stability. Each beam is tapered at'its outer or free end as indicated at 16 that the thickness of the wing at said outer end may be materially reduced. Wing hinges '17 and 18 are utilized to effectually secure the wing structure to the fuselage, nacelle or other body structure (not shown). These winghinges are of a. construction best illustrated in Fig. 13 and may be said to consist of- Patented Jan. 14, 1919. Application filed March 31. 1916. Serial No. 88.094.

strut of the wing and engaging with the opposite longitudinal edges of the wing beam to provide for securement thereto as indicated at 15. The connecting portion of each hinge bears against the inner face of the end strut and accordingly braces and limits movements of the hinge with respect to .the wing.

While the wing herein illustrated is slightly cambered, and as illustrated in Fig. 2, set at an angle of incidence, it is to be understood that such a construction and arrangement is only preferred.

Compression struts, preferably five in number, transversely brace the wing beams, the several struts being disposed in parallelism and at varying distances apart, the distance between adjacent struts increasing from the inner to the outer end of the wing. From said inner end outwardly, the struts are designated respectively 19, 20, 21,22 and 23, the inner strut having a greater cross-sectional dimension than the next adjacent strut and so on. the outer strut having the smallest cross-sectional dimension since the strain at the outer end of the wing is less than the strain at the inner end thereof. The inner strut 19, hereinafter referred to as the end strut, like the struts 20 and 21, extends laterally beyond the remote longitudinal edges of the wing beams 15 and 16 to secure at the inner end of the wing the desired streamline form. The outer struts 22 and 23 terminate abruptly at one end and flush with the rear wing beam 16 to afford at the outer end of the wing an operating space or jog for the wing flap or aileron (not shown) The aileron or wing flap will.continue the streamline form of the wing aft at the outer glued or otherwise secured in place.

end thereof and accordingly preclude the formation of vortices at the outer end of the' wing.

The compression struts, exceptthe end strut 19, are constructed alike, each strut comprising a solid web portion 24, the longitudinal top and bottom edges of which engage in longitudinal grooves 25 and 26 formed respectively in cap- strips 27 and 28 mentioned strips together with the web portion constitute a compression strut of the face is in evidence whereby the fabric covering (not shown) for the wing may be glued or otherwise secured in a manner precluding warping and sagging intermediate the several wing structure parts.

Web strips extend parallel with the compression struts and .to a certain extent transversely brace thewing'. Each web strip is laminated as illustrated in Fig. 9 and like the compression struts comprises a web portion 36 and cap strips 37 and 38. The top and bottom longitudinal edges of theweb portion 36 of each web strip is mounted to extend beyond the top and bottom edges respectively of the wing beams to engage in grooves therefor formed in the cap strips, the groove in the cap strip 37 being desig nated 39 and the groove in the cap strip 38 designated 40. Such an arrangement will preclude lateral separation of the laminations constituting the web strips 36 and, offer to the fabric, as before pointed out, a relatively flat securing surface. The relatively deep web portion of each web strip is such that the cap strips lie flush upon the wing. Each web strip is materially lightened by the formation of lightening holes 41 therein.

Certain of the web strips like the inner compression struts extend beyond the remote longitudinal edges of the wing beams while.

others terminate flush with the rear wing beam. The outermost extended web strip or that portion of the web strip defining the inner end of the jog is diagonally braced as.

indicated at 42 to the wing beam 16 and transversely braced as indicated at 43 to the The extended Web strip next adjacent thereto.

The transverse bracing strips 43 extend in diverging relation from the outermost web strip and intersect the diagonal braces 42. Diagonal braces. 44, 45 and 46 effectually brace the end strut 19 to the respective beams 15 and 16, the braces 44 and 45. engaging with the rear wing beam and the brace 46 with the forward wing beam as illustrated in Fig. 1. Transversely extending diverging bracing strips 47 intersect the diagonal brace 44 and engage with the end strut 19 and with the web strip next adjacent thereto in much the same manner as the transverse brace 43. Both the transverse'brace 43 and the transverse brace 47 brace theextended tail portion of the wing at apoint equidistant from the wing beam and the trailing edge of the wing. A trailing edge strip 48 (preferably metallic) is mounted to "interconnect the several struts and web strips which extend aft of the rear wing beam 16. By referring to Fig. 12 it w1ll be observed that the web strips and struts complementally engage with the trailing edge strip 48 and that the cap strips overhang said strip 48 to which they are secured by a metallic strip 47 having an overall length sufficient to extend from the jog to the inner end of the wing. Said strip 47 is-of a shape in cross-section to overlap and securely fasten the terminals of the cap-strips to the tail strip of the wing.

A hollowed-out nose strip 49 (curved in cross-section) interconnects the several compression struts and web strips at the leading edge of the wing. If desired, bracing strips 50 may extend from the forward wing beam 15 to the nose strip 49 intermediate adjacent Web strips. The several bracing strips, the compression struts and the web strips eflectually support and brace a veneering strip 51 mounted to extend longitudinally of the Wing and to engage respectively'the nose strip 49 and the wing beam 15, the veneering. l1'1 cross section being curved to secure a uniform and unbroken engaging surface for the fabric covering at the top leading edge of the. wing. Upon a careful observaindicated at 48 to afford a relatively fiatsecuring surface for the top or upper capstrips of the web strips and struts.

An angular outer end strip or compression strut 52 is located at the extreme outer end of the wing. Diagonal braces 53 and 54 extend from each the beam 15 and thebeam 16 to the mentioned strut 52. Stringers 55 longitudinally brace the wing and transversely brace the web-strips, the string ers engaging with each of the several compression struts and the web-strips at a point preferably equidistant from the wing beams of the wing.

Compression strains incident to'flight, are

borne by drift wires 56 arranged in pairs within the wing structure 'to interconnect adjacent struts and to extend diagonally from the forward end of one strut to the rear end of the strut nextiadjacent -thereto. Turnbuekles 57 may be utilized to effectually tighten the wires 56. To brace the wing against strains imposed thereon in alighting, wires 58 are provided. The wires 58 like the drift wires 56 interconnect adjacent struts interiorly of the wing frame. The wires 58, however, intersect the wires 56 and accordingly oppositely brace the wing. Both'sets of bracing wires pass through the openings 41 in the web strlps without contact with the strips at any point.

Upon reference to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be observed that the beams 15 and 16 are I-formed in cross section to secure lightness without a proportionate decrease in strength. At the points where the compression struts engage with the wing beams, the mentioned beams or rather the web portion of each is enlarged as indicated at 59 since the great-.

- est strains incident to flight-are imposed on v a fitting 61 thereto.

the beams at the points where the struts engage therewith.- Blocking 60 is interposed between each compression strut and each wing beam to provide for the securement of The blocking 60 also affords a foundation for the overhanging portion or portions of the wing post socket 60', since the mentioned'socket as indicated in Fig. 3 is of a size to extend beyond the opposite longitudinal edges of the wing beam to which it is secured. Each fitting 61 extends laterally beyond the edges of the strut against which it is fitted to thus.

provide a means whereby the bracing wires 56 and 58 may be secured to the beams at the points where the struts intersect or engage. Bolts 62, one of which is an eye-bolt, penetrate the fitting or casting, the blocks and the enlarged portion of the wing beam to secure the former in place without weakening the beam by reason of openings or bolt-holes formed therein. One of the drift wires of each pair is secured to the eyebolt while the other of said wires is secured to an ear 61 formed in the fitting 61. A second ear 58 is likewise formed on each fitting to provide for securement of the wires 58. To further obviate the necessity of weakening the wing beams at any point, the bolt-holes 63 for the securing means for the wing post fittings (not shown) are formed in the blocks 60 at opposite sides of the wing beam and notin the wing beam itself as heretofore. Blocks 64,

Bearing blocks 66 afford a-butments for the several strut braces and receive directly the strains which would otherwise be imposed on the struts. Each bearing block thus acts as a strain distributing medium in that the forces or strains exerted on the struts are directed longitudinally thereof or with the grain rather than transversely thereof and across the grain.

In referring to the modification illustrated in Fig. 11, the I-formed compressionv struts have been eliminated and tubular compression struts 66 substituted instead. The struts 66 are preferably metallic and mounted to engage in sockets 67 secured to the respective wing beams by bolts 68 passing transversely therethrough. In other respects, the wing structure of the modified wing is the same as that hereinbefore described.

While I have described my invention in detail in its preferred embodiment it will be obvious to those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof and I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes. v

What is claimed is: M

1. In a wing structure, wing beams, 1aminated web strips interconnecting the respective beams, and 'cap strips grooved to receive the respective longitudinal edges of the several web strips to secure the laminations against separation.

2. In a Wing structure, wing beams, a nose strip, veneering interconnecting the forward wing beam and the nose strip to effec-,

tually preclude sagging of the wing covering intermediate said beam and said strip, and web strips interconnecting said beam and said nose strip to transversely brace the veneering from beneath.

3. In a wing structure, wing beams, a transversely extending compression strut, a bearing block interposed between one end of said strut and said beam to receive the compression strains, and a securing means for the mentioned block.

4. In a wing structure, wing beams, wing post sockets of a size such that the sockets extend beyond the opposite longitudinal edges of the respective beams, blocking interposed between the respective extended terminals of the several sockets to afford a foundation therefor, and means for fastening the blocking to the beams.

5. In a wing structure, wing beams, com pression struts transversely bracing the respective beams, wing fitting blocks mounted upon the beams at various points throughbeams to which they are connected, a fitting.

out the length thereof, a securing means for the mentioned blocks mounted to transversely penetrate both the blocks and the interposed between the terminals of certain of said struts and the blocks securedto the wing beams, and bracing means for the wing secured to said fitting. I I

6. In a wing structure, wing beams, wing post sockets of a size such that the opposite longitudinal edges thereof extend beyond the corresponding edges of the beams, blocking interposed between the respective extended terminals of the several sockets to afford a foundation therefor and means penetrating the blocking without penetrating the beamsfor fastening the sockets to the beams.

7. In a wing structure, wing beams of I- form in cross section throughout the greater portion of their length, compression struts, and enlargements formed on the respective beams at the points where the respective compression struts engage therewith.

8. In awing structure, Wing beams, and web-strips of a relatively greater depth than i the thickness of the respective beams to extend respectively above and below the beams at the terminals of the several strips.

9. In a wing structure, a wing beam, a longitudinally channeled nose strip, means entering the channel of said strip to prevent its displacement relatively to the beam, and

means abutting and extending back from the edges of the nose strip, said last men tioned meansafi'ording a foundation for the wing covering of the wing characterized by an absence of breaks in its continuity.

10. In a wing structure, wing beams, wing post sockets of a size to extend beyond the opposite longitudinal edges of the respective beams, blocking-interposed between the re spectiveextended terminals of the several sockets to afiord a foundation therefor, and a means passing transversely through the, blocking and through the wing beam to se cure the former against displacementwith respect to said beam.

pression struts connecting the respective beams, diagonally disposed strut-braces, and

a bearing block interposed between each diagonal brace and its associated strut to distribute the strain imposed thereon longi- 5 11. In a wing structure, wing beams, comtend parallel therewith throughout the' greater portion of its length, the outer end of the nose stripbeing rearwardly extended to intersect the forward wing beam and con: tact the rear wing beam to serve ,conjointly as an'outer edge strip, a trailing edge strip mounted aft of the rear wing beam 'to extend.

parallel therewith, the length of said trail ing edge strip being considerably less thanthe length of the rear wing beam, and web strips interconnecting respectively the-nose strip and the forward .wing beam, the two wing beams, and the rear wing beam, and the trailing edge strip, the web strip at the outer end of the wing terminating squarely in alinement with the rear wing beam to provide a jog at the rear outer edge of the" wing defined respectively by the rear wing beam and one of said web strips.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature HENRY KLECKLER.

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