US3391484A

US3391484A - Aileron control for model airplanes

Info

Publication number: US3391484A
Application number: US515378A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pio W Darin
Original assignee: Pio W. Darin
Current assignee: PIO W DARIN
Priority date: 1965-12-21
Filing date: 1965-12-21
Publication date: 1968-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 1985-07-09

Description

July 9; 1968 P. w. DARIN 3.391. 3

AILERON CONTROL FOR MODEL AIRPLANES Filed Dec. 21, 1965 /3a INVENTOR.

. EA. 7 C

om/r x States This invention relates to model airplanes and in particular to improvements in the aileron control linkage for a remotely controlled toy or model airplane.

In one type of model airplane which flies under its own power, a radio controlled motor is operatively connected with the ailerons to actuate the same and guide the airplane in response to predetermined signals from a ground based transmitting station. In such operation, one aileron is raised and the other is lowered simultaneously to bank and steer the airplane while in flight. Frequently after assembly of the lightweight and fragile model airplane, the ailerons will not be in proper adjustment for flight conditions, or the aileron control motor will respond to the signal from the ground to actuate one or both of the ailerons either excessively or inadequately, rendering control of the airplane diflicult and often necessitating adjustments that are difficult to make in the field.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a simplified and economical aileron control linkage which is positive and etficient in operation, which is readily responsive to actuation by a small radio controlled motor carried by the airplane, and which is readily adjustable in the field to assure pro-per effectiveness of the aileron influence without recourse to special tools or equipment.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the central portion of a model airplane, showing the aileron control linkage and a portion of the front wing.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an'enlargcd sectional view through the nut member of the linkage adjustment, taken in the direction of the arrows substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional View through the aileron, showing its attachment with the control linkage.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing a modification.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, a particular embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example with a model airplane conventionally fabricated from lightweight frame materials such as balsa and thin plywood sheets covered by a suitable taut fabric to comprise a body 10, which includes the customary fuselage and front wing structure 11. An operable air of ailerons 12 are arranged along the trailing edge of the wing 11 symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the airplane and are pivotally secured thereto by suitatent O ice able means including part of the aileron operating linkage.

In the present instance, each aileron is associated with a wire rod member 13 of steel or suitable rigid material having an axial extension 1311 which terminates in an integral transverse and generally rearward projection 13b embedded and secured with a solid portion of the aileron 12. A lateral portion of the extension 13a is recessed along its length into the leading edge of the aileron, FIG- URE 4, to lie flush therewith, the extension 13a continuing along the trailing edge of the wing 11 beyond the aileron 12 and extending pivotally through a tubular bushing 14 suitably laced on the wing 11, as for example by nylon thread 15. Medially of the bushing 15, the extension 13a terminates in an upright screw threaded extension on which one end of a connecting link means 16 is secured in preselected vertically adjusted position. The outer end of each aileron 12 is also pivotally secured to the wing 11 for pivoting about the longitudinal axis of the extension 13a. The outer aileron pivot may comprise a pivot rod similar to the extension 13a, secured at one end to the aileron 12 and extending pivotally through a tubular bushing laced to the wing 11 in the manner of the bushing 14.

The link means 16 comprises a rigid steel connecting wire link 16a secured at its opposite ends to a pair of spring clips 17, as by soldering to prevent loosening during flight. The two clips 17 connected with each link 16a may be identical, each comprising a tubular socket 17a within which the associated end of link 16a is soldered, and a pair of spring arms 17b extending integrally from the socket 17a. One of the spring arms 17b is welded to a pin which extends towards the other spring arm 17b and is removably confined within a hole 17d there- The clip 17 at the rear end of each link 16a is pivotally and removably secured to a tab 18a integral with a nut member 13 screwed on upright extension 130 in adjusted position. The nut 18 is preferably a molded plastic member, such as nylon and may be self threading by being screwed on to extension 13c to eflect a cornparatively tight frictional engagement therewith. Each tab 18a is formed with a bore through which the pin 170 of the associated clip 17 freely extends. Spring tension causes the clip arms 17b to grip the tab 18a therebetween and prevent their accidental disassembly from the tab 18a. However moderate finger pressure will suffice to spread the spring arms 17 apart to enable separation of pin 170 from the tab 180, whereby the nut 18 may then be readily screwed to adjusted position along the length of the threaded extension 130.

Each of the clips 17 at the forward ends of the links 16a is pivotally secured at 1911 to one of the swinging ends of a double arm crank 19 pivotally mounted at 1% on the housing 20 for a radio controlled aileron actuating motor. The housing 26 may be of lightweight metal or rigid plastic and is suitably secured to the body 10 by a plurality of screws 21. It contains a motor having an actuating lever 22 extending through a slot 23 in housing 20. The motor is responsive to preselected signals at a predetermined radio frequency or wave length to swing the rod 22 forward or rearward along slot 23 and may be conventional. The lever 22 is pivotally connected at one end 24a of a rigid wire link 24-, the latters other end 24b being pivotally connected with a boss on one arm of the crank 19.

In operation, while the airplane is in flight, the operator on the ground may signal the motor within housing 20 to swing rod 22 forward or rearward, as desired, thereby to swing crank 19 counterclockwise or clockwise in FIG- URE l and, by virtue of

linkage

16, 17, 18 to swing one aileron upwardly and the other downwardly about the pivot axis of the coaxial rod extensions 13a. By detaching either of the clips 17 from the nut tab 180, the corresponding nut 18 can be screwed up or down along the length of the upright extension 130 to predetermine the extent of aileron movement in response to a given pivotal movement of the double arm crank 19. It is apparent that the higher the position of adjustment of the nut 18, the less will be the pivotal movement of the associated aileron with respect to the pivotal movement of the crank 19.

The structure described has the advantage that by reason of the tight screw threaded engagement between nut 18 and extension 130 the nut 18 cannot turn after the link 16a is connected to tag 18a and crank 19. Thus accidental movement of the nut 18 along the length of extension 13c is prevented. However, detachment of one of the spring clips 17, from either crank 19 or tab 18a, and preferably from the latter, is necessary to efiect the adjustment of nut 18.

In FIGURE 5, instead of nut 18, a member 18 having a bore oversize with respect to threaded extension 13c is freely slidable along the latter. In this modification, the member 18 is tightly clamped in adjusted position between a pair of lock nuts 24 screwed on extension 13c. In all other respects, the aileron control structure is the same as described above.

I claim:

1. In a model airplane, a body including a wing, an aileron pivotally connected to an edge of said wing, means comprising in part the pivotal connection between said wing and aileron comprising a rod member having an axial extension coaxial with the pivot axis of said aileron and fixed to said aileron to pivot therewith and also having an integral upright swinging extension transverse to said pivot axis, means pivotally securing said axial extension to said wing, link means extending transversely from said upright extension and also transversely to said pivot axis, and means for adjustably securing one end of said link means to said upright swinging extension at preselected locations along the length of the latter for swinging said upright extension and integral axial extension and connected aileron about said pivot axis upon actuation of said link means.

2. In the combination according to claim 1, one end portion of said axial extension being secured to said aileron coaxially with the latters pivot axis and the opposite end portion of said axial extension being pivotally secured to said wing.

3. In the combination according to claim 2, said means for adjustably securing one end of said link means to said upright swinging extension comprising screw threaded means.

4. In the combination according to claim 2, said swinging extension having a screw threaded portion extending along its length, and said means for adjustably securing one end of said link means to said swinging extension comprising screw threaded means.

5. In the combination according to claim 4, said screw threaded means comprising a plastic nut member in frictional and screw threaded engagement with said screw threaded portion of said swinging extension, said nut member having a tab, and said tab and one end of said link means having cooperating portions detachably connected, whereby said nut member is adjustable axially of said screw threaded portion upon detachment of said nut member from said link means.

6. In the combination according to claim 2 wherein the elements including said aileron, means comprising in part the pivotal connection between said wing and aileron, means pivotally securing said axial extension to said wing, link means, and means for adjustably securing said link means and swinging extension each comprise one of a pair of such elements spaced by the longitudinal center plane of said airplane, the pair of rod members being mirror images of each other and each having an integral transverse projection at said one end thereof embedded into the body of the associated aileron for rigid attachment thereto, and bell crank means pivotally mounted on said body at a location between the pair of link means and having a pair of crank arms extending laterally from its pivot axis toward and connected to the ends of said pair of link means respectively opposite said one end thereof for swinging said pair of ailerons in unison and in opposite directions with respect to each other upon pivoting of said bell crank means.

7. In the combination according to claim 6, said means for adjustably securing one end of each link means to its associated upright swinging extension comprising screw threaded means.

8. In the combination according to claim 6, each swinging extension having a screw threaded portion extending along its length, and said means for adjustably securing one end of each link means to said swinging extension comprising a separate nut member in screw threaded engagement with each screw threaded portion, each nut member having a tab, each tab and the one end of the associated link means having cooperating detachably interconnected portions, whereby said nut member is adjustable axially of said screw threaded portion upon detachment of said nut member from said link means.

9. In the combination according to claim 6, each swinging extension having a screw threaded portion extending along its length, and said means for adjustably securing one end of each link means to said swinging extension comprising a separate nut member in screw threaded engagement with each screw threaded portion, each link means comprising two link portions detachably interconnected between its ends, whereby said nut member is adjustable axially of said screw threaded portion upon detachment of said two link portions.

10. In the combination according to claim 4, said screw threaded means comprising a nut member at said one end of said link means, actuating means connected to the other end of said link means, said link means comprising two link portions detachably interconnected at a location between said nut member and said other end, whereby said nut member is adjustable axially of said screw threaded portion upon detachment of said two link portions from each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,478,033 8/1949 Weick 24490 2,858,386 10/1958 Bonner 4676 3,110,127 11/1963 Bencsch 4677 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.