W
Wingknut
Guest
Hi folks,
Had to share this - only case I know of a design where a rotary wing is attached to its parent aircraft only via electromagnetic forces:
Cheers, 'Wingknut.'
Filing date: December 15th 1986; Inventor: Paul F. Horton.
"An aircraft comprising an aerodynamic annulus and a fuselage coupled to the annulus by electromagnetic means to permit rotation of the annulus relative to the fuselage without mechanical engagement upon a "frictionless" bearing. Jets mounted on the annulus rotate the annulus to produce a gyroscopic precession. One or more jets or driven propeller units mounted on the fuselage drive the craft in a selected direction. Direction of the fuselage, and hence the aircraft, may be provided by computer control of the fuselage jets or jets or by means of a rudder. Pivotal jets mounted on the annulus and/or fuselage together with retractable flaps on the annulus provide lift for vertical take-off and hovering. … No aircraft is known which is capable of hovering and yet accelerating at great speed in any selected direction, and no aircraft is known which has an annulus or rotor which is mechanically disconnected from the main body or fuselage to produce a substantially friction free bearing."
Link: http://www.google.com/patents/US4807830
Had to share this - only case I know of a design where a rotary wing is attached to its parent aircraft only via electromagnetic forces:
Cheers, 'Wingknut.'
Filing date: December 15th 1986; Inventor: Paul F. Horton.
"An aircraft comprising an aerodynamic annulus and a fuselage coupled to the annulus by electromagnetic means to permit rotation of the annulus relative to the fuselage without mechanical engagement upon a "frictionless" bearing. Jets mounted on the annulus rotate the annulus to produce a gyroscopic precession. One or more jets or driven propeller units mounted on the fuselage drive the craft in a selected direction. Direction of the fuselage, and hence the aircraft, may be provided by computer control of the fuselage jets or jets or by means of a rudder. Pivotal jets mounted on the annulus and/or fuselage together with retractable flaps on the annulus provide lift for vertical take-off and hovering. … No aircraft is known which is capable of hovering and yet accelerating at great speed in any selected direction, and no aircraft is known which has an annulus or rotor which is mechanically disconnected from the main body or fuselage to produce a substantially friction free bearing."
Link: http://www.google.com/patents/US4807830
