Hang glider
AssigneeJames R. Bede
InventorJames R. Bede
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hang glider in the form of an aerial wing of airfoil shape is disclosed. The wing is defined by an outer envelope of flexible material inflatable to the airfoil shape and having a plurality of chambers therein each receiving an inflatable bladder. Air inlet openings are provided in the bottom portion of the envelope adjacent the leading edge of the wing. Either the bladders or the chambers are inflated with a gas lighter than air and, during flight, air enters the openings and fills the available space in the others of the bladders or chambers to provide a complete smooth airfoil shape for the wing. Shroud lines are employed to suspend a person beneath the wing during flight.
Claims19
An aerial wing for soaring having opposite ends and a generally uniform airfoil shape between said ends comprising, an envelope of flexible sheet material inflatable to said airfoil shape and having leading and trailing edges, the interior of said envelope defining chamber means, inflatable bladder means within said chamber means and including wall means separate from said envelope and providing an airfoil shape for said bladder means generally corresponding in contour to said airfoil shape of said envelope, said bladder means being expandable and contractible within and relative to said chamber means and being sealed against fluid flow communication therewith, one of said chamber means and bladder means being adapted to receive and hold a quantity of gas, means defining air passageway means opening into the other of said chamber means and bladder means and having entrance means through said envelope adjacent said leading edge, and means to suspend a load beneath said wing.
An aerial wing for soaring having opposite ends and a generally uniform airfoil shape between said ends comprising, an envelope of flexible sheet material, said envelope having end walls and top and bottom portions meeting to define generally parallel leading and trailing edges of said wing, a plurality of partitions of flexible sheet material in said envelope and attached thereto, said end walls and partitions having said airfoil shape and extending generally perpendicular to said top and bottom portions and to said leading and trailing edges, said end walls and partitions dividing the interior of said envelope into a plurality of chambers, an inflatable bladder in each chamber, each bladder including wall means separate from said envelope and providing said bladders with a contour generally corresponding to the contour of the corresponding chamber, each bladder being expandable and contractible within and relative to the corresponding chamber, each chamber and corresponding bladder being sealed against fluid flow communication therebetween, one of said chamber and corresponding bladder being adapted to receive and hold a quantity of gas, means defining an air passageway opening into the other of said chamber and corresponding bladder and having an entrance through said bottom portion of said envelope adjacent said leading edge, and means for attaching load supporting shroud lines to said bottom portion of said envelope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.