Control surface structures for fluid-borne vehicles and method for rotationally moving such structures
AssigneeAllied-Signal Inc.
InventorsDonald L. Atchison, Marshall U. Hines, Larry K. Ball
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluidfoil (78) for use in guiding fluid-borne vehicles has first and second bodies (82, 80) arranged in telescoping relation and collectively defining the leading and trailing edges (18, 20) of the fluidfoil so that the chord length (24) of the fluidfoil is variable. The bodies (82, 80) are rotatable about a shaft (16) defining an axis (14) in fixed positional relation to the leading edge (18), and the fluidfoil (78) is operable under the influence of a relatively moving, surrounding fluid medium (22) to assume an angle of attack which depends on chord length (24).
Claims8
A vehicle adapted for propulsion in a fluid medium and comprising in combination:
- a projecting control surface structure secured to the vehicle;
- the structure comprising a first streamlined body generally oriented along a direction associated with said propulsion, and a second similarly oriented body connected in male telescoping relation to the first;
- the first body forming a leading edge and the second body forming a trailing edge of the structure with respect to flow of said medium past the structure;
- and
- a shaft defining a longitudinal axis thereof and intersecuring the structure with the vehicle, the shaft supporting the structure such that the structure is rotationally movable about the axis;
- the shaft and structure being intersecured with the vehicle such that the structure is operative during said propulsion to move rotationally about the axis and relative to the vehicle in response to retractile movement of the second body into the first.
A method for changing the angle of attack of a fluidfoil which has leading and trailing edges defining a chord extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and is rotatable about an axis defined by a shaft, comprising the steps of:
- first, effecting relative movement between the fluidfoil and a surrounding fluid medium such that the direction of fluid flow past the fluidfoil is from the leading edge to the trailing edge, whereby the fluidfoil reacts by rotationally moving about the axis and assuming a first angle of attack;
- and
- second, while continuing the relative movement, altering the fluidfoil by moving the trailing edge in a direction approximately parallel to the chord and toward the leading edge, whereby the fluidfoil reacts by rotationally moving about the axis and assuming a second angle of attack different from the first.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.