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US 6,086,014 AGranted

Roadable aircraft

OwnerAlbert J. Bragg, Jr.inventor

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Abstract Drawings Claims Description

Abstract

A roadable aircraft includes three symmetrically lateral flight surfaces, comprising a forward main wing generally centrally located relative to the fuselage or body, a rearwardly located stabilizing surface acting as an empennage support, and a rear stabilizer and elevator located at the rearward end of the empennage tail booms. The wheel or landing gear configuration is of a rhomboid pattern, with forward and rearward main wheels along the centerline of the craft, and left and right outboard wheels. The outboard wheels extend and retract individually to a limited degree to compensate for centrifugal forces in ground operations, and together in coordination with the main wheels for flight operations. The powerplant drives the rearward main wheel from one end of its output shaft, and the propeller from the opposite end of the output shaft. The flight surfaces are foldable alongside and over the top of the rear portion of the craft for ground operations, or may be quickly and temporarily removed for ground operations as desired. Operator controls to facilitate both surface and flight operations are configured for operator convenience and rapid conversion between surface and flight operation configurations. Additional safety and convenience features, such as a starter lockout to assure that all flight surfaces and controls are properly connected, are also provided. The craft is quickly and easily convertible from flight configuration to road configuration, and back, to enable the operator thereof to use the craft as desired in either environment.

Claims69

Dependent claims

Claim 1A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows · 191 words10 dependent Claim 12A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows · 199 words11 dependent Claim 24A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows · 124 words11 dependent Claim 36A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows · 99 words10 dependent Claim 47A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows · 103 words10 dependent Claim 58A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows · 141 words11 dependent

A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows:

a body structure for carrying at least one person therein;
said body structure including a forward portion, a central portion, and a rearward portion with an upper structure, with at least one powerplant installed in said central portion thereof;
a left and an opposite right wing panel removably affixed to said central portion of said body structure;
an empennage assembly removably affixed to said rear portion of said body structure;
said empennage assembly comprising a left and a right flight surface extending from said upper structure of said rear portion of said body structure, with a left and a right tail boom extending rearwardly respectively from each said flight surface;
each said tail boom having a rearward portion, with a horizontal stabilizer and elevator permanently affixed between said rearward portion of each said tail boom;
said rearward portion of each said tail boom further having a vertical flight surface extending upwardly therefrom;
and
a propeller removably affixed to said rearward portion of said body structure, with said propeller revolving in a plane between said left and right flight surface and said horizontal stabilizer.

6 more elements

A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows:

a body structure for carrying at least one person therein;
said body structure including a forward portion, a central portion, and a rearward portion with an upper structure, with at least one powerplant installed in said central portion thereof;
a left and an opposite right wing panel;
an articulated folding mechanism attaching each said wing panel to said body structure, with each said folding mechanism comprising means for rotating each respective said wing panel about a spanwise axis and for folding each said wing panel rearwardly and generally parallel to said body structure when in a folded configuration;
each said wing panel further including an inboard portion, an outboard portion, and an intermediate folding axis therebetween, with said intermediate folding axis comprising means for folding said outboard portion to lie adjacent said inboard portion when in a folded configuration;
an empennage assembly including a left and a right tail boom extending from said rear portion of said body structure;
and
each said tail boom including hinge means therein for folding said empennage assembly upwardly and forwardly to lie over said rearward portion of said body structure when in a folded configuration.

5 more elements

A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows:

a body structure for carrying at least one person therein, including a forward portion, a central portion, and a rearward portion, and at least one powerplant installed therein;
a left and an opposite right wing panel, each foldably and removably attached to said body structure;
an empennage assembly, foldably and removably attached to said body structure;
drive wheel means for propelling said body structure during ground operation, and a propeller;
and
said at least one powerplant having a first output shaft and an opposite second output shaft, with said first output shaft selectively communicating with said drive wheel means for surface operation and said second output shaft alternately selectively communicating with said propeller for flight operation.

3 more elements

A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows:

a body structure for carrying at least one person therein;
said body structure including a forward portion, a central portion, and a rearward portion, and at least one powerplant installed therein;
a left and an opposite right wing panel, each foldably and removably attached to said body structure;
an empennage assembly, foldably and removably attached to said body structure;
and
four wheels, comprising a centerline forward wheel for steering during surface operation, a centerline rearward drive wheel, and a left and an opposite right outboard wheel, disposed in a rhomboid pattern.

3 more elements

A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows:

a body structure for carrying at least one person therein;
said body structure including a forward portion, a central portion, and a rearward portion with an upper structure;
a left and an opposite right wing panel, each foldably and removably attached to said body structure;
an empennage assembly, foldably and removably attached to said body structure;
at least a left and an opposite right outboard wheel;
and
means for selectively extending and retracting said left and said right outboard wheel simultaneously for flight operation, and differentially for counteracting centrifugal force when turning during surface operation.

4 more elements

A roadable aircraft having a configuration as follows:

a body structure for carrying at least one person therein, including a forward portion, a central portion, and a rearward portion, and at least one powerplant installed therein;
a left and an opposite right wing panel, each foldably and removably attached to said body structure and respectively including a left and a right aileron;
an empennage assembly, foldably and removably attached to said body structure;
a flight control system, including a side mounted flight control stick and a left and a right rudder pedal for operating flight controls during flight operations, and a hand throttle for controlling said powerplant during flight operations;
and
a ground control system, including a side mounted steering control stick for steering during surface operations, and a brake pedal and a throttle pedal for controlling speed during surface operations.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/132,911Filed 12 Aug 1998
Granted: 11 Jul 2000
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B60F 5/02
Other vehicles capable of travelling in or on different media: convertible into aircraft
B64C 37/00
Convertible aircraft
B60F
Vehicles for use both on rail and on road
B64C
Aeroplanes

Family

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