Bird vortex flying machine
OwnerStanley W. Birdinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention comprises, in one embodiment, an inexpensive, lightweight flying vehicle using fixed pitch helicopter blades powered by ramjet engines mounted to a power-ring which transfers torque to the lifting rotors. The use of fixed pitch blades eliminates the need for a tail boom and tail rotor, as well as for variable incidence control of blade pitch and/or cyclic and collective rotor-pitch controls. An optional ballistic parachute may be deployed for emergency landings. A radial shroud encloses the ramjet engines to act as a sound shield. Since the rotor has a fixed pitch, lift may be controlled by rotor speed, where increased speed results in ascent, and decreased speed, descent.
Claims16
A vertical take off and landing rotorcraft comprising:
- a plurality of rotor blades rotatably mounted on a hub to a central shaft;
- a power ring, configured to not substantially contribute to lift, rotatably mounted via a plurality of struts, to a concentric shaft, concentric with the central shaft;
- at least one thrust engine mounted to the power ring, for rotating the power ring and the concentric shaft;
- a transmission, coupled to the central shaft and the concentric shaft, for converting rotary motion of the concentric shaft to rotary motion in an opposite direction of rotation of the central shaft, to rotate the plurality of rotor blades to provide lift;
- and
- a shroud, surrounding the power ring, for containing noise from the at least one thrust engine;
- and
- a frame, coupled to the transmission, and supporting the shroud, the frame providing a mounting point for the shroud and means to carry a load entirely beneath the power ring;
- wherein the rotating mass of the power ring counteracts torque of the plurality of rotor blades;
- and
- wherein the plurality of rotor blades are solely powered by the at least one thrust engine, via the central shaft, the transmission, and the power ring.
A vertical takeoff and landing rotorcraft comprising:
- a plurality of rotor blades rotatably mounted on a hub to a central shaft;
- a power ring, configured to not substantially contribute to lift, rotatably mounted via a plurality of struts, to a concentric shaft, concentric with the central shaft;
- a plurality of ramjets, mounted to and spaced substantially evenly around the power ring, for rotating the power ring and the concentric shaft;
- a transmission, coupled to the central shaft and the concentric shaft, for converting rotary motion of the concentric shaft to rotary motion in an opposite direction of rotation of the central shaft, to rotate the plurality of rotor blades to provide lift;
- a circular shroud, surrounding the power ring such that the plurality of ramjets travel within the circular shroud, for containing noise from the plurality of ramjets;
- a frame, coupled to the transmission, and supporting the circular shroud, the frame providing a mounting point for the circular shroud and means to carry a load entirely beneath the circular shroud,
- wherein the rotating mass of the power ring counteracts torque of the plurality of rotor blades;
- and
- wherein the plurality of rotor blades are solely powered by the plurality of ramjets, via the central shaft, the transmission, and the power ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.