Lockheed Aircraft Corporation

Francis L Thornburg

Ernest G Stout

An improved control system for the aileron segment of a combined flap and aileron (flaperon) wherein the flaperon, supported, extended and retracted by conventional means, is described. It consists of a splined shaft rotatably mounted on an aircraft wing, its longitudinal axis being substantially aligned with the extension and retraction path of the flap. A transfer gear box slidably engages the splined shaft and is supported by a roller assembly engaging a support track which is mounted in the wing and runs substantially parallel to the splined shaft. The transfer gear box incorporates gears to transfer rotation of the splined shaft, via a second angularly adjustable shaft, to an aileron segment rotation mechanism located on the flaperon at the axis of rotation of the aileron segment. Rotation of the aileron segment is accomplished by rotating the splined shaft, regardless of the location or movement of the flap; this by virtue of the fact that the transfer gear box slides along the splined shaft, maintaining at all times a fixed distance between itself and the aileron segment rotation mechanism. A torque multiplier increases that torque when transmitted through small light-weight components, to the magnitude required for aileron actuation.

Aileron segment control for a flaperon system

A hydro-ski craft in which load alleviation is attained by reducing the effective wetted area of the planing surfaces at high speeds, and in which elongated flaps extending longitudinally of the craft are mounted to swing about longitudinal axes between generally horizontal planing positions and upwardly swung retracted positions. Spray control dams may be carried by the flaps to themselves automatically swing between inactive and active positions in response to upward swinging movement of the flaps.

Hydro-ski craft with longitudinal flaps

A ski-type water borne craft adapted to plane along the surface of a body of water and having two stabilizing elements spaced laterally apart and mounted for upward and downward movement relative to one another in a relationship providing roll forces and giving lateral stability to the craft, with the stabilizing elements preferably being a pair of swinging flaps hinged to the after ends of two vertically shiftable hydroskis.

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Canoga Park, CA, United States of America

Francis L Thornburg