Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Other

Harry Einstein

Patrick G Grimes

Richard J Bellows

Kenneth R Newby

Hsue C Tsien

A pusher canard aircraft convertible for road use. Canard outer sections are removable and are stored within the aircraft fuselage and the outer main wing sections rotate horizontally for storage on the fuselage top. The fuselage is designed as a lifting body which gives the aircraft three lifting surfaces. The lifting body takes advantage of ground effect, resulting in a lower landing speed. In road mode the vehicle as a 2 or 4 passenger model is smaller than a full size automobile. Hydraulic motor wheels propel the aircraft/vehicle for road use. An internal combustion engine within the fuselage drives the propeller for air operation. The propeller is disengaged, not removed, for land operation and the engine is used to drive an hydraulic pump to power the motor wheels for road use. A single nose wheel or two front wheels are used for both steering in landing/taxiing and for road use. In road mode, the appearance is as much like a van than as an aircraft. In flying mode, the appearance is not to unconventional.

Rapidly-convertible roadable aircraft

A tunnel protected electrochemical device features channels fluidically communicating between manifold, tunnels and cells. The channels are designed to provide the most efficient use of auxiliary power. The channels have a greater hydraulic pressure drop and electrical resistance than the manifold. This will provide a design with the optimum auxiliary energy requirements.

Electrochemical device

An improved auto-plane has been invented which has been adapted for air travel and road travel using a Pusher type design. The present invention auto-plane has two main wings which are cut approximately parallel to an imaginary fuselage centerline at about two-thirds the distance in from the wing's outer tip to the imaginary centerline, one of the two main wings being hinged along its cut and above its top surface at a height sufficient to allow both of the two wings to be folded inward 180.degree. with one resting atop the other. The auto-plane includes a rear stabilizer system which can be retracted forward to reduce the overall length for road use, a Pusher type propeller, and a Pusher type aviation engine which is located within the fuselage to drive the propeller. Landing wheels are located on the underside of the fuselage in an aviation landing relationship, e.g. tricycle, and aviation controls are located within the fuselage to control the aviation engine, propeller and elevons and rudders. An independent land vehicle engine is located within the fuselage and connected to drive one or more of the wheels for land use. In an alternative embodiment, each wing is cut twice, once about one-quarter the distance in and once about three-quarters in, with hinges to allow unique double (spiral) folding to permit compact stocking of the twice folded wings.

Pusher type auto-plane

An electrochemical cell construction features a novel co-extruded plastic electrode in an interleaved construction with a novel integral separator-spacer. Also featured is a leak and impact resistant construction for preventing the spill of corrosive materials in the event of rupture.

Method of constructing an improved electrochemical cell

Electrochemical construction

Separator-spacer for electrochemical systems

A bipolar battery is provided which comprises at least two battery cells, said battery cells each comprising a plurality of electrodes, said electrodes comprising at least two cellular end plate electrodes and at least two interstitially located single pole electrodes, a continuous, sheet-like insulator located in alternating, woven disposition within each of said cells between all adjacent electrodes to provide electrical separation thereof, wherein the end plate electrodes of adjacent cells are of opposite polarity and comprise a single, bipolar electrode, and all of said electrodes are adapted to conduct current internally between each other and said cells.

Growing community of inventors

Springfield, NJ, United States of America

Harry Einstein