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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0581.PDF
SEPTEMBER 25, 1909, THE WRIGHT GLIDER AS MADE BY CLARKE. (Concluded from Elevator and Tail. - * THE elevator is, as has already been mentioned, con- structed according to the latest Wright patent, that is to say, the two planes are so mounted that they flex or warp, instead of merely pivot when a change is made in their angle of incidence by the operation of the elevating lever. In order to accomplish this warping the two decks of the elevator are mounted in rather a peculiar way, the framework of each being built up upon a single transverse-spar situated about 9 ins. from the leading edge; the full cord of the elevator is 2 ft. 6 ins. There is thus a flexible leading edge as well as a flexible trailing edge, the relative flexibilities being more or less in proportion to the The outrigger construction and relative positionelevator are clearly indicated above. the overhang of the main spar. The main spar itself is pivoted to the uprights which support it in order to avoid twisting strains when the decks are flexed; it is evident that although the action of the elevator mainly consists of a warping action of the decks, a certain amount of pivoting must necessarily occur simultaneously. The operating mechanism for flexing the elevator decks consists of three stiff ribs, which lie fore and aft, midway between the two decks of the elevator. These members are fixed to a transverse tubular spar, which is pivoted to a bracket projecting from the same upright as supports the spars of the elevator decks; it is, however, situated some few inches forward of their axes. From the extre- mities of each operating rib two struts pass to the leading and trailing edges of the upper and lower decks respec- tively, and it is by means of these struts that the elevating decks are warped. The operation of manipulating the elevator is performed by rocking the tubular transverse spar upon which the operating ribs are mounted, and the fact that this spar is pivoted about a different centre to that on which the elevator decks are supported, causes a difference in the relative amount of travel imparted to the leading and trailing edges. The result of this is that instead of the elevator decks remaining fiat as they tilt or dip, their surfaces become cambered, and according as the front edge is dipped or tilted so is the camber convex or concave to the ground. The object of this system is to increase the efficiency of the elevator by converting the decks, which are normally aeroplanes, into cambered aerofoils directly they are required for use. As the elevator has to work both ways, it is necessary to make provision for cambering in both P*g* 57*>) directions, hence the adoption of the device for mechani- cally warping the decks in the manner described. For the purpose of rocking the tubular spar to which reference has already been made, a simple lever and connecting-rod are employed, the connecting-rod in this •particular case being built up so as to have a hollow rectangular section in order to give greater stiffness. «»«« Between the elevator decks is a semi-circular vertical plane forming a prow. . .•'.--• " Flight' Copyright. The Wrights' patent flexing elevator is so arrangedthat a movement of the operating-rod, besides altering the angle made by the planes with the horizontal, variestheir camber or curvature. • The tail, which is controlled by another lever, consists of a simple plane mounted vertically between two out- rigger spars. These spars are hinged to the rear transverse spars of the main decks so that they shall not be readily broken if the tail strikes the ground. In order that this hinging may be effective, that diagonal tie-wire which would ordinarily be stretched as the result of any such deformation, is fitted with a length of strong elastic. The elastic is sufficiently strong to keep the outrigger in its proper position under normal conditions. Detailed view of the elevator, showing its attachment tovertical continuations of the runners, and the stationary cutwater or prow of semicircular form situated betweenthe two planes. 585
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