Vertical take-off aircraft - B

Abstract

A vertical take-off aircraft is disclosed. Looking at the aircraft it can be seen that the aircraft consists of a main rotor assembly 1 at the top of the aircraft which consists of an assembly of blades 2, 3 and a rotor 4. Rotation of the main rotor assembly 1 is achieved by using an engine assembly 5. The main engine assembly is connected to the main body 6 of the aircraft by a tilt enabling joint 7. The tilt enabling joint 7 allows tilting of the main engine 5 relative to the main body 6 of the aircraft to occur in a controlled manner during flight. A universal joint 8 is used to allow tilting to occur. The tilt enabling joint 7 is fitted with a combination of hydraulic actuators 9, 10 and springs 11, 12 and 13 that allow the tilting of the tilt enabling joint 7 to be controlled. When the main engine 5 is tilted, the main rotor assembly 1 is tilted with it. Tilting of the main engine assembly 5 thus initiates changes in the direction of travel of the aircraft without the need to change the pitch angles of the blades 2 and 3. To counter the rotational force exerted on the main body 6 of the aircraft by the rotation of the main rotor assembly 1, an additional engine assembly 15 is attached to the main body aircraft, which rotates a secondary rotor assembly 16. The secondary rotor assembly consists of blades 17 and 18, and a rotor 19. Rotation of the secondary rotor assembly pushes air in a primarliy horizontal direction by way of the pitch of the blades 17 and 18.

The claims defining this invention are as follows:  
     
         1 . A vertical take-off aircraft, comprising a main rotor assembly, at the top of the aircraft, which said main rotor assembly is comprised of an assembly of blades and a rotor, and such that the said main rotor assembly is above the main body of the aircraft, with vertical lift being achieved by means of an engine assembly rotating the main rotor assembly thereby forcing air in a downward direction by way of the blades in the main rotor assembly, which engine assembly is the main engine assembly of the aircraft, and which said blades are above the main engine assembly, and which said main engine assembly is connected to the main body of the aircraft by a tilt enabling joint, such that the main rotor assembly and main engine assembly can be tilted together as a unity in a plurality of directions and angles relative to the main body of the aircraft, in a controlled manner, such that the direction of travel of the aircraft is altered by altering the direction or angle of tilt of the main engine assembly relative to the main body of the aircraft, and which said tilt enabling joint is connected to the main body of the aircraft, with a secondary rotor assembly, consisting of an assembly of blades and a rotor, connected to the aircraft, which said secondary rotor assembly is used to force air to travel in a horizontal direction, for which said secondary rotor assembly rotation is achieved by means of an additional engine assembly, such that by forcing air to travel in a horizontal direction, relative to the main body of the aircraft, the rotational force exerted on the main body of the aircraft by the rotation of the main rotor assembly can be countered.  
     
     
         2 . A vertical take-off aircraft, comprising a main rotor assembly, at the top of the aircraft, which said main rotor assembly is comprised of an assembly of blades and a rotor, and such that the said main rotor assembly is above the main body of the aircraft, with vertical lift being achieved by means of an engine assembly rotating the main rotor assembly thereby forcing air in a downward direction by way of the blades in the main rotor assembly, which engine assembly is the main engine assembly of the aircraft, and which said blades are above the main engine assembly, and which said main engine assembly is connected to the main body of the aircraft by a tilt enabling joint, such that the main rotor assembly and main engine assembly can be tilted together as a unity in a plurality of directions and angles relative to the main body of the aircraft, in a controlled manner, such that the direction of travel of the aircraft is altered by altering the direction or angle of tilt of the main engine assembly relative to the main body of the aircraft, and which said tilt enabling joint is connected to the main body of the aircraft, with a secondary rotor assembly, consisting of an assembly of blades and a rotor, connected to the aircraft, which said secondary rotor assembly is used to force air to travel in a horizontal direction, for which said secondary rotor assembly rotation is achieved by means of an additional engine assembly, such that by forcing air to travel in a horizontal direction, relative to the main body of the aircraft, the rotational force exerted on the main body of the aircraft by the rotation of the main rotor assembly can be countered, and which additional engine assembly is connected to the aircraft such that tilting of the main engine assembly relative to the main body of the aircraft by the tilt enabling joint causes the additional engine assembly to move relative to the main body of the aircraft.  
     
     
         3 . A vertical take-off aircraft, comprising a main rotor assembly, at the top of the aircraft, which said main rotor assembly is comprised of an assembly of blades and a rotor, and such that the said main rotor assembly is above the main body of the aircraft, with vertical lift being achieved by means of an engine assembly rotating the main rotor assembly thereby forcing air in a downward direction by way of the blades in the main rotor assembly, which engine assembly is the main engine assembly of the aircraft, and which said blades are above the main engine assembly, and which said main engine assembly is connected to the main body of the aircraft by a tilt enabling joint, such that the main rotor assembly and main engine assembly can be tilted together as a unity in a plurality of directions and angles relative to the main body of the aircraft, in a controlled manner, such that the direction of travel of the aircraft is altered by altering the direction or angle of tilt of the main engine assembly relative to the main body of the aircraft, and which said tilt enabling joint is connected to the main body of the aircraft, with at least one jet engine connected to the aircraft, which said at least one jet engine is positioned on the aircraft such that exhaust from the at least one jet engine can be forced to travel in a horizontal direction, such that by forcing exhaust to travel in a horizontal direction, relative to the main body of the aircraft, the rotational force exerted on the main body of the aircraft by the rotation of the main rotor assembly can be countered.  
     
     
         4 . The aircraft of  claim 3  wherein the at least one jet engine is connected to the aircraft such that tilting of the main engine assembly relative to the main body of the aircraft by the tilt enabling joint causes the at least one jet engine to move relative to the main body of the aircraft.  
     
     
         5 . The aircraft of  claim 1  wherein the additional engine assembly conmprises only one engine.  
     
     
         6 . The aircraft of  claim 2  wherein the additional engine assembly conmprises only one engine.  
     
     
         7 . The aircraft of  claim 1  wherein the additional engine assembly conmprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         8 . The aircraft of  claim 2  wherein the additional engine assembly conmprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         9 . The aircraft of  claim 3  wherein the at least one jet engine is a turbojet.  
     
     
         10 . The aircraft of  claim 4  wherein the at least one jet engine is a turbojet.  
     
     
         11 . The aircraft of  claim 3  wherein the at least one jet engine is a turbofan.  
     
     
         12 . The aircraft of  claim 4  wherein the at least one jet engine is a turbofan.  
     
     
         13 . The aircraft of  claim 1  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         14 . The aircraft of  claim 2  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         15 . The aircraft of  claim 3  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         16 . The aircraft of  claim 4  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         17 . The aircraft of  claim 5  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         18 . The aircraft of  claim 6  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         19 . The aircraft of  claim 7  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         20 . The aircraft of  claim 8  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         21 . The aircraft of  claim 9  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         22 . The aircraft of  claim 10  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         23 . The aircraft of  claim 11  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         24 . The aircraft of  claim 12  wherein the main engine assembly comprises only one engine.  
     
     
         25 . The aircraft of  claim 1  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         26 . The aircraft of  claim 2  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         27 . The aircraft of  claim 3  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         28 . The aircraft of  claim 4  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         29 . The aircraft of  claim 5  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         30 . The aircraft of  claim 6  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         31 . The aircraft of  claim 7  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         32 . The aircraft of  claim 8  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         33 . The aircraft of  claim 9  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         34 . The aircraft of  claim 10  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         35 . The aircraft of  claim 11  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.  
     
     
         36 . The aircraft of  claim 12  wherein the main engine assembly comprises a plurality of engines.