Aerial sled

Abstract

An aerial device in the form of a wing having upper and lower flexible layers and a leading edge and a trailing edge, a wall of the wing having an opening facing outward from the bottom or a side of the wing forming an inlet for flow of pressurized air into the wing, and a normally open flexible valve for the opening closeable by the air pressure to seal the opening when pressurized air is admitted to the wing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 
     
       1. An aerial device comprising a flexible wing having upper and lower flexible walls, each wall having a forward edge and rearward edge, said rearward edges of said upper and lower flexible walls forming a wing trailing edge, said forward edges of said upper and lower walls being spaced apart forming first opening means at the forward edges, flexible side walls defining a hollow space with said flexible upper and lower flexible walls, said first opening means providing for a flow of air into said wing for pressurizing said wing, a first flexible valve means for said first opening means, said first flexible valve means being openable by said flow and closeable by air pressure in said wing, shroud means connected to said lower flexible wall, a second opening means being located in said lower flexible wall aft of said first opening means, and a second flexible valve means for said second opening means. 
     
     
       2. An aerial device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a grill means covers said opening means, said first and second flexible valve means being closeable against its grill means. 
     
     
       3. An aerial device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first flexible valve means comprises flexible material fixed to a flexible wall on one side of said first opening means. 
     
     
       4. An aerial device as set forth in claim 2 wherein a plurality of flexible ribs connect the upper and lower flexible walls dividing the interior of said wing into a plurality of cells giving shape to the wing when it is pressurized. 
     
     
       5. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein connectors connect said shroud means to said lower flexible wall, a plurality of flexible ribs connect the upper and lower flexible walls dividing the interior of said wing into a plurality of cells giving shape to the wing when it is pressurized, said ribs extending through said lower flexible wall to form said connectors. 
     
     
       6. An aerial device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the portion of each rib extending through said lower flexible wall forms a wedge shaped connector. 
     
     
       7. An aerial device as set forth in claim 6 wherein a reinforcing strip is fixed along the edge of each wedge and is connected to the upper wall. .Iadd. 
     
     
       8.  An aerial device comprising a flexible wing having upper and lower flexible walls, each wall having a forward edge and a rearward edge, said rearward edges of said upper and lower flexible walls forming a wing trailing edge, said forward edges of said upper and lower walls being spaced apart to form first opening means at the forward edges, flexible side walls defining a hollow space with said flexible upper and lower walls, said first opening means providing for a flow of air into said wing for pressurizing said wing, shroud means connected to said lower flexible wall, a second opening means located in said lower flexible wall, and flexible valve means in said second opening means whereby said second opening means and said valve means may provide for a flow of air into said wing from the bottom thereof for pressurizing said wing. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 
     
     
       9.  An aerial device as set forth in claim 8 wherein a grill means covers said second opening means, said flexible valve means being closeable against said grill means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. An aerial device as set forth in claim 9, wherein said flexible valve means comprises flexible material fixed to a flexible wall on one side of said second opening means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. An aerial device as set forth in claim 9 wherein a plurality of flexible ribs connect the upper and lower flexible walls dividing the interior of said wing into a plurality of cells giving 
     
     
        shape to the wing when it is pressurized. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12.  A combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein connectors connect said shroud means to said lower flexible wall, a plurality of flexible ribs connect the upper and lower flexible walls dividing the interior of said wing into a plurality of cells giving shape to the wing when it is pressurized, said ribs extending through said lower flexible wall to form said connectors. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. An aerial device as set forth in claim 12 wherein the portion of each rib extending through said lower flexible wall forms a wedge shaped connector. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. An aerial device as set forth in claim 13 wherein a reinforcing strip is fixed along the edge of each wedge shaped connector and is connected to the upper wall. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.5.  An aerial device as set forth in claim 8 wherein a plurality of flexible ribs connect the upper and lower flexible walls dividing the interior of said wing into a plurality of cells. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. An aerial device as set forth in claim 15 including reinforcing strips connected between said shroud lines and said upper wall, said reinforcing strips being connected to at least some of said flexible ribs. .Iaddend.