British Patent Abridgements

Abstract

An aircraft has a lifting surface with a slotted formation in the leading edge, and means for discharging compressed air forwardly through the formation and for varying the ultimate direction or thrust of the discharge to vary the lift coefficient of the surface. In the embodiments described, the aircraft is of isosceles triangular plan form, with banks of jet engines disposed at each of the trailing base angles. Ducts from the engine compressor stages feed wing leading edge slots. As illustrated, two slots are formed between the leading edges of the wing skins 11, 12 and a roller 10a beaked at 16. The discharged gases follow the contour of the roller and beak and the direction of discharge is controlled by rotating the roller. As illustrated, the leading edge is formed by flaps 18 and 19 with sharp edges 20, 21 forming a slot 22. The width of the slot is varied by moving the flaps in opposite directions, varying the thrust and the direction of discharge is varied by moving the flaps in the same sense. As further illustrated, the leading edge of the wing is divided by a partition 26 into compartments 27, 28, having slots 29, 30, respectively. Air at a controllable pressure is blown from one or other slot, depending on the direction of the control force required. Air may be sucked into the unused slot to prevent separation of the airstream at that slot.

Citation

(1961), "British Patent Abridgements", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 33 No. 7, pp. 216-216. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb033439