Patents by Inventor Hugh J. Schmittle

Hugh J. Schmittle has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5395073
    Abstract: A VTOL/STOL free wing aircraft includes a free wing having wings on opposite sides of a fuselage connected to one another respectively adjacent fixed wing inboard or center root sections fixedly attached to the fuselage for free rotation about a spanwise access. Horizontal and vertical tail surfaces are located at the rear end of a boom assembly rotatably connected to the fuselage. A gearing or screw rod arrangement controlled by the pilot or remote control operator selectively relatively pivots the fuselage in relation to the tail boom assembly to enable the fuselage to assume a tilted or nose up configuration to enable VTOL/STOL flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Freewing Aerial Robotics Corporation
    Inventors: Elbert L. Rutan, Hugh J. Schmittle
  • Patent number: 4596368
    Abstract: An ultralight aircraft of lightweight minimal construction includes a collapsible Rogallo type wing from which a hang cage is suspended by a main hinge assembly. The wing includes a longitudinal keel of lightweight tubular construction, leading edge members and a cross brace. A flexible lifting panel is secured along and between the wing members to define a lifting surface. The hinge includes a pitch hinge bracket having an upper longitudinal sleeve in which the keel is clamped. A ball joint connection secured to the bracket is connected to upwardly extending hang cage struts by means of hinge connecting plates to permit free rotation of the wing about a spanwise axis extending longitudinally through the cross brace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1986
    Inventor: Hugh J. Schmittle
  • Patent number: 4568043
    Abstract: An ultra-light aircraft of light-weight minimal construction includes a rigid wing from which a hang cage is suspended by a main hinge assembly. Rotation of the wing without pilot intervention induced by positive or negative wind gusts striking the wing causes the angle of pitch between the wing and hang cage to vary via the hinge so that the wing presents a relatively constant angle of attack to relative wind enabling the aircraft to be essentially stall free during flight. Twist and/or dihedral of the wing is maintained by first and second sets of tensioned cables or landing wires connecting leading and trailing wing edges to a kingpost projecting upward from the wing, and by first and second sets of flying wires connecting the wing to the hang cage. Each first and second set of flying wires is a stress distributing arrangement including a pair of tubes respectively connected at upper ends thereof to leading and trailing wing edges and at lower ends to a plate suspended between the wing and hang cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Inventor: Hugh J. Schmittle