Patents by Inventor Donald N. Meyers

Donald N. Meyers 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: 5131603
    Abstract: An improved version of a vectored thrust ducted propeller tail assembly or "ring tail" for rotary wing aircraft in which a deflecting surface or surfaces is pivotally mounted behind the shrouded propeller in the tail duct for rotation transversely of the duct interior in deflecting the propeller slip stream transversely of the duct establishing a transversely directed thrust for providing rotor torque counteracting and aircraft yaw control. In the improved version the slip stream deflecting surfaces are pivotally supported to extend transversely across the duct rear exit in both directions as will deflect the propeller slip stream either out the left or the right sides or out both the left and right sides of the duct end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft Corporation
    Inventor: Donald N. Meyers
  • Patent number: 4591112
    Abstract: An airship with provisions for vectored thrust provided by a plurality of controllable pitch rotor thrust producing units attached to the elongated aerostat hull spaced from and on opposite sides of the center of overall mass of the airship. The pitch control systems for the rotors of all thrust units include collective and cyclic pitch controls of the main, horizontally rotating lifting rotors and the control systems are interconnected to be operable by a master control which establishes both similar and differential pitch settings of the rotors of selected thrust units in a manner to establish vectored thrust in directions which establish the required amounts of vertical lift, propulsion thrust, trim and control forces to control all flight aspects of the airship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Frank N. Piasecki, Donald N. Meyers
  • Patent number: 4071207
    Abstract: A wingless vertical take-off aircraft having multiple ducted propeller rotors with controllable pitch blades symmetrically mounted in the forward and the rear portions and on both sides of the aircraft with the ducts angled downwardly at an acute angle to the aircraft longitudinal axis, transversely extending deflector vanes pivotable vertically within the exit portion of the ducts, and a rudder for yaw control mounted in the exit portion of each rearwardly located duct. Control in altitude and in attitude about the pitch and roll axes is achieved by controlling the collective pitch of the propellers in selected ducts with the roll control being interconnected to the yaw control to counteract roll/yaw coupling effects and control in trim and forward flight thrust being provided by setting the position of the deflector vane to divert the air flow from the ducts in variable directions with respect to the aircraft axis and the vertical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1978
    Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Frank N. Piasecki, Donald N. Meyers