Langley Memoir on Mechanical Flight, Parts I and II: Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, Volume 27 Number 3, Publication 1948, 1911Langley, S. P. (Samuel Pierpont)
History
Langley Memoir on Mechanical Flight, Parts I and II: Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, Volume 27 Number 3, Publication 1948, 1911
Langley, S. P. (Samuel Pierpont)
Aeronautics; Flight
The following rules and symbols were adopted for determining the
relative position of points on the aerodrome, some of them during
1891, and some of them since. All are given here for convenience of
reference, though their chief application is to the larger steam
aerodromes described later. Those which immediately follow were meant
to give some of the notation of descriptive geometry in untechnical
language for the use of the workmen employed. Let ‹X›, ‹Y› and ‹Z›
be three lines at right angles to each other, and passing through
the same point in space, ‹O›, lying at any convenient distance above
the floor of the work-shop. The line ‹X› lies North and South; the
line ‹Y› lies East and West, and the line ‹Z› points to the zenith.
Now place the aerodrome on the floor so that its principal axis lies
horizontally in the plane ‹XZ›, with its head pointing North, and
in such a position that a line passing through the center of the
propellers shall coincide with the line ‹Y›.
[Illustration: FIG. 2. Diagram showing mensural coordinates.]
When measurements are made on or parallel to the line ‹X›, the point
of intersection ‹O› will be marked 1500 centimetres, and distances
toward the South will be less than, and distances toward the North
greater than 1500 centimetres.
When measurements are made on or parallel to the line ‹Z›, the point
‹O› will be considered to be marked 2500 centimetres, and distances
above will be greater than, and distances below will be less than
2500 centimetres. [p015]
Lastly, when measurements are made on or parallel to the line ‹Y›,
the point ‹O› will be marked 3500 centimetres, and distances toward
the East will be greater than, and distances toward the West will be
less than 3500 centimetres. Measurements in these latter directions
will be comparatively infrequent because the center of gravity and
center of pressure both lie in the plane ‹XZ›.
EXAMPLE
In the figure the point ‹T› in the tail, if 15 centimetres to the
South of ‹O›, would be graduated 1485 centimetres. A weight (‹W›)
25 centimetres below the axis, would be graduated 2475 centimetres.
A point 50 centimetres above the axis would be graduated 2550
centimetres, etc.
‹CG› represents the Center of Gravity of the aerodrome, or (with
subscript letters) of any specially designated part, or with
reference to some indicated condition.
‹CG›_1 ‹CG›_2 represent the Center of Gravity as referred to
the first, or horizontal, and to the second, or vertical plane,
respectively.
‹CP› represents the Center of Pressure[14] of the whole aerodrome, or
(with a subscript) of any specially designated part.
‹CF› represents the Center of Figure of the aerodrome, or of any
specially designated part.
Subscripts:
“‹fw›” refers to the front wings. “1” refers to the plane ‹XY›.
“‹rw›” refers to the rear wings. “2” refers to the plane ‹XZ›.
“‹r›” refers to a state of rest. “3” refers to the plane ‹YZ›.
“‹m›” refers to a state of motion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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