Cyclogyro Jonathan Edward Caldwell

diagram of cyclogyro design company stationery. image inaccurate: airfoils had limited degree of rotation, , face down on front portion of disk, whereas image shows them facing forward.

in february 1923 caldwell filed patent on device called cyclogyro . consisted of airplane fuselage 2 paddle-wheel attachments in place of wings. wheels powered engine in fuselage, spun power upper portion of attachments forward – clockwise, seen looking left cockpit. wheels each featured 4 high aspect ratio airfoils, able rotate around horizontal axis in order change pitch.

by changing pitch continually through entire rotation, lift of airfoils tuned produce thrust in direction. instance, lift off vertically airfoils pitched have positive angle of attack @ top of rotation, generating lift @ point. in forward flight angle @ top of arc reduced make lift neutral, retain positive angle through forward part of circle, producing forward thrust. changing angle in fashion, aircraft lifted in direction, differential thrust between 2 wings allowing yaw applied.

caldwell formed gravity aeroplane company in reno, nevada (caldwell living in santa monica @ time) , issued stock in 1928. company stationary included illustration showing cyclogyro, version 4 airfoils per wing , attached on fuselage end large disk , outer end cross-like support.