US2367164A - Antenna folding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 9, 1945. I Y JR 2,367,164

ANTENNA FOLDING MECHANI SM File d Oct. 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. L.K.YERGER,JR.

is EFIGV a M ATTO EY Patented Jan. 9, 1945- signer to The Glenn L. Martin Company, Middle River, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application ct0ber 3, 1942, Serial No. 460,614 g 7 Claims. (01. 250-43) This invention relates to a folding antenna-for any vehicle but is particularly adapted for air 4 craft.

By this invention, a streamlined metal antenna rod may be erected for use or folded into a recess in the skin of the craft, at will.

An antenna made according to this invention presents about one-eighth of the dra due to frontal area resistance of the ordinary antenn and insulator assembly. v

Further and other objects will become apparent from the description of the accompanying drawings which form a part of this disclosure and in which like numeralsrefer to like parts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the folding antenna. i

. Figure 2 is a sectional view through the folding mechanism housing showing the antenna retracted. v

Figure 3 is a section taken on the lineIII'III of Figure 2. a a I Figure 4 is a sectional viewthrough the folding mechanism housing showin the antenna erected.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line VV of view of a modification J beyond the surface of the skin 2 of the craft on which it is mounted. This projecting portion is streamlined to offer a minimum resistance to airflow.

The antenna rod 3, is streamline in crosssection to offer a minimum resistanceto airflow and also to enable it to slide easily between the lips of the sealing gaskets 44.

Thehousing I, part of which projects outside the skin 2, and the rest extends withinthe skin, is made of plastic or any'similar material having the necessary mechanical strength and insulating properties. It will be noted on Figure 6, that the housing is made in two parts, 5 and ii. A slot 1 is formed by the two parts 5 and 5 in the portion of the housing that projects beyond the skin of the craft. I The edges of slot I carry the resilient sealing means 4, shown in sealing position in Figure 9, and shown in Figur 5, parted by the antenna rod but preserving the sealed relationship of the parts. i

The rod 3 is held securely between the halves of the disc 8 which is mounted on the shaft 9 which pivots on pin Ill. Disc 8 is made from the material specified for housing I. Bolts serve to clamp the halves of the disc 8 together and secure the worm gear,l2 to the disc 8. The worm gear. l2 is turned in either direction by worm l3 mounted on shaft 14 which may be driven by a motor, or by hand. I

The clip l5 receives the end of the rod 3 when in the extended position. Radiant energy is supplied to the rod through connection It and clip I5.

When the rod is retracted, the first few degrees of movement serve to disconnect the power from the antenna, if it has not been previously disconnected. For this reason, there is no chance of a radio frequency are to the skin of the craft. It will also-be noted that when the antenna is in the operative position, the skin of the craft is well spaced from the antennae to afford a long leakage path in any direction.

On the side of block 8, opposite the gear l2,'

are secured slip rings'Zl and 22, which, together with contacts 23 to 26, form limit switches for raising and lowering the antennae. When switch 21 is closed, motor 28 will be energized to raise the antennae to a vertical position and switch 29 will cause the motor to lower the antennae to a horizontal position. 35

If the antenna is in the extended position; shown in Figure 4, and it is desired to retract it,

the shaft !4 is turned by the motor 28 or any other means, and rotates the worm gear I! in a clockwise direction. After a few degrees of movement, the rod 3 disengages the clip I5, thus deenergizing the rod. The rod 3 continues to move in a clockwise direction, until stopped in the retracted position by the limit switch. The streamlined shape of the rod, serves to part the resilient lips 4 to permit passage of the rod, and close after the rod, thus maintaining the seal. The

' rod finally comes to rest in member H, which may be of resilient material as shown or merely a groove in the skin.

To extend the antenna rod, the shaft I4 is merely caused to rotate in the opposite direction.

In the modification shown in Figures 7 and 8,.

the'parts function as above described except that the rod 3 may be retracted through the sealing meansktaa'positidnwithin the skin of the craft.

The top of the housing l8, of insulating material, is flush with the "skin to minimize drag. A long leakage path is provided by the circular top l8.

The limit switch shown in Figure 10 will serve to stop the motor when the mast has reached either the extended or retracted positions. This switch is only intended to show one form of limit switch which might be used, as several other equivalent switches could easily be used.

It is to be understood that certain changes, alterations, modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a vehicle, a retractable antennae mast mounted on said vehicle, an elongated slot formed in the outer surface of the vehicle substantially equal in length to the length of said mast, a pair of resilient, strips each having one side secured to the edges of said slot and extending thereover, the free sides of said strips being in contact normally closing said slot but permitting the passage of the antennae mast during the retraction of said mast, poweroperated means for the movement of said mast from the extended to the retracted position.

2. A retractable antennae mast for mounting adjacent the outer surface of a vehicle comprising, a housing of moulded electrical insulating material mountedin the surface of the vehicle,-

said vehicle and said housing having an elongated slot formed therein substantially equal in length to the length of said mast to permit the move ment of said mast, a pair of resilient strips secured to the edges of said slot and extending thereover to form a closure therefor, between which said mast moves from the extended to the retracted position, said mast being secured in a member of insulating material ,which is pivoted in said housing, a worm gear secured to said mem-- ber actuated by a worm to move said mast.

3. A retractable antennae mast mounted for movement from an extended position, to a position within the surface of a vehicle, a housing of plastic material mounted adjacent said surface, a pivoted disc member of plastic material mounted in the housing to support the mast for movement relative to the surface, a worm gear secured to said disc member and worm to move said disc member, a two-part electrical connector, one part of which is carried by the movable mast assembly, and the other part carried by said housing, which parts separate, thus disconnecting said electric connector after a few degrees of motion of said mast assembly.

4. A retractable antennae mast adapted for movement from an extended to a retracted posijacent housing structure.

5; A retractable antennae mast mounted for movement from an extended position, to a position within the surface of a vehicle, a housing of insulating material mounted adjacent said surface, a movable mast assembly comprising a pivoted member of insulating material mounted in the housing to support the mast for movement relative to said surface, means to move said pivoted member and said mast, an electrical connector having a portion mounted on the movable mast assembly and a cooperating portion carried by said housing, which portions separate, thus disconnecting said electrical connector after a few degrees of motion of said mast assembly.

6. A remotely controlled, power operated antennae mast adapted to be mounted on a vehicle and connected to an electric circuit, an elongated slot substantially equal in length to the length of said mast formed in the surface of said vehicle, meansfor pivoting said mast about a transverse axis relative to the surface of said vehicle, whereby said mast may be retracted through said slot, Within the surface of said vehicle, and means for disconnecting said antennae mast from said electric circuit upon the pivotal motion of the mast.

7. A retractable antennae mast mounted for movement from an extended position to a position within the surface of a vehicle, a housing of insulating material adjacent said surface, said housing and said vehicle having slots formed 40 therein Which are aligned to form a continuous slot through which the mast moves to the position within the-surface of the vehicle, resilient closure means secured to the edges of said slot to cover and close the slot but which do not interfere with the retraction of the mast within the surface of said vehicle, a movable mast assembly comprising a pivoted member of insulating material mounted in th housing to support the mast for movement relative to the surface, means to move said pivoted member and said mast, an-electrical connector having a portion mounted on the movable mast assembly and a cooperating portion carried on said housing which portion separate, thus disconnecting said electrical connector after a few degrees motion of said mast assembly.

LEONARD K. YERGER, JR.

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