FEBRUARY IO, 1938.

FLIGHT.

159

The AMPUTATED AIRSCREW

A Demonstration of the Everel Singleblade Design : How It Works

ROM time to time Flight has made mention of the Everel single-blade airscrew produced in Baltimore, U.S.A. So far only small sizes are being produced, but blades suitable for absorbing up to 1,500 h.p. are in mind and certain very large examples are already on test in America. One of these airscrews was demonstrated for the first time in this country last Friday. A Taylor Cub so fitted made demonstration flights at Hanworth, and to allow a comparison of performance with the Everel airscrew and with a normal twoblade wooden one, two Cubs were taken off starting side by side. The claims foi a material increase in efficiency for a singleblade airscrew would appear to be justified, for the take-off of the Cub, which, for the horse-power, is in any case good, was- considerably improved. A"s the throttle of the Everel-equipped machine was opened the tail lifted and it left the ground in little more than 50 yards, at once climbing

" Flight"

Photographs

Like most unorthodox pieces of machinery, the Everel airscrew looks a little uncouth until one becomes used to its appearance. In the picture at the top of the left-hand column is seen the take-off demonstration, with the Everel-fitted Cub nearest the camera ; both had left the same mark simultaneously. steeply ; the second Cub took off with between 30 and 40 yards more run. The two pilots appeared to give quite a fair and disinterested comparison. In appearance the Everel airscrew is distinctly strange, and when, on pulling the tip, it appears to be carried on a universal joint one's curiosity increases. The inventor, Mr. Evert, conceived his single-blade airscrew first with a view to efficiency, foi it is generally known that the disturbed air left behind one rotating blade causes the next of two, three or four to lose a lot of its efficiency. The effect is similar, aerodynamically, to the biplane interference found in wings.

COARSE \ PITCHA

This p a r t l y " explod ed " drawing of the blade in " forward " position indicates the method of attachment and the mechanism which allows the automatic change of pitch.

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Change of Pitch

ADJUSTABLE BALANCE WEIGHT

Due to its attachment, the Everel airscrew is automatically "variable pitch" in effect. The tip of the blade will move in a forward ind rearward direction about 3m., at the same time twisting to a fine or coarse pitch. An equilibrium is set up between (a), the force on the blade due to thrust tending to produce the fine-pitch position; and (b) the centrifugal force to the hub assembly about the pivot tending to produce coarse pitch'. For purposes of take-off, in which the advantage is particularly marked, the airscrew must be in fine pitch. The throttle is opened to cruising r.p.m., and the load on the blade brings it forward to fine position ; and, therefore, the counterbalance weight is " backwards," or behind a vertical line taken at right angles to the crankshaft. As the machine moves forward the thrust decreases a little and centrifugal force, acting against reduced thrust, produces a slightly coarser pitch. On flying level at cruising speed the thrust is still less and the blade is moved back until it is almost vertical and in coarse pitch. In a dive, the blade could reach a very coarse pitch position, trailing slightly rearwards with balance weight forward. The construction of the airscrew follows normal wooden practice (cemented laminar) and the metal counterbalance is let into a bored-out stub. The weight is slightly more than that of the corresponding two-blade airscrew. Considering the fact that it is quite simple and apparently justifies the performance claims made for it, i.e., much better take-oft, higher speed (7 m.p.h. increase in Cub's cruising speed), and improved climb, the Everel airscrew appears to have considerable possibilities. With regard to maintenance we are told that the wear on the bearing after more than 3,000 hours could not be measured. Mr. A. J. Walter, Taylor Cub distributor in this country and organiser for Friday's demonstration, is also an Everel distributor by reason of manufacturers' arrangements between the two companies. The programme of sales and manufacture of the airscrews in this country is in the hands of W. S. Shackleton, Ltd., 175, Piccadilly, London, W.I.