Title: Flight trainer and entertainment device for simulating aerial acrobatics

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Claims: We claim:

1. In a flight trainer type aircraft having mechanism simulating that of an aircraft and including simulated airplane manual controls; a partial spherical shaped screen located forwardly relative to the aircraft where views projected thereon may be seen by the operator of the controls; a sphere located forwardly of the aircraft; support means for said sphere for permitting its rotation in three control planes; a plurality of projectors mounted inside said sphere for rotation therewith and for projecting adjacent sectorial views on said screen; and electrical drive means connected intermediate said controls and said sphere for rotating said sphere and said projectors in said planes in unison with the operation of said controls to simulate aerial acrobatics, said sphere including two electrically conductive parts, means for insulating one part from the other; an electrical power supply; and means for electrically connecting at least one of said parts and their associated projectors to the power supply in all positions of the sphere.

2. In a flight trainer type aircraft having mechanism simulating that of an aircraft and including simulated airplane manual controls; a partial spherical shaped screen located forwardly relative to the aircraft where views projected thereon may be seen by the operator of the controls; a sphere located forwardly of the aircraft; support means for said sphere for permitting its rotation in three control planes; a plurality of projectors mounted inside said sphere for rotation therewith and for projecting adjacent sectorial views on said screen; an electrical power supply; means for electrically connecting the power supply to the sphere and thus to the projectors; and electrical drive means connected intermediate said controls and said sphere for rotating it and said projectors in said planes in unison with the operation of said controls to simulate aerial acrobatics; said sphere including two electrically conductive material halves to facilitate passage of operating current from said power supply to said projectors, said halves separated by an insulating circumferential ridge.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means for said sphere comprises a plurality of ball-bearing races arrayed on the base and at the sides of the sphere.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said controls are spring-biased to provide resistance to their movement by said operator.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein a flow of pressurized cooled air is provided through the interior of said sphere for cooling it and said projectors during their operation.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein a plurality of relatively small openings are provided through the periphery of said sphere for allowing said flow of pressurized cooled air therethrough.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spherical shaped screen partially encloses said aircraft on its forward sides to further the illusion of motion given by the views projected.

Other info:

Inventors: McGraw, John T. (Flushing, MI, US)
Killeen, George F. (Flint, MI, US)

Application Number: 867921
Filing Date: 1978-01-09
Publication_date: 1979-07-31
Assignee:
Primary Class(es): 434/44
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

1831939	Nov, 1931	White	35/12.
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3741638	Jun, 1973	Geary	35/12.
3974577	Aug, 1976	Brachlianoff	35/46.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Hum, Vance Y.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Dumont; Harry R.