#745: Proptrain

Today’s invention is an alternative propellor system for light aircraft.

Each prop., of which there might be more than the usual maximum of four per wing, would have a strong, circular band linking the outer tips of its blades. These bands would incorporate gear teeth so that they could be arrayed as shown in contact with each other along the leading edge of each wing.

Driving one propellor, from an inboard motor, would cause all the others to spin too.

Alternate props. would have their blades set so as to rotate in opposite directions -thus providing distributed thrust, without having to have multiple, wing-mounted engines (as well as partly counteracting the normal gyroscopic moments).