Todays patent is one of Mercier’s fluid control patents.


“It is known that the distribution of theoretical pressure
exerted by a fluid on a stream-lined body having an axis
aligned or slightly inclined with respect to the general direction
of relative flow between the body and fluid, is characterized,
beginning at the forward end of the body, by:
(a)A forward zone of dynamic pressure greater than the ambient
static pressure of the fluid. The pressure is a maximum at the
extreme forward point of the body and decreases rearwardly
to a value equal to the ambient static pressure;
(b) A depression zone follows the aforementioned forward zone,
wherein the static pressure becomes less than the ambient
static pressure. The location of the minimum pressure in the
depression zone depends upon the shape of the body. The
said pressure increases rearwardly of the minimum pressure,
until it reaches a value equal to the ambient static pressure of
the surrounding fluid at a location far from the body;
(c) A rear super-pressure zone much less in intensity than the
forward zone a.”
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“The result is an increase of drag, which it has been sought
to reduce in various ways, without hitherto obtaining a perfectly
satisfactory result.
An object of the invention is to improve the performance of
streamlined bodies by increasing the speed thereof for the same
energy consumption, or to reduce the amount of energy necessary
to impart a predetermined speed to the body.”
NOTE: Mercier does not claim that his drag reduction invention will be
useful at large angles-of-attack. Nor does he mention a limiting
effective angle-of-attack (e.g.< 8 degrees).
N.B. An airship is the only flying vehicle for which drag is far more
important than lift.
Unfortunately, the USPTO neglected to cite:
244/75.1 (Aircraft control) or 244/96 (Airship control) or,
244/130 (Aerodynamic resistance reducing).
The patent is cited by eleven modern patents (only one related to
aircraft):
3,194,201 Underwater missile,
3,244,135 Device for controlling ship movement,
3,425,741 Land vehicle having minimum air drag,
4,125,083 Drive for submerged floating bodies,
4,309,172 Ship with improved stern structure,
4,327,469 Method for mounting ring-shaped construction on ship stern,
4,395,965 Low drag underwater vehicle utilizing boundary layer suction,
4,919,066 Hydrodynamic configuration for underwater vehicle,
5,125,797 Portable water driven high velocity fan,
5,389,021 Motorboat propeller safety shroud, and
5,620,153 Light aircraft with inflatable parachute wing propelled by a ducted
propeller.