Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Textron Innovations Inc.

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Ernst C Schellhase

William D Neathery

Willem Broekhuizen

Frank B Stamps

Michael Reaugh Smith

Daniel Bryan Robertson

Bryan Kenneth Baskin

David Popelka

James Braswell, Jr

Christopher Michael Bothwell

Charles L Hollimon

Thomas C Campbell

Lawrence M Corso

Thomas J Newman

Cecil E Covington

Joseph J Zierer

Gary Scott Froman

David Allen Haynie

Madison K Robinson

Christopher Mike Bothwell

Mark Paul Eisenhauer

David A Popelka

James L Braswell

John Peter Pappas

Roger Jacques Michel Aubert

Richard Dean Miller

Dan Anastas, Deceased

Paul E Keefer

By Peggy Anastas, Executrix

James Lee Braswell

Michael R Smith

A rotor hub and method to dampen a force exerted on a rotor hub by a rotor blade during flight. The rotor hub including a central member rotatably coupled to a rotor mast, a blade grip rigidly attached to a blade and movably coupled to the central member, and an adjustable damper operably associated with the blade grip. The method includes damping the force exerted on the rotor hub with the adjustable damper and selectively adjusting the adjustable damper between a first spring rate and a second spring rate.

Dual spring rate damper

A damper has a piston having an axis, an outer surface, and opposing ends. Elastomeric seals are in sealing contact with the outer surface of the piston, the seals being coaxial with the piston and limiting movement of the piston to a path along the axis of the piston. The seals also define fluid chambers adjacent the ends of the piston. A primary passage communicates the fluid chambers, and a selectively switchable valve for controls a flow of fluid from one of the chambers to another of the chambers through the primary passage. When the flow of fluid through the primary passage is permitted, movement of the piston is resisted by a first spring rate due to a shear force required to cause shear deflection of the seals. When the flow of fluid through the primary passage is restricted, movement of the piston is resisted by a second spring rate due to a fluid force required to cause bulging deflection of the seals.

A rotor hub assembly for a rotary-wing aircraft has a central member and a plurality of blade grips adapted for attaching rotor blades to the central member. The blade grips are pivotally attached to the central member and are capable of pivoting about a pivot axis generally normal to a plane of rotation of the blades. The pivoting allows for in-plane motion of the blades relative to the central member. A damper is operably connected to each blade grip for damping the in-plane motion of the associated blade, each damper being selectively switchable between at least two spring rates.

Soft in-plane tiltrotor hub

A main rotor shear restraint that includes two spherical ball segments, two corresponding bearing outer races, and a spring system for loading the bearing outer races against the two spherical ball segments.

Main rotor shear restraint

A prop rotor hub includes a constant velocity joint in the same plane as a prop blade yoke. Torque is transmitted from a shaft to the blades through the CV joint, hub plates attached to the CV joint, and the yoke, which is attached to the hub plates. Providing all elements in a substantially planar arrangement results in a hub assembly which has significantly less height than a traditional design. The hub itself is in-plane with the yoke, resulting in a more efficient torque transmission from the mast to the rotor.

Prop rotor hub

A redundant ice management system and method to de-ice and anti-ice an aircraft member (,) is provided. The system comprising a primary ice management sub-system (,) for providing thermal ice management to the aircraft member and a secondary ice management sub-system (,) for providing back-up thermal ice management to the aircraft member (,) in the event of a failure by the primary ice management sub-system (,). The system provides primary and secondary de-ice and anti-ice capabilities to the aircraft member (,) before and during airborne operation.

Redundant ice management system for aircraft

A self-lock and self-retained structural fastener assembly (,) is disclosed. The fastener assembly (,) comprises a plate member (,) having an opening (,) and a pair of receivers (,). A retainer (,) that has a threaded opening (,), a pair of oppositely disposed spring fingers (,) and a pair of oppositely disposed hooks (,) is coupled to the plate member (,) by lockably inserting the hooks (,) within the receivers (,) of the plate member (,) to form a fastener housing (,). A stud (,) is rotatably positioned within the fastener housing (,). The stud (,) has a boss (,) and first and second threaded sections (,) extending in opposite directions from the boss (,). The stud (,) has an uninstalled position wherein the first threaded section (,) is threadably engaged with the threaded opening (,) of the retainer (,). The stud (,) also has an installed position wherein the second threaded section (,) extends outwardly through the opening (,) of the plate member (,) and the boss (,) is locked between the spring fingers (,).

Self-locking and self-retained structural fastener

A constant velocity joint (10) is provided specifically for connecting a yoke (14) to a mast (12) in a helicopter and more generally (200) for interconnecting a first shaft (202) to a second shaft (204) for bidirectional drive. The constant velocity joint employs a carrier (40, 218) which is formed with a series of apertures for receiving elastomeric bearing assemblies (42, 80, 220). The elastomeric bearing assemblies are provided with a spherical elastomeric bearing (60) and a cylindrical elastomeric bearing (48). Certain of the elastomeric bearing assemblies connect the carrier to one of the rotating members while the remaining elastomeric bearing assemblies connect the other rotating member to the carrier. The axis of symmetry (67) of the carrier always bisects the angle of misalignment between the two rotating shafts or members to assure that a constant velocity joint is achieved.

Constant velocity elastomeric joint

A composite rotor blade comprising an outboard portion defining an airfoil surface, an inboard portion defining an end tang having a mounting section and an extension lug section. The mounting section of the end tang having at least one mounting aperture with an axis parallel to the chordline of the airfoil for mounting of the blade, and the extension lug section having at least one extension lug extending inboard of the mounting aperture to provide a lever surface for interaction with suitable mounting mechanisms.

Rotor blade

Folding and folding locking apparatus for rotor blades that includes a power actuator for rotating the blades and locking means for securing the blade in the deployed position and securing the blades against rotation of the pitch angle during and when the blades are folded. The apparatus also provides for the complete fairing of the blades at their connections with the rotary drive hub and provides a powered door in the fairing that can be opened and closed to permit the quick and easy folding and redeployment of the blades.

Apparatus and method for folding and locking rotor blades

A constant velocity joint (200) for interconnecting a first shaft (202) to a second shaft (204) for bidirectional drive is provided. The constant velocity joint employs a carrier (218) which is formed with a series of apertures for receiving elastomeric bearing assemblies (220). The elastomeric bearing assemblies are provided with a spherical elastomeric bearing (60) and a cylindrical elastomeric bearing (48). Certain of the elastomeric bearing assemblies connect the carrier to one of the rotated members while the remaining elastomeric bearing assemblies connect the other rotating member to the carrier. The axis of symmetry of the carrier (218) will always bisect the angle of misalignment between the two rotating shafts to assure that a constant velocity joint is achieved.

Constant velocity elastomeric bearing joint

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Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Ernst C Schellhase