Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

United Technologies Corporation

Frederick J Miner

David N Schmaling

Frank Paul D'Anna

Stephen V Poulin

David A Darrow, Jr

Francis E Byrnes

Benjamin Reed Hein

Michael R Robbins

Richard Thomas Hood

Devon Cowles

Kenneth J Buckman

Albert T Krauss

David A Darrow

Kirk Charles Frederickson

Kris Kopanski

David E Bruno

Frank P D'anna

David A Darrow Jr

A box frame hub arm structure is provided and includes a body having an outboard surface, which is disposable to abut with an inboard surface of an outboard arm of an aircraft rotor head, and lead/lag sides. The body is formed to define a first cavity, an aperture communicative with the first cavity through the outboard surface and second and third cavities. The second and third cavities extend outwardly in opposite lead/lag directions from the first cavity to the lead/lag sides.

Rigid rotor head with tension torsion (TT) strap retention

A rotor includes a blade retention cuff configured to receive a rotor blade; a yoke coupled to the blade retention cuff; and a rigid propeller shaped hub configured to enclose at least a portion of the blade retention cuff and at least a portion of the yoke.

Composite stiffened rigid propeller shaped main rotor hub

A swashplate apparatus is provided and includes a first swashplate including outer and inner bodies and an intermediate portion defining a major groove between the outer and inner bodies, a second swashplate disposable in the major groove to be rotatable relative to the first swashplate, the second swashplate including an interior facing surface radially separated from the inner body to define a minor groove and defining a recess in which the rod end is disposable, a connector disposable in the recess to pivotably couple the rod end to the second swashplate and a plate element disposable in the minor groove and affixable to the interior facing surface of the second swashplate and the connector.

Swashplate apparatus

A flexbeam for a rotor blade is provided and includes a first end coupled to a body of the rotor blade and a second end coupled to a flap disposed along a trailing edge of the body to pitch about a pitching axis defined along a span of the body and a flexbeam body extending from the first end to the second end and being configured to retain the flap under a first loading and being flexible about the pitching axis.

Flexbeam hinge for helicopter blade active trailing edge flap

A rotor assembly having a rotor hub, a plurality of yokes, and a plurality of swing arms is provided. The yoke depending from the rotor hub. Each swing arm is movably positioned on the rotor hub for rotation between an unlocked position and a locked position. The yokes are freely movable about a pitch axis and a lead/lag axis when the swing arms are in the unlocked position and the yokes are locked in a predetermined pitch position and a predetermined lead/lag position when the swing arms are in the locked position.

Rotor assemblies having automatic blade folding systems

A vibration isolator (20) operative for reducing vibration active on a main rotor (12) of a rotorcraft. The vibration isolator (20) includes a hub attachment fitting (22) secured in combination with the main rotor (12) and a spring-mass system (24) mounting to and rotating with the hub attachment fitting (22). The vibration isolator (20) is characterized by the spring-mass system (24) having a fairing (44) operative to aerodynamically contour the spring-mass system (24) while providing a portion of the working mass thereof. Other features of the vibration isolator include adapting the hub attachment fitting (22) to accept hub-mounted rotor systems (36), provide access to the rotor hub mounting attachment (34), and provide a motion limiting portion (74) for reducing loads acting on the spring-mass system (24).

Vibration isolator for rotorcraft

An inertial mass (50) for a vibration isolator (20) having an attachment fitting (22) adapted for rotation about an axis (16) and a spring (40) adapted for rotation with the attachment fitting (22). The inertial mass (50) is characterized by a pair of segments (52) each having a generally Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration. More specifically, each segment (52) defines a central web (54), a first leg (56) projecting radially inboard of the central web (54) and a second leg (58) projected radially outboard of the central web (54). The first and second legs (56, 58) are integral with the central web (54) and the second legs (58) are adjoined along a mating interface (I) to define the assembled inertial mass (50). As assembled, the inertial mass (50) is adapted for being mounted in combination with the spring (40) of the vibration isolator (20). Preferably, the second legs (58), in combination, define a mating flange (62) which is adapted for mounting at least one tuning weight (64), and, the first legs (56) define circular abutment surfaces (68) adapted for coacting with an opposing abutment surface (70) of the attachment fitting (22).

Inertial mass for vibration isolators

A mounting assembly (100) is provided for securing a helicopter snubber bearing (70) to a bearingless rotor assembly (10) which includes a flexbeam connector (22) mounted to a torque drive hub member (18). The mounting assembly (100) includes a retainer fixture (102) for mounting a retainer (104) which engages an inner bearing race portion (88) of the snubber bearing (70). The retainer fixture (102) is mounted to the flexbeam connector (22) and includes an inboard end portion (112), a restraint portion (114) extending radially outboard thereof, and a seat portion (116) disposed therebetween. The retainer (104) is disposed in register with, and is compliantly bonded to, the seat portion (116) of the retainer fixture (102), and furthermore abuts the restraint portion (114) which provides redundant retention therefor. To reduce bondline stresses, the retainer (104) includes at least one stress relieving lateral slot (132) and at least one stress relieving forward slot (134), which cooperates with a radial slot (156) formed in the retainer fixture (102), to reduce shear and tensile stresses in the compliant adhesive (130). Furthermore, the seat portion (116) of the retainer fixture (102) is reduced in width dimension to reduce flap and pitch induced shear stresses. The mounting assembly (100) provides redundant load paths for transferring centrifugal loads acting on the snubber bearing (70) to the flexbeam connector (22) or, alternatively, to the central torque drive hub member (18).

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Barkhamsted, CT, United States of America

Frederick J Miner