Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Bell Textron Inc.

Kyle Thomas Cravener

Tyler Wayne Baldwin

Andrew Ryan Maresh

Jared Mark Paulson

Brady Garrett Atkins

Troy Cyril Schank

Kynn Jerald Schulte

Michael Christopher Burnett

Amarjit Olenchery Kizhakkepat

Glenn Alan Shimek

Ken Shundo

Tyson Henry

Patrick Smith

Christopher Edward Foskey

James Everett Kooiman

Bryan Kenneth Baskin

Gilberto Morales

Jonathan Andrew Knoll

Paul Branson Sherrill

Mark Adam Wiinikka

Ryan Thomas Ehinger

Jeffrey Mark Bosworth

Grant Michael Beall

Michael Dean Dearman

Lynn Francis Eschete

Terry K Thompson

Nicholas Allen Torske

Chyausong Tzeng

Whitney Renee Foskey

Andrew Harloff

Stuart Benjamin Cook

Joaquin Vargas Calvet

Andrew Michael White

Karl Bailey

Corrine Jagneaux

Maika Lopati Mauga

An elastomeric bearing has a first end interface, a second end interface, an activation element disposed between the first end interface and the second end interface, and a clutch component disposed between the activation element and the second end interface. A method of operating an elastomeric bearing includes providing a first end interface, providing a second end interface, providing an activation component between the first end interface and the second end interface, providing a clutch component between the activation component and the second end interface, and rotating the first end interface relative to the second interface to cause rotation of the clutch component relative to the second end interface.

Clutched centrifugal force bearing

Embodiments are directed to a blade lock comprising a fold lock adapted to prevent folding of a rotor blade in a fold-lock position and to allow folding of the rotor blade in a pitch-lock position. The blade lock further comprises a pitch lock adapted to allow pitch movement of a rotor blade in a fold-lock position and to prevent pitch movement of the rotor blade in the pitch-lock position. A spring-loaded link pivotally connects both the fold lock and the pitch lock and is adapted to provide passive, overcenter locking in the fold-lock position. An actuator is coupled to the pitch lock and is adapted to move the pitch lock and the fold lock between the fold-lock and pitch-lock positions.

Pitch-fold lock

Disclosed is a blade lock assembly, which may include a drag brace coupled to a fold crank assembly and to a rotary wing blade and may further include an actuator assembly configured to be coupled to a rotary wing cuff. The actuator assembly may include an actuator pin housing, an actuation pin at least partially sheathed by the actuator pin housing, and an actuator configured to extend and retract the actuation pin away from and toward the actuator pin housing.

Chord lock assembly for a tiltrotor aircraft

A rotor-hub flap-measurement system includes a rotor hub operable to flap relative to a main-rotor axis, a flap-linkage arm, a first end of the flap-linkage arm rotatably coupled to the rotor hub, the flap-linkage arm responsive to flapping of the rotor hub, and a magneto-resistive sensor system rotatably coupled to a second end of the flap-linkage arm and responsive to movement of the flap-linkage arm.

Anisotropic magneto-resistive sensor flap measuring systems

An exemplary blade lock for a tiltrotor aircraft to enable and disable a folding degree of freedom and a pitching degree of freedom of a rotor blade assembly includes a link pivotally connected to a lever and a bellcrank, where the link is in a center position when the lever is in a locked position disabling the folding degree of freedom and the lever is secured in the locked position when the link is positioned in an over-center position.

Over-centering blade lock

A rotor-hub-flap anisotropic-sensor system includes a rotor hub, a plurality of anisotropic-sensor arrangements interoperably coupled to the rotor hub and operable to measure flapping of the rotor hub, a plurality of rotor blades connected to the rotor hub, and at least one flight control computer interoperably coupled to the plurality of anisotropic-sensor arrangements.

Anisotropic magneto-resistive sensor flap-measuring systems

A lockout system for an aircraft having a rotor assembly. The lockout system includes a drive shaft coupled to and rotatable with the rotor assembly, a nonrotating airframe structure disposed proximate the drive shaft and a lock assembly having first and second lock members. The first lock member is rotatable with the drive shaft and includes a plurality of bearing assemblies. The second lock member is coupled to the nonrotating airframe structure and includes a cradle having a plurality of asymmetric slots each with a leading ramp and a trailing stop. The lock assembly has a disengaged position in which rotation of the drive shaft is allowed and an engaged position in which each of the bearing assemblies is seated within one of the asymmetric slots to prevent rotation of the drive shaft. The lock assembly is actuatable between the engaged and disengaged positions.

Proprotor lockout systems for tiltrotor aircraft

A gimbal joint may employ a plurality of wear sleeves, each disposed between a pin or pin receptive bore of a first structure and a corresponding bore or pin of a second structure and between another pin or bore of the second structure and a corresponding bore or pin of a third structure. Each of these structures may be adapted to rotate in a single plane, with one structure adapted to also tilt about a first axis, and one other structure adapted to tilt about a second axis. Each integral flanged wear sleeve may comprise a right circular hollow cylindrical body portion, which may be interiorly sized to be retained on one of the pins and externally sized to be retained in one of the pin receptive bores, and a flange portion may radiate from one end of the cylindrical body portion.

Bearingless gimbaled rotor hubs and swashplates

A teeter flap lock for an aircraft may include at least one pair of diametrically positioned teeter flap lock plates extending from a rotor teetering hinge, spaced apart from a rotor mast of the aircraft. A teeter flap lock block is positioned about the rotor mast and is configured to fit between the teeter flap lock plates and the rotor mast. The teeter flap lock block fits between and contacts the teeter flap lock plates in an engaged position, and is movable between the engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the teeter flap lock plates. The teeter flap lock enables flapping of rotors coupled to the rotor mast via the teetering hinge when the teeter flap lock block is in the disengaged position and disables flapping of the rotors when the teeter flap lock block is in the engaged position.

Teeter flap lock

A system for retaining a folded proprotor blade in flight. The system includes a mounting plate, a first arm coupled to the mounting plate at an acute angle relative to the mounting plate, and a first deformable pad affixed to the first arm and adapted to contact the folded proprotor blade.

Passive proprotor-blade retention systems

Embodiments are directed to a rotor hub assembly comprising a yoke configured to attach rotor blades thereto, a single Hooke's joint configured to attach to, and transmit forces between, a mast and the yoke, and a spherical bearing coupled between the yoke and the mast. Two pillow blocks couple the single Hooke's joint to the yoke. An adapter sleeve is attached to the pillow blocks and is positioned to surround the spherical bearing. The adapter sleeve extends between the single Hooke's joint and the mast. A hub lock extension is attached to the yoke. The hub lock extension is configured to receive a hub lock that prevents gimballing of the yoke when engaged.

Single Hooke's joint with spherical mast attachment

Embodiments are directed to solid lubricant assemblies for providing over temperature protection for bearings and gears in rotorcraft systems. A solid lubricant enters a fluid state above a certain temperature and is positioned so that fluid lubricant is applied to the bearings or gears.

Lubrication system

A system for retaining a folded proprotor blade in flight. The system includes a rotary actuator mechanism operable to generate torque via a shaft that rotates about an axis generally parallel to a chordwise direction of the folded proprotor blade, a pair of clamping arms movable in a direction generally parallel to a beamwise direction of the folded proprotor blade, a pair of linkage arms interoperably responsive to the rotary actuator mechanism and coupled between the rotary actuator mechanism and the pair of clamping arms, and a first guide rod extending between the pair of clamping arms in the direction generally parallel to the beamwise direction.

Active proprotor-blade retention systems

Aircraft spinner

Growing community of inventors

Watauga, TX, United States of America

Kyle Thomas Cravener