Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Michael J Southerland

Christopher Edward Foskey

David A Popelka

Frank B Stamps

Paul K Oldroyd

Richard Erler Rauber

Tyler Wayne Baldwin

Patrick R Tisdale

Paul Branson Sherrill

David Popelka

James Braswell, Jr

Amarjit Olenchery Kizhakkepat

Levi H Armstrong

Keith Alan Stanney

Thomas C Campbell

Mark E Wasikowski

Ron Measom

Tricia Hiros

Tim Ledbetter

James L Braswell

James Lee Braswell

Paul Sherrill

Keith Stanney

Mark Wasikowski

In some embodiments, a rotorcraft may include a yoke, a blade, a spindle associated with the yoke, and an elastomeric bearing assembly. The center length of the spindle may define a center axis that passes through a center of the elastomeric bearing assembly. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain a housing coupled to the blade and disposed around the center axis that is configured to rotate in relation to the center axis. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric shear bearing that has an interior portion coupled to the spindle and an exterior portion coupled to the housing. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric centrifugal force bearing pressed against the housing. The shear bearing may be configured to counteract a torsional force, and the centrifugal force bearing may be configured to counteract a compression force.

Rotorcraft elastomeric bearing assembly

According to one embodiment, a rotorcraft yoke comprises a plurality of arms. The plurality of arms, in combination, comprise a plurality of fibrous plies extending continuously throughout all of the plurality of arms.

Broad goods composite yoke for rotor system

An assembly for providing flexure to a blade of a rotary blade system includes an upper support plate having an upper curved surface, a lower support plate having a lower curved surface, and a yoke positioned therebetween. At least one of the upper and lower yoke surfaces has a layer of cushioning material positioned thereon and secured thereto. An alternate embodiment includes an assembly for providing flexure to a blade of a rotary blade system, including, an upper support plate having an upper curved surface, a lower support plate having a lower curved surface, and a yoke positioned therebetween and directly contacting the support plates wherein one of the curved surfaces is a non-circular arc that does not form part of the circumference of a circle. Another alternate embodiment includes a similar assembly having a twist-shank type of yoke for providing rotation of attached blades about their respective pitch axes.

Assembly for providing flexure to blade system

Growing community of inventors

North Richland Hills, TX, United States of America

Michael J Southerland