Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Peter Ventura

Paul A Carvalho

Matthew C Soule

Carl Brian Klinetob

Thomas G Corley

A fan blade includes an airfoil and a dovetail at a radially inner end of the airfoil. The dovetail extends between first and second axial ends, and has outer circumferential faces. The dovetail is formed of relatively rigid composite material. Compliant material is placed on each outer circumferential face of the dovetail. The compliant material is less rigid than the composite material for forming the dovetail. In a second embodiment, the compliant layer may be positioned within the disk slots in a disk, such that the compliant layer will come in contact with circumferentially outer faces of the dovetail.

Fan blade dovetail with compliant layer

A hub for mounting propeller blades has a plurality of mount locations for receiving propeller blades at a radially outer location. The hub has a piloting diameter centered on a center axis. The hub has a plurality of openings to receive a drive member for transmitting rotation/torque from an adapter. There are reliefs cut into the piloting diameter at locations circumferentially aligned with the openings.

Hub piloting diameter with relief cuts

A blade shank assembly for an aircraft propeller blade includes a blade shank; and a split blade retention race encircling the blade shank, the split blade retention race comprising two sections separated by two splits, the two splits being perpendicular to a race surface of the split blade retention race, wherein the split blade retention race comprises: an inner chamfer located between a surface of the split blade retention race that is adjacent to the blade shank and a split surface of the split blade retention race at each of the two splits; and an outer chamfer located between the race surface of the split blade retention race and the split surface at each of the two splits.

Split blade retention race with inner and outer chamfers

A blade shank assembly for an aircraft propeller blade includes a blade shank; a split blade retention race encircling the blade shank, the split blade retention race including two splits, wherein the split blade retention race comprises: inner chamfers located between the blade shank and the split blade retention race at each of the two splits; and outer chamfers located adjacent to a race surface of the split blade retention race at each of the two splits; and a plurality of ball bearings located on the race surface of the split blade retention race.

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Enfield, CT, United States of America

Peter Ventura