Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Textron Innovations Inc.

Southern Mills, Inc.

Robert Alan Self

Paul Branson Sherrill

Russell S Cole

Paul K Oldroyd

Ronald J Measom

Nathan Patrick Green

Neil Edward Morrow

James R Stamper, Jr

Keith Edward Pickering

John R McCullough

Bryan Kenneth Baskin

Mark Adam Wiinikka

Robert Patrick Wardlaw

Glenn Alan Shimek

Hunter Jay Davis

Michael Andrew Laton

Nicholas Allen Torske

Tim Ledbetter

Elijah Dufty

Kelli Yates

Kevin Hilton

David Shultz

Jason Owens

Lee Lipscomb

Flame resistant fabrics formed with fiber blends that provide the requisite flame and thermal protection but that have improved durability. In some embodiments this is accomplished with the use of fiber blends that include relatively large percentages of FR nylon fibers in combination with cellulosic and inherently flame resistant fibers.

Flame resistant fabrics

Flame resistant fabrics formed with a combination of body yarns and stretch yarns that exhibit excellent physical and thermal properties. The body yarns are formed at least in part with flame resistant materials. The stretch yarns are corespun yarns having an elastic core surrounded by a fiber sheath formed at least in part with flame resistant materials. The fiber sheath protects the elastic core from direct exposure to heat and flame that would otherwise cause the core to degrade or melt.

Flame resistant fabrics formed with stretchable yarns

A rotorcraft has a rotor blade having a spar comprising an internal space. A weight system is disposed within the spar and the weight system includes a weight tray having an open top, a weight guide rod connected to the weight tray. The weight guide rod extends in a spanwise direction through an interior of the weight tray and a weight is disposed on the weight guide rod and vertically captured by at least one side wall of the weight tray. The weight guide rod is insertable into the weight tray from a location above the weight tray to restrict longitudinal movement of the weight guide rod relative to the weight tray.

Rotor blade weight system

In an implementation, a rotor blade (alternatively referred to herein as 'blade') for a helicopter or other aircraft may include an outer layer. The outer layer may define a cavity. The outer layer may at least partially correspond to an airfoil, e.g., a wing. One or more inserts may be included within the cavity and be encompassed thereby. The first insert may have a density of at least 0.6 pounds per cubic inch.

Insert for a blade of a rotary-wing aircraft

A method of constructing a cured composite assembly includes positioning a composite assembly within a bonding tool, wherein the composite assembly comprises an uncured composite spar and a skin and performing a curing cycle on the composite assembly to simultaneously cure the uncured composite spar and bond the skin to the cured composite spar.

Systems and methods of constructing composite assemblies

The present invention includes a rotor-blade span-balancing system, including a span-balance pocket in a surface of a rotor blade; a cover operably configured to cover the span-balance pocket, wherein the cover is operably configured to be substantially flush with the surface of the rotor blade surface when covering the span-balance pocket, and wherein the cover includes a cover boss for reacting centrifugal force of the cover into the rotor blade; and one or more span-balance weights attached to the cover to span-balance the rotor blade.

Rotor span-balance pocket

The present invention includes a span-balance pocket in a surface of a rotor blade, the span-balance pocket including an inboard surface and an outboard surface; and one or more weights disposed in the span-balance pocket to span-balance the rotor blade; and at least one of one or more retention devices to retain the one or more weights against the outboard surface of the span-balance pocket or the span-balance pocket is machined or molded into a tip block of the rotor blade.

A system and method for attaching a damper to a tail rotor blade includes a cuff that is integral with the rotor blade. The cuff has upper and lower lugs formed by extending a skin over a blade core of the rotor blade. The skin extends past the blade core to the root end of the rotor blade. The rod end of the damper is inserted into an opening between the lugs. The rod end of the damper is coupled to the blade with a bolt through aligned holes in the lugs. The cuff also couples the rotor blade to the grip inside the cuff. The cuff includes a same material as that forming the skin. Sacrificial buffer pads are applied to interior faces of the lugs. The buffer pads permit a distance between the lugs to be machined within a tolerance without removing skin from the cuff.

Tail rotor integrated damper attachment

A fabric includes base yarns and antistatic spun yarns located in discrete portions of the fabric such that the fabric dissipates static electricity by way of an inductive field and complies with one or more standards for static dissipation in fabric. The antistatic spun yarns may include inductive antistatic staple fibers, and may include less than 20% antistatic fiber. The fabric may be a woven fabric with the antistatic spun yarns inserted into the fabric in both the warp and filling directions in a ratio of antistatic spun yarns to base yarns of from 1:1 to 1:40. The fabrics may be flame resistant and comply with one or more standards for flame resistant fabrics and/or may comply with one or more standards for high visibility apparel. The fabric may have a total antistatic fiber content of less than about 1%.

Fabric containing an intimate blend of antistatic fibers arranged in a pattern

The electrical harness system is configured for routing a harness between a rotor yoke and a rotor blade. A recess in an inboard cap member is configured to house a connector and an associated harness. As the recess extends along a radial path in the chordwise direction of the rotor blade, the harness is configured to lie within the recess. Operationally induced centrifugal forces promote positioning the slack of harness within the recess, while the slack in the harness remains available for relative dynamic movements between the rotor blade and the rotor yoke. Such a routing of the harness reduces aerodynamic drag and minimizes damage that could otherwise occur to the harness.

Growing community of inventors

Ft. Worth, TX, United States of America

Robert Alan Self