Textron Corporation

Vas H Brogdon

Cecil E Covington

Richard E Wheelis

David L Williams

A helicopter tail rotor structure includes a thin, flat, tension-bearing strap of fibers extending spanwise, and is to be centrally secured by a hub to a helicopter tail mast. Flex sections are formed inboard of substantially equally divided portions of said fibers which extend as top and bottom blade spars from the outboard margins of the flex sections. Preferably, the planes of the flex sections and the planes of the spars are oriented at predetermined nose-up twist angles, one relative to the other.

Bearingless tail rotor for helicopters

A rotor yoke (10) for coupling helicopter blades to a rotatable support mast (12) utilizes a novel laminated construction. Layers (30) of unidirectional fibers and layers (32) of bias ply fibers are arranged in alternating sequence to form an elongate loop structure. At least some of the bias ply layers (32) extend between the sides of the loop to form a transverse central section (20). Further, at least some of the bias ply layers (32) include gaps to provide flexure areas (24) in the sides of the yoke (10).

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Hurst, TX, United States of America

Vas H Brogdon