The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 17, 1976
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1974
Robert E Nelson, Indianapolis, IN (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A control system for a helicopter power plant with three power units driving the lifting rotor system through a main gearbox. Each power unit comprises a gas turbine engine of the gas-coupled type, a hydromechanical fuel control receiving electrical inputs to set a gas generator governor in the fuel control, an engine electronic control, and various engine accessories. The operation of the power plant is normally controlled by the pilot through condition levers and switches on a control quadrant, through a pitch control by which the collective pitch of the rotor blades is controlled, and through a master beeper switch which is operable to trim the setting of an isochronous governor for the rotor system and the gas generator governors. The condition lever of each engine transmits a speed command signal through the electronic control of each power unit to its gas generator governor. A signal of collective pitch transmitted from the rotor control system to each engine electronic control is another factor in setting the governor. The power plant includes a power management control, the principal function of which is to equalilze the power outputs of the engines. It also includes the rotor isochronous governor. The power management control receives inputs of rotor system speed command and actual rotor speed and of the torques of the individual engines and transmits a governor trim signal to increase or decrease engine power to the several electronic controls. All signals are transmitted electrically between the rotor system, control panel, power management control, and engine electronic controls. A starting system for each engine includes logic circuits to test the operation of the electrical signal transmission system and closure of a fuel shutoff valve as a prerequisite to starting of the engine.