Abstract: The torsible, flexible linking arm with integrated flexion damping according to the invention includes, between two rigid end portions, a flexible central portion constituted by a peripheral bundle (6) of rods (8) of fibres with high mechanical strength encapsulated in a flexible, vulcanized elastomer (9), and by a central damping core (7) with a strip (13) shearing a damping gel (12) filling a tight, flexible bladder (11) embedded in the elastomer (9). When deformations occur in the plane of the strip (13), the latter shears the gel (12), which produces damping that is added to that resulting from the deformation remanence of the elastomer (9). Application to the linking of two rigid bodies such as a rotor blade and its hub.

Abstract: A vertical axis windmill wherein the blades pivot between a power delivery and a recovery position with air gates associated with a non-rotating chamber containing the windmill acting to preclude airflow over the blades while in the recovery position. The blades either include chambers therein configured to receive a fluid moveable between the chambers as dictated by rotational speed of the windmill, or the blades are connected in pairs with elevational motion of one blade to a power delivery position assists the other blade of the pair in returning from the power delivery position to the recovery position.

Abstract: The performance of a TOBI for a gas turbine engine is improved by providing bypass apertures in the housing of said TOBI for directing a stream of air into the seal sealing the TOBI compartment and bypassing the nozzles of the TOBI to reduce the size of the plume of the TOBI cooling air.

Abstract: Blading for a rotating thermal machine consists of an airfoil (1), a root (4) and a shroud plate (5) or a shroud, the tip (2) of the airfoil (1) having a spigot-type step (11) with a semi-circular groove (12) extending around the whole periphery of its generated surface. The shroud plate (5) or the shroud has a recess corresponding to the step (11) with a semi-circular groove (8) extending around the complete periphery. At least one piece of a firmly seated heat-resisting wire (10) is located in the circular duct formed by the grooves (8, 12) as the fastening element between the components (1, 5). The blading is manufactured by pushing and/or pulling the wire (10) sideways into the duct formed by the grooves (8, 12).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing stress concentrations in a turbomachine rotor assembly are disclosed. A layer of superplastic metal is applied to a bearing surface formed on the turbine blade root. After assembly of the turbine blade to the rotor disk, the blade is pre-loaded to bring the superplastic metal layer into contact with adjoining bearing surfaces formed in the rotor disk groove. The superplastic metal material is capable of plastically deforming at least 500% thereby conforming to substantially all of the variations between the bearing surface formed on the blade root and the corresponding bearing surface formed on the rotor disk groove. By maximizing the contact area between the bearing surfaces, the stress concentrations are reduced.

Abstract: A dirt removal means for air cooled blades for removing dirt at the blade of a gas turbine engine. The means is a stamped out sheet metal that defines a deflector or plurality of deflectors adapted to overlie the inlets of the blade's internal cooling passages for diverting the dirt entrained air through a high velocity air stream and discharging the dirt entrained air while allowing the cleaner portion of air to turn the corner of the deflector and flow through the blades cooling passages. These means can be applied to existing blades.

Abstract: Dirt removal means for an internally air cooled blade for a gas turbine engine of the type that includes multi passes some of which are serpentine as made in situ by casting the ribs so as to be angularly disposed at the root of the blade and a straight through passageway with an opening at the tip. The velocity of the airstream in the straight through passageway being sufficiently high to carry the dirt through the opening and the angularly disposed ribs overlying the entrance to the other passageway so as to divert the dirt entrained airstream into the straight through passageway while allowing relatively dirt-free air to turn the angle of the rib to enter the serpentine passes.

Abstract: A helicopter rotor hub including a main retention plate that comprises triaxial braided tubular composite material having a fiber orientation that withstands forces both in the plane and normal to the plane of the retention plate. The retension plate comprises a plurality of fiber reinforced resin braided tubular rings that are spaced about in a plane normal to a central axis. The rings form a circumferential ring structure having arm means extending inwardly. A flattened braided tubular ring strap surrounds the circumferential ring structure. Fiber reinforced plates are disposed above and below the ring structure providing additional in-plane strength. The braided tubular rings and braided tubular ring strap comprises substantially circumferential fibers interwoven with angled fibers oriented at a predetermined angle to the circumferential fibers.

Abstract: An apparatus relating to a vertical-axle wind turbine comprises fore eccentric compressible and tensible slide-cantilevers, rear eccentric tensible ropes, dual-rocker trapezoid linkages, slightly inclined flap-blades, and counter-lever with equipoises. Accordingly, all blades on the wind turbine can catch favorable wind force at optimum leeway about 260 degrees each rotation; can absorb centrifugal, centripetal and circumferential shocks from gusts and variable wind force and convert the same to the same direction of torque; can adjust their radius against variable wind speed to stabalize the rotary speed; and can release resistance from relative wind sensitively and streamlined within the remaining 100 degrees of the rotation under the control of respective dual-rocker trapezoid linkages and equipoises to drive the apparatus for converting wind force to mechanical power most efficiently for commitment.

Abstract: A system for locking turbine blades onto a turbine wheel is disclosed in which a locking member is disposed totally radially inwardly of the turbine blade platforms, thereby enabling the platforms to define a continuous annular wall. Turbine blades are each inserted through a "window" and circumferentially displaced in a turbine wheel groove until space remains on the circumference of the turbine wheel for three turbine blades. The locking device cooperates with the last three turbine blades to lock the blades in position on the turbine wheel. The locking device is resiliently deformable and has a central portion having a cross-sectional shape generally similar to that of the circumferential groove. Locking flanges extend in an axial direction from the center section and engage locking notches defined by circumferentially extending ribs formed on the turbine wheel on either side of the circumferential groove.

Abstract: In turbines, gaps arising between adjacent shrouds of integrally shrouded blades at high temperature are controlled or eliminated using pins inserted into opposing faces of shroud portions. These pins have a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than the integrally shrouded blade material and at least equal to that of the rotor material and, thus, protrude outwardly at operating temperatures. These protruding pins act to close the gap between shroud portions, thereby reducing vibration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a combined bearing device for a rotorcraft rotor or a rotor equipped with such a bearing device. In the rotor, each blade is held on the hub by a flexible arm surrounded without contact by a rigid stub sleeve by a combined bearing device including a cylindrical plain angle of attach bearing, a spherical ball joint with visco-elastic element for resiliently returning the blade under flapping and drag conditions, and with an integrated damper for damping the angular oscillations of the blade under drag conditions, of the hydraulic rotation damper type with vanes for laminating the hydraulic fluid and compensation chambers for the expansion of this latter, the hydraulic damper being integrated in the spherical thrust bearing and its compensation chambers belonging to a hydraulic automatic play take-up device for the plain bearing.

Abstract: According to the invention, a wind turbine 10 incorporates a wind vane 105 which mechanically controls a valve 100 that directs the output of a turbine driven hydraulic pump 75 to yaw the turbine out of the wind upon a loss of system power or load. The turbine yaws out of the wind at an angular rate that is roughly proportional to rotor speed so that excessive teeter amplitudes are not encountered. The mechanically driven pump advantageously provides power to yaw the rotor out of the wind even if all electrical power is lost.

Abstract: A turbine rotor with air cooled blades has a turbine disk and a continuous hoop circumferential turbine rim bonded thereto. The rim has a plurality of circumferential rings extending toward the disk and forming circumferential chambers therebetween.Near the outer edge of the turbine rim are transversely extending openings. The rim is wire cut from these openings from the outer periphery forming segmented blade platforms, allowing the thermal expansion of the platform to occur. Tubes within the openings convey cooling air to the circumferential chambers, from which it passes to the blade interiors and through cooling openings in the platforms.

Abstract: A turbine blade having a bilaterally symmetrical side entry blade root for attaching the blade to a rotor of a steam turbine. The rotor has a longitudinal rotational axis of symmetry about which the blades rotate. The blades have a foil portion and a platform interposed between the foil portion and the blade roots. The roots are positionable in one of a plurality of complementary shaped grooves circumferentially disposed about the turbine rotor. The root is characterized by at least one pair of lugs symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the root with each of the lugs having an outer bearing surface for reacting against a complementary opposed mating surface formed in each of the rotor grooves. The bearing surfaces on the lugs are aligned along an arc of a circle centered on the rotor rotational axis.

Abstract: A pitch arrangement for a variable pitch fan assembly of a turbofan gas turbine engine comprises a plurality of fan blades, each of which has a root portion rotatably mounted, in a thrust bearing on a fan rotor. A control ring is arranged coaxially with and is rotatably mounted on the fan rotor, and each of the fan blades is connected to the control ring by a lever arm. The pitch of the fan blades is varied by rotation of the control ring in either direction. A plurality of hydraulic rams are arranged to drive the control ring through a plurality of bell cranks. The hydraulic rams are mounted on the fan rotor so that the pistons and shafts move in a radial direction such that the centrifugal force of the pistons and shafts is applied to the bell cranks so that a counter turning movement is applied to the control ring to oppose the centrifugal turning moment of the fan blades.

Abstract: A controllable pitch marine propeller comprises a hub body carrying a plurality of propeller blades for rotation about pivot axes disposed radially of the hub axis, a force rod extending into the hub body from the propeller shaft, and a cross-head affixed to the force rod and coupled to each propeller blade by a pin and slideway such that the propeller pitch is controlled by fore and aft movements of the force rod. The hub body has a tubular mount spigot that receives the aft end of the shaft with the shaft and mount spigot terminating aftward of the pivot axes of the blades. The cross-head is generally cup-shaped, having a base portion affixed to the force rod aftward of the pivot axes of the blades and a tubular portion extending forewardly from the base portion and surrounding aftward portions of the spigot in telescoping relation. The cross-head in supported in plain bearing relation by the hub body for fore and aft movements.

Abstract: The ceiling fan has a motor and a removable switch unit. The motor comprises an inner stator, an outer rotor, a rotor casing rotatable with the rotor, and a tubular boss which depends from the stator and through which first wiring extends. The switch unit comprises a housing, switchgear for the motor contained in the housing, and second wiring connected to the switchgear. The first and second wiring have complementary electrical connectors which are able to pass through an aperture provided in the upper end of the housing and the housing has connecting means at its upper end for connecting the housing to the depending boss. The connecting means is in the form of an openable or enlargeable clamp to allow the connectors to be passed through the aperture and the first wiring to extend through and be withdrawn from the clamp.

Abstract: A helicopter rotor on which each blade is connected in articulated manner to a center hub by means of a fork, the vertical plane movement of which is limited, below a given speed of the rotor, by a pair of limit rocker arms located between the hub and a ring nut mounted for rotation on the fork and angularly integral with the hub by means of a rod of variable length connected in articulated manner to a slide supported on the hub and arranged substantially horizontally and crosswise in relation to the blade.

Abstract: The hollow shaft of a high pressure compressor is provided in a conically tapering section downstream of the last rotor disc on its inner surface with a vane-like rib arrangement for conveying a stream of cooling air from the vicinity of the axis of the shaft into the outer peripheral regions of the last rotor disc. The stream then passes through corresponding circumferentially distributed axial holes in the rotor disc. In this way, better cooling of the last compressor stages which have been heated by the main stream of air in the compressor and a reduction in the stresses in the structural parts can be obtained.