Abstract: A steam turbine blade, such as those used in an electric power generation steam turbine, has an airfoil portion. The airfoil portion includes a metallic section consisting essentially of metal and at least one (lightweight) panel section not consisting essentially of metal. The metallic section extends from generally the blade root to generally the blade tip. Each panel section is an elastomeric section. The metallic section and the at-least-one panel section only together define a generally airfoil shape.

Abstract: A single port pump impeller includes two pump vanes diverging arcuately and radially from a suction eye to form one open expanding chamber, and includes a blocking wall for closing the remaining, opposite expanding chamber. The two vanes are contained within parallel spaced apart shrouds. The shrouds include increased wall thickness regions to dynamically balance the impeller. The blocking wall can include a small aperture for providing a small stream of liquid to flow into the otherwise closed expanding chamber to prevent cavitation at a distal end of an adjacent vane. Alternately, the otherwise blocked expanding chamber can be filled with a solid material having substantially the same weight as the fluid being pumped, e.g., water, to prevent cavitation at the outside edge of one of the adjacent vanes.

Abstract: There is disclosed an elongate style portable fan device having an elongate body portion including a fan device mounted on the top end of the body portion. The elongate body portion is designed to lay flat on an underlying flat surface in a manner which maintains the fan device portion at an angle of approximately 30 degrees from the central horizontal axis of the elongate body portion such that the fan blades of the fan device are free to rotate above the underlying flat surface when in the fan activated mode. The elongate body portion includes stop means for providing a resting stop position for the elongate body portion in order to permit the fan blades of the fan device to rotate freely when in the resting position and in the fan activation mode while laying on a flat underlying surface. Switch means is provided to the device for alternating between a fan activation and a fan deactivation mode.

Abstract: Co-molded fan vanes on a propeller. The vanes provide a soft, flexible material guard along the leading edge of each vane. This obviates the use of a propeller edge guard without concern for injury.

Abstract: The shielding of the blade against lightning comprises a conducting component forming a leading edge glove and a cover for protecting the blade tip across its entire chord. Mechanical means, such as screws and rivets, with protruding shapes, fix the cover on the composite structure of the blade, in addition to some gluing, possibly conductive gluing, and are earthed by the cover, forming points where the lightning can enter or exit, protecting the surrounding composite structure of the blade against damage. At least the cover may have a suction face arm and a pressure face arm of different dimensions, at least in the direction of the span. When the blade is mounted on a member for linking to the hub, electrical continuity with this member and the hub is provided.

Abstract: An ceiling fan applique and method for adorning the blades of a ceiling fan. An applique constructed of a thin, flexible material includes printed matter disposed on a front surface of the applique. Pressure sensitive adhesive is mounted to the rear surface of the applique. The applique has a predetermined shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the ceiling fan blade. A release liner is affixed to the rear surface of the applique to prevent the applique from becoming inadvertently affixed or damaged prior to intended use.

Abstract: A hollow airfoil (34) for a gas turbine engine having a leading edge (50), a trailing edge (52), a pressure side (54), and a suction side (56) includes a solid region of enhanced chordal thickness (78), and buttresses (82, 84, 86, 88). The present invention airfoil is preferentially strengthened so as to reduce the risk of airfoil fracture due to impact of airfoil with successive airfoils during an airfoil loss condition.

Abstract: A fan blade includes a metal airfoil having first and second opposite sides extending radially between a root and a tip, and axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil further includes a pocket disposed in the first side having an elastomeric filler bonded therein. A panel is bonded to the filler along the pocket for allowing differential movement therebetween for damping vibratory response of the airfoil.

Abstract: An axial-flow fan comprises a hub having an axial dimension T.sub.N, and including a planar portion extending in a radial direction. Axial blades connected to the hub, and each axial blade has an axial dimension T.sub.Sch in a vicinity of a radially outermost portion of the hub. The axial dimension T.sub.Sch of each axial blade is greater than the axial dimension T.sub.N of the hub. Each axial blade has a projection U beyond the planar portion of the hub. The projection U extends axially from a leading edge of each axial blade to the planar portion of the hub.

Abstract: A motor fan for a cleaning apparatus that creates the suction caused by a rotor in a suction device mounted in the cleaning apparatus such that foreign materials are drawn therein has a fan member coupled to the rotor and is provided with a plurality of curved fins thereon and which fins cause the air in a collection compartment to pass through a suction inlet by the suction when the rotor is rotated, and to discharge the sucked air outside a body through outlets and an exhaust outlet. A reinforcing member is provided and is closely engaged with a rear surface of the fan member, and which reinforcing member insertedly receives a shaft of the suction device and firmly is tightened by a nut.

Abstract: A composite article comprising of a non-metallic composite core, a fluoroelastomer adhesive layer which has a curing temperature substantially similar to the composite core, and a metallic structure which overlays the fluoroelastomer adhesive layer, wherein the composite article can be formed by co-curing the core and the fluoroelastomer adhesive layer.

Abstract: This process consists in making separately a set of individual plies consisting of rods impregnated with thermoplastic resin, in assembling several individual plies in order to form a rod bundle, in encasing at least the rods in at least one elastomer and in curing the injected elastomer. The ends of the rods have a rectangular shape, the rods having central parts joined to the ends by transition zones such that the surface area of the cross-section of the rods is constant and the length of the transition zone is very small. Cut pieces consisting of fibers, arranged on each side of the ends of the rods comprise fibers oriented at more or less 45 degrees to the longitudinal fibers of the rods.

Abstract: A plastic fan is composed of a plastic-made fan portion and a metal-made insert portion integrally embedded in the plastic-made fan portion. The fan portion is formed of fan blades and a fan boss. The insert portion is formed of a ring-shaped flat base portion and a bent portion extending upright from an outer peripheral edge of the base portion and having a substantially ring-shaped configuration in plan and a flattened U-shaped configuration in cross-section. The insert portion defines lock holes arranged at predetermined intervals in an outer peripheral portion of the metal-made insert portion and extending through the metal-made insert portion from an outer side thereof to an inner side thereof. The inner peripheral edge portion of each of the lock holes is formed of a smooth flat surface on at least one of the outer side and the inner side of the metal-made insert portion.

Abstract: A fan blade includes a metal airfoil having first and second opposite sides extending longitudinally between a root and a tip, and laterally between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil further includes a plurality of fine striations spaced laterally apart between the leading and trailing edges in the airfoil first side, and extending longitudinally between the root and the tip. A viscoelastic filler is bonded in the striations for damping torsional vibrations of the airfoil.

Abstract: An airfoil is provided having a cross-sectional geometry which includes a first wall, a second wall disposed opposite the first wall, a leading edge, a trailing edge disposed opposite the leading edge, and a first cavity. The first cavity is disposed between the first and second walls, and the leading and trailing edges. The cross-sectional geometry extends between a first and a second end, and the airfoil is formed from discontinuously reinforced aluminum.

Abstract: A kayak paddle with a hollow wooden shaft featuring reduced weight and improved strength. The shaft is formed from lineal segments which run the entire length of the paddle shaft and are joined to form a closed shaft structure. A helical twist can be introduced in the shaft to establish desired paddle "feather." The hollow shaft can be formed having a closed cell foam core wrapped with a reinforcing cloth, such as fiberglass to further increase the strength of the shaft.

Abstract: A lightweight, impact-resistant gas turbine blade, such as an aircraft engine fan blade, has an airfoil portion. The airfoil portion includes a metallic section consisting essentially of metal and at least one panel section not consisting essentially of metal. The metallic section extends from generally the blade root to generally the blade tip. Each panel section is an elastomeric section. Preferably, the metallic section and the at-least-one panel section only together define a generally airfoil shape.

Abstract: A composite spar for a helicopter rotor blade includes upper and lower side-wall regions and forward and aft conic regions wherein the conic regions further define transition and closure subregions. Constant width crossplies and unidirectional plies are stacked and arranged to form crossply and unidirectional laminates. The crossply laminates form the upper and lower sidewall regions and end portions thereof extend into the forward and aft conic regions to form a staggered distribution of structural joints and slip plane interfaces therein. The crossply laminates are comprised of high modulus fibers which are oriented within a range of .+-.42.degree. to about .+-.38.degree. relative to the longitudinal axis of the composite spar. The unidirectional laminates form the upper and lower sidewall regions and have end portions extending into the transition subregions.

Abstract: The invention provides a more durable composite fan assembly with a metal hub including a portion adapted for rotation and for engagement with a plastic body and including at least one peripheral portion offset from its plane of rotation, and a plastic body forming a plurality of air-moving blades molded in engagement with the offset peripheral portion of the metal hub. The offset peripheral portion of the metal hub can comprise a number of configurations, for example, it can comprise one or more annular portions formed adjacent the periphery of the hub, including but not limited to, a complete annulus offset from the plane of rotation of the hub periphery. The offset peripheral portion can also comprise one or more portions at the periphery of the metal hub, which are out of the plane of rotation, preferably so that at least two offset portions extend out of the plane of rotation at an acute angle of about 10.degree. to 30.degree. on one or both sides of their plane of rotation.

Abstract: A lightweight, impact-resistant gas turbine blade, such as an aircraft engine fan blade, has a metal solid section, composite or structural/syntactic foam segments, and metal solid spars all attached together to define an airfoil portion. The solid section includes the leading edge, blade tip, and trailing edge. The segments together are bounded in part by the solid section near the leading edge, blade tip, and trailing edge. The solid spars separate and are attached to the segments.

Abstract: A turbine engine blade made from a composite material and having at a free end thereof an integrated brush joint. A process for producing such a blade includes the steps of:introducing a fibrous fabric into a mold,introducing specific fibres into the mold, in the vicinity of the free end of the blade,injecting a resin into the mold,performing polymerization by use of a heating press of the resin-impregnated fibrous fabric.

Abstract: A fan for a vacuum cleaner has a fan housing, motor and impeller. The fan housing has an inlet and outlet. The impeller has a hub and multiple flexible blades, formed of a plurality of strips. This flexible blade fan provides better air performance, less noise, better durability, and easier impeller installation than conventional vacuum cleaner fans.

Abstract: A fan blade which includes an open frame, and a flat, thin blade body fastened to the open frame, the open frame having a blade mounting groove on the inside for mounting the blade body, and a coupling head at one end for coupling to a motor shaft, the coupling head being formed of two separated coupling portions detachably connected together by a tongue-and-groove joint so that the two separated coupling portions can be separated from each other for permitting the blade body to be fitted into the blade mounting groove.

Abstract: A laminated rotor assembly is provided having a plurality of laminates, each of which has integral rotor blades. The rotor blades are angled at a predetermined amount with respect to a hub portion of the rotor assembly. The laminates are joined such that the laminated rotor assembly is closed.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided a centrifugal blower wheel with backward curved comprising a disk, a shroud and a plurality of airfoil shaped blades. By separating the blades into "vane members" which assume the function of a fluid device and "vane attachment members" which assume the function of a rotating device, there is a greater degree of freedom of design, so optimum materials and shapes can be assigned to these different functions. The disk, the shroud and the vane attachment members are therefore constructed of metal and provided with beads so as to give a highly rigid structure, while the vane members are constructed of non-metal. This makes it possible to provide a blower wheel which is more lightweight and quieter in operation than a conventional blower wheel.

Abstract: A turbine wheel of a torque converter for an automatic transmission is formed of fiber-reinforced plastic resin molded about a powder metal hub having a disc formed with tabs extending radially from a central flange, and openings extending through the thickness of the disc at angularly spaced intervals. The plastic resin of the turbine wheel fills the spaces between the tabs, extends through the holes formed through the disc, and forms a bond to the surface of the disc on which it is molded.

Abstract: An improved torque converter assembly utilizing or making use of the same or similar composite materials for each component of the torque converter to result in a high strength yet light weight torque converter assembly which may be easily recycled. Further, the torque converter includes a unique hub member having integral fingers radially extending therefrom for use in bonding hub member to a multi-bladed body such as a turbine, wherein the fingers are circumferentially spaced about an outer circumferential surface on the hub member such that the spacing between a common finger and adjacent fingers on each side thereof is not equal. Such a hub member distributes the loads and stresses onto different planes extending radially and transverse the longitudinal axis of the hub member.

Abstract: A centrifugal blower wheel is provided with forward-curved multi-blades comprising a pair of end rings, a plurality of blades and a disk. By separating the blades into "vane members" which assume the function of a fluid device and "vane attachment members" which assume the function of a high speed rotating device, there is a greater degree of freedom of design, so optimum materials and shapes can be assigned to these different functions. The end rings, vane attachment members and disk are therefore constructed of metal and provided with beads so as to give a highly rigid structure, while the vane members are constructed of non-metal. This makes it possible to provide a blower wheel which is more lightweight and quieter in operation than a conventional blower wheel.

Abstract: A form having a base, a tip, and a major surface, an adhesive layer carried on the major surface and a protective sheet removably covering the adhesive layer, forming a decoratable fan blade removably mountable on a ceiling fan.

Abstract: Leading edge weights for helicopter rotor blades are required to provide blade chordwise balance and maintain rotor inertia. Provision for retention of the leading edge weights in a high centrifugal force field, after failure of the primary adhesive bond, is necessary. The invention discloses wrapping a prepreg strap around the conical or cylindrical outboard end of each weight segment. The weight segment is then placed in the rotor blade spar and goes through the spar cure cycle with it. Primary retention is provided by adhesive bonding between the weight and the spar. Secondary retention is by hoop tension in the strap, acting through interlaminar shears at the co-cured interface with the spar.

Abstract: Composite Blade With Reinforced Leading EdgeThe shell (30) of a lightweight composite propulsor blade (10) of spar and shell construction has a leading edge portion (39) having twice the thickness as the remainder (33, 35, 37) of the shell thereby enhancing resistance to foreign object damage and improving erosion resistance.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an axial fan having a hub and including an annular flange and a plurality of fan blade units distributed in spaced relationship about the periphery of the annular flange. Each of the fan blade units includes a base portion defining a hub component and a fan blade extending outwardly from the base portion. The hub components are disposed in spaced relationship one next to the other around the periphery of the annular flange to define the hub of the axial fan and so as to cause each two mutually adjacent ones of the hub components to be separated from each other and to define a gap therebetween. Each of the fan blade units is a single piece injection molded onto the annular flange.

Abstract: A fan hub is disclosed which has a hub insert for securing a shaft against relative rotation in a secure manner. The hub insert can be manufactured simply through injection molding the hub to a non-circular hub insert so that the plastic flows around the hub insert to hold the insert securely within the shell. The central aperture of the hub has inner and outer coaxial cylinders forming an annular space that accommodates the front plate of a motor. Radial, curved vanes on and conforming to the inner surface of the hub also are provided for engine cooling and on the other side of the hub, a shallow, depressed region reduces undesirable turbulence.

Abstract: A multibladed propeller shaped agitator includes a plurality of impellers having made blades, blade roots and hub segments made of plastic material. A metallic hub element is inlaid only in the hub segment. The impellers are connected to the hub segment such that stress peaks, imparted from a driving force, in the region of the blades, blade roots and hub segments are substantially prevented.

Abstract: A fan and fan drive assembly (11) is disclosed of the type including a fan drive (13) and a fan assembly (15). The fan drive (13) includes a body member (21) and a cover member (23), one of the members comprising a die-cast member and including a connecting portion (65; 165; 201) having a terminal portion (67, 69; 102; 267, 269). The fan (15) comprises a one-piece molded plastic member, and during the molding step, whichever of the body and cover defines the connecting portion is disposed within the molding die (M). The terminal portion of the connecting portion is disposed within a hub cavity (H), so that, when the moldable plastic material is injected into the hub cavity, it forms the fan hub (61) about, and rigidly connected to the terminal portion of the connecting portion.

Abstract: An abrasive medium suitable for the cutting tip of a turbine blade of a gas turbine engine comprises cubic boron nitride grit coated with a layer of aluminum nitride. Coating of the grit particles is carried out by vapour deposition in a fluidised bed reaction.

Abstract: A fan blade for a ceiling fan is formed as an elongated laminated plate body which includes several layers of thin wooden plates that are bonded together. The laminated plate body has a top face which is formed with projecting strips and a bottom face which is formed with recessed strips that correspond to the projecting strips.

Abstract: An advanced composite blade construction for a helicopter rotor blade using for the most part fiber reinforced plastic materials in which the major assembly of blade elements is a single step co-cure operation and in which an integral spar/skin carries centrifugal, flapwise and chordwise loads and also incorporates redundant means to carry torsional loads and a honeycomb core carries shear and aerodynamic pressures loads.

Abstract: A tension strained fiber structure component comprises a plurality of mutually connected structural elements which each consists of a fiber strand plate aligned in the tension direction and of a pressure plate extending at an acute angle with respect to the tension direction, which are both connected with one another. As a result, a favorable introduction of the tension forces into a separate supporting component can be achieved.

Abstract: A replaceable tip portion (20) for a helicopter rotor blade (14) is selectively swept, tapered and anhedral. The tip portion is formed of an upper and lower composite tip skin layer (35), each tip skin layer having bonded thereto a honeycomb core (38). The density of the core varies from a leading edge of the tip to a trailing edge of the tip from a high density to a lower density. A channel (recess) (40) is formed in the honeycomb for receiving a rotor spar tip end (30), and the tip portion is removably attached (60) to the rotor spar and the remainder of the rotor blade. The honeycomb core is attached to the upper and lower tip skin layers in halves, and is machined along the rotor blade chord plane (70) prior to assembly of the halves on the rotor spar, the machined core providing tight tolerance control in the construction of the blade tip portion.

Abstract: A system for protecting against erosion the surface of a body which is subjected to an airflow and consists essentially of a fibrous material or a fiber-reinforced plastic material, such as a rotor blade, has a metallic coating which, in the respective area to be protected, covers the surface in several layers. The primary layer of the coating consists of aluminum or a similar material with a modulus of elasticity that is approximately identical to that of the material on the surface of the body. The primary layer, in the form of a sheet glued to the surface, is coated with a two-phase material, in which particles of metallic oxide and/or metallic carbide and/or metallic nitride compounds are embedded in a finely distributed manner in a ductile, solid-solution-hardened matrix of a metallic but non-ferrous material.

Abstract: A screw rotor for use in a hydraulic machine which has a pair of rotors engageable with each other to compress fluid, pump fluid or expand fluid, and a method of manufacturing such a screw rotor. The screw rotor comprises a shaft, a screw body including a number of stacked thin plates bonded with one another, and a cavity provided in the screw body and formed by openings of the stacked thin plates. The method of manufacturing a screw rotor comprises the steps of preparing a number of thin plates having at least one opening, stacking the thin plates in such a manner that a through hole of the thin plate receives a shaft, filling a cavity formed by the openings of the stacked thin plates with powdery pressure medium, and bonding the stacked thin plates with one another by diffusion bonding under a hot isostatic pressing process.

Abstract: A blade and method for fabrication of a blade for use on a hub for rotation in a fluid that enjoys the benefits of a skewed blade without the disadvantages. This is accomplished through the use of alternating clockwise skewed and counterclockwise skewed sections formed along the leading edge. In bidirectional applications the alternating clockwise and counterclockwise skewed sections are formed along both edges.

Abstract: A composite axial flow rotary machine blade (50) and method of blade construction is disclosed. A partial-length, spanwisely-disposed hollow spar (20) partially captures a shaped foam core (30) which extends from within the spar's cavity (26) along a substantial length of the blade (50) in a spanwise fashion. A resin-impregnated high strength, high modulus cloth (34) and graphite (32) composition overlays the spar-core assembly (36) and forms the casing (50) with airfoil regions (52, 54) of the propeller blade (10). This construction results in a rotor blade (50) with enhanced natural frequencies thereby providing for an enhanced operational speed range.

Abstract: A blower includes a plurality of rotatable impeller vanes operable to impel air. The impeller vanes create an air pressure differential thereacross when rotated, and each of the impeller vanes has a porous central portion made of sintered resin material. The porous central portion has a plurality of pores therein which permit a portion of air to pass through the porous central portion from a relatively high air pressure side to a relatively low air pressure side of the impeller vanes. Each of the impeller vanes also has a non-porous portion surrounding the porous central portion. The non-porous portion is made of a solid resin material which prevents air from passing therethrough.

Abstract: A composite fan blade comprises a blade portion (12) formed from a first set of unidirectional layers of fibers (110) wrapped around a wedge shape bushing (16). A blade platform (14) comprising a second set of unidirectional fiber layers (114) filled with a resin filler (116) is pressure molded with the blade (12) and bushing (16) to form a desired blade shape. The blade is then hinge mounted to a metallic blade support disk (18). The blade of the present invention provides a strong, lightweight fan blade for small, high speed propfan turbine engines.

Abstract: A polyurethane impeller for mixing liquids lasts considerably longer than equivalent metal impellers of the prior art. The impeller comprises a disk having inner and outer portions of polyurethane resin having different flexibilities, the outer portion being bonded to the inner portion and having greater flexibility than the inner portion. The polyurethane portions are chemically reacted with each other to form a strong chemical bond.A method is provided for centrifugally casting a polyurethane impeller having inner and outer sections of different flexibility and hardness.

Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a sandwich panel to another structure. A hollow pin passes through the panel near the edge to be joined to the structure. A bolt, passing through the edge of the panel, and barrel nut, inside the hollow of the pin, are used to draw the edge of the panel against a flange attached to the structure. The panel may be reinforced with doublers or an end cap.

Abstract: A rotor and a method for the production thereof which incorporates the inently strong, highly damped, yet light weight characteristics of fiber reinforced plastic composites, Achieving with a minimal amount of added weight in the form of high density material a significant reduction in the vibratory response of the rotor due to hydrodynamic flow excitation, by selectively tailoring the mass distribution therein as by adding the high density material at selected locations of the rotor.

Abstract: A laminated airfoil for use in a high bypass engine. The airfoil preferably has a large tip chord and is comprised of alternating layers of thin metallic foil and elastomeric layers. The exterior surfaces of the airfoil are comprised of a thin, metallic foil. The airfoil also has a metal sheath secured to the leading edge. High strength metal members extend through the dovetail root sections.