Abstract: A load absorbing elastic member or members is incorporated in the design of a rotor blade to assist in reducing flapwise and chordwise bending moments, torsional loading, and to reduce or eliminate the control system loads induced by rotor blade moment stall. In all its embodiments, the load absorbing elastic member has operatively associated therewith a constraining member which serves as a strain amplifier permitting the load absorbing elastic member to achieve its purpose effectively.

Abstract: What follows is a description of a composite aerodynamic rotor blade assembly which has been optimized from the standpoint of both fabrication cost and structural integrity. The rotor blade is fabricated using fewer overall assemblies to optimize cost and includes an aft fairing structure which is uniquely characterized in that it includes not only the typical elements of an aft fairing structure of the composite blade, but the spar heel as well. In assembly the skin members of the aft fairing structure are secured between the spar heel and the cap member of the assembly. This insures a fail-safe design and in this way the skin members are enabled to carry load effectively. The deicing blanket is assembled with the spar and cap member so that its supporting structural material serves as a load carrying member. Also, the spar, the inboard termination of the cap member, and the spar heel together form the root end of the rotor blade into which the torsion splices are formed.

Abstract: A vibration isolation system for a passenger carrying helicopter with which the crew seats in the cockpit area and the floor in the passenger area are decoupled from the airframe thereby isolating the seats and floor from the airframe vibrations. In addition, the fuel tanks of the helicopter are isolated from the airframe so that a force feedback from the fuel tank to the airframe resulting from the changing fuel quantity is effectively eliminated. The system employs nodal isolators which both isolate (decouple) and support the particular structural mass in question.

Abstract: A flying toy of the boomerang type having at least three airfoils, or wings, equiangularly spaced about a central vertical axis and extending horizontally outward from a center portion. Each wing carries at its outer end an annular-shaped wing stabilizer having a circular, horizontally-disposed, outer edge whose diameter is approximately twice the horizontal width of the wing at the juncture of the wing and the wing stabilizer, and having a circular inner edge which is disposed in the same horizontal plane as the outer edge, and which defines a center opening through the stabilizer. The stabilizer has a convex top annular surface and a concave bottom annular surface extending between the inner and outer peripheries. During flight, the stabilizers serve simultaneously as airfoils, wing stabilizers, and a gyroscope for the flying toy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tape applicator head for dispensing tape onto a working surface for the construction of primarily structural parts, and to a method of laying tape onto a working surface.The tape applicator head includes a housing which is preferably displaced relative to the working surface. The housing includes a tape dispensing outlet where at least one tape dispensing structure has a tape engaging surface which imparts a tension to the tape as the tape applicator head is displaced relative to the working surface to drive the tape through the tape head. Preferably, two tape dispensing blocks are mounted to the housing at the tape dispensing outlet adjacent to each other. These blocks define spaced, symmetrically oriented surfaces which alternately engage the tape and impart the noted tension thereto as the tape applicator head is displaced in two opposing directions relative to the working surface. With this latter arrangement, the orientation of the tape applicator head is maintained unchanged.

Abstract: A helicopeter rotor blade fabricated from laminated fiber-reinforced resin includes a blade root end attachment to the rotor hub that provides a structural extension capable of developing chordwise bending moment continuity across a single-pin joint. The extension is a spanwise continuation of the nose block and heel portions of the spar and continues inboard of the blade attachment pin about which the primary axial load-carrying portions of the spar are wrapped. The structural extension is formed as an integral part of the blade spar without secondary bonding or the use of pre-formed fittings.

Abstract: A flying toy of the boomerang type having two airfoil arms extending horizontally from a center portion. Each arm carries at its outer end a horizontally disposed, annular-shaped stabilizer having a horizontally disposed outer periphery whose diameter is approximately twice the horizontal width of the arm at the juncture of the arm and the stabilizer, and having an inner periphery which is disposed in the same horizontal plane as the outer periphery, and which defines a center opening through the stabilizer. The stabilizer has a convex top annular surface and a concave bottom annular surface extending between the inner and outer peripheries. During flight, the stabilizers serve simultaneously as airfoils, airfoil arm stabilizers, and a gyroscope for the flying toy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tape applicator head for dispensing tape onto a working surface in the construction of primarily structural parts. The tape applicator head includes a slidably mounted cylinder to which a rotation rack assembly is mounted. The rotation rack assembly includes a pair of dispensing and compacting blocks which are mounted to be stationary relative to each other but to pivot in unison relative to the remainder of the head at the end of a tape laying pass. This pivotal movement of the dispensing and compacting blocks produces the unique step-over or the looping of the tape.

Abstract: What follows is a description of a mechanism for displacing structurally related component parts of a larger assembly of parts relative to each other. The component parts are typically locked together into the larger assembly and the mechanism is designed to first unlock the component parts and thereafter produce the relative displacement of the component parts. The mechanism is also designed to reverse the noted procedure and first produce the relative displacement followed by locking of the component parts. The procedure is effected using a single actuator and a continuous operation.

Abstract: A load absorbing elastic member or members is incorporated in the design of a rotor blade to assist in reducing flapwise and chordwise bending moments, torsional loading, and to reduce or eliminate the control system loads induced by rotor blade moment stall. In all its embodiments, the load absorbing elastic member has operatively associated therewith a constraining member which serves as a strain amplifier permitting the load absorbing elastic member to achieve its purpose effectively.

Abstract: What follows is a description of a system for detecting rotor system related vibration in a helicopter. The vibration detecting system comprises three essential units: a sensing unit or device; a control unit; and a model module. Actually, any number of sensing units can be utilized depending upon the number of locations at which the vibration is to be monitored. The sensing unit generates a signal indicative of the rotor system related vibration and delivers this signal to the control unit which operates on the generated signal and produces an output signal within a selected frequency and amplitude range. The output signal is then displayed, for example, on a scale meter. The model module is adaptable for compatibility with the dynamic rotor system of a given helicopter model and is utilized as such to set the limits of the selected frequency and amplitude range of the control unit. The model module is readily connected to and removed from the housing of the control unit.

Abstract: What follows is a description of a three track mechanism assembly for a vehicle door, and in particular for a light rail vehicle door. Each track mechanism includes a guide rail for guiding the door in its opening and closing movement relative to the vehicle body. Two of the track mechanisms include actuators for producing the opening and closing movement of the door. One of these actuators produces the desired longitudinal displacement of the door relative to the vehicle body, while the other actuator produces the desired transverse displacement of the door relative to the vehicle body. In addition, an extraction device can be included with the track mechanism having the actuator producing the desired longitudinal displacement for assisting the other actuator in producing the desired transverse displacement of the door relative to the vehicle body.

Abstract: An automatic flight control apparatus for aircraft having the desired attitude of the aircraft in a balanced relation to the action speed of the aircraft and utilizing this reference signal to generate a difference signal which corresponds to the difference between the reference signal and a signal representing the actual attitude of the aircraft; this latter signal then is used as one of the control parameters. The difference signal is fed to a control system through a limiter having a limiting range to avoid feeding excessively large difference signals into the control system and thus preventing unstable flight.

Abstract: In a shock strut for an aircraft landing gear having inner and outer elongated telescoping tubes and a primary orifice selected and designed to attenuate the load level to a certain design condition which is compatible with the aircraft's structural threshold up to a certain overload sink speed, a load attenuating valve which opens when the design velocity is exceeded. The load attenuating valve includes secondary orifices held closed by a tension fuse which ruptures and opens the orifices in parallel to the primary orifice for additional flow, thus keeping the pressure drop across the orifices to an acceptable level so as to permit full stroking of the strut. In this way, as much energy as possible is absorbed before the load is transmitted to the aircraft on failure.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving a wheeled vehicle which can be positioned, controlled and operated by a single individual. The apparatus operates on one wheel of the wheeled vehicle and moves the vehicle by rotating the one wheel. The apparatus includes a drive which engages both the wheel and the surface along which the vehicle is moved and an idler roller which also engages the wheel. The idler roller in its engagement with the wheel produces a reaction force for the apparatus which reacts the driving torque input to the drive. The idler roller produces the essential effect needed to accomplish the one-man operation noted above.

Abstract: What follows is a description of a container and integrated work stand combination. Included are a body portion forming an enclosure which supports a component to be shipped and a lid portion which complements the body portion during shipping and also serves as part of a work stand for the component to be replaced at a replacement location. Within the body portion there is supplied supporting structure to which the component is mounted and secured, and to the lid portion there is included also supporting structure to which the component to be replaced is mounted. Both the lid portion and its supporting structure form the work stand.

Abstract: What follows is a description of a method of fabricating a composite assembly. In particular, the composite assembly comprises an aerodynamic rotor blade assembly which is fabricated utilizing a single matched die mold. Before utilizing the single matched die mold, the aft fairing structure of the composite blade assembly is formed. This aft fairing structure is uniquely characterized in that it includes not only the typical elements of an aft fairing structure of the composite blade, but the spar heel as well. The aft fairing structure thusly formed is then placed into the single matched die mold with the spar, nose block, cap member and deicing blanket, or with various subassemblies thereof, and the various parts brought into engagement and secured to each other in the single matched die mold through the application of heat and pressure.

Abstract: A simplified layup mandrel with no contour or twist is utilized by the method of this invention for forming the spar member of an aerodynamic rotor blade. A fiber glass tape is wrapped (laid-up) to a desired thickness onto the simplified mandrel to form a strap as the initial step. Because of the simple design of the mandrel, the laid-up strap when removed from the mandrel has a basic U-shaped configuration with straight extending legs having substantially parallel vertically oriented faces. This strap is then placed on a forming mandrel and contoured to the desired shape either by hand or by coining in a forming die. The contoured strap is then utilized in any of the various subassemblies or final assembly of the composite aerodynamic rotor blade.