Abstract: A pitch actuation system restraint (PASR) device that provides, inter alia, protection for the pitch actuation system of a helicopter having a main rotor assembly configured for main rotor blade folding operations. The PASR device includes permanent adapter brackets that are permanently mounted in combination with the rotor hub arms of the main rotor assembly. The PASR device further includes a temporary adapter bracket and quick release pins for each main rotor blade to be folded. Prior to implementing blade folding operations, a temporary adapter bracket is temporarily secured in combination with the pitch control horn of each main rotor blade to be folded and the permanent adapter bracket of the adjacent rotor hub arm by means of the quick release pins.

Abstract: The topology of parallel axis gears, such as spur and helical gears is modified to produce quieter and more smoothly operating gear sets with more uniform load distribution. A finite element analysis of the gear in its operating mode is made to produce a plot of radial and tangential deflections of the pinion and gear tooth surfaces which will occur when the gears are loaded during operation. The resultant plot is then inverted to produce a plot, or set of coordinates, which will define the path of travel of the gear tooth grinding wheel, which path is a mirror image of the plot of the finite element analysis. The resulting gears, when subjected to operating loads, will thus be deflected tangentially and radially to their optimum operating, or theoretical true involute, positions so as to produce quieter, smoother, and more evenly loaded gear trains.

Abstract: An active noise control (ANC) system for a helicopter that is operative to effectively nullify one or more high frequency vibrations emanating from the main transmission gearbox thereof at the gearbox/airframe interface, thereby significantly reducing the interior noise levels of the helicopter, that is design optimized to minimize the number of actuators required, and that is design optimized to minimize contamination forces arising from operation of the system actuators. The ANC system includes modified transmission beams that are mechanically stiffened to function as rigid bodies with respect to the one or more of the high frequency vibrations, a plurality of actuators disposed in combination with the modified transmission beams, a plurality of sensors disposed in combination with the modified transmission beams in a collinear, spaced apart functional correlation with respective actuators, and controllers interconnecting individual actuators with respective functionally correlated sensors.

Abstract: A virtual image display system provides video displays based upon virtual images of the external world having synchronized structural outlines superimposed on the video displays to a pilot operating an aircraft such as a helicopter in non-visual flight conditions.

Abstract: A main controller (55) causes a vision controller (36) to determine the exact location of plies (24) for a composite article in response to images from video cameras (35). The main controller then causes a robot controller (40) to direct a robot (42-46) to pick up the plies and move to a neutral position. The main controller causes the vision controller to determine that the plies were in fact picked up. If so, the main controller causes the robot controller to direct the robot to move the plies to the mold while the vision controller looks for the next ply to be picked up, in overlapped fashion. Failure to properly locate the plies and failure to verify that the plies were picked up causes an automatic retry to locate the plies or verify ply pick up.

Abstract: A pivoting wire deflection and severance (PWDS) system that provides protection against wire/cable strikes for aircraft, especially helicopters, having external, belly-mounted gun systems that are pivotable in the elevational plane. The PWDS system is operative to protect against wire/cable strikes with the gun system in a forward stowed flight position and with the gun system pivoted to any position within the predetermined elevation angle of the gun system. The PWDS system includes a hard mounted wire cutter and a pivotable deflector member. The wire cutter includes upper and lower cutting jaws disposed in a housing and operative to sever wires/cables. The wire cutter housing is mounted in combination with the gun system so that the wire cutter provides protection against wire/cable strikes with the gun system in the forward stowed flight position. The deflector member is an elongated structure having first and second ends.

Abstract: An integrated spline/cone seat subassembly for a rotor assembly that is design optimized to minimize the radial dimensions of the rotor shafts, the rotor shaft bearings, the transmission housing, and the swashplate subassemblies thereof. The integrated subassembly includes a rotor hub having a shaft aperture with a plurality of hub splines extend radially inwardly therefrom. The lower portion of each hub spline has an outwardly tapered portion that makes a predetermined angle with respect to the hub centerline. The integrated subassembly further includes a rotor shaft having a primary shaft portion of a first diameter, an end shaft portion having an intermediate second diameter less than the first diameter, and a conic transition portion that makes a predetermined angle with respect to the rotor shaft axis. The end shaft portion has a plurality of shaft splines extending radially outwardly therefrom that defines a third diameter that is equal to the first diameter.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle having a toroidal fuselage structure that surrounds a pair of coaxial, multi-bladed, counter-rotating rotors. The toroidal fuselage structure is optimized to provide a highly efficient structure for reacting aerodynamic flight loads and rotor thrust loads of the UAV. The toroidal fuselage structure is further optimized to provide weight efficiency for minimizing power requirements.

Abstract: A transmission is provided wherein selected configurational parameters of interacting spur gearing are modified to abate the vibration levels thereof due to the effects of differential thermal expansion of the gearbox housing. The chordal addenda of the gear teeth of the interacting spur gearing are extended by a predetermined amount, based upon the computed relative radial displacement of the centerlines thereof due to the differential thermal expansion effects, to provide modified interacting spur gearing having increased outside diameters. Such modified spur gearing provides an effective centerline spacing for the transmission such that the interacting spur gearing thereof has an operating contact ratio greater than the design contact ratio at engine start up.

Abstract: A mid-beam jointed reconfigurable bearingless main rotor (BMR) assembly that includes reconfiguration joints that facilitate BMR assembly reconfiguration by main rotor blade removal or folding to reduce the structural envelope of a helicopter for rapid deployment, routine transport, and/or storage. The BMR assembly comprises a rotor hub structure that includes a plurality of radially extending flexbeams, combinations of torsion flexure members and main rotor blades disposed in combination with corresponding flexbeams, and torque tube subassemblies disposed in combination with corresponding flexbeams and torsion flexure member, main rotor blade combinations. Each reconfiguration joint is formed by a combination of an outboard joint segment of a flexbeam and an inboard joint segment of the corresponding torsion flexure member.

Abstract: A pair of thermoset composite structures (19,19') are bonded together by a pair of adhesive strips (10,10'). An adhesive strip (10) is comprised of a layer of semi-crystalline thermoplastic material (12), a layer of amorphous thermoplastic material (14), a layer of dry fiber reinforcement (16) partially embedded in the layer of amorphous thermoplastic material (14), and a layer of thermosetting resin (18) covering the exposed fibers of the dry fiber reinforcement. An adhesive strip is bonded to the bonding surface (20) of the structure (19) during the curing process for the thermoset composite structure. A resistance heating element is placed between the bonding surfaces (20,20'), the bonding surfaces (20,20') are pressed together, and electrical energy is passed through the heating element (24) to heat the joint and fuse the thermoplastic adhesive layers together.

Abstract: A blade retention pin system is operative to secure the blade cuff of a main rotor blade of a helicopter in combination with a spindle assembly of the main rotor hub assembly for main rotor assembly operations and is readily reconfigurable to accommodate blade folding operations. The blade retention pin system includes first and second pin assemblies, each pin assembly including a retainer pin and a handle subassembly, which includes a retainer member and a spring member in superposed abutting combination, pivotably mounted in combination therewith. The first pin assembly includes, in addition, a safety pin subassembly secured in combination therewith. Each retainer pin is inserted into aligned apertures of the blade cuff and spindle assembly and locked in place by pivoting the handle subassembly from an unlocked to a locked position wherein the retainer member engages the retainer pin and the spring member is biased onto the retainer pin to abuttingly engage the retainer member.

Abstract: A composite torque tube for a bearingless main rotor (BMR) assembly that is optimally fabricated to meet torsional stiffness, fatigue strength, and buckling strength design constraints at minimal unit weight. The composite torque tube includes a strengthened inboard section for mechanically coupling the torque tube in combination with the hub structure of the BMR assembly, a strengthened outboard section for mechanically coupling the torque tube in combination with a corresponding main rotor blade, and an intermediate section that is operative to accommodate the pitch, flapwise, and/or edgewise loads acting on the BMR assembly during operation thereof. The intermediate section of the torque tube has a constant wall thickness and is formed from continuous filament windings having a predetermined fiber orientation within a broad range of about +/-18.degree. to about +/-40.degree. and/or a narrow range of about +/-26.degree. to about +/-35.degree..

Abstract: An integrated, automated composite material manufacturing system for pre-cure processing of preimpregnated composite materials, and particularly, for one-sided preimpregnated composite materials.

Abstract: An autonomous, heliborne-mobile construction/emergency pod (AHP) system that is structurally and functionally designed and configured to efficiently and expeditiously deploy independently operable, self-contained equipment pods utilizing the operational capabilities provided by helicopters. The AHP system is configured for integration in combination with a helicopter external stores support station. The AHP system includes a dual cable winch and rack (DCWR) assembly and an equipment pod that is configured for provisioning remote and/or inaccessible locations with a full complement of mission specific power actuated equipment and a self-contained power source to facilitate extended mission operations without external support.

Abstract: A composite mold that facilitates the fabrication, in a single curing step, of composite articles having opposing sets of stiffening members disposed in combination with a main structural panel. The composite mold provides for simultaneous co-curing of the opposed stiffening members in combination with the main structural panel. The composite mold includes a rigid mold assembly and a "T" mold assembly, which, in combination, define a rigid lay-up surface for the prepreg laminates forming the main structural panel. The rigid mold assembly includes rigid members that act as reactive surfaces for cure pressures, and removable end and wedge members for assembling/disassembling of the rigid mold assembly, "T" mold assembly combination. The "T" mold assembly is operative during the cure process to generate the pressure required to cure the legs of one set of the stiffening members.

Abstract: A transmission gearbox noise control system is operative during normal operations of a transmission system to effectively null temperature variations among selected localized areas of the transmission gearbox housing by utilizing oil jets for cooling/heating thereof, thereby reducing or eliminating differential thermal expansion effects or minor manufacturing errors among such localized areas wherein transmission vibration levels (noise) emanating from the gearbox are abated. The system includes one or more metering valves, a spray rod mounted in combination with each metering valve, an oil reservoir, a fluid pathway for fluidically interconnecting each metering valve to the oil reservoir, at least one pump for circulating oil through the fluid pathway, and a regulating subsystem that is automatically or manually operative to initiate/terminate the operation of each metering valve, to regulate the rate of fluid flow therethrough, and/or to adjust the impingement pattern of the fluid jet discharged therefrom.

Abstract: A bi-functional transfer foot that is structurally configured and operative to provide automated handling of preimpregnated composite materials. The transfer foot includes a valve member having a knock-off stem movably mounted in a housing, a solenoid valve and fluid line interconnection to vacuum and pressure sources, and a control subsystem for regulating the operation of the transfer foot. The transfer foot is bi-functional for "ON" and "OFF" operation. A control signal issued by the control subsystem turns the transfer foot "ON" wherein vacuum forces causes a first displacement of the valve member within the housing to provide a vacuum force for engaging and retaining the tacky surface of preimpregnated composite plies.

Abstract: A climatic heat aircraft protective (CHAP) screen that has been designed to protect various types of aircraft, and especially helicopters, from the adverse effects of direct exposure to sunlight while being relatively insensitive to wind conditions. The CHAP screen is specifically designed for various aircraft types to facilitate easy and rapid deployment and removal of the CHAP screen utilizing only the flight crew of the aircraft. The CHAP screen includes a porous screen canopy having overhanging portions and flap portions that are operative to reflect direct sunlight while allowing air to pass therethrough. The CHAP screen also includes a containment bag affixed to the underside of the porous screen canopy that is used to compactly stow the porous screen canopy prior to deployment and to secure the CHAP screen to the rotor head assembly of a helicopter during deployment.

Abstract: A method for fabricating composite structures wherein a single mold is used to preform a foam core between fiber reinforcement plies that are subsequently subjected to resin transfer molding to form an integrated foam core composite structure having the formed foam core mechanically interlocked to the composite skins. Fiber reinforcement plies are layed up on contoured molding surfaces of dies to define a core cavity with the mold closed. Foam is injected into the core cavity, concomitantly penetrating the fiber reinforcement plies, and allowed to cure to form the foam core. Heat and pressure generated during foam cure compresses the fiber reinforcement plies to provide debulking therefor. A resin binder is injected into the mold plenum to impregnate the layed-up fiber reinforcement plies, and the formed foam core/resin-impregnated layed-up fiber reinforcement plies are subsequently cured to form the integrated foam core composite structure.