Abstract: A spindle bearing assembly for a rotor blade, the assembly having a shaft extending from a hub and a housing for coupling the blade to the shaft. A ring is coaxial with the shaft and has a wall with a tapered external surface that narrows toward the outboard direction. The ring can be axially translated adjacent a tapered internal surface of the housing that also narrows toward the outboard direction. A spindle bearing coaxial with the shaft has a central aperture through which the shaft extends, the spindle bearing extending between the wall and the shaft. Threaded fasteners couple the ring to the housing, and rotation of the fasteners in a selected direction causes axial translation of the ring in the outboard direction, the engagement of the tapered surfaces causing the wall to move radially inward for creating an interference fit between the spindle bearing and the wall.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a rotorcraft can include a teetering tail rotor assembly. The teetering tail rotor assembly can include one or more multi-bearing yokes. Each yoke can include three or more spherical bearings evenly spaced apart from each other. The teetering tail rotor assembly can include a tail rotor blade affixed to each yoke arm through the three or more spherical bearings. The physical dimensions of the three-bearing yoke can be 10% smaller than a two bearing yoke that can support an equivalent load. For example, the length of each three bearing yoke can be 28 inches, the thickness can be 0.85 inches, and the width can be 3.250 inches.