Abstract: A stabilizer attached between a propeller and a shaft; and the propeller is pivotally mounted to the shaft in a substantially perpendicular plane to the shaft. The stabilizer has a tendency to exert a reactionary force on the propeller, when the propeller pivots in relation to the shaft, such that the reactionary force tends to return the propeller in the substantially perpendicular plane.

Abstract: The present invention broadly relates to a tail cone assembly for a helicopter. The tail cone assembly includes a monocoque shell formed from a composite material. The composite material preferably comprises a non-metallic matrix, such as an epoxy resin matrix, having fibers, such as graphite fibers, embedded therein. The fibers may be oriented along a single axis or along multiple axes. Other components of the tail cone assembly may also be formed from composite materials, which composite materials may be the same as or different from the composite material forming the shell.

Abstract: A hub-protecting cap for use with a helicopter. The helicopter has a fuselage, a tail rotor assembly operatively coupled to the fuselage for rotation relative to the fuselage about a tail rotor axis, at least one tail rotor blade detachably connected to the tail rotor assembly, a retention pin, and a pitch control link mechanism. The hub-protecting cap comprises a cap body portion, a pin-receiving aperture, and a link-attaching portion. The cap body portion is adapted to be attached to a hub portion of the tail rotor assembly in a manner to cover the hub portion when the tail rotor blade is detached from the tail rotor assembly. The cap body portion has a hub socket adapted such that pitch change bearing surfaces of the hub portion are within the hub socket of the cap body portion when the cap body portion is attached to the hub portion. The pin-receiving aperture is through the cap body portion.

Abstract: Conventional rotorcraft are required to provide a significant amount of anti-torque movement to offset the torque created by the rotor and the right-angle gearbox coupling the rotor to the engine. By vertically integrating the engine in the unmanned rotorcraft of the present invention, the torque component rising from the right-angle gearbox is eliminated. This type of adaptation, however, is generally unacceptable in conventional helicopter integration, since a vertically mounted engine directly under the rotor would deprive the user of critical payload volume at the center of gravity. The radial distribution of payload in the design of the present invention avoids this penalty. Conventional anti-torque systems, including tail rotors, ducted gas, and dual counter rotating rotors produce drag, weight, and efficiency penalties.

Abstract: A propeller related vehicle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is described as a helicopter having an airframe housing a motor mechanism for powering a main propeller attached to a main drive shaft that extends vertically through the airframe and for powering a tail rotor. The helicopter further includes a horizontal stabilizing mechanism attached between the main propeller and the main drive shaft, which permits the main propeller to freely pivot about the main drive shaft independently from the airframe. As such when the main propeller is rotating and the main propeller begins to pitch, the rotating main propeller has a centrifugal force created by the rotation thereof and will tend to pivot about the horizontal stabilizing mechanism in a manner that offsets the pitch such that the helicopter remains in a substantially horizontal position. In addition various main propeller configurations may be employed that provide additional self-stabilization.

Abstract: A face gear transmission system divides the input torque into multiple kinematic paths. The first kinematic scheme consists of a drive shaft and driven shaft having a plurality of pinions which contact a primary face gear. The second kinematic scheme consists of two independent symmetrical gear paths. One is a first pinion, a first idler and a first idler face gear and the primary face gear. The other independent gear path is a pinion on the second shaft, the idler, and second idler face gear and the primary face gear. The face gear transmission is especially applicable to rotorcraft having one or more input drive shafts to provide a proprotor transmission system which is relatively small in size and light in weight.

Abstract: A rotary-wing aircraft comprises a main rotor, a tail boom extending through an area of downwash from the main rotor, and first and second linear nozzles fixedly coupled to the tail boom. The first nozzle is adapted to discharge a sheet of fluid in a direction substantially tangential to an outer surface of the tail boom to divert the rotor downwash and thereby produce a force that counteracts the biasing torque of the main rotor. The rotary-wing aircraft further comprises a yaw-control member movably coupled to the tail boom. The second nozzle is adapted to discharge a sheet of fluid in a direction substantially tangential to an outer surface of the yaw-control member to further divert the rotor downwash and thereby increase the force that counters the main-rotor torque.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for automatically altering tail rotor authority on a helicopter based on ambient air pressure and temperature changes utilizing a sealed bellows which extends or retracts based on temperature and or pressure changes thereby moving a target attached thereto. Target position movement is sensed by proximity sensors which in turn activate relays operating a drive motor which changes the pivot position of a walking beam, bell crank or other tail rotor pitch control mechanism positioned between a manual input linkage and an output linkage extending to the tail rotor pitch control thereby altering the maximum tail rotor control, tail rotor authority available by a given movement of the manual input linkage while concurrently controlling the alignment of the proximity sensors so that the target is maintained between the proximity sensors.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, the apparatus of the invention is a flight vehicle tail assembly having an exterior surface, at least one first vent in the exterior surface, at least one second vent in the exterior surface, and an air passage connecting the at least one first vent to the at least one second vent allowing air to flow therebetween. Where the at least one first vent is located near a high air pressure area acting on the exterior surface during a range of predefined flight conditions. Further, the at least one second vent is located near a low air pressure area acting on the exterior surface during the predefined flight conditions. So that at the predefined flight conditions adverse loads on the tail assembly are reduced by venting air from the high pressure area, through the tail assembly, to the low pressure area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (1A) for controlling a hybrid countertorque system of a helicopter (He), which comprises a countertorque rotor (R2), and at least one aerodynamic steering surface (D). According to the invention, said device comprises means (1A) for controlling, as a matter of priority, the aerodynamic surface (D) so that it generates lift which represents at least part of a first control command, which can be executed by said surface (D), and to control the countertorque rotor (R2) in such a way that the combined action of the surface (D) and of the rotor (R2) represents a command for controlling the helicopter (He) in terms of yaw.

Abstract: In a rotary engine having rotating cylinders which burns a fuel which is not mixed with oil there is a real problem of centrifugal force form the rotating engine causing oil to flow into the combustion chambers. The disclosed rotary engine has oil reservoirs which are positioned radially outwardly from the pistons so that centrifugal force resulting from engine rotation tends to keep oil out of the combustion chambers.