Abstract: A redundant swashplate control system includes five or more actuators coupled to the swashplate. A feedback network independently controls each actuator to track a commanded position and a reference ram differential pressure that it related to the ram differential pressures sensed from all of the actuators.

Abstract: A variable pitch propeller hub with fluid motor actuating means wherein blading is controllably pitched and feathered by a hub having cylinder and piston means responsive to engine oil pressure and rotating the blades on their radial axes to a full pitch position by link and lever means biased toward a feathered position by an adjustor means having adjustable stops and means for maintaining moderate pitch until the engine is stopped.

Abstract: A propeller runner having swivelling blades, each integral with a journal engaged in two bearings respectively in the outer portion and the inner portion of the runner, and equipped with lateral connecting rods for manipulation in rotation.The inner central portion of the hub of the runner includes a spider 29 each arm of which consists of a radial journal 31 prolonged by a threaded portion 32. Each blade journal 23 is engaged over a spider journal 31 with a bearing 26 and is held by a nut 33 screwed onto the portion 32 with the interposition of a thrust bearing 30. The spider 29 for a four-bladed runner preferably consists of a core 39 through which passes a shaft 40.The invention is applicable to propeller runners having swivelling blades for turbines.

Abstract: A variable pitch propeller is controlled by a hydraulic mechanism responsive to forces urging an unsymmetrically mounted propeller towards its maximum pitch. Spring bias means maintains the propeller at minimum pitch under conditions of rest. The propeller is prevented from increasing its pitch by the pressure produced on a closed hydraulic chamber until it reaches a predetermined r.p.m., when a centrifugal valve opens a first port and relieves the pressure in the cylinder and allows the propeller to increase in pitch. The increase in pitch opens a second port communicating with the pressure chamber, but that channel remains closed by a second valve that is normally closed but opens in response to a reduction in the throttle setting. The reduction in throttle setting closes the centrifugal valve so that the only channel from the pressure chamber is through the second port.

Abstract: A pair of axially movable abutments are spaced apart axially within a propeller hub. A plurality of adjustable propeller blades are rotatably mounted on the hub and each has an inner portion located inside the hub. Such inner portion is in the form of a pinion gear. Racks extend axially inwardly from each abutment and drivingly engage respective pinion gears on the blades. Compression spring or springs are positioned between the abutments and fluid pressure is used for applying an axially inward force on the abutments for moving both abutments axially inwardly toward each other in opposition to the force of the springs for the purpose of rotating the propeller blades in a first direction. The energy that is stored in the springs when compressed is used to rotate the propeller blades in the opposite direction when the fluid force is removed from the abutments.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hydraulically-controllable variable pitch propeller device capable of being removably mounted on a propeller shaft. The device includes a rotatable mounting flange and a stationary hydraulic mechanism located between the mounting flange and the propeller hub. The hydraulic mechanism includes a cylinder and a piston. The device also includes means for varying the pitch of the propeller blades in response to movement of the piston within the cylinder. The varying means includes a thrust face cooperating with a face of the piston, both the thrust face and piston face having mating races in which ball bearings are mounted.The device also includes a novel control mechanism for regulating the amount of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic cylinder for controlling the location of the piston and thus the pitch of the propeller blades.

Abstract: Wind turbine blade pitch control system including hydraulic actuators which pivotally drive the blades about the longitudinal axis thereof to adjust the blade pitch. The actuators are supplied with hydraulic fluid from independent sources thereof for normal blade pitch adjustment and feathering. Means are provided which, during feathering, isolate the pressurization and drain of the actuators from certain system components, whereby such pressurization and drain are not hampered by any malfunction of such components.

Abstract: A propeller includes a hub having mounted on the central end part thereof a rotating fitting which permits the passage therethrough of a fluid circulating within two conduits which pass longitudinally of the fitting. The fluid operates on opposite ends of an annular piston to impart thereto rectilinear movement, which in turn is transformed into rotation of the blades of the propeller due to lugs extending from the piston and being eccentrically engaged with the blades. The hub of the propeller is completely free to turn without affecting the driving shaft. The assembly is positioned completely outside the stern of the ship.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlling the pitch of fan blades during rotation of the fan impeller includes a cylinder-piston unit mounted coaxially on the impeller hub, a first conduit arranged to deliver compressed air to one cylinder chamber for axially moving the piston in an operating direction, a normally closed valve in this conduit for preventing compressed air delivery to this chamber, a spring in the other cylinder chamber biasing the piston in an opposite direction, a second conduit arranged to deliver an environmentally controlled flow of compressed air to the valve for opening the valve under predetermined environmental conditions whereby the compressed air in the first conduit is delivered to the one cylinder chamber and moves the piston in the operating direction against the spring bias, and rods connecting rotatable fan blade supports to the piston and causing rotation of the supports about their axes on movement of the piston to control the pitch of the blades.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a flexible fluid conduit means for directing fluid from a pressure source to a propeller of a ship for minimizing cavitation. The conduit is formed of split annular rings adapted to be mounted over a propeller shaft, the rings being interconnected to form passages for directing air pressure from the A-bracket through relative rotating seal members and into the body of the propeller. The disclosed interconnection of the annular rings permits substantial axial and bending movement of the propeller shaft without loss of air. Being submersed, the conduit is hydraulically balanced such that the force of water pressure tending to open the seal members is always less than the force tending to close the seal members.

Abstract: There is provided an axial fan having a fan wheel with settable blades, each blade being rotatably mounted at its root end about an axis which extends substantially radially relative to the fan wheel, and carries a setting arm which projects radially outwardly relative to the blade axis, said arm being connected via a movement-transmission arm to a setting device which is common to all said blades and which is displaceably mounted on the fan wheel for movement in the axial direction thereof to change the blade angle. The setting device is also rotatable coaxially in relation to the fan wheel, and each movement-transmission arm is rigidly connected at one end thereof to the setting device. The other end of the movement-transmission arm is mounted in the associated setting arm for both axial and universal movement.

Abstract: Propeller and fan blading comprised of an extruded airfoil having a rib retained at the root for mounting and with a portion thereof removed by flattening the back of the blade truncating the back camber thereof in a plane tapered toward the blade tip with respect to the front camber thereof and having a flap of full configuration toward the root of the blade and continuing tangent from the front camber and extending angularly back from the back camber and reduced toward the blade tip by profiling the trailing edge made thin toward said tip by a flattening truncating the back trailing portion of the blade toward said tip, the said blading being controllably pitched and feathered by a hub having cylinder and piston means responsive to engine oil pressure and rotating the blades on their radial axes to a full pitch position by link and lever means biased toward a feathered position by an adjustor means having adjustable stops and means for maintaining moderate pitch until the engine is stopped.

Abstract: A controllable pitch propeller has a plurality of connecting rods running from a piston, through the end wall of a cylinder. The cylinder is affixed to a first set of blade turning crankpins forming part of a blade turning assembly. A piston, mounted for axial movement in the cylinder, is coupled to the connecting rods that in turn are connected to a second set of blade turning crankpins in the blade turning assembly. The piston and cylinder are relatively movable to rotate the blades through the crank pins. Due to normal tolerance variations during manufacture, the lengths of the total train of connections between the piston and the cylinder through the blade turning assembly are not identical, causing the length of the portion of the connecting rods protruding into the cylinder through the cylinder end wall to vary relative to the cylinder end wall.

Abstract: A relative motion between a solid propeller shaft and a sleeve surrounding the propeller shaft is utilized to control a pitch of a marine propeller; the front end of the sleeve being supported by a pair of taper roller bearings and the rear end of the sleeve being connected to the hub of the propeller. A bearing housing supporting the taper roller bearings is formed as a piston of a servomotor and a casing receiving the bearing housing is formed as a cylinder of the servomotor. The casing is formed as a common oil reservoir for feeding lubricating oil to a stern tube bearing and bearings in the hub of the propeller.

Abstract: A vibration dampening means and method for substantially reducing the vibrational frequency of a multi-cylinder air-cooled airplane engine. The engine driving a hydraulic governor pump for a propeller servo. The servo controlling the blades of a variable pitch propeller. The dampening means including a resilient member mounted on the cooling fins of the cylinders, a hydraulic dampener connected with the hydraulic governor pump, and resilient dampeners mounted on the propeller blades.

Abstract: A variable-pitch propeller has a hollow hub rotatable about a hub axis and carrying a plurality of angularly equispaced vanes each rotatable on the hub about a respective vane axis extending radially of the hub axis. Each of the vanes has an eccentric pivot pin parallel to its respective vane axis and connected via a bearing to one end of an arm formed on an adjustment member displaceable in the hub along the hub axis and rotatable in the hub about the hub axis. The bearing allows for rotation of the pivot pin relative to the arm in which it is received and for displacement of the pivot pin along the pivot axis relative to the arm receiving it. Thus axial displacement of the adjustment member will force the pivot pins to orbit limitedly about the respective vane axes with concomitant sliding of the bearing along the pin and simultaneous rotation of the adjustment member in the hub.

Abstract: Each fan-blade carries a bevel-pinion in mesh with two bevel ring-gears which are driven in rotation in opposite directions by means of two coaxial cylindrical tubular members. Carriages are mounted for axial motion within the space formed between the two tubular members; balls are fitted in helical grooves formed at opposite angles of slope in the internal and external cylindrical faces of the carriages and in corresponding helical grooves formed in the adjacent faces of the tubular members so as to form a ball-race. The moving member of at least one axial hydraulic jack constituting a motor is coupled to the carriages and the stationary member is coupled to the fan-shaft.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for lubricating the bearings associated with rotor mounted variable pitch type blades in axial flow fans.

Abstract: Control means, for effecting the pitch-adjustment of a rotor blade, includes an actuator urgeable by biassing means in one direction for adjusting pitch in one sense and being subjectable to fluid pressure for movement in the opposite direction, against the action of the biassing means, for adjusting pitch in the other sense. Stop means is provided which is also subjectable to said fluid pressure, being maintained in an inoperative position when the pressure is above a predetermined value and being movable into an operative position when the pressure falls below that predetermined value. Abutment means is engageable by the stop means, when in its operative position, to arrest movement of the actuator at a predetermined position when moving in said one direction.

Abstract: A controllable pitch marine propeller has blades carried by a hub and a hydraulic actuator housed in the hub and coupled to the blades for altering the pitch angle of the blades in both directions, astern and ahead, and also beyond the ahead position to a feathered position. A servo-control system controls the actuator to adjust the blade pitch angle, the control system having a blade position feedback loop by which the system operates with positional feedback over the range of pitch angle between astern and full ahead pitch angles. However, the demand signal for blade feathering renders the feedback loop inoperative, and the hydraulic actuator then moves the blades into the feathering position without feedback action.