Rack-pinion Connection To Working Member Patents (Class 416/166)
  • Patent number: 10830066
    Abstract: A fan of a turbine engine includes a disc provided with blades at the periphery thereof, the blades being mounted so as to pivot on the disc about a pivot axis, and a mechanism for changing the pitch of the blades. The mechanism is configured to adjust an angular position of each blade around the pivot axis. The angular position is in an angular setting range no greater than 20°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Romain Guillaume Cuvillier, Nils Edouard Romain Bordoni, Michel Gilbert Roland Brault, Guillaume Patrice Kubiak, Arnaud Nicolas Negri, Nathalie Nowakowski, Emmanuel Pierre Dimitri Patsouris, Sebastien Emile Philippe Tajan
  • Patent number: 9297311
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a gas turbine power plant having a gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator and an flue gas splitter which splits flue gases into a first flue gas flow for recirculation into an inlet flow of the gas turbine and into a second flue gas flow for discharge to an environment. An oxygen-depleted gas can be used in an open cooling system for cooling hot gas parts of the gas turbine. A split compressor intake can be provided for separate feed of recirculated flue gas and fresh air into a compressor intake. Compressor blades can include a separating band which blocks intermixing of recirculated flue gas and fresh air during compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Jaan Hellat, Stefan Rofka, Michael Hoevel, Eribert Benz, Andre Burdet, Frank Sander, Felix Guethe
  • Patent number: 8439859
    Abstract: The catheter device comprises a drive shaft connected to a motor, and a rotor mounted on the drive shaft at the distal end section. The rotor has a frame structure which is formed by a screw-like boundary frame and rotor struts extending radially inwards from the boundary frame. The rotor struts are fastened to the drive shaft by their ends opposite the boundary frame. Between the boundary frame and the drive shaft extends an elastic covering. The frame structure is made of an elastic material such that, after forced compression, the rotor unfolds automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: AIS GmbH Aachen Innovative Solutions
    Inventors: Joachim Georg Pfeffer, Thomas Schmitz-Rode, Rolf W. Günther
  • Patent number: 8337140
    Abstract: A system for controlling at least two variable-geometry equipments of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The engine includes at least a first core rotating at a first speed and a second core rotating at a second speed. The first equipment includes at least one variable-pitch stator blade of a compressor of the first core and the second equipment includes at least one air bleed valve of a compressor of the second engine core moving between an open position at idle speed and a closed position at high speed. The system includes an actuator which actuates both equipments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Baptiste Benoit Colotte, Bruno Robert Gaully
  • Patent number: 8197213
    Abstract: A turboprop including a rotary casing fitted with adjustable-pitch blades enabling thrust to be managed. Each blade is coupled, for the purpose of adjusting its pitch, to a control member of an annular actuator carried by the rotary casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Francois Gallet
  • Patent number: 8167553
    Abstract: A system adjusts the pitch of a variable pitch propeller having a non-rotating side and a rotating side. The rotating side of the propeller has a hub, a propeller blade mounted to the hub, a propeller shaft that rotates the hub and propeller blade, and an actuation system. The actuation system has a screw and a piston. A motor has a non-rotating component in communication with the non-rotating side of the propeller and a rotating component in communication with the actuation system. When the motor increases speed, the screw rotates and the piston moves laterally in a first axial direction to decrease the pitch of the propeller and, when the motor decreases speed, the screw rotates and the piston moves laterally in a second axial direction to increase the pitch of the propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Perkinson, David R. Danielson
  • Patent number: 6548913
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating power using wind energy, including connecting shafts arranged around a boss and rotatably supported by the boss, pinions each fitted around the associated connecting shaft to rotate along with the associated connecting shaft, rack housings each fixedly mounted to the boss near the associated pinion, rack gears each slidably received in the associated rack housing and engaged with the associated pinion, springs each fitted around a portion of the associated rack gear extending beyond the rack housing receiving the associated rack gear and adapted to urge the associated rack gear toward an end of the associated rack gear protruded from the associated rack housing, and spring force adjusting knobs each threadedly coupled to the protruded end of the associated rack gear and adapted to adjust a spring force of the associated spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Inventor: Keun-Suk Jang
  • Patent number: 6276898
    Abstract: A variable-pitch marine propeller system has a propeller unit for mounting on a drive shaft, and a power unit including a stationary annular hydraulic cylinder for operating the propeller unit, a hydraulic remote control unit being fluid-coupled to the power unit. The propeller unit is provided with a shear pin assembly that is serviceable for replacing sheared pins without removing the propeller unit from the drive shaft. An annular piston of the hydraulic cylinder is coupled to a ring-shaped actuator yoke by a roller thrust bearing, the actuator yoke axially displacing a mating yoke of the propeller unit with which the actuator yoke is allowed to rotate. The piston operates in a sealed environment for the exclusion of water from the separately sealed surfaces of the cylinder itself. In one configuration, the propeller unit is replaceable without disturbing the sealed environment of the annular piston. The control unit includes a hydraulic control cylinder that is operated by a threaded piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Inventor: Morris C. Elliott
  • Patent number: 5967750
    Abstract: A variable-pitch marine propeller system has a propeller unit for mounting on a drive shaft, and a power unit including a stationary annular hydraulic cylinder for operating the propeller unit, a hydraulic remote control unit being fluid-coupled to the power unit. An annular piston of the hydraulic cylinder is coupled to a ring-shaped actuator yoke by a roller thrust bearing, the actuator yoke axially displacing a mating yoke of the propeller unit with which the actuator yoke is allowed to rotate. The piston operates in a sealed environment for the exclusion of water from the separately sealed surfaces of the cylinder itself. In one configuration, the propeller unit is replaceable without disturbing the sealed environment of the annular piston. The control unit includes a hydraulic control cylinder that is operated by a rotatably mounted barrel that engages a threaded piston rod. Alternatively, the control cylinder is actuated by a lever having biasing springs and an adjustable brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Morris C. Elliott
  • Patent number: 5967753
    Abstract: A controllable-pitch propeller for a sport-type watercraft has a push rod eccentrically connected to each blade displaceable in a bore of the propeller hub. The push rod is sealed with respect to the end of that bore by a multifold bellows whose radial flange is clamped by a cap of an axial flange of the housing in which the bore is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Peter Muller
  • Patent number: 5762474
    Abstract: A propeller unit, each blade (1) being fixed to a blade foot (2) rendered integral with a hub (3) rotating around an axis but mobile with respect to the hub on translation in the direction of the axis and rotating around a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, this foot (2) being moreover rendered integral with an arch (5) in translation but free with respect to the arch on rotation; a pitch modifier is linked to the arch to translate the arch along the spin axis of the hub (3); the hub (3) and each blade foot (2) have members (8, 23) for activating the feet in rotation provoking from translation of the arch (5) the rotation of the blade feet around an axis mobile on translation in the same direction and orthogonal to the blade feet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Inventor: Michel Chatelain
  • Patent number: 5527154
    Abstract: A variable pitch boat prop includes a hub fixed to the prop shaft, a sleeve surrounding the hub and having bearings which receive stub shafts from a plurality of blades. The stub shafts pivot in the bearings, so that the blade pitch can change. Pinion teeth formed on the stub shafts mate with respective toothed racks fixed to the hub and disposed at an acute angle to the hub axis. The center of pressure of each blade is offset downstream from the stub shaft axis, so that dynamic pressure on the blades tends to decrease blade pitch, while the rack and pinion tend to increase blade pitch. These opposing moments are at equilibrium at different blade pitches, according to the speed of the boat and the prop shaft torque. Blade pitch increases automatically as speed increases, and decreases at load increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Inventor: Cornell Drajan
  • Patent number: 4964822
    Abstract: A watercraft has a hull and a hollow support body secured below the hull. A propeller drive shaft is disposed rotatably in the body with one end extending out of the body and is adapted for connection to a driving engine. A main bearing for the drive shaft is disposed in the body, the shaft extending through the bearing. A variable pitch propeller has a hub and a plurality of variable pitch propeller blades. The hub is secured to the shaft. A plurality of adjusting elements are mounted in the hub parallel to the shaft, each element being secured to a corresponding blade for varying the pitch thereof. A coupling is slidably disposed along the shaft in the support body with a rotatable first section secured to the hub and a non-rotatable first section spaced from the shaft and having bearing means in which the first section is rotatably supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Inventor: Peter Mueller
  • Patent number: 4657484
    Abstract: Blade pitch varying means for use in a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The blade pitch varying means may be used on an engine with a single row or two counterrotating rows of variable pitch blades which are disposed outwardly from an annular gas flowpath and which are connected with a rotating airfoil within the flowpath. The blade pitch varying means comprise actuation means, bearing means, and gearing means. The actuation means are in a nonrotating reference frame disposed inwardly from the flowpath and deliver an axial force. The bearing means transmit the axial force from the nonrotating into a rotating reference frame which contains both the propulsor blade and the airfoil in the gas flowpath. The gearing means are located in the rotating reference frame and convert the axial force into a force for varying the blade pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas G. Wakeman, Neil Walker
  • Patent number: 4648847
    Abstract: A mechanical linkage for adjusting propeller blades includes a two-armed lever arranged on the downstream side of the hub of a variable pitch propeller driven by a driving engine by means of a drive shaft. The push rod of a linear motor connected to an energy source moves one arm of said adjusting lever. The other arm of the adjusting lever is articulated to a non-rotatable adjusting sleeve which is coupled via a thrust bearing to a rotary intermediate adjusting member. Adjusting rods are fixed to the intermediate adjusting member and are guided in the hub and accomplish the adjustment of the propeller blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Inventor: Peter Mueller
  • Patent number: 4364711
    Abstract: A boat propeller with foldable blades, a so-called folding propeller, in which the mounting axes of the blades in the hub are inclined towards the rotational axis of the hub, so that the blades are movable between their folded and unfolded positions by rotating essentially one-half turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: AB Volvo Penta
    Inventors: Lennart H. Brandt, Ingvar O. Hultmark, Lars H. Petersson, Carl U. Soderbaum
  • Patent number: 4332526
    Abstract: A variable pitch propeller e.g. for light aircraft has blades which are mounted in a hub for rotation about their longitudinal axes. The ends of the blades entering the hub have a crown of peripheral teeth meshing with axially slidable racks located at the center of the hub. In order to permit adjustment of play at the teeth flanks, the crowns are arranged at the ends of the blades at right angles to the axes of the blades and can be moved towards or away from the respective racks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1982
    Inventor: Raimund Culk
  • Patent number: 4242049
    Abstract: A foldable boat propeller comprising a hub to which the propeller blades are pivotally connected and which has two mutually turnable portions, one of which is fixedly secured to the propeller shaft and has a cam surface whereas the other one carries the propeller blades, and an axially shiftable plunger member which is mechanically connected to the propeller blades and unfolds them to working position on relative turning of the hub portions and axial shifting of said plunger means in response thereto only when the propeller shaft is driven in the reverse propulsion direction. Said plunger means is released for blade unfolding by centrifugal and water thrust force when the propeller shaft is driven in the forward propulsion direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1980
    Assignee: Hasselfors Stainless AB
    Inventors: Hans Forsling, Anders Lindecrantz
  • Patent number: 4231317
    Abstract: The invention relates to a boat propeller having rotatably journalled blades in its hub to enable shifting between forward and reverse without reversing the direction of rotation. The hub is rotatably journalled on the propeller shaft and contains a transmission between the shaft and the blades. The transmission can be coupled between positions for forward, reverse and neutral. The invention uses the torque of the motor and the reaction moment of the water against the blades to achieve a relative rotation between the shaft and the hub, whereby the transmission turns the blades to one of two stops, which define the positions for forward or reverse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: AB Volvo Penta
    Inventors: Lennart H. Brandt, Staffan T. Mansson
  • Patent number: 4179241
    Abstract: A pitch change slide is mounted for longitudinal movement on a propeller shaft hub adapter in turn secured to the engine shaft of an aircraft engine, the said slide carrying a plurality of toothed racks each engaged with a spur gear on the base of one of a plurality of rotatably mounted propeller blades. Reciprocation of the pitch change slide changes the pitch of the propeller blades. The pitch change slide carries a coiled spring. A spring pressure slide, mounted for longitudinal movement on the propeller shaft hub adapter, has a flange bearing against the coiled spring, and is reciprocable on the propeller shaft hub adapter through a control rod operable from the aircraft cabin, thereby to adjust the degree of compression of the spring. Weights are mounted on the propeller blades and generate centrifugal force as the engine shaft turns, the said centrifugal force tending to rotate and change the pitch of the propeller blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1979
    Assignee: High Harbin
    Inventor: Jacob B. Courshon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4086025
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a propeller with retractable blades arranged on a hub, said hub being limitedly rotatable in relation to the propeller drive shaft, each of said blades being pivotable between an outward working position and an inward inactive position, whereby power and movement transmission means determining the pivoting position of the blades unites the drive shaft and the blades and is arranged at least when the propeller rotates in one of its both directions of rotation to compulsorily open out the blades by mutual turning movement between the drive shaft and hub. The propeller is particularly, but not exclusively, intended for competition sailing boats to give the least amount of resistance when the boat is under sail and the propeller retracted. Previous constructions have not functioned completely reliably in practice, especially not when reversing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1978
    Inventor: Sven Ingvar Astrand
  • Patent number: 3958897
    Abstract: A variable pitch propeller assembly having a shaft mounted in a housing and operably connectable to a rotary power source. A means mounted on the shaft has a propeller blade pivotally mounted therewith. The blade has a stem portion pivotally mounted in the means. A cam is rotatably mounted in the housing and has an inclined portion angularly disposed relative to the shaft. Another means is slidably mounted in the housing and positioned between the cam and the first-named means and having a cam follower engaged with the inclined portion of the cam and having a guide means oppositely disposed to the cam follower. A rotatable member is positioned between the means slidably mounted and the first-named means and it has guide means follower engaged with the guide means and members connected with the stem portion of the propeller blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1976
    Inventor: Daniel M. Connolly