Flexible Patents (Class 416/240)
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Patent number: 4130377Abstract: A torsionally compliant helicopter blade having its aerodynamic center axis positioned selectively forward of its center of gravity and elastic axes throughout a selected portion of the blade span so that, during operation, the blade will experience airloading which will induce two per rev torsional deflection of the blade to thereby improve rotor performance by reducing the total power required to drive the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 1977Date of Patent: December 19, 1978Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Robert H. Blackwell, Jr.
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Patent number: 4105366Abstract: A fan blade construction for an automobile cooling system. The twist angle of the blade, as measured by the rotation of an imaginary line joining the leading and trailing edges, varies linearly or non-linearly along the length of the blade, the leading edge of the blade is rigid and the trailing edge of the blade is flexible. In another embodiment, the fan blade is resiliently biased against a portion of its mounting arm to inhibit flutter.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 1976Date of Patent: August 8, 1978Assignee: Wallace Murray CorporationInventor: Michael T. Spellman
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Patent number: 4083652Abstract: A centrifugal air-driven motor, or windmill, is disclosed wherein the blades thereof are made of a pliable, flexible, uniformly apertured sheeting made, for example, of plastic, affixed by a flexible support system, to a central rotatable shaft, so that as the apertured plastic sheet is moved centrifugally outwardly, under the influence of wind energy, the solid portions of the plastic sheet assume the shape of blades; further, the blade support system is made completely of thin, flexible, pliable, material, such as plastic, and the blades may assume different, e.g., forward curved, radial, or backward inclined configurations, during rotation of the windmill. The blades and support means therefor, are affixed to a central, axial, rotatable shaft. As the blades are driven, by wind force, their rotation is transmitted to the rotatable, axial, shaft through the blade support means, to thereby cause rotation of the axial shaft.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 1976Date of Patent: April 11, 1978Inventor: Boris Isaacson
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Patent number: 4077740Abstract: A helicopter rotor blade is constructed at least in part of composite material of the type in which fibres (such as glass or carbon fibres) are embedded in a matrix. The stiffness in the flapping plane, the lagging plane, or both are modified at one or more positions along the blade to provide advantageous resonance frequencies. Modification of the stiffness is achieved by diverting a substantial number of fibres inwardly towards the relevant spanwise neutral bending plane.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 1976Date of Patent: March 7, 1978Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandInventor: Arnold John Sobey
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Patent number: 4050246Abstract: A wind driven power plant has a vertical axis rotor which is rigidly connected to a center body in turn connected to a rotating base. The base is supported on a fixed pylon by means of a mechanical, or preferably fluidic bearing.The rotor blades are strongly bowed, soft in torsion and provided, near their tip region, with automatic pitch piloting means.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1976Date of Patent: September 27, 1977Inventor: Gaston Bourquardez
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Patent number: 4048947Abstract: A rotary device driven by a moving fluid, such as water or air, for generating a rotary movement comprises a cylindrical or frusto-conical rotor having a vertical axis, the rotor having a plurality of identical blades distributed around the periphery of the rotor, each blade having a symmetrical aerodynamic profile and being mounted so as to freely rotate about a substantially vertical axis parallel to its leading edge. The device may be used to power a screw driven boat, a wheeled vehicle or other machinery.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 1976Date of Patent: September 20, 1977Inventor: Charles Andre Sicard
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Patent number: 4037987Abstract: A flexible bladed fan comprising blade assemblies having a reinforcing member contacting each blade along the leading portion thereof, the blade and reinforcing member spaced apart at a gap behind the leading portion and contacting again at a second position behind the gap, the reinforcing member biasing the blade in a downstream direction at the second position.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1975Date of Patent: July 26, 1977Assignee: Fram CorporationInventors: Herbert N. Charles, George K. Lie
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Patent number: 4012168Abstract: A fan blade construction for an automobile cooling system. The twist angle of the blade, as measured by the rotation of an imaginary line joining the leading and trailing edges, varies linearly or non-linearly along the length of the blade, the leading edge of the blade is rigid and the trailing edge of the blade is flexible. In another embodiment, the fan blade is resiliently biased against a portion of its mounting arm to inhibit flutter.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 1975Date of Patent: March 15, 1977Assignee: Wallace-Murray CorporationInventor: Michael Thomas Spellman
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Patent number: 4000868Abstract: A deflector blade suitable for directing jet exhaust of an aircraft rearward or downward has leading and trailing edge portions and an intermediate portion interposed between the edge portions. The three portions and a crank constitute a four-bar linkage connected by four pivots having parallel axes of which a first connects the leading edge portion and intermediate portion, the second connects the crank and the leading edge portion, the third connects the intermediate and trailing edge portions, and the fourth connects the trailing edge portion and the crank. The line connecting the axes of the first and third pivots intersects the connecting line defined by the axes of the second and fourth pivots. When the crank is moved about the axis of the second pivot, the blade is moved between a neutral position for rearward jet exhaust and one of positive angle of deflection in which the jet exhaust is directed downward for providing lift to the aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1975Date of Patent: January 4, 1977Assignee: Dornier GmbHInventor: Peter Gregor
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Patent number: 3990808Abstract: A centrifugal blower is disclosed wherein the impeller blades are made of a pliable, flexible, uniformly apertured sheeting made, for example, of plastic, affixed by a flexible support system, to a central rotatable shaft, so that as the rotatable shaft is driven, the apertured plastic sheet is moved centrifugally outwardly with the solid portions thereof assuming the shape of impeller blades. The impeller blades and support system therefor are made completely of thin, flexible, pliable, material, such as plastic, and the blades may assume forward curved, radial, or backward inclined configurations, during blower operation. The impeller blades cause air movement and, in turn, cause a scroll-shaped housing surrounding the impeller blades, also preferably made of plastic sheeting, to immediately inflate, directing the air to the desired location via ducts and the like, for heating, or cooling, or air conditioning or other purposes.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 1975Date of Patent: November 9, 1976Inventor: Boris Isaacson
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Patent number: 3940116Abstract: An ice storage and dispensing device for flaked or other particulate ice which maintains the ice in an agitated dispensable condition or state. The device includes a hopper equipped with an agitator having a rotatable shaft and axially and angularly spaced rigid agitator spokes extending generally radially from the shaft. The ends of flexible polyvinylchloride tube members are received over and secured to certain of the axially and radially spaced spokes to provide generally helically extending lengths of the tubes between the spokes. The flexible tubes wipe against the inside wall of the hopper with a squeegee effect to prevent ice buildup. The tubes also lessen the tendency of the spokes to create tunnels in the particulate ice, especially at the ice setting temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 1974Date of Patent: February 24, 1976Assignee: Mile High Equipment CompanyInventors: Jerry M. Verlinden, Gary D. Swinford, Kyle L. DeJaeger, Michael W. Kennedy
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Patent number: 3930626Abstract: The angular configuration of a fluid control surface, with respect to the relative direction of fluid flow, is controlled by selectively heating the structural portions of only one side of the control surface to expand the structural members on the one side with respect to the structural members on the other side for warping the control surface generally from its leading to its trailing edge. Particularly, the camber of an airplane wing is changed by this selective heating for controlling the wing portion lift. Preferably, wires extend generally from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing as wing structural members closely adjacent the upper and lower surfaces of the wing, with both sets of wires being prestressed to provide an intermediate camber for the wing portion when the upper and lower wires are the same temperature, a generally symmetrical wing configuration when only the lower wires are heated, and a high lift maximum camber when only the upper wires are heated.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 1974Date of Patent: January 6, 1976Inventor: Thomas L. Croswell, Jr.