Support Mounting, Carrier Or Fairing Structure Patents (Class 416/244R)
  • Patent number: 5810559
    Abstract: A safety shroud of a nuclear reactor coolant pump. Capscrew heads, if broken, are prevented from separating from a nuclear reactor coolant pump having a drive shaft, an impeller secured to the drive shaft, a suction deflector secured to the impeller, and capscrews with outer heads securing the impeller and suction deflector to the drive shaft, by securing a safety shroud over the capscrew heads. The safety shroud may be secured by welding the safety shroud to the impeller or suction deflector, or by bolting the safety shroud to the distal end of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry D. Dixon, Ronald J. Payne, William H. Stafford, II
  • Patent number: 5779449
    Abstract: The multipartite impeller assembly includes an impeller portion, a magnetic coupler, a snap-fit connector, and a radial bearing. The impeller portion and the magnetic coupler have complementary polygonal shapes which can be interlocked. The impeller portion and the magnetic coupler are secured together by a snap-fit connector, which is reinforced by a radial bearing adjacent to the snap-fit connector. The radial bearing prevents radial movement of the snap-fit connector or snap-fit joint, which could otherwise tend to release the snap-fit joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Ansimag Inc.
    Inventor: Manfred P. Klein
  • Patent number: 5725356
    Abstract: A portable fan for use on a child 's stroller. The fan has a housing, an electric motor in the housing powered by a source such as a battery so that the motor does not require any physical connection to a fixed location, a mechanism for moving air including a shaft connected to the motor, a hub on the shaft and a plurality of blades, made of a resiliently flexible material, projecting radially outwardly from the hub, a shroud having an animal face depicted thereon connected to the housing and substantially enclosing said air moving mechanism, a clamp for releasably clamping the fan onto the stroller being shaped in the form of an animal foot and a bendable support interconnecting the housing and the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Inventor: C. Michael Carter
  • Patent number: 5720595
    Abstract: A turbine wheel for a torque converter for an automatic transmission is formed of fiber-reinforced plastic resin molded about a powder metal hub having a disc formed with corrugations extending radially from a central axis, and slots extending through the thickness of the disc at angularly spaced intervals. The plastic resin of the turbine wheel fills the spaces between the tabs, extends through the slots formed through the disc, and forms a bond to the surfaces of the disc on which it is molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Eli Avny
  • Patent number: 5681147
    Abstract: A ceiling fan motor housing assembly including a cup-like motor holder frame having an open top, a top cover shell covered on the cup-like motor holder frame over its open top, the top cover having a downward flange around the border fitted into the cup-like motor holder frame, and a bottom cover shell fastened to the cup-like motor holder frame and the top cover by screws and covered around the cup-like motor holder frame, having a plurality of ornaments on the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Inventor: Huang Yung-Chung
  • Patent number: 5672048
    Abstract: A housing for a ceiling fan includes a transparent cylindrical member. A bottom plate and a cover are engaged with the cylindrical member. One or more panels are received in the cylindrical member and disposed between the bottom plate and the cover. A number of fastening members are engaged through the cover and the panels and the bottom plate for securing the bottom plate and the cylindrical member and the cover together and for securing the panels in place. One or more light bulbs are disposed in the cylindrical member for lighting the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Inventor: Jack Yu
  • Patent number: 5667731
    Abstract: A portable fan device for use with a spray misting bottle which is capable of being mounted atop a spray applicating head portion of the misting bottle so that a fan blade unit of the fan device is positioned forwardly and in communication with an atomized spray nozzle of the spray head and cools and atomizes the mist spray issued by the nozzle. Releasable securing means such as an attachment bracket or contoured gripping tabs extending from the fan underside are employed for securing the fan body in a generally horizontal fashion atop the spray head. A stand member is held within a recessed cavity in the fan underside and can be rotated downwardly to support the fan device in an upright position for use as a portable fan once the fan body has been detached from atop the spray head. In a further embodiment, a gripping tab which forms part of the releasable securing means can provide the dual function of gripping part of the spray head and supporting the fan body in an upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Circulair, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric F. Junkel, Linda M. Usher
  • Patent number: 5655884
    Abstract: A fan for a vacuum cleaner has a fan housing, motor and impeller. The fan housing has an inlet and outlet. The impeller has a overmolded hub and multiple flexible blades. This flexible blade fan provides better air performance, less noise, better durability, and easier impeller installation than conventional vacuum cleaner fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: The Scott Fetzer Company
    Inventor: Mitchell Rose
  • Patent number: 5655880
    Abstract: A music box module is attached to a ceiling fan having a control box mounted on an underside thereof and at least one hole defined in a periphery of the control box. The music box module includes a music box mounted in the control box and having at least one slot defined in a periphery thereof and aligning with the hole. A supporting base is mounted on an underside of the music box and has at least one flange extending upwardly from a periphery thereof to be received in an inner wall of the music box. A bore is defined by a threaded portion of the flange and aligns with the slot. A positioning member extends through the hole, the slot and is securely engaged in the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Inventors: Chih-hai Su, Kuo-chin Shieh
  • Patent number: 5645400
    Abstract: A composite cuff structure (40) for mounting the root end (14e) of a rotor blade assembly (14) to the radial arms (24a, 24b) of a rotor assembly yoke (24) and for accommodating a twist disparity therebetween. The composite cuff structure (40) is generally tubular in shape and is fabricated from a composite material having reinforcing fibers (70) disposed in a binding matrix. The composite cuff structure (40), furthermore, includes a blade-receiving sleeve portion (42), a yoke mounting portion (44), spanwise fold portions (46) and sidelobe portions (48), which portions (42, 44, 46, 48) are structurally integrated to form a unitary body. The blade-receiving sleeve portion (42) is disposed in combination with the root end (14e) of the rotor blade assembly (14) and includes first and second blade mounting segments (42a, 42b), which define a rotor blade attachment plane P.sub.B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: David H. Hunter, Karl B. Scherer
  • Patent number: 5645401
    Abstract: An axial fan is known whose fan hub is fastened by means of a fan flange on a clutch housing of a fluid friction clutch while leaving an annular gap for a partial flow assigned to the cooling fins of the clutch housing. In the case of such axial fans, swirls occur in the hub area which reduce the efficiency of the fan. According to the invention, for achieving an improved efficiency, an air guiding ring is provided on the fan hub on an inlet side relating to a flow direction of the venting flow, which air guiding ring has a curved profile which is directed axially opposite to the flow direction and is curved radially to the inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Hans Martin, Uwe Blass
  • Patent number: 5630704
    Abstract: A shock absorbing drive sleeve (402, FIGS. 28+) mounts a marine drive propeller (12) to a propeller shaft (22) and has an asymmetric spring rate such that the sleeve has a higher spring rate and greater torque bearing capability for the forward boat direction, and a softer spring rate and greater shock absorption for the reverse boat direction, to protect the weaker reverse drive components of the gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Hubert S. Gilgenbach, Michael P. Mihelich
  • Patent number: 5613832
    Abstract: A device for engaging a remote control unit to a ceiling fan which has a motor for mechanically actuating blades connected thereto and a rod with a head which extends upwardly from the motor, a fixing element fixedly engaged to the floor and having a C-shaped portion for engagement with the head of the rod, a middle plate having a central hole for the rod to extend therethrough and having at least two sockets extending from an underside thereof, the middle plate received in a bowl which has a hole for the rod to extend therethrough and at least two studs extending from a bottom thereof for engagement with the sockets, electrical elements for remote controlling the ceiling fan disposed in the bowl which is engaged to the fixing element by bolts such that the remote control unit can be repaired simply by disengaging the bowl from the fixing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Inventor: Chih-hai Su
  • Patent number: 5611668
    Abstract: A plastic fan includes two injection molded parts, each of which includes its own hub and a set blades extending outwardly from the hub to a band. The two parts are co-operatively sized and shaped to be assembled into a single operable fan having: 1) a hub comprising the hubs of each of the component parts; 2) the blades of the component parts; and 3) a circumferential band comprising the bands of the component parts. The fan blade separation on each of the fan parts is relatively large, permitting separate injection molding of each part. The resulting fan may be designed to have far greater blade number and blade solidity that would be possible for a fan that is injection molded by standard techniques. The fan may be packaged in an airhandler assembly that includes a flexible cylindrical retraining member generally coaxial with, and external to, a rigid cylindrical member, the fan band and the stator assembly, so as to support the stator assembly and to maintain the parts in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Bosch Automotive Motor Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin G. Yapp, Richard L. Matsu
  • Patent number: 5609473
    Abstract: A pivot fan which has an improved yoke and base assembly, which is easy to mold, of improved structural design, uses less material in construction, which includes a one piece molded base with a yoke, a portion of which is integral with the base and with two members which are engaged in recesses in each side of the base, and support a fan outer housing, which is retained in the yoke, and tiltable for air direction variance, which housing has an integral handle, and contains a fan motor and blade to provide airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Inventor: Charles Litvin
  • Patent number: 5593283
    Abstract: A fan (31) and fan drive (11) assembly in which the fan includes a spider (33), typically a metal stamping, defining fastener openings (41), each including larger opening (43) and a smaller opening (45). Adjacent the smaller opening, the spider defines a raised ramp portion (47). The fan drive includes an output (13) defining fan mounting portions (21), each of which includes a head portion (25), and a shank portion (27). Upon assembly, the head portions (25) align with, then pass axially through the larger openings (43), then the fan is rotated relative to the fan drive, resulting in the shank portions (27) moving into the smaller openings (45) and the head portions (25) passing over and deforming the ramp portions (47), thus tightly engaging the fan spider (33) to the fan drive output member (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Scott
  • Patent number: 5580232
    Abstract: A rotor assembly in which the front and back ends of the rotor are coupled by a shaft assembly extending therethrough. Preferably, the shaft assembly includes a slip joint, such that the shaft is able to accommodate for thermal expansion of the assembly, while maintaining a torsional and bending moment coupling between the front and back ends of the rotor. The rotor assembly is particularly advantageous for use in superchargers having large acceleration and pressure increase requirements, such as superchargers utilized in drag racing. However, the rotor assembly may also be utilized in other devices such as blowers, compressors, or vacuum pumps which may have large acceleration requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Kobelco Compressors (America), Inc.
    Inventor: Kenn R. McEndarfer
  • Patent number: 5567117
    Abstract: A recirculation fan portable mounting apparatus is disclosed comprising a generally flat mounting plate having an upper surface and a lower surface. Protruding above the upper surface are a pair of oppositely mounted grasping hooks extending upward there from. The central aperture in the middle of the mounting plate allows for passage of electrical cords through the mounting plate. The eye bolts are then threaded to the under side of the plate at a central location as to eventually impinge a support member between each eye bolt and the tongue portion of the protruded mounting clamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Inventors: Doyle M. Gunn, Larry A. Ramsey
  • Patent number: 5562421
    Abstract: A water-proof outdoor ceiling fan mounting structure including of a water-proof mounting assembly for fastening to an overhead support, and a fan unit having a fan motor coupled to the water-proof mounting, wherein the water-proof mounting assembly comprises a shaft having a top end and a bottom end fixedly secured to the fan motor, a top rain-cap having a tubular bottom center stem sleeved onto the top end of the shaft, a cup mounted around the shaft, a hood mounted around the shaft retained between the top rain-cap and the cup, a water-proof fan motor cover mounted around the shaft and covered over the fan motor, and a lower rain-cap mounted around the shaft and retained between the water-proof fan motor cover and the cup, the cup having a plurality of mounting holes around the border to fasten the cup to an overhead support atached to a ceiling, a center tube, which receives the shaft, and a wire hole through which an electric wire is inserted and connected to the electric circuit of the fan unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Inventor: Yung-Chung Huang
  • Patent number: 5558501
    Abstract: A portable electric fan including a plurality of posts connectable to form an elongated pole having first and second ends; a pedestal attached to the first end of the pole and adapted to provide support thereof on a base surface; and a clamp attached to the second end of the pole and adapted for clamping engagement with an upper surface spaced from the base surface. Also included is an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the length of the pole and a blower retained by the pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Duracraft Corporation
    Inventors: Jui-Shang Wang, Rodney Jane, John Longan, Stanley Gresens, Gregory Holderfield, Donald Hootstein, Steven R. Valentor
  • Patent number: 5556256
    Abstract: An electrical fan having a positioning mechanism, driven by the rotation of the fan's motor, which causes the fan's head to simultaneously pivot sinusoidally and continuously about a pair of perpendicular axes to continuously redirect the airstream from the fan in a conical pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Inventor: Steve Shao
  • Patent number: 5520509
    Abstract: A fan housing having a peripheral wall disposed about the fan's axis of rotation. A plurality of flanges including reinforced hems are integrally formed with and extend perpendicularly of the peripheral wall toward the fan's axis of rotation. A screen fabricated from interconnected, perpendicular wire strands is coupled to the flanges by means of the reinforced hems with rigid but malleable tabs integrally formed thereon that are bent around a peripheral strand of the screen. Apertures are defined by and extend through the peripheral wall and the flanges to provide access to the tabs such that the tabs may be urged toward the flanges to secure the screen in position. The same apertures provide access to the tabs such that the tabs may be urged away from the flanges to disengage the peripheral strand from the tabs such that the screen may be removed and replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Staco, Inc.
    Inventor: Leon S. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 5507619
    Abstract: A water resistant ceiling fan having first and second sealing members for preventing the entry of moisture into both the canopy and the motor housing. The canopy sealing member has a substantially flat top portion which fits flush against the ceiling, and a downwardly depending annular wall which encircles the top portion of the canopy. The motor housing sealing member is disposed intermediate the top portion of the housing and an adapter secured to the lower end of a downrod, the upper end of which is secured to the canopy. The sealing members effectively prevent moisture from entering through the interface between the canopy and the ceiling, and the interface between the adapter and the motor housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventor: James C. Ryan
  • Patent number: 5507622
    Abstract: A turbine wheel of a torque converter for an automatic transmission is formed of fiber-reinforced plastic resin molded about a powder metal hub having a disc formed with tabs extending radially from a central flange, and openings extending through the thickness of the disc at angularly spaced intervals. The plastic resin of the turbine wheel fills the spaces between the tabs, extends through the holes formed through the disc, and forms a bond to the surface of the disc on which it is molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Eli Avny
  • Patent number: 5505590
    Abstract: An improved torque converter assembly utilizing or making use of the same or similar composite materials for each component of the torque converter to result in a high strength yet light weight torque converter assembly which may be easily recycled. Further, the torque converter includes a unique hub member having integral fingers radially extending therefrom for use in bonding hub member to a multi-bladed body such as a turbine, wherein the fingers are circumferentially spaced about an outer circumferential surface on the hub member such that the spacing between a common finger and adjacent fingers on each side thereof is not equal. Such a hub member distributes the loads and stresses onto different planes extending radially and transverse the longitudinal axis of the hub member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
    Inventor: Klaus Dohring
  • Patent number: 5503521
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump assembly including a housing containing a pump impeller having an axis of rotation with an inlet opening for fluids generally aligned with the axis of rotation of the impeller and a discharge opening aligned with the periphery of the impeller. The impeller is attached to a drive shaft for rotation by means of a central hub which has at least one circumferentially extending surface having an edge projecting toward the inlet at a circumference radially spaced from the axis of rotation. The surface, which is progressively recessed away from the inlet toward the rotational axis, modifies fluid flow through the pump to reduce whirling motion in the inlet, thereby significantly improving efficiency of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventor: Reginald D. Capon
  • Patent number: 5496002
    Abstract: A wing made of composite fibre materials, especially carbon fibre reinforced plastics, comprises shell components having a thin-walled, pre-formed wing skin and tubular rods as stringers. The stringers are provided with a connection element and a compression plate at the fuselage end of the wing. The external sides of the compression plates are all in one plane. The wing is attached by screws, which are screwed through the connection element at the fuselage side into the connection elements of the rods forming the stringers. The rods forming the stringers are adhered to the inside of the wing skin. The spaces between the rods may be filled with a light, compression-proof material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventor: Rainer Schu/ tze
  • Patent number: 5480282
    Abstract: A high velocity, weather resistant cooling fan for moving large volumes of air long distances can be disposed in either oscillating or non oscillating modes, either inside or outside. A rigid, generally tubular housing has a suitable guard defined on each end. A propeller mounted within the housing, coaxially disposed adjacent an intake venturi, is directly driven by an electric motor. The fan venturi inlet is formed by a flare defined in its housing at the intake end. A transition zone is defined within the tubular housing where the diameter of the flared end gradually reduces and smoothly merges with the uniform diameter of the housing. The propeller is mounted within the transition zone to stabilize air before discharge. A generally U-shaped yoke, rolled from welded, nested channels, pivotally mounts the fan. A stabilizer tube is preferred for sturdily mounting the yoke to a suitable post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Triangle Engineering
    Inventor: Carl G. Matson
  • Patent number: 5478204
    Abstract: A tail rotor for a rotary wing aircraft is located in a laterally directed duct located at the end of a tail cone extending rearward from the aircraft cabin and at the base of an empennage extending upward from the duct. The rotor includes a rotor shaft driveably connected to a power source, a rotor hub connected to the rotor shaft, a rotating control shaft, a stationary control shaft, and an actuator connected to the stationary control shaft for moving the rotating control shaft axially. The rotor hub includes rotor arms each supporting a pitch shaft-blade spar assembly for pivotable movement about a pitch axis. A pitch beam supports flexures, each connected to a pitch arm offset laterally from the associated pitch axis. The flexures driveably connect the pitch arms to the pitch beam and transmit pitch control motion to the blades as the pitch beam moves along the rotor axis. Pitch bearings, on which the pitch shafts turn about the pitch axes, are supported on a rotor hub shell fixed to the rotor hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Rene A. Desjardins, Francis H. McArdle
  • Patent number: 5466126
    Abstract: An impeller for a fluid meter, the impeller comprising a bearing including a central recess suitable for receiving a pivot, and including at the periphery of the central recess, open-ended fluting with adjacent flutes being separated by ribs. Axial passages are distributed around the fluting, with each passage co-operating with at least one flute in such a manner as to facilitate a flow of fluid via the passage to the detriment of a flow of the fluid along the flute. The impeller is applicable to metering fluids loaded with particles in suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Schlumberger Industries, S.A.
    Inventor: Herve Brochette
  • Patent number: 5462412
    Abstract: A ceiling fan is disclosed comprising a motor having a stator with a top portion and a bottom portion and a rotor having a bottom portion, a down rod secured to the top portion of the stator for suspending the motor from the ceiling, a motor housing enclosing at least a portion of the motor, at least one switch for selectively controlling the operation of the motor, a plurality of blades removably securable by suitable fastening devices to the bottom portion of the rotor, and a switch housing for containing at least one switch securable to the bottom portion of the stator, an upper edge portion of the switch housing being operable to conceal from view at least a portion of the fastening devices used to secure the blades to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Robert L. Scofield, Richard A. Pearce
  • Patent number: 5460485
    Abstract: A blower having an axial fan driven by a rotating drive source and enclosed by a shroud assembly including a substantially cylindrical fan shroud enclosing an outer circumference of the axial fan, and a protective unit provided with a plurality of support beams extending from the fan shroud toward an air intake side of the blower and cooperating with a plurality of ring-like members so as to form a protective net member for preventing entrance of any unfavorable substances such as foreign matter or a human finger into the shroud assembly, and a plurality of support ribs operating as a physical rib members and as protective members preventing entrance of the unfavorable substances from a radially outer region of the blower into the interior of the shroud assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiki Sugiyama, Yoshitake Hoshino
  • Patent number: 5458462
    Abstract: A swivel mechanism for the electrical fan having the motor used to drive the blade of the electrical fan is used to control the swiveling movement. The controlling elements generally includes an U-shape supporting bracket, a positioning post and a connecting mechanism which is disposed between the output shaft and the positioning post. The motor is supported by an U-shape supporting bracket and the U-shape supporting bracket includes a pair of legs which can be connected to the rear housing by a pair of screws. Accordingly, the motor is capable of pitching upward and downward by the help of the screws. The lower end of the U-shape supporting bracket is rotatably mounted onto a positioning post, accordingly, the supporting bracket being capable of swiveling thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Accutek Products Corp.
    Inventor: Steve Shao
  • Patent number: 5435695
    Abstract: A portable electric fan with fixed multiple support structure permitting orientation of the fan in various angular positions with respect to the support surface on which the fan is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Duracraft Corp.
    Inventors: Bernard Chiu, Robert L. Marvin, Jr., John Longan
  • Patent number: 5421656
    Abstract: A spacer (10) for a helicopter main rotor shaft (102) is mounted in combination with the main rotor shaft (102) and is operative to support the inner race (116) of the upper bearing assembly (110) of the main rotor shaft (102) and is concomitantly operative to restrain axial migration of the inner race (116). The spacer (10) comprises a body member (11) having a stepped configuration defined by an upper cylindrical segment (12) and a lower cylindrical segment (20) to accommodate the outer structural envelope of the main rotor shaft (102). The upper cylindrical segment (12) includes an upper annular collar (14), an intermediate annular collar (16), and a lower annular collar (18), and the lower cylindrical segment (20) includes an interface annular collar (22) and a bottom annular collar (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony G. Chory, Mark L. Thorn, Charles Geffert, Jeffrey A. Holmes, William J. Sobanik, Edward J. Karedes
  • Patent number: 5417090
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing lint and debris from circular knitting machines has a rotating arm positioned such that its distal end sweeps about the periphery of the machine. A fan motor unit located at the distal end is mounted for 360 degree rotation in a plane perpendicular to the plane of arm rotation, allowing the sweep of air to contact both the machine surface as well as adjacent areas. The fan/motor unit is preferably rotated by an arm mounted rotation motor, coupled to the unit by a commutator. The rotational rates of the central drive and the rotation drive are chosen to allow the path about the machine circumference described by the fan/motor unit to vary upon successive arm revolutions to insure a fan sweep over all machine surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Uniwave, Inc.
    Inventor: John Baumann
  • Patent number: 5415525
    Abstract: A tail rotor for a rotary wing aircraft is located in a laterally directed duct located at the end of a tail cone extending rearward from the aircraft cabin and at the base of an empennage extending upward from the duct. The rotor includes a rotor shaft driveably connected to a power source, a rotor hub connected to the rotor shaft, a rotating control shaft, a stationary control shaft, and an actuator connected to the stationary control shaft for moving the rotating control shaft axially. The rotor hub includes rotor arms each supporting a pitch shaft for pivotable movement about a pitch axis. Each pitch shaft is adapted to support a rotor blade so that its angle of attack changes with movement of the pitch shafts. A pitch beam, located adjacent the rotor hub, supports flexure members, each connected to a pitch shaft eccentric of its pitch axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Rene A. Desjardins, Francis H. McArdle
  • Patent number: 5411372
    Abstract: Disclosed is a new pole mounted revolving air circulating fan for inducing air movement within an air mass by use of a rotating impeller which simultaneously revolves around a vertical axis. The pole mounted revolving air circulating fan comprises a telescoping support pole extending substantially vertically upwardly from a mounting floor surface to a mounting ceiling surface, the ends of the support pole frictionally engaging the mounting surfaces. A fan, comprising a rotary air impeller coupled to an electric motor through a drive shaft, is revolvedly mounted on the vertical support pole. A generally cylindrical motor housing encloses the motor and the motor power supply leads. A blade guard, constructed of wire rods forming a substantially annularly shaped wire cage, encloses the impeller to prevent injury from contact therewith. The guard has a central hole through the back wherethrough the front end of the motor housing extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Inventor: Michael L. Clark
  • Patent number: 5399070
    Abstract: A fan hub is disclosed which has a hub insert for securing a shaft against relative rotation in a secure manner. The hub insert can be manufactured simply through injection molding the hub to a non-circular hub insert so that the plastic flows around the hub insert to hold the insert securely within the shell. The central aperture of the hub has inner and outer coaxial cylinders forming an annular space that accommodates the front plate of a motor. Radial, curved vanes on and conforming to the inner surface of the hub also are provided for engine cooling and on the other side of the hub, a shallow, depressed region reduces undesirable turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Valeo Thermique Moteur
    Inventor: Ahmad Alizaden
  • Patent number: 5378110
    Abstract: In a gas compressor engine, a rotor to which turbine blades (airfoils) are mounted, is constructed of a fiber composite material. In a first zone of the rotor, a first group of fibers are oriented circumferentially, in the direction of rotor rotation. A second set of fibers are oriented off-axis along the entire longitudinal length of the rotor. The first group of fibers overlay the second group only in specific zones, creating zones in which only the off-axis fibers are located. Race-track shaped apertures are cut in these second zones between fibers and these apertures receive the compressor blades that are inserted from the interior of the rotor. The first zones also provide circumferential seals to receive the base of each compressor blade. The first zones are constructed by building up layers of the circumferential fibers in the first zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Ress, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5368445
    Abstract: A pedestal fan which is lightweight, is readily capable of disassembly for shipping, storing and use which includes a base with optional weight, a two-piece tubing member one piece of which is detachably retained in the base, the pieces retained together by a connector, and with the other tubing piece detachably retained in a yoke which supports a fan outer housing which is tiltable for air direction variance, which housing contains a fan motor and blade and provides air flow. The tubing pieces are of different lengths which permits mounting the housing at different heights above the base for multi-height cooling needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Lasko Metal Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Litvin, Kurt F. Haffken
  • Patent number: 5366286
    Abstract: A shaft (6) extending from a motor housing (1) of the mixer terminates in an end portion (10) which, for easy attachment of a mixing head (H) thereto, is formed with a shallow circumferential groove (18). This permits fitting a hub or sleeve (13) on the mixing head (H) onto the end portion (10) of the shaft with axial misalignment, without exerting lateral bending forces on the hub (13). The head is formed with a resiliently deflectable tab or flap (15) for frictional engagement with the shaft, to hold the head in secure axial position on the shaft. The terminal end (19) of the shaft (6) is convex and rounded, or essentially part ball-shaped or part-spherical. Preferably, a guide ring or guide surface (23), having the diameter of the shaft, is positioned between the circumferential or ring-shaped groove (18) and the convex and rounded, or part spherical ball-shaped or part end (19). The groove (18) is shallow, wider than deep, and preferably, in cross section, part-circular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Maweva Holding AG (Ltd.)
    Inventor: Max Ruttimann
  • Patent number: 5308045
    Abstract: A scrap melter apparatus which includes a drive motor disposed above a molten metal bath, and a shaft attached to a bottom of the drive motor, and protrudes partway into the molten metal bath. A scrap melter impeller is attached to the bottom of the shaft. The impeller is a rectangular block of refractory metal, having a flat upper surface and a formed lower surface. The formed lower surface includes a first area disposed in a central portion of the metal block which has an even thickness from a first side of the impeller to a second side of the impeller. A second area is adjacent to the first area, and is tapered from a thin section at the first side of the metal block to a thick section at the second side of the metal block. The thickness of the second area at the second side corresponds to the thickness of the central area. A third area is adjacent to and on an opposite side of the first area from the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Inventor: Paul V. Cooper
  • Patent number: 5297936
    Abstract: A coupling fan includes a fan body, a coupling and a mounting plate. The mounting plate includes a substantially ring-shaped base member and a substantially strip-shaped movable member having spring elasticity. The base member is connected to a boss of the fan body or an operating member of the coupling. The movable member is connected to the base member at its one end, and it is further connected to the boss of the fan body or the operating member of the coupling, to which the base member is not connected, at its another end. With this construction, not only vibrations of the fan body and the coupling are absorbed by the movable member, but also an overall inside diameter of the mounting plate can be made greater. Namely, a coupling having a larger outside diameter can be employed, and accordingly the cooling efficiency of the coupling can be improved. Hence, the coupling fan can be improved in its durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Aisin Kako Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Youji Sato
  • Patent number: 5295811
    Abstract: A portable electrical fan including a housing defining inlet and outlet openings for transmitting air flow; a fan blade disposed in the housing; a motor disposed in the housing and rotatably coupled to the fan blade; and an elongated support having opposite end portions attached to the housing and an intermediate stand portion shaped and arranged to support the housing on a surface. Also included are electrical controls connected to the motor and retainer means retaining the electrical controls fixed to the elongated support. This arrangement provides a portable electric fan in an efficient, low cost configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Duracraft Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard Chiu
  • Patent number: 5295788
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a screw pump has a light alloy rotor main body having an axially extending central bore. A steel shaft is press-fitted into the central bore. A diametrically extending fixing pin is press-fitted through the rotor main body and the shaft. Friction forces between the rotor main body and the shaft are arranged to be larger on a discharge side of the rotor assembly than on a suction side thereof. The fixing pin is disposed at substantially a central position of entire friction forces in terms of their directions and magnitudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsunori Tajima, Mitsunori Arimura, Mamoru Yoshikawa, Tadashi Kimura
  • Patent number: 5286107
    Abstract: A stirrer having a complete enamel coating suitable for mounting in a closed coverless reaction vessel, being provided with paddles which are detachably fixed on the shaft for operation inside the vessel by an enamel to enamel coupling obtained by simple pressure without the use of gaskets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Tycon S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Artusi
  • Patent number: 5281099
    Abstract: An integrated spline/cone seat subassembly for a rotor assembly that is design optimized to minimize the radial dimensions of the rotor shafts, the rotor shaft bearings, the transmission housing, and the swashplate subassemblies thereof. The integrated subassembly includes a rotor hub having a shaft aperture with a plurality of hub splines extend radially inwardly therefrom. The lower portion of each hub spline has an outwardly tapered portion that makes a predetermined angle with respect to the hub centerline. The integrated subassembly further includes a rotor shaft having a primary shaft portion of a first diameter, an end shaft portion having an intermediate second diameter less than the first diameter, and a conic transition portion that makes a predetermined angle with respect to the rotor shaft axis. The end shaft portion has a plurality of shaft splines extending radially outwardly therefrom that defines a third diameter that is equal to the first diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David H. Hunter, Timothy A. Krauss, Vincent F. Millea
  • Patent number: 5267833
    Abstract: Gyrocraft rotor hub body (1) in which each blade (2) is linked to the body (1) by articulations and linking members the body includes two strong elements (7, 8) whose planes are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axis of the mast (3) of the rotor. The two elements (7, 8) are separated from each other by a space which is of sufficient size to permit the housing of the articulations which are advantageously embodied in the form of laminated spherical stops (5), one of the armatures (16) of which moves integrally with the (17) is fixed with respect to the two elements of the hub body and is arranged in the vicinity of the periphery of these elements so as to constitute a rigid bracing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
    Inventor: Rene L. Mouille
  • Patent number: 5266008
    Abstract: A main rotor head is disclosed, which is adapted for mounting on a main rotor mast of a helicopter. A main rotor mast nut is threaded onto the main rotor mast in order to fasten the main rotor head to the mast. The key feature of the invention is a nut retention means, which comprises a cup-shaped round annular disk and closely surrounds the nut, preventing separation of the main rotor head from the main rotor mast should the nut fail during flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company
    Inventor: James J. Ehrbar