Fan connecting reinforcing cap to hub

Claim 2

In a fan comprising a hub, a plurality of arms integral with said hub and projecting outwardly therefrom, a blade positioned against one side of each of said arms, a reinforcing cap positioned against each said blade on the side thereof opposite the arm against which said blade is positioned, each said blade thereby positioned between an overlying cap and an arm, and arm fastening members radially spaced from said hub fixedly connecting each said blade and cap to an arm, that improvement in which each said reinforcing cap extends radially inwardly to said hub and hub fastening members are provided inwardly of the periphery of said hub fixedly connecting each of said reinforcing caps to said hub.

Claim 3

The improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said arms join and extend outwardly from said hub in a first plane and second reinforcing caps are axially spaced from said arms in a second plane at the position thereof at which said arms join said hub.

Claim 4

The improvement claimed in claim 2 in which said hub extends to a second plane axially spaced from said first plane and said hub fastening members connect said reinforcing caps to said hub in said second plane.

Claim 5

The improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said blades and said reinforcing caps are positioned on the downstream side of said arms, said arms join and extend outwardly from said hub in a first plane, said hub extends to a second plane downstream of said first plane, and said reinforcing caps extend from said blades inwardly and downstream toward and are connected to said hub in said second plane.

Claim 6

The improvement claimed in claim 4 in which said reinforcing caps are spaced from said arms and said hub at the position thereof at which said arms join said hub in said first plane.

Claim 7

The improvement claimed in claim 4 in which said hub has a central mounting face in said first plane and an annular rib about said mounting face, inwardly of said arms, said rib projecting said hub thereat downstream and defining on the downstream side thereof said second plane, said hub fastening members connecting said reinforcing caps in said second plane to the downstream side of said annular rib.

Claim 8

The improvement claimed in claim 6 in which said reinforcing caps extend in a straight line from adjacent the inner most arm fastening member on each said arm to said annular rib in said second plane and are thereby spaced from said arms and said hub at the position thereof at which said arms join said hub in said first plane.

Claim 9

The improvement claimed in claim 7 in which strengthening ribs are disposed in said mounting face projecting therefrom to a third plane upstream of said first plane.

Claim 10

The improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said reinforcing caps each comprise a pair of closely spaced legs sandwiching the leading portions of said blades therebetween, said legs connected by a tubular bead in said reinforcing cap, said bead extending radially and connecting said legs from adjacent said hub outwardly along said leading portion of said blade.

Claim 11

The improvement claimed in claim 9 in which a radially extending concave rib is provided on the side of each said arm adjacent said reinforcing cap, said concave rib extending from said hub outwardly therealong and said beads are positioned in and against said ribs.

Claim 12

The improvement claimed in claim 10 in which said ribs in said arms extend the entire length of said arms, and said reinforcing caps, including said beads, extend radially beyond the ends of said arms.

Claim 13

The improvement claimed in claim 9 in which said blades and said reinforcing caps are positioned on the downstream side of said arms, said arms join and extend outwardly from said hub in a first plane, said hub extends to a second plane downstream of said first plane, and said reinforcing caps extend from said blades inwardly and downstream toward and are connected to said hub in said second plane.

Claim 14

The improvement claimed in claim 12 in which said reinforcing caps are spaced from said arms and said hub at the position thereof at which said arms join said hub in said first plane.

Claim 15

The improvement claimed in claim 12 in which said hub has a central mounting face in said first plane and an annular rib about said mounting face, inwardly of said arms, said rib projecting said hub thereat downstream and defining on the downstream side thereof said second plane, said hub fastening members connecting said reinforcing caps in said second plane to the downstream side of said annular rib.

Claim 16

The improvement claimed in claim 14 in which said reinforcing caps and said beads thereof extend in a straight line from adjacent the innermost arm fastening member on each side arm to said annular rib in said second plane and are thereby spaced from said arms and said hub at the position thereof at which said arms join said hub in said first plane.

Claim 17

The improvement claimed in claim 15 in which a radially extending concave rib is provided on the downstream side of each said arm extending from said hub outwardly therealong and said beads are positioned in and agaiNst said ribs.

Claim 18

The improvement claimed in claim 16 in which said ribs in said arms extend the entire length of said arms, and said reinforcing caps, including said beads extend radially beyond the ends of said arms.

Claim 19

The improvement claimed in claim 17 in which said blades each comprise a flexible, resilient member, extending transversely to a position trailing said arms, which decambers toward the upstream side of said fan as rotational speed increases, and the legs of said reinforcing caps on the upstream sides of said blades extending transversely from the leading edges of said blades to the trailing edges of said arms thereby preventing contact between said arms and said blades.

Claim 20

The improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said blades and said reinforcing caps are positioned on the downstream side of said arms, said blades each comprise a flexible, resilient member, extending transversely to a position trailing said arms, which decambers toward the upstream side of said fan as rotational speed increases, and in which said reinforcing caps each comprise a pair of closely spaced legs sandwiching the leading portions of said blades therebetween, said legs integrally connected at the leading edges of said reinforcing caps and the legs of said reinforcing caps on the upstream sides of said blades extending transversely from the leading edges of said blades to the trailing edges of said arms.

Claim 21

The improvement claimed in claim 19 in which said arms join and extend outwardly from said hub in a first plane, said hub extends to a second plane downstream of said first plane, and said reinforcing caps extend from said blades inwardly and downstream toward and are connected to said hub in said second plane.

Claim 22

The improvement claimed in claim 20 in which said hub has a central mounting face in said first plane and an annular rib about said mounting face, inwardly of said arms, said rib projecting said hub thereat downstream and defining on the downstream side thereof said second plane, said hub fastening members connecting said reinforcing caps in said second plane to the downstream side of said annular rib.

Claim 23

The improvement claimed in claim 19 in which said legs are connected at said leading edges of each said reinforcing cap by a bead in said reinforcing cap, said bead extending radially and connecting said legs from said hub outwardly along said leading portion of said blade.

Claim 24

The improvement claimed in claim 22 in which said reinforcing caps and said beads thereof extend in a straight line from adjacent the innermost arm fastening member on each said arm to said annular rib in said second plane and are thereby spaced from said arms and said hub at the position thereof at which said arms join said hub in said first plane.

Claim 25

The improvement claimed in claim 23 in which a radially extending concave rib is provided on the downstream side of each said arm extending from said hub outwardly therealong and said beads are positioned in and against said ribs.