US3743440A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary, tubular impeller
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-01-18
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1991-01-18
Abstract
Abstract A helicopter, autogyro, windmill or other impeller, comprising blades, optionally resilient or substantially rigid, each having: a tip free of attachment to other blades and urged into extended position by centrifugal force; and blade-strengthening tubular members containing gaseous material, imbedded in foam plastic. Each tubular member may be: an elongated flat-ended tube or can; or a row of end-joined tubes or cans. The gaseous material may be: helium, air or other gas (preferably strongly pressurized); gas-cell-containing foam plastic; or other, gas-containing material. The preferably hinged form of the impeller comprises at least one aligned pair of blades (two pairs being shown), each pair comprising inflated tubes extending from one end of the blades to the other end, having walls of: thin ductile or resilient metal (preferably lead), optionally coated with rubberimpregnated fabric or with rubber or other resilient plastic; plastic-coated fabric; resilient plastic; glass; or the like. Each tube has flattened and sealed ends and a flattened middle portion clamped by a plate to the impeller shaft, providing flexible, integral hinges at this middle portion permitting tilting of the blades, balancing centrifugal and aerodynamic forces on each side of the rotary shaft. The flat-ended tubes are preferably flanked by blade-stiffening tubular members preferably rows of metal cans, end-joined by preferably resilient plastic. When the tubular members are of plastic or glass they optionally may be blow-molded or centrifugally molded.
Inventors
- 👤 A Moore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:35
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64C; B64C27/00; B64C27/32; B64C27/46; B64C1/00; B64C1/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
42 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 1, in which: each of the said tubes comprises, adjacent to said free blade-end, a second pair of said substantially flattened tube parts and means holding said last-named tube parts together in strong, sealed junction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 1, in which said dense material comprises metal having ductility at least equal to that of copper.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 3, in which said metal is lead.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 1, in which said dense material comprises thin lead and a covering on the lead comprising fabric.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 1, in which: said dense material comprises metal having ductility at least equal to that of copper; said gaseous material comprises gas under above-atmospheric pressure, permanently sealed in each of said tubes; and each of said tubes comprises a permanently sealed inflation-gas inlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 1, in whiCh said gaseous material is gas under pressure of at least 8 pounds per square inch, and each of said tubes extends from a point near said shaft to an outer end adjacent to the tip of its blade and, at said outer end, comprises: a second pair of substantially flattened tube parts, each of which is wider than an adjacent portion of the tube''s middle part; and means holding said second pair of tube parts together in strong junction; whereby the said tube may be temporarily changed in shape under external major shock and thereafter may return to its former configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
114 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 1, in which the said hinge means comprises: a hub plate, fixed to an end of said rotary shaft; integral extensions of said pair of substantially flattened tube parts, lying on and fixed to said hub plate; a clamping plate, juxtaposed to said extensions on their side opposite to said hub plate; and in which the said blade-root-attachment means comprises rod-like clamping elements, tightly clamping together said clamping plate and tube-part extensions and hub plate, whereby each of said blades may change its angle to the axis of said shaft by bending of said flexible material in the integral junction of said clamped extensions and blade-root portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
112 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 1, comprising, in each blade, a plurality of juxtaposed tubes of the type of said elongated, inflated tube, in which the said hinge means comprises: a hinge plate; integral extensions of each of said pairs of substantially flattened tube parts, in contact with said hinge plate, each of said pairs being turned at said plate to form an angle to the axis of its associated tube that is in the neighborhood of 90*; the said blade-root-attachment means, comprising means securely fastening said extensions to said hinge plate; and a pivot bearing providing for hinging motion of each of said blades with respect to said shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
230 words
A rotary impeller, adapted to operate in a fluid, comprising: a rotary shaft; blades connected to said shaft, each of which has an airfoil-shaped contour and a free end that is unattached to other structure; and hinge means, connecting said blades to said shaft, permitting angular movement of each blade with respect to the shaft in balancing the centrifugal force and changing fluid-dynamic force on the blade during its rotation; each of the said blades comprising a plurality of juxtaposed, sealed, inflated, elongated tubes, and each of the said tubes having: a curved wall structure of blade-strength-providing flexible material; substantially flat blade-root and blade-tip portions, each portion comprising a pair of integral, substantially flat tube parts, each of which is wider than an adjacent portion of the tube''s middle part; means holding each pair of said substantially flat tube parts together in strong junction; gaseous material in each said sealed tube; tubular members, adjacent to said tubes, stiffening and strengthening said blade; and plastic on and between said tubes and blade-stiffening members, having outer surfaces conforming to said airfoil-shaped contour; the said hinge means comprising: integral, hinge extensions of said substantially flat blade-root portions; and blade-root-clamping means, fixed to said shaft, comprising a clamping element on each side of said blade-root extensions and means forcing said elements and blade-root extensions into tightly clamped relationship, securing said blades to said shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, comprising at least one pair of said blades, in which: the said pair of blades are on opposite sides of the axis of said shaft; the said tubes are arranged in pairs, each of said pairs of tubes having integral wall and blade-root material, and integrally-joined blade-root extensions between said clamping elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, in which said flexible material comprises metal having ductility at least equal to that of copper.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 12, in which said metal is lead.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, in which said gaseous material is gas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 14, in which said gas is under pressure above that of the atmosphere.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, in which said gaseous material is gas-cell-containing foam plastic.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, in which said tubular members comprise metallic walls.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, in which said tubular members comprise sealed cans.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 18, in which each of said tubular members comprises a row of said cans in aligned, end-connected arrangement.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 19, in which said row comprises cans of relatively smaller diameter, end-connected to cans of relatively larger diameter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 19, in which said cans are corrugated.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, in which at least some of said tubular members comprise elongated blade-stiffening tubular elements, each of which has flattened-tube portions, one of said portions being adjacent to said shaft, and the other comprising a said free end.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 19, comprising bonding material connecting ends of end-connected pairs of the said cans.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, in which the walls of said tubular members have corrugations whose ridges and grooves are substantially parallel to longitudinal axes of tubular members.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 10, in which the said blade-stiffening tubular members comprise tubular elements having corrugations whose ridges and grooves extend around longitudinal axes of tubular members.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 25, in which said tubular elements are of bamboo.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
An impeller as set forth in claim 1, in which said skin comprises fabric and resilient plastic coating said fabric.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |