US3902822A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular gearbox for a variable pitch fan propulsor
Assignee: RTX Corp
•
Filing: 1973-02-21
•
Granted: 1975-09-02
•
Expires: 1993-02-21
Abstract
Abstract For a ducted fan propulsor a modular speed reduction gearbox driven by a turbine type of power plant is disposed fore of the plane of rotation of the variable pitch fan relative to the forward direction of the vehicle driven by the power plant.
Inventors
- 👤 Merritt B Andrews
- 👤 Thomas F Mcdonough
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 05:34
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01D; F01D7/00; F02; F02C; F02C7/00; F02C7/36; F05; F05D; F05D2220/00; F05D2220/30; F05D2220/32; F05D2220/327; F05D2260/00; F05D2260/70; F05D2260/74; F05D2260/76; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T50/00; Y02T50/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A ducted fan propulsor driven by a turbine type of power plant, a rotatable hub supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades, a fixed hollow support sleeve having bearing means, a hollow sleeve portion of said hub extending rearwardly relative to said blades supported by said bearing means within a cavity defined by said hollow fixed sleeve, a planetary gear train including planet support means supported to said fixed support means forward of said hub, a ring gear and sun gear, means including a relatively thin annularly shaped member interconnecting said hub and said ring gear for transmitting motion for rotating said hub, a concentrically mounted shaft extending through an annular centrally located space adjacent the rotating axis defined by said hollow fixed sleeve interconnecting said turbine type power plant and said sun gear, and a plurality of planet gears rotatably supported to said planet support means for transmitting torque imparted to said sun gear by said turbine type power plant driven shaft to said ring gear for driving said hub.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
A ducted fan propulsor driven by a turbine type of power plant, a rotatable hub supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades, a fixed hollow support sleeve having bearing means, a hollow sleeve portion of said hub extending rearwardly relative to said blades supported by said bearing means within a cavity defined by said hollow fixed sleeve, a planetary gear train including planet support means supported to said fixed support means forward of said hub, a ring gear and sun gear, means including a relatively thin annularly shaped member interconnecting said hub and said ring gear for transmitting motion for rotating said hub, a concentrically mounted shaft extending through an annular centrally located space adjacent the rotating axis defined by said hollow fixed sleeve interconnecting said turbine type power plant and said sun gear, and a plurality of planet gears rotatably supported to said planet support means for transmitting torque imparted to said sun gear by said turbine type power plant driven shaft to said ring gear for driving said hub.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A ducted fan propulsor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said relatively thin annularly shaped member has a flange element secured to said hub in proximity to the roots of said blades and said member being capable of being locally deflected radially and being stiff in a torsional and transverse shear direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
A ducted fan propulsor as claimed in claim 2 including another relatively thin annularly-shaped element supporting said ring gear and attached to one end of said annularly shaped member also characterized as being capable of being locally deflected radially and being stiff in a torsional and transverse shear direction whereby out-of-plane distortions on said ring gear are substantially minimized.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
A ducted fan as claimed in claim 1 including pitch change means having rotary pitch change means rotatably supported to said fixed sleeve centrally of said hub including a gear train connecting the root of said blades, an actuator fixed to said fixed hollow sleeve including a rotating drive gear for imparting pitch change motion to said gear train for effectuating pitch change movement to said blade, and a control shaft extending through said fixed hollow sleeve for controlling movement of said gear.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1481024A
Cited
US1856529A
Cited
US1967753A
Cited
US2001736A
Cited
US2648387A
Cited
US3314310A
Cited
US3647320A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-01 | 1979-03-03 | 1979-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-01 | 1983-03-03 | 1983-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-01 | 1987-03-03 | 1987-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |