Elastomeric helicopter rotor load reaction system

Claim 1

A helicopter rotor comprising: (A) a hub mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation, (B) at least one blade projecting radially from said hub, (C) a spherical elastomeric bearing having a focal point and supporting said blade from said hub for universal motion about said focal point to thereby accommodate both blade lead-lag motion and blade flapping motion with respect to said hub and so that rotation of the blade with said hub generates centrifugal force which causes a radially outward motion of the blade to thereby exert a compressive load on the elastomeric bearing, (D) a lead-lag damper comprising a cylinder-piston mechanism extending substantially parallel to said blade and connected at its opposite ends to said blade and said hub to resist lead-lag motion of said blade and including first restraint means to limit piston motion within the cylinder to thereby limit blade lead motion with respect to said hub, (E) brake means operatively associated with said hub to reduce the speed thereof and hence cause said blade to move in lead motion until said first restraint means comes into operation to limit blade lead motion and thereby impose a force on the blade tending to cause a radial inward motion of the blade to thereby exert a tension load on said bearing in opposition to said compressive load, and (F) normally inoperative means to limit the inward motion of said blade as a result of actuation of said brake means to thereby prevent or limit tension loading of said bearing comprising second restraint means brought into operation by said radially inward motion of said blade resulting from the operation of said brake means and including a collar rotatably mounted on the inboard end of said blade and having a spherical contact surface coincident with the focal point of the spherical elastomeric bearing, and a contact pad having a spherical contact surface coincident with the focal point of the spherical elastomeric bearing and fixedly attached in a selected position to the hub so that said radial inward motion of said blade resulting from the actuation of said brake means and the operation of the first restraint means will bring said spherical contact surfaces into contact to limit said radial inward motion of the blade and hence the tension loading of said bearing.