Patent ID: 8753088
Filing Date: 2014-06-17
Classification: B64C,F01D,Y02T,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A propeller system, said system comprising: a hub including a socket, the hub including an upper and a lower end, said socket having a substantially cylindrical internal surface; an adjustable-pitch blade received in said hub, said blade having an airfoil portion extending in an axially outward direction from the socket, and a base portion included in the socket; a substantially cylindrical outer surface of said base portion of said blade, said outer surface of said base portion of said blade being slidably receivable in said substantially cylindrical internal surface of said socket; a locking assembly including a snap ring disposed adjacent the upper end of the hub, the snap ring securing a shim in position against a hub surface and a hub upcrop surface, the hub upcrop surface preventing dislocation of the shim in a direction parallel to the hub surface, wherein the locking assembly, when fully installed, prevents axial translation in the hub which is otherwise axially slidable; a sealing member received in an interface between said substantially cylindrical outer surface of said base portion of said blade and said substantially cylindrical internal surface of said socket, said sealing member forming a fluid barrier between an inside and an outside of said socket while still allowing for axial translation of said blade into said socket during installation and rotation of said blade to change pitch; an angular contact bearing arrangement located further inside said socket, said bearing arrangement including a set of bearing balls included between an inner race on said blade and an outer race on said hub, said inner race having an outer diameter which is small enough to enable passage through said substantially cylindrical internal surface of said socket during installation, said outer race having an inside diameter large enough to not interfere with said substantially cylindrical outer surface of said base portion of said blade during installation; the substantially cylindrical outer portion of the base portion of the blade presenting an outer bearing surface which is axially outward from the angular contact bearing balls, each of the angular contact bearing balls and the outer bearing surface transferring blade loads directly to the hub; an outboard roller bearing having a plurality of outboard rollers embedded into an annular slot in a collar for engagement with an inner surface of an outer bearing race, wherein the outer bearing race of the roller bearing is in direct contact with the hub; and an upper surface of the outer race of the angular contact bearing is in direct contact with a lower surface of the outer race of the roller bearing; and the inner surface of the outer bearing race of the roller bearing is radially flush with an inner surface of the outer race of the angular contact bearing.