Patent GB-913682-A (GB)
Title: Variable-pitch propeller control apparatus
IPC: B64C11/38
Filed: 1961-07-05
Abstract: 913,682. Variable pitch propellers. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. July 5, 1961 [July 11, 1960], No. 24271/61. Class 114. A variable-pitch propellor control apparatus comprises a pitch lock which when engaged prevents any decrease in propellor pitch, a pitch stop which when engaged prevents decrease in propellor pitch below a given pitch angle, a spring force urging the pitch lock and pitch stop towards engagement, a piston movable against the spring force by liquid pressure, and a valve assembly to deliver to the piston liquid at different pressures, one such pressure being such as to disengage the pitch lock and another such as to disengage both the pitch lock and the pitch stop. The propellor blades 14 are mounted for axial rotation by the hydraulic piston 20 having internal helical splines 22 engaging the member 26 of the hub 10 and external splines 24 engaging splines 28 integral with the root of the propellor. Each blade has a bevel gear 34 meshing with a master gear 36, which co-ordinates the movements of the several blades. A pitch lock and pitch stop housing comprising annulus 38 and plate 40 is connected to the hub 10 and gear 36 which is mounted for rotation within the housing by ball bearing assembly 46. Master gear 36 is formed with internal straight teeth 30 engaging with teeth on feedback gear 54 and the flanged annulus 58 constituting the low pitch which results in movement to disengage the pitch lock elements 74, 64. The pitch stop element 84 is also moved but the jaws 86 and 62 are of sufficient axial extent to tender stop element which is also connected to the master gear by bolts 60 and also has jaws 62. The master gear 36 is also formed with circumferential teeth 64 which together with flange 44 constitute the rotatable element of the mechanical pitch lock. Annulus 70 moves axially within the annulus 38 through splines 68, 72 and has circumferential teeth 74 which engage teeth 64 on flange 44 so as to prevent rotation of master gear 36 in the pitch decreasing direction while permitting rotation in a pitch increasing direction. The annulus 70 has internal straight spline teeth 80 which mate with teeth 82 on a third annulus 84 further connected with annulus 70 by bolts 85. Annulus 84 constitutes the axially movable low pitch stop element and has jaws 86 which engage jaws 62 on pitch stop element 58. Annulus 84 is formed with a groove 88 defining one wall of a chamber 96 in which the flanged end of annulus 70, having a piston surface 94, moves in response to liquid under pressure in the chamber 96 supplied through a radial passage 98 and supply tube 100. Circumferentially arranged spring washers 102, acting between a fixed plate 110 and a movable plate 108 which engages the spline teeth 68 on the annulus 38, are provided for engaging the pitch lock and pitch stop elements. An annular wave spring 118 acts between the movable plate 108 and pitch lock element 70 to constitute the first stage of the spring means to engage the pitch lock and stop, the springs 102 constituting the second. Low pressure liquid of approximately 400 p.s.i. is supplied to the chamber 96 the pitch stop still operative, in this position the spring 118 is fully compressed and movement of the elements 70 and 84 is prevented by the plate 108 and springs 102. Further movement to release the jaws 86 and 62 is initiated by high pressure liquid, approximately, 900 p.s.i. supplied to the chamber 96 to move elements 70 and 84 against the springs 102. Fig. 4 shows the hydraulic control system for the pitch stop and pitch lock assembly. A pump 120 delivers liquid at high pressure through conduits 126 to the control valve assembly 130 disposed in a rotatable regulator so that the lever 158 and plunger 156 respond to centrifugal force in the direction of the arrow 164. The conduit 126 connects with a low pressure passage 142, via a pressure reducing valve 136, to ports 144 and 146. The port 144 is associated with a speed responsive valve 148 which is articulated to the lever 158. The valve 148 has a land 150 to control the port 166 connecting with the servo valve 170 and the tube 100. The port 146 is associaated with the manually operated pitch stop control valve 180 connected to a lever 188 pivoted at 190 to the housing and having a cam slot 192 which receives a follower 194 attached to a rod 196 and control lever 198. The valve 180 has a port 202 connecting with a servo chamber 204 having plungers 206 and 208 which are moved by a cam follower 210 and cam surface 212 and themselves move one end of the lever 216 the other end of which is connected to an adjustable seat assembly 222 of the spring 162. During normal propellor operation manual control lever 198 is positioned to load the spring 162 and control the setting of the valve 148. Should the propellor overspeed, however, the valve 148 will move in the direction of arrow 164 and connect port 166 to drain allowing the servo valve 170 to move to connect the. port 178 to drain, through port 224, and vent the conduit 100 to release the cylinder 96 and allow the spring 118 to move the elements 70 and 84 to engage the pitch lock 74, 64 and prevent further movement of the propellors in the pitch decreasing direction. In order to disengage the low pitch stop the lever 198 is moved to lower the plunger 180 and connect the ports 146 and 202 and block the drain passage 200 to supply low pressure to servo chamber 204 and effect upward movement of the plunger 208 to increase the load on the spring 162. The plunger 148 is thereby moved to connect the port 176 and 226 and supply high pressure liquid from passage 134 to chamber 96 through conduit 100 and effect movement of the piston 94 to disengage the jaws 86 and 62. The propeller may then be operated with manually selected blade angles or in reverse pitch.