Patent ID: 7674091

Claim:
A mechanism for controlling the pitch of each of the blades of an aircraft rotor thrust system independently of the other blades thereof, comprising: an elongated tubular rotor mast having a long axis, an upper end coupled to a hub of the rotor for conjoint rotation therewith, and a lower end coupled to and rotationally driven by an engine of the aircraft; a plurality of pitch tubes equal in number to the number of blades of the rotor disposed coaxially within the rotor mast and fixed against conjoint rotation therewith; an actuator coupled to a lower end of an associated one of each of the pitch tubes, each being operable to selectably move the associated pitch tube back and forth in the axial direction independently of the other pitch tubes; a pitch plate disposed at an upper end of an associated one of each of the pitch tubes for conjoint rotation with the rotor mast, each having an inner periphery coupled to the upper end of the associated pitch tube for both conjoint axial movement therewith and rotational movement relative thereto, and an outer periphery coupled to an inner surface of the rotor mast for both conjoint rotation therewith and axial movement relative thereto; and, an elongated pitch link having a lower end fixed to an associated one of each of the pitch plates for conjoint axial and rotational movement therewith, and an upper end coupled to a pitch horn disposed at an inner end of an associated one of the blades of the rotor.