Locking control and overtravel safety stop system for variable length rotor blades

Claim 2

A locking system for variable length rotor blades of a rotor assembly, the rotor blades being mounted on a rotatable main rotor shaft and being adjustable in length upon actuation of adjusting means for changing the length of the rotor blades, the locking system including: a rotatable extension shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a rotatable retraction shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a lock shaft coaxial with said extension and retraction shafts, said lock shaft being rotatable with the main rotor shaft and translatable with respect to the main rotor shaft; lock means mounted on said rotor assembly for locking engagement with a part of one of said extension or retraction shafts, said lock means including pawls movable between a locked position in locking engagement with part of said one shaft and an unlocked position disengaged from said part; connecting means between said lock shaft and said lock means for operating said lock means in response to translation of said lock shaft to a clocking position; and actuating means for selectively translating said lock shaft.

Claim 3

A locking system as in claim 1 wherein: said adjusting means includes differential means having first and second differential gears and pinion gears; and said extension shaft is coupled to said first differential gear and said retraction gear is coupled to said second differential gear.

Claim 4

A locking system as in claim 2 including: disc means on said one shaft having a plurality of slots therein, said pawls having a first position out of engagement with said slots and a second position in engagement with said slots.

Claim 5

A locking system as in claim 3 wherein: said disc means is part of brake means for resisting rotation of said one shaft.

Claim 6

A locking system as in claim 3 wherein said lock means includes: linkage means between said lock shaft and said pawls; and over center spring means to hold said pawls in said locked or unlocked position.

Claim 7

A locking system as in claim 3 including: traveling nut means between said lock shaft and said one shaft for translational movement along said lock shaft commensurate with length adjustments of said rotor blades as a function of relative rotation between said lock shaft and said one shaft; first overtravel means for engagement by said traveling nut means in one direction of travel thereof to actuate said lock means to prevent overtravel of said rotor blades in a first direction; and second overtravel means for engagement by said traveling nut means in another direction of travel thereof to actuate said lock means to prevent overtravel of said rotor blades in a second direction.

Claim 8

A locking system as in claim 6 wherein said first overtravel means includes: movable means along said lock shaft, said movable means being movable by said traveling nut means to engage said lock means to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof.

Claim 9

A locking system as in claim 7 wherein: said movable means is a sleeve about said lock shaft, said sleeve having a flange to contact said lock means.

Claim 10

A locking system as in claim 6 wherein said second overtravel means includes: contact means on said lock shaft for engagement by said traveling nut means to translate said lock shaft to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof.

Claim 11

A locking system as in claim 6 wherein: said lock shaft translates in one direction upon engagement of either said first or second overtravel means by said traveling nut means.

Claim 12

A locking system as in claim 10 wherein said second overtravel means includes: contact means on said lock shaft for engagement by said traveling nut means to translate said lock shaft to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof and translate said lock shaft in said one direction.

Claim 13

A locking system as in claim 10 wherein said first overtravel means includes: movable means along said lock shaft, said movable means being movable by said traveling nut means to engage said lock means to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof and translate said lock shaft in said one direction.

Claim 14

A locking system as in claim 12 wherein: said movable means is a sleeve about said lock shaft, said sleeve having a flange to contact said lock means.

Claim 15

A locking system for variable length rotor blades of a rotor assembly, the rotor blades being mounted on a rotatable main rotor shaft and being adjustable in length upon actuation of adjusting means to change the length of the rotor blades, the locking system including: a rotatable extension shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a rotatable retraction shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a lock shaft coaxial with said extension and retraction shafts, said lock shaft being rotatable with the main rotor shaft and translatable with respect to the main rotor shaft; lock means mounted on said rotor assembly for locking engagement with a part of one of said extension or retraction shafts; connecting means between said lock shaft and said lock means for operating said lock means in response to translation of said lock shaft to a locking position; actuating means for selectively translating said lock shaft rotation control means for controlling said extension and retraction shafts to establish relative rotation therebetween; and shutoff means operably connected to said lock shaft to deactivate said rotation control means upon translation of said locking shaft to the locking position thereof.

Claim 16

A locking system for variable length rotor blades of a rotor assembly, the rotor blades being mounted on a rotatable main rotor shaft and being adjustable in length upon actuation of adjusting means to change the length of the rotor blades, the locking system including: a rotatable extension shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a rotatable retraction shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a lock shaft coaxial with said extension and retraction shafts, said lock shaft being rotatable with the main rotor shaft and translatable with respect to the main rotor shaft; lock means mounted on said rotor assembly for locking engagement with a part of one of said extension or retraction shafts; connecting means between said lock shaft and said lock means for operating said lock means in response to translation of said lock shaft to a locking position; actuating means for selectively translating said lock shaft rotation control means for controlling said extension and retraction shafts to establish relative rotation therebetween; and shutoff means operably connected to said lock shaft to deactivate said rotation control means upon translation of said locking shaft to the locking position thereof.

Claim 17

A locking system as in claim 14 wherein: said adjusting means includes differential means having first and second differential gears and pinion gears; and said extension shaft is coupled to said first differential gear and said retraction gear is coupled to said second differential gear.

Claim 18

A locking system as in claim 15 wherein said rotation control means includes hydraulically operated brakes on each of said extension and retraction shafts, and wherein: said shutoff means includes valve means operable by said lock shaft to terminate the delivery of pressurized hydraulic fluid to said brakes.

Claim 19

A locking system as in claim 15 including: disc means on said one shaft having a plurality of slots therein; and wherein said lock means includes pawls movable between a locked position in engagement with said slots and an unlocked position disengaged from said slots.

Claim 20

A locking system as in claim 15 including: traveling nut means between said lock shaft and said one shaft for translational movement along said lock shaft commensurate with length adjustments of said rotor blades as a function of relative rotation between said lock shaft and said one shaft; first overtravel means for engagement by said traveling nut means in one direction of travel thereof to actuate said lock means to prevent overtravel of said rotor blades in a first direction; and second overtravel means for engagement by said traveling nut means in another direction of travel thereof to actuate said lock means to prevent overtravel of said rotor blades in a second direction.

Claim 21

A locking system as in claim 18 wherein said second overtravel means includes: contact means on said lock shaft for engagement by said traveling nut means to translate said lock shaft to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof.

Claim 22

A locking system as in claim 18 wherein: said lock shaft translates in one direction upon engagement of either said first or second overtravel means by said traveling nut means.

Claim 23

A locking system as in claim 18 wherein said first overtravel means includes: movable means along said lock shaft, said movable means being movable by said traveling nut means to engage said lock means to actuate said pawls to the lock position thereof.

Claim 24

A locking system as in claim 21 wherein: said movable means is a sleeve about said lock shaft, said sleeve having a flange to contact said lock means.

Claim 25

An overtravel safety stop system for variable length rotor blades, the rotor blades being mounted on a rotatable main rotor shaft and being adjustable in length upon actuation of adjusting means to change the length of the rotor blades, the safety stop system including: a rotatable extension shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a rotatable retraction shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a lock shaft coaxial with said extension and retraction shafts said lock shaft being rotatable translatable; lock means mounted on said rotor assembly for locking engagement with a part of one of said extension or retraction shafts; connecting means between said lock shaft and said lock means for actuating said lock means in response to translation of said lock shaft to a clocking position; traveling nut means between said lock shaft and said one shaft for translational movement along said lock shaft commensurate with length adjustments of said rotor blades as a function of relative rotation between said lock shaft and said one shaft; first overtravel means for engagement by said traveling nut means in one direction of travel thereof to actuate said lock means to prevent overtravel of said rotor blades in a first direction; and second overtravel means for engagement by said traveling nut means in another direction of travel thereof to actuate said lock means to prevent overtravel of said rotor blades in a second direction.

Claim 26

An overtravel safety stop system for variable length rotor blades, the rotor blades being mounted on a rotatable main rotor shaft and being adjustable in length upon actuation of adjusting means to change the length of the rotor blades, the safety stop system including: a rotatable extension shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a rotatable retraction shaft coaxial with said main rotor shaft and coupled to said adjusting means; a lock shaft coaxial with said extension and retraction shafts said lock shaft being rotatable translatable; lock means mounted on said rotor assembly for locking engagement with a part of one of said extension or retraction shafts; connecting means between said lock shaft and said lock means for actuating said lock means in response to translation of said lock shaft to a clocking position; traveling nut means between said lock shaft and said one shaft for translational movement along said lock shaft commensurate with length adjustments of said rotor blades as a function of relative rotation between said lock shaft and said one shaft; first overtravel means for engagement by said traveling nut means in one direction of travel thereof to actuate said lock means to prevent overtravel of said rotor blades in a first direction; and second overtravel means for engagement by said traveling nut means in another direction of travel thereof to actuate said lock means to prevent overtravel of said rotor blades in a second direction.

Claim 27

A locking system as in claim 23 wherein: said adjusting means includes differential means having first and second differential gears and pinion gears; and said extension shaft is coupled to said first differential gear and said retraction gear is coupled to said second differential gear.

Claim 28

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 24 wherein said second overtravel means includes: contact means on said lock shaft for engagement by said traveling nut means to translate said lock shaft to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof.

Claim 29

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 24 wherein: said lock shaft translates in one direction upon engagement of either said first or second overtravel means by said traveling nut means.

Claim 30

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 26 wherein said second overtravel means includes: contact means on said lock shaft for engagement by said traveling nut means to translate said lock shaft to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof and translate said lock shaft in said one direction.

Claim 31

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 26 wherein said first overtravel means includes: movable means along said lock shaft, said movable means being movable by said traveling nut means to engage said lock means to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof and translate said lock shaft in said one direction.

Claim 32

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 28 wherein: said movable means is a sleeve about said lock shaft, said sleeve having a flange to contact said lock means.

Claim 33

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 24 wherein said first overtravel means includes: movable means along said lock shaft, said movable means being movable by said traveling nut means to engage said lock means to actuate said pawls to the locked position thereof.

Claim 34

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 30 wherein: said movable means is a sleeve about said lock shaft, said sleeve having a flange to contact said lock means.

Claim 35

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 30 including: actuating means for selectively translating said lock shaft.

Claim 36

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 30 including: rotation control means for controlling said extension and retraction shafts to establish relative rotation therebetween; and shutoff means operably connected to said lock shaft to deactivate said rotation control means upon translation of said lock shaft to the locking position thereof.

Claim 37

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 33 wherein said rotation control means includes hydraulically operated brakes on each of said extension and retraction shafts; and wherein said shutoff means includes valve means operable by said lock shaft to terminate the delivery of pressurized hydraulic fluid to said brakes.

Claim 38

An overtravel safety stop system as in claim 33 including: disc means on said one shaft having a plurality of slots therein; and wherein said lock means includes pawls movable between a locked position in engagement with said slots and an unlocked position disengaged from said slots.