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A retractable helicopter rotor in which the rotor and its blades, the swashplate and the pitch change rods are retracted and extended as a unit during the helicopter rotor retraction/extension mode of operation, wherein the connection between the rotor support system and the fuselage constitutes a s

A retractable helicopter rotor in which the rotor and its blades, the swashplate and the pitch change rods are retracted and extended as a unit during the helicopter rotor retraction/extension mode of operation, wherein the connection between the rotor support system and the fuselage constitutes a single interface between overlapping circumferentially extending flanges of each, and with the bolts joining those flanges being loaded in compression.

대표청구항 ▼

A helicopter having a fuselage and a rotor which is movable between an extended, flight operational position and a retracted position including: (a) means to support the rotor from the fuselage for rotation about an axis of rotation including: (1) a support platform fixedly supported from the fusela

A helicopter having a fuselage and a rotor which is movable between an extended, flight operational position and a retracted position including: (a) means to support the rotor from the fuselage for rotation about an axis of rotation including: (1) a support platform fixedly supported from the fuselage and including a ring shaped flange positioned concentrically and in spaced relationship about the rotor axis of rotation and extending substantially perpendicular thereto; (2) a normally fixed mast member of circular cross-section positioned concentrically about the rotor axis of rotation and having a ring flange at its axially inner end which abuts the axially inner side of the support platform ring flange and is fixedly connected thereto by a series of bolts extending through a circumferential array of aligned bolt holes in the flanges; and (3) means connecting the upper end of the mast member to the rotor so as to support the rotor from the mast member for rotation about the axis of rotation; (b) a transmission positioned within a housing located inwardly of the mast member; and having (1) an output quill connected to and mounted for rotation with the transmission and including a cylindrical portion positioned concentrically about the rotor axis of rotation and having a ring of splines positioned circumferentially about the axis of rotation and extending in a direction axially therealong, and further having at least one axially extending alignment spline which extends substantially the full length of the output quill cylindrical portion; (c) a rotor drive shaft of substantially circular cross-section and positioned concentrically about the rotor axis of rotation and having: (2) an inner end which is cylindrical in cross-section and positioned concentrically about the axis of rotation and including: (a) a circumferential array of splines which operatively engage the splines of the transmission output quill so as to operatively connect the rotor drive shaft and, hence, the rotor to the transmission to be driven thereby during rotor extended flight operation; and (d) means to lower the mast with the rotor attached thereto inwardly along the axis of rotation when the connecting bolts between the abutting flanges of the support platform and the mast are removed so that the rotor is thereby moved form its extended flight operational position to a retracted position and so that the rotor is prevented from rotating during the retracting motion due to the continuous engagement between the rotor drive shaft splines and the output quill alignment spline, said transmission output quill alignment spline serving to maintain continuous spline alignment between the output quill and rotor drive shaft while the hub is being lowered to the retracted position or being raised to the extended flight position and operatively engages the rotor drive shaft splines when in the extended flight position.