초록 ▼

A blade retention pin system is operative to secure the blade cuff of a main rotor blade of a helicopter in combination with a spindle assembly of the main rotor hub assembly for main rotor assembly operations and is readily reconfigurable to accommodate blade folding operations. The blade retention

A blade retention pin system is operative to secure the blade cuff of a main rotor blade of a helicopter in combination with a spindle assembly of the main rotor hub assembly for main rotor assembly operations and is readily reconfigurable to accommodate blade folding operations. The blade retention pin system includes first and second pin assemblies, each pin assembly including a retainer pin and a handle subassembly, which includes a retainer member and a spring member in superposed abutting combination, pivotably mounted in combination therewith. The first pin assembly includes, in addition, a safety pin subassembly secured in combination therewith. Each retainer pin is inserted into aligned apertures of the blade cuff and spindle assembly and locked in place by pivoting the handle subassembly from an unlocked to a locked position wherein the retainer member engages the retainer pin and the spring member is biased onto the retainer pin to abuttingly engage the retainer member.

대표청구항 ▼

In Combination with a helicopter main rotor assembly configured for manual blade folding operations, the main rotor assembly including a main rotor hub assembly having a plurality of rotor hub arms, each rotor hub arm having a spindle assembly mechanically and functionally interconnected therewith,

In Combination with a helicopter main rotor assembly configured for manual blade folding operations, the main rotor assembly including a main rotor hub assembly having a plurality of rotor hub arms, each rotor hub arm having a spindle assembly mechanically and functionally interconnected therewith, a blade retention pin system for operatively installing a main rotor blade having a blade cuff secured in combination therewith in secured combination with the spindle assembly of the corresponding rotor hub arm, said blade retention pin system being readily reconfigurable to facilitate manual folding of the main rotor blade, comprising: a second pin assembly including a retainer pin, and a handle subassembly pivotably mounted in combination with said retainer pin, said handle subassembly being pivotable from an unlocked position to a locked position and vice versa, said handle subassembly having means secured in combination therewith for mechanically engaging said retainer pin with said handle subassembly in the locked position; and a first pin assembly including a retainer pin, a handle subassembly pivotably mounted in combination with said retainer pin, said handle subassembly being pivotable from an unlocked position to a locked position and vice versa, said handle subassembly having means secured in combination therewith for mechanically engaging said retainer pin with said handle subassembly in the locked position, and a safety pin subassembly secured in combination with said handle subassembly, said safety pin subassembly including means for mechanically engaging said retainer pins of said first and second pin assemblies with said handle subassemblies thereof in the locked position; wherein said retainer pins of said first and second pin assemblies are insertable in aligned apertures of the spindle assembly and the blade cuff, the handle assemblies of said first and second pin assemblies are pivotable from the unlocked position to the locked position to cause said mechanical engaging means thereof to mechanically engage said respective retainer pins and lock said respective retainer pins in position, and said mechanical engaging means of said safety pin subassembly is mechanically engageable with said retainer pins of said first and second pin assemblies to operatively install the main rotor blade in secured combination with the corresponding rotor hub arm; and further wherein said mechanical engaging means of said safety pin subassembly is mechanically disengageable from said retainer pins of said first and second pin assemblies, said handle subassembly of one of said first and second pin assemblies is pivotable from the locked position to the unlocked position to disengage said mechanical engaging means from said respective retainer pin, and said one pin assembly is removable from the aligned apertures of the spindle assembly and the blade cuff to reconfigure said blade retention pin system for manual folding of the main rotor blade, said other of said first and second pin assemblies remaining locked in position to function as a rotational axis for manual folding of the main rotor blade.