US1831949A - Aeronautical propeller - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17, 1931. A. F. EUcHENHor-'ER AERONAUTICAL PROPELLER Filed April 29. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 PAT-ENT OFFICE ADOLPH F. EUCHENHOFEB, F DAYTON, OHIO AERNAUTICAL PBOPELLEB Application led April 29, 1929. Serial No. 358,843.

This invention relates to an aeronauticalpropeller and more particularly to the propeller hub and the means for mounting the blade therein. 6 One object of the present invention is to provide la propeller of such acharacter that the blade may be quickly and easily mounted in the hub socket, adjusted with relation thereto and rigidly secured in its adjusted .1Q position. y

A further object of the invention is to pro: 'vide a propeller in which the blade may be adjusted longitudinally with Irelation to the hub structure Without modifyingthe pitch angle thereof. l

A further object of the invention is to provide such a propeller which will be simple in its construction, of a strong durable character and which may be produced at av relatively low cost. v

Other objects of the invention will appear as the-device is described. In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation 'of a propeller, with the outer portion of the blades broken away, and with the hub structure partly in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hub structure partly in section and with the blades broken away; Fig. 3 is an end elevationof the hub structure with the propeller blade in section; Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4 4. of Fig. 1; Fig.l 5 is a. transverse section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a detailv view of the connecting member.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention 'and have shown the sameyas comprising a hub structure 1l) having a transversev central opening to receive the propeller shaft. The hub may be mounted on the propeller shaft in any suitable manner. In the present instance a hub supporting structure or tapered sleeve 11 is mounted on and rigidly secured to the end Aot the shaft, a portion of which is shown at 12, and this'sleeve has a circumferential iange 13 adapted to be engaged by a corresponding flange 14 on the hub structure when the latter is mounted on the sleeve, as shown in Fig. 2. The two flanges may be rigidly connected one to the other in any suitablemanner, as by means of bolts 15. The hub structure has at each end thereof a blade receiving socket 16. The two sockets and the means for securing the blades therein are identical and the de scription of one will apply to both. V

The socket 16 preferably has a smooth cy- 55 lindrical inner surfacev at that end adjacent to the axis of the hub, asshown at 17, and the shank of the blade 18 has an inner end portion 19 shaped to lit snugly Within the 60 cylindrical portion of the hub socket but capable of both rotatory and axial adjustment therein. The' means for securing the blade in the socket is such as to permit the adjustment of the blade both about a longitudinal axis, to establish the correct pitch angle, and in the direction of its length to enable it to be properly positioned with relation to v the other blade so as to balance the propeller.

To accomplish this I have mounted on the 7o shank of the blade, on the outer side of the end-portion 19 thereof, a connecting member which is held 'against movement lengthwise ofthe blade but Within which the blade may be rotated. This connecting member extends into vthe outer portion of the socket and is so mounted therein that it may be adjusted lengthwise of the socket, thus imparting lengthwise adjustment to the blade. Means are provided for rigidly securing the con- 30 lnecting member in its adjusted position within the socket and for rigidly secur` the same to the blade. These parts of the evice may take various forms but, in the preferred construction, the shank of the blade is prog5 vided with a circumferential groove 20 inwhich is mounted a split collar 21 of such Va length that its ends will abut against the end. walls of the groove and thus hold the collar against axial movement with 4relation 90 to the blade. The exterior surface of the collar is threaded and the outer end portion of the socket is provided 4with internal threads to receive the same so that by rotating .the collar with relation to the blade the blade may be caused to move lengthwise of the socket. Preferably the collar is provided at its outer end with avlange or a head 22 to facilitate its adjustment. The outer end or threaded portion of the socket is also-split,

preferably at a plurality of points, as shown at 23, and a clamping device, such as a split rin 24, extends about the split end of the soc et for clamping the same tightly about the collar and for clamping the collar tightly about the shank of the blade. The clamping ring has the usual apertured lugs 25 through which extends a bolt 26a by lmeans of which the ring may be tightenedabout the socket. It is desirable that the ring should be retained in a fixed circumferential position with relation to the socket and I have here shown the same as having an inwardly extending projection, such as a pin 26, which enters a recess 27 in the outer surface of the socket and holds the ring against movement circumferentially of the socket. The recess 27 may, if desired, be elongated in a direction of the length of the socket but this is not necessary as it is immaterial whether or not the clamping ring contacts wit-h the flange on the split collar. It will be apparent that when the clamping ring is loosened the split collar or connecting member may be rotated to adjust the blade in the direction of its length and that the blade may be rotated about its longitudinal axis to establish the correct pitch angle, or it may be held against rotation and the longitudinal adjustment of the blade effected without dis. turbing the pitch angle thereof. When the desired adjustments have been effected' the clamping ring is tightened down and the parts thus rigidly secured in their adjusted positions.

To facilitate the mounting of the split collar in the groove in the hub I prefer to make the same in two substantially semicylindrical parts and after the two parts have been placed in position within the groove in the shank of the blade they are welded one to the other, at one side of the collar, so as -to produce in effect a one piece collar. To this end I have shown the collar .tion of the blade shank has on its outer periphery a circumferentially arranged series of graduations 31 and the adjacent portion of the socket has a sight opening 32 through which the graduations are visible. Preferably the socket is provided-with a fixed mark or indicator to cooperatef with the graduationson the blade shank. As here shown, the wall ofthe sight opening is flared and this ared wall is provided with a line or mark 33 which may register with any -one of the graduations.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a propeller, a hub having a socket and a blade having a shank extending into saidsocket, a connecting member extending about said shank, mounted in said socket for adjustment lengthwise thereof and held against lengthwise movement withA relation to said shank during said adjustment, and means for rigidly securing said connecting member in adjusted positions in said socket and for holding said connecting member and said shank against relative rotatory movement.

2. In a propeller, a hub having a socket and a blade having a shank extending into said socket, a split collar mounted on said shank, held against movement lengthwise thereof and mounted in said socket for adjustment lengthwise thereof, and means for rigidly securing said collar in adjusted positions in said socket and for clamping the same tightly about said shank.

3. In a propeller, a hub having a socket and a blade having. a shank extending into said socket, a split collar mounted on said shank, held against movement lengthwise thereof and having screw threaded connection with said socket, and means for rigidly securing said collar in adjusted positions in said socket and for clamping the same tightly about said shank.

4. In a propeller, a hub provided with a socket having its outer end portion split, a blade having a shank extending into said socket, a split collar mounted on said shank, held against movement lengthwise thereof and mounted in said outer end portion of saidsocket for adjustment lengthwise thereof, and means for clamping the split end of said socket about said collar and for clamping said collar about said shank.

5. In a propeller, a hub provided with a socket having its outer end portion split and having an internal screw thread, a blade having a shank extending into said socket, a split collar mounted on said shank for adj ustment about the axis thereof, heldagainst movement lengthwise thereof and having an external thread to engage the internal thread of said socket,'and means for clamping the split end of said socket about said collar and for clamping said collar about said shank.

6. In a propeller, a hub provided with a socket having its outer end portion split and having an internal screw thread, a blade fitting snugly 'but adjustably in the innermovement lengthwise thereof and having an external thread to engage the internal thread of said socket, a clamping ring mounted about the split end portion of said socket and held lagainst circumferential movement with relation thereto.

7. In a propeller, a hub provided with a socket having its outer end portion split and having an internal screw thread, a blade having a shank extending into said socket and provided with a circumferential groove, a split collar mounted in said groove and having a screw thread to engage the thread in said socket, and means for clamping the split end of said socket about said collar and for clamping said collar about said shank.

8. In a propeller, a hub provided with a socket having its outer end portion split and having an internal screw thread, a blade having a shank extending into said socket and provided with a circumferential groove, a split collar mounted in said groove and conlprising separate parts to be connected one to the other at one side of said collar after they have been inserted in said groove, said collar having an internal thread to engage the thread of said socket, and means for clamping the split end of said socket about said collar and for clamping ksaid collar about said shank.

9. In a propeller, a hub having a socket, a blade having a shank extending into said socket, the'inner end ortion of said shank portion f said socket, a connecting member mounted on said shank, held against movement lengthwise thereof and mounted in the outer portion of said socket for adjustment lengthwise thereof, and means for rigidly securing said connecting member in adjusted ositions in said socket and for holding said lade against rotatory movement in said socket.

10. In a propeller, ahub having a socket provided with a smooth cylindrlcal inner surface at one end thereof and having its other end split, a blade having a shank extending into said socket and provided with a A part fitting within the cylindrical end portion of said socket and Aadjustable therein, said shank also having a circumferential groove, a connecting member fitting in said groove forrotation therein and mounted in the outer end portion of said socket for adjustment lengthwise thereof, and means for clamping the split end of said socket about said connecting member and for holding said connecting member and said shank against relative rotatory movement.

11. In a propeller, a hub having a socket provided with a smooth c lindncal inner surface at one end thereof andy having its other end split, a blade having a shank extending into said socket and provided with a part fitting within the cylindrical end portion of said socket and adjustable therein, said shank also having a circumferential groove, a connecting member fitting in said groove for rotation therein and mounted in the outer end portion of said socket'for adjustment lengthwise thereof, and means for clamping the split end of said socket about said connectin g member and for holding said connecting member and said shank against relative rotatory movement.

12. In a propeller, a hubV having a socket provided with a smooth cylindrical inner surface at one end thereof and having its other end split, a blade having a shank extending into said socket and provided with a part fitting. in said cylindrical end portion of said socket and adjustable therein, said shank also having a circumferential groove, a split col-- lar fitting in said groove and mounted in the outer end portion of said socket for adjustment lengthwise thereof, and a clamping ring extending about the split end of said socket.

13. In a propeller, a hub having a socket provided at one end with a smooth cylindrical inner surface and at its other end with an internal screw thread, the threaded end of said socketr being split, a blade having a shank extending into said socket and provided with a part fitting in the cylindrical end portion of said socket and adjustable therein, said shank also having a circumferential groove, a split collar fitting in said groove and having an external screw thread to engage the thread in said collar, and a clamping ring extending about the split end of said socket.

14. In a propeller, a hub having a socket, a blade having a shank extending into said socket, the inner end portion of said shank fitting snugly but adjustably in the inner portion of said socket, a connecting member mounted on said shank, held against movement lengthwise tFh/ereof and mounted in the outer portion of said socket for adjustment lengthwise thereof, and means for rigidly securing said connecting member in adjusted positions in said socket and for holding said blade against rotatory movement in said socket, said socket havin an opening in the wall thereof and the shan of said blade having graduations movable into line with said opening.

15. In a propeller, a hub having a socket, a blade having a shank to enter said socket and having a circumferential groove, a split collar mounted in said groove and comprising two parts welded one to the other at one side of said collar, \and means for securing said collar in adjusted positions in said socket. l

16. In a propeller, a hub having a socket,

a blade having a shank to enter lsaid socket and having a circumferential groove, a co1- lar comprising two parts adapted to be separately inserted in said groove, the abutting edges of said parts of said collar on one side of said collar having recesses to enable said edges to be welded one to the other after said parts have been inserted in said groove, and means for securing said collar 1n adjusted positions in said socket.

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature hereto.

ADOLPH F. EUCI-IENHOFER.

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