# US 10,309,371 B2 · Smooth pitch control for propellers and rotors

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- Number: US 10,309,371 B2
- Document ID: US10309371B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/161,181
- Filed: 2016-05-20
- Published: 2017-11-23
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-20
- Applicants: William L. Hinks
- Inventors: William L. Hinks
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309371B2

## CPC

- F03D 7/0224: {Adjusting blade pitch}
- B64C 11/06: for variable-pitch blades
- F05B 2260/79: Bearing, support or actuation arrangements therefor
- F05B 2280/5001: Elasticity
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A rotor hub provides transfer of centrifugal force while permitting angular motion about a pitch axis, having an outer member and an enveloped concentric inner member with a hollow end part, the two members joined by two spaced radial bearings and each having two diametrically opposed windows that are aligned such that a beam transverse to the pitch axis passes through all four windows, transferring the centrifugal force from the outer member through a small elastomeric thrust bearing within the hollow part to an end cap of the inner member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A radial section of a hub of an airfoil blade of a rotor that transmits centrifugal force from a first end to a second end while permitting angular motion about a pitch axis, comprising: an outer member that supports two spaced radial bearings concentric with said axis and has two diametrically opposed outer windows; an inner member that is supported by said radial bearings and has a hollow closed end part that has two diametrically opposed inner windows proximate to said closed end, said inner windows being circumferentially wider than and aligned with said outer windows; an elastomeric bearing seated against the inner end of said closed end part; and a transverse beam passing through all four said windows and seated upon an edge of each said outer window and upon the exposed face of said elastomeric bearing such that said centrifugal force is transferred from said outer member to said inner member through said elastomeric bearing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The radial section of claim 1 wherein said elastomeric bearing has flat laminates.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The radial section of claim 1 wherein said inner member is a hollow cylinder.