Convertible propeller
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDaniel Lawrence Tweedt, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Abstract
A variable-solidity propeller apparatus, comprising a propeller having at least one rotatable hub carrying at least one row of propeller blades, wherein the propeller has a first configuration in which the propeller has a first average solidity, and a second configuration in which the propeller has a second average solidity which is greater than the first average solidity.
Claims19
A variable-solidity propeller apparatus, comprising a propeller having at least one rotatable hub carrying at least one row of propeller blades, wherein the propeller has a first configuration in which the propeller has a first average solidity, and a second configuration in which the propeller has a second average solidity which is greater than the first average solidity;
- and
- wherein the propeller has a third configuration with an average solidity intermediate between the first and second average solidifies.
A variable-solidity propeller apparatus, comprising a propeller including:
- at least one rotatable hub carrying at least one row of propeller blades, wherein the propeller has a first configuration in which the propeller has a first average solidity, and a second configuration in which the propeller has a second average solidity which is greater than the first average solidity;
- wherein the propeller includes a first rotatable hub carrying a row of first propeller blades, and a second rotatable hub carrying a row of second propeller blades;
- the second propeller blades are movable between an extended position and a retracted;
- and
- wherein the first propeller blades have a variable pitch angle, and the second propeller blades have a fixed pitch angle.
A variable-solidity propeller apparatus, comprising:
- at least one rotatable hub carrying at least one row of propeller blades, wherein the propeller has a first configuration in which the propeller has a first average solidity, and a second configuration in which the propeller has a second average solidity which is greater than the first average solidity;
- wherein the propeller includes a first rotatable hub carrying a row of first propeller blades, and a second rotatable hub carrying a row of second propeller blades;
- and
- a prime mover coupled in driving relationship with the first and second hubs, wherein the prime mover has spaced-apart forward and aft ends, one of the first and second hubs is disposed at the forward end, and the other of the first and second hubs is disposed at the aft end.
A variable-solidity propeller apparatus, comprising a propeller having a single hub having a single row of propeller blades, wherein the propeller has a first configuration in which the propeller has a first average solidity, and a second configuration in which the propeller has a second average solidity which is greater than the first average solidity;
- and
- wherein some of the propeller blades are fixed and some of the propeller blades are movable between an extended position and a retracted position.
A variable-solidity propeller apparatus, comprising a propeller having a single hub having a single row of propeller blades, wherein the propeller has a first configuration in which the propeller has a first average solidity, and a second configuration in which the propeller has a second average solidity which is greater than the first average solidity;
- and wherein at least some of the propeller blades include a retractable section which is movable between an extended position in which the corresponding propeller blade has maximum chord dimensions, and a retracted position in which the corresponding propeller blade has reduced chord dimensions.
A variable-solidity propeller apparatus, comprising a propeller having a single hub having a single row of propeller blades, wherein the propeller has a first configuration in which the propeller has a first average solidity, and a second configuration in which the propeller has a second average solidity which is greater than the first average solidity, and wherein at least some of the propeller blades include one or more retractable sections which are movable between an extended position in which the corresponding propeller blade has a maximum span dimension, and a retracted position in which the corresponding propeller blade has a reduced span dimension.
A variable-solidity propeller apparatus, comprising:
- a first rotor including a first hub mounted for rotation about an axis, the first hub carrying a first row of propeller blades;
- a second rotor including a second hub mounted for rotation about the axis, the second hub carrying a second row of propeller blades;
- wherein the second row of propeller blades are movable between an extended position and a retracted position and the first row of propeller blades have a variable pitch angle and the second row of propeller blades have a fixed pitch angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.