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US 2018/0002038 A1Published application
Apparatus and methods for making rotorcraft rotor blades
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorsDavid Littlejohn, Sven Roy Lofstrom, Eric C. Boyle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making a rotor blade assembly includes receiving a sheath assembly and a blade body at a blade assembly tool. The sheath assembly is spread by applying force to an interior surface of the sheath assembly. The blade body is inserted within the interior of the sheath assembly, registered with the sheath assembly, and the force removed from the interior surface of the sheath assembly such that the sheath assembly collapses on the blade body.
Claims16
A method of making a rotor blade assembly, comprising:
- receiving a sheath assembly at a blade assembly tool;
- receiving a blade body at the blade assembly tool;
- spreading the sheath assembly by applying force to an interior surface of the sheath assembly;
- seating the blade body in the sheath assembly;
- and
- removing the force from the interior surface of the sheath assembly, the sheath assembly thereby collapsing onto the blade body.
3 more elements
A blade assembly apparatus, comprising:
- a base structure;
- a sheath-cradling fixture fixed relative to the base structure;
- a blade-positioning fixture disposed on a side of a sheath assembly structure opposite the base structure and movable relative to the sheath assembly structure;
- and
- a spreader jig movable relative to the sheath-cradling fixture, wherein the spreader jig a plurality of has pull handles movable between an unspread position and a spread position relative to the sheath-cradling fixture to spread a sheath assembly for seating a blade body therein.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.