US 4,396,352 A · Pitch adjustment for blades of ceiling fan

Abstract

Two position fan blade attachments or blade iron assemblies for sealing fans provide for the individual adjustment of the paddle-type blades into two preselected angular positions providing for either a downward or upward flow of air. The blade attachments provide detents or interengaging locking cams which are maintained in either one of the preselected positions by a spring and by the centrifugal force applied to the blade. In one embodiment, the interengaging structure includes a leaf spring which has two recesses or openings engageable with a ball. In another embodiment pairs of inclined ramps are mutually engageable with corresponding pairs of camming recesses. Pushing the blade inwardly releases the engagement and permits rotation of the blade iron into the other of the preselected positions and release thereof permits movement into a second interlocking and camming position under the influence of the spring and centrifugal force to maintain a noise-free and vibration-free connection between the blade iron and the blade iron support.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A two-position blade attachment arrangement for attaching and securing the paddle wheel fan blades of a ceiling fan at two selectable angular positions on a rotating fan blade support member comprising:

a fan blade bracket adapted for mounting to a rotating fan blade support member, such as to a motor shaft or armature element,
said fan blade bracket having a radially outwardly extending blade bracket support member,
a blade bracket having one end adapted for connection to a paddle-type blade and having another end adapted to be received in interfitting relation to said blade bracket support member providing for translational axial movement thereon while providing for limited angular movement generally about a radial center line of said blade between two defined angular positions,
detent means mutually engageable between said blade bracket and said fan bracket for retaining said blade bracket and the associated paddle blade thereon in either of two predetermined angular positions, said detent means including
means in said blade bracket defining a pair of radially spaced grooves, and
means on said blade bracket support member defining a groove-engaging cam receivable selectively in one of said radially spaced grooves, said grooves and cam being provided with an inclination to said transverse axis whereby centrifugal force tends to cause engagement therebetween.

3 more elements

A two position fan blade support attachment for ceiling fans comprising a fan bracket adapted to be mounted to a rotating fan drive member such as a rotor cage,

said fan bracket having a generally radially outwardly extending, generally cylindrical blade iron support portion,
a blade iron adapted for mounting to a paddle-type blade and having an end adapted to be received in partially encircling relation to said support portion,
a clamp member proportioned to be received over said support portion on said blade iron end,
means for retaining said clamp member on said blade iron end,
inclined ramp means formed on said blade iron support portion,
means in said clamp member defining a pair of inclined recesses, said clamp member being selectively engageable with said ramp means at one or the other of said recesses with axial outward movement of said blade iron to define a pair of preselected blade positions,
clearance means on said clamp member adjacent said recesses into which said ramp means may move with limited inward axial movement of said blade iron and clamp member on said bracket providing for limited rotational movement of said blade iron on said bracket for selecting either of said positions, and
spring means urging said blade iron axially outwardly assuring the engagement of said ramp means with one or the other of said recesses and in the direction of the application of centrifugal force during rotation of the fan, for positively maintaining a selected position with a minimum of free play.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pitch adjustment for blades of ceiling fan

Life of this patent

Pitch adjustment for blades of ceiling fan

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5