Erosion resistant propellers

A propeller blade which when operating is subjected to high velocity impacts of environmental material particulates causing erosion of its leading edge sectional profile, and is carried by a rotatable hub in radially extending relation therefrom whereby said blade undergoes substantial bending in cantilever fashion and twists axially of its length during propeller operation, including the improvement comprising:

• said blade being cut away along its leading edge portion so as to accommodate in serially aligned relation a plurality of erosion resistant implants which are formed of a silicon-based ceramic material and which are externally shaped so as to complement in profile continuity the prescribed sectional profile of said blade throughout the range of the array of said implants which extends to the tip of said blade;
• the cut away portion of said blade being periodically interrupted by a series of spaced apart integrally outstanding abutments occupying the recessed portions of said implants and accommodating therebetween integral tongue portions of said implants extending longitudinally intermediately thereof into the spaces beween said abutments and thereby cooperating to resist radially directed forces tending to dislodge and spin off said implants in radial directions when said blade is in operation;
• and
• pin means locking each of said implants relative to one of said abutments to resist tendencies of said implants to dislodge in response to circumferentially directed inertial forces thereon, said pin means extending in each case through one of said abutments and the side wall portions of the associated implant at longitudinal locations inboard thereof toward said hub relative to the center of mass of said associated implant.