Centrifugally driven aerodynamic rotor blade brake assembly

A braking assembly for an airfoil, the airfoil configured to rotate about a hub, comprising:

• a) a plate having an outside surface, inside surface, and having a forward portion with a leading edge and an aft portion with a trailing edge;
• the inside surface of the forward portion of the plate being hingedly connected to a frame, allowing the aft portion of the plate to pivot away from or retract toward the frame;
• said frame being attachable to a section of the airfoil such that the outside surface of the plate when retracted conforms approximately to the contour of a section of the airfoil to which the braking assembly can be attached;
• b) a linkage assembly hingedly interconnecting the inside surface of the forward portion of the plate to a first end of an elongate driving member configured to move fore and aft;
• wherein
• forward movement of the driving member toward the leading edge of the plate causes the aft portion of the plate to retract toward the frame, and aft movement of the driving member away from the leading edge of the plate causes the aft portion of the plate to pivot away from the frame;
• and
• c) a weighted member having:
• a first pivotal connection to the frame, said first pivotal connection having an axis of rotation approximately perpendicular to the surface of the retracted plate, and
• a second pivotal connection to a second end of the driving member, the axis of rotation of said second pivotal connection being approximately parallel to and non-coincident with the axis of the first pivotal connection, wherein
• rotation of the weighted member about the first pivotal connection causes a fore or aft movement of the driving member, and retraction or deployment of the plate.

An assembly for operating an electrical switch attached to a frame comprising:

• a weighted actuator pivotally connected to the frame and capable of rotating into and out of contact with the switch,
• a spring connecting the weighted actuator to the frame and applying a biasing force to urge the weighted actuator to contact the switch, and
• a cable connected to an anchor pivotally connected to the frame
• wherein
• the weighted actuator has a center of mass that is non-coincident with the axis of rotation of the weighted actuator, such that application of a pre-determined centrifugal force on the weighted actuator overcomes the biasing force of the spring to reduce the contact force of the weighted actuator against the switch, and wherein
• a pre-determined pulling force by the cable against the anchor can cause the anchor to apply a force against the weighted actuator and overcome the biasing force of the spring to reduce the contact force of the weighted actuator against the switch.