Weights for water immersion testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10457422-B2
Application number	US-201615371748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 7, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A method and apparatus for securing a rotor blade is disclosed. The apparatus includes a base and an offset member configured to maintain the base at a selected distance from a set point. A clamping member is supported by the base and is receptive of the rotor blade at a selected location of the rotor blade, wherein the rotor blade is positioned against the set point. A slidable component supports the clamping member and slides the clamping member within the base to the selected location of the rotor blade. The free end of the clam shell assembly can be secured to a support beam that raises the clam shell assembly and rotor blade from the base for immersion testing.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:

1. An apparatus for securing a rotor blade, comprising:
a base having a length alignable along a length of the rotor blade, the rotor blade positioned against a set point;
a first slidable component configured to slide within the base along the direction of the length of the base;
a first clam shell assembly supported by the first slidable component and receptive of the rotor blade at the selected location of the rotor blade;
a second slidable component configured to slide within the base along the direction of the length of the base;
a second clam shell assembly supported by the slidable component and receptive of the rotor blade; and
an offset member secured to the base and configured to maintain the base at a distance from a set point for receiving the rotor blade at the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly, wherein a length of the offset member is selected to place a center of gravity of the received rotor blade at a midpoint between the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first slidable component and the second slidable component are selectively securable to the base.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first clam shell assembly is removably coupled to the first slidable component and the second clam shell assembly is removably coupled to the second slidable component.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first clam shell assembly is removably coupled to the first slidable component at a hinged end of the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly is removably coupled to the second slidable component at a hinged end of the second clam shell assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a free end of the first clam shell assembly includes a latch assembly configured to secure the first clam shell assembly in a closed position and a free end of the second clam shell assembly includes a latch assembly configured to secure the second clam shell assembly in a closed position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly is receptive to a leading edge of the rotor blade at the hinged end of the at least one of the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly and wherein a length of a side of the at least one of the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly is selected so that a space is formed between a trailing edge of the rotor blade and latch assemblies at the free end of the at least one of the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly when the latch assemblies are secured to a support beam.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotor blade is attached to the set point at a root of the rotor blade.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly have a density selected to submerge the rotor blade in water when the first clam shell assembly, second clam shell assembly and rotor blade are placed in the water.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the offset member is a rod.

10. A method of preparing a rotor blade for immersion testing, comprising:
positioning the rotor blade against a set point;
arranging a base at a selected distance from the set point at a secured location off of the base with a length of the base aligned along a length of the rotor blade, the base including a first clam shell assembly slidable within the base and a second clam shell assembly slidable within the base, wherein the selected distance places a center of gravity of the rotor blade positioned against the set point at a midpoint between the first and second clam shell assemblies of the base;
receiving the rotor blade at the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly such that the center of gravity of the rotor is placed at the midpoint of the base;
placing the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly at locations equidistant from the center of gravity of the rotor blade;
securing the free ends of the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly to a support beam; and
raising the first clam shell assembly, second clam shell assembly and rotor blade from the base for immersion testing.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising arranging the base at the selected location from the set point using an offset member having a selected length.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the length of the offset member is selected to place the center of gravity of the rotor blade at a midpoint between the pair of clam shell assemblies when the rotor blade is received at the clam shell assemblies while positioned against the set point.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising locating the first clam shell assembly and the second clam shell assembly so that the center of gravity of the received rotor blade is at the midpoint between the first clam shell assembly and second clam shell assembly.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving a leading edge of the rotor blade at a hinged end of the first clam shell assembly and second clam shell assembly.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising securing latch assemblies of the first clam shell assembly and second clam shell assembly to the support beam so that a space is formed between a trailing edge of the rotor blade and the latch assemblies.

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Littlejohn David W
• Lofstrom Sven R
• Smith Scott O

Classifications

• F16M13/04

  for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains {, e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head (apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B)} · CPC title

• F16M11/041

  Allowing quick release of the apparatus · CPC title

• B23Q3/063

  for holding turbine blades · CPC title

• B64F5/60 Primary

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• B64C27/322

  Blade travel limiting devices, e.g. droop stops · CPC title