Rotor blade stands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802525-B2
Application number	US-201615057667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2016
Priority date	Mar 1, 2016
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

Example stands for supporting a component, such as a rotor blade, are described herein. An example stand described herein includes a blade support having an opening extending from an edge of the blade support towards a center of the blade support. The opening is to receive a rotor blade of an aircraft, for example. The example stand also includes a base to support the blade support above a supporting surface. The blade support is rotatably coupled to the base about a horizontal axis perpendicular to a central axis of the blade support such that the blade support can tilt the rotor blade relative to the supporting surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a blade support having an opening extending from an edge of the blade support towards a center of the blade support, the opening to receive a rotor blade of an aircraft; and
a base to support the blade support above a supporting surface, the blade support rotatably coupled to the base about a horizontal axis perpendicular to a central axis of the blade support such that the blade support can tilt the rotor blade relative to the supporting surface, wherein the blade support is rotatable about the central axis to rotate the rotor blade about a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade, and wherein the blade support is rotatably coupled to the base via a slewing ring, the slewing ring to receive at least a portion of the edge of the blade support, the edge of the blade support slidable along the slewing ring to rotate the blade support about the central axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a post that is moveable along a vertical axis to raise or lower the blade support.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further including an actuator to move the post along the vertical axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a yoke, the slewing ring rotatably coupled to the yoke about the horizontal axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a middle section of the yoke is wider than the blade support.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blade support includes a plurality of position holes formed in and spaced radially around the edge of the blade support, and the slewing ring includes a lock hole, further including a pin to be inserted into the lock hole and one of the plurality of position holes in the edge of the blade support to lock the blade support in a desired position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a door hingeably coupled to the blade support, the door moveable between an open position, exposing the opening, and a closed position, forming a substantially continuous edge around the blade support.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an actuator to rotate the blade support about the central axis.

9. An apparatus comprising:
a base; and
a blade support pivotably coupled to a base, the blade support including an opening to receive a rotor blade of an aircraft, the blade support pivotable between a first position in which a central axis of the blade support is horizontal and a second position in which the central axis is not horizontal, wherein the blade support is rotatably coupled to the base via a slewing ring that receives at least a portion of an edge of the blade support, the edge of the blade support slidable along the slewing ring to rotate the blade support about the central axis.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein, in the first position or the second position, the blade support is rotatable about the central axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the blade support is pivotably coupled to the base about a horizontal tilt axis, the horizontal tilt axis perpendicular to the central axis.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the base includes a post to move the blade support along a vertical axis, the horizontal tilt axis perpendicular to the vertical axis.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the central axis is perpendicular to the vertical axis in the first position and the central axis is not perpendicular to the vertical axis in the second position.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including a door hingeably coupled to the blade support, the door moveable between an open position, exposing the opening, and a closed position, forming a substantially continuous edge around the blade support.

15. An apparatus comprising:
a base;
a blade support having an opening extending from an edge of blade support towards a center of the blade support, the opening to receive an object to be supported by the blade support;
means for rotatably coupling the blade support to the base about a horizontal axis perpendicular to a central axis of the blade support, the means for rotatably coupling including means for rotating the blade support 360° about the central axis; and
means for locking the object in the opening.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further including means for moving the blade support along a vertical axis.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Gill Iii Frank Joseph

Classifications

• F16M2200/08

  Foot or support base · CPC title

• B60P3/40

  for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements ({E04G21/14 takes precedence}; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02) · CPC title

• B60P3/00 Primary

  Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects (ambulances or other vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00; hearses A61G21/00; fire-fighting land vehicles A62C27/00; refuse-collecting vehicles B65F3/00, B65F7/00; snow-removing vehicles E01H; armoured or armed vehicles F41H7/00; self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles F41H11/16) · CPC title

• F16M11/28

  Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar · CPC title

• F16M11/42 Primary

  with arrangement for propelling the support {stands on wheels} · CPC title