Claims
- 1. A foldable propeller assembly adapted for connection to a drive shaft, said propeller assembly comprising a propeller carrier having an open end portion defining an axially extending mounting socket for receiving the drive shaft and including a forwardly located portion and rearwardly located portion of lesser size than said forwardly located portion so as to define therebetween a shoulder, said propeller carrier also including a hub end portion spaced from said open end portion, a pair of propeller blades pivotally mounted on said hub end portion for movement from a folded-together, collapsed position to a radially outwardly extending operative position in response to rotation of said propeller carrier and for movement from the operative position to the collapsed position in response to cessation of rotation of said propeller carrier, and drive means for drivingly connecting said propeller carrier with the drive shaft for common rotation therewith, said drive means including a sleeve member having an axially extending bore for rotatably receiving the drive shaft, a shear pin located in said rearward portion of said mounting socket and drivingly connecting said sleeve member and the drive shaft for common rotation, a drive member releaseably receivable in said forwardly located portion of said socket in engagement with said shoulder so as to limit inward receipt of said drive member into said socket and in rotary driving connection with said propeller carrier so as to drivingly connect said propeller carrier with said drive member for common rotation and so as to enable disconnection of said propeller carrier from said drive member without affecting the connection between said sleeve member and the drive shaft by said shear pin, and a resilient member interposed said drive member and said sleeve member for establishing driving connection between said sleeve member and said drive member and for absorbing torque forces transmitted between said propeller carrier and the drive shaft.
- 2. A foldable propeller assembly according to claim 1 wherein said drive member includes a plurality of external splines and wherein said mounting socket includes a plurality of internal splines receiving said external splines and drivingly connecting said propeller carrier with said drive member for common rotation therewith.
- 3. A foldable propeller assembly according to claim 2 and further including one or more set screws securing said propeller carrier to said drive member to prevent axially outward movement of said propeller carrier relative to said drive member.
- 4. A foldable propeller assembly according to claim 1 wherein said mounting socket includes an internally threaded portion, and wherein said sleeve member includes an externally threaded outer end portion threadably receiving said mounting socket threaded portion.
- 5. A foldable propeller assembly according to claim 4 and including pin means interposed said drive member and said propeller carrier.
- 6. A foldable propeller assembly adapted for connection to a drive shaft, said propeller assembly comprising a propeller carrier having an open end portion defining an axially extending mounting socket for receiving the drive shaft and including a forwardly located portion and a rearwardly located portion of lesser size than said forwardly located portion so as to define therebetween a shoulder, said propeller carrier also including a hub end portion spaced from said open end portion, a pair of propeller blades pivotally mounted on said hub end portion for movement from a folded-together, collapsed position to a radially outwardly extending operative position in response to rotation of said propeller carrier and for movement from the operative position to the collapsed position in response to cessation of rotation of said propeller carrier, a sleeve member having an axially extending bore for rotatably receiving the drive shaft, a drive pin located within said rearwardly located portion of said mounting socket and drivingly connecting said sleeve member with the drive shaft and adapted to shear and permit rotation of the drive shaft relative to said sleeve member when the torque between the drive shaft and said sleeve member exceeds a predetermined level, retainer means mounted on the drive shaft within said rearwardly located portion of said mounting socket for preventing radial outward movement of said drive pin, a drive member releasably receivable in said forwardly located portion of said socket in engagement with said shoulder so as to limit inward receipt of said drive member into said socket and in rotary driving connection with said propeller carrier so as to drivingly connect said propeller carrier with said drive member for common rotation therewith and so as to enable disconnection of said propeller carrier from said drive member without affecting the connection between said sleeve member and the drive shaft by said drive pin, and a resilient member formed from an elastomeric material interposed said drive member and said sleeve member and forming the driving connecting between said drive member and said sleeve member, said resilient member absorbing torque forces transmitted between said propeller carrier and said sleeve member.
- 7. A foldable propeller assembly according to claim 6 wherein said elastomeric material is molded on said sleeve member to form an integral unit which is press-fitted into said drive member.
- 8. A foldable propeller assembly according to claim 7 wherein said elastomeric material is rubber.
- 9. A foldable propeller assembly according to claim 8 wherein said drive member includes a plurality of external splines and wherein said mounting socket includes a plurality of internal splines receiving said external splines and drivingly connecting said propeller carrier with said drive member for common rotation therewith, and further including one or more set screws securing said propeller carrier to said drive member to prevent axially outward movement of said propeller carrier relative to said drive member.
- 10. A foldable propeller assembly according to claim 8 wherein said mounting socket includes an internally threaded portion, and said sleeve member includes an externally threaded outer portion threadedly receiving said mounting socket threaded portion and pin means interposed said drive member and said propeller carrier.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 859,052 filed Dec. 9, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,806.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2355809 |
May 1974 |
DEX |
1268577 |
Mar 1972 |
GBX |
1291202 |
Oct 1972 |
GBX |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
859052 |
Dec 1977 |
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