Installation for mounting an engine on a deck and for connecting its output shaft to at least one driven mechanism

• US 6,019,313 A
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Original Assignee: Eurocopter
• Inventors: Lenhart, Fran.cedilla.ois Robert, Chaniot, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Wesson, Theresa M.
• Application Number:
  US08/978,049
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 244/60, 244/54, 244/55, 244/17.19, 248/554, 248/555, 248/556, 248/557, 180/383, 180/384, 60/39.31
• US Class Current: 244/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/00 Transmitting power from power plants to propellers or rotors; Arrangements of transmissions

Abstract

An installation for connecting the output shaft of the engine and the input shaft of the transmission box together including a transmission shaft having a certain amount of flexural flexibility and including splines at one of its ends. The splined end being designed to be a sliding fit in a corresponding splined hub of the engine. Attaching the engine to the deck actualized by a system for articulated attachment which includes stand legs and rails fixed to the deck parallel to the shafts. The legs can slide with the engine after tilting.

Claims

1. An installation for mounting an engine on a deck, and for connecting an output shaft of said engine to at least one driven mechanism, said output shaft being connected to at least one input shaft of said at least one driven mechanism, said installation comprising connection means for connecting said output shaft and said at least one input shaft together, and means for attaching the engine to the decks wherein said connection means comprise a transmission shaft which has a certain amount of flexural flexibility and at least one splined end having a sliding fit in a corresponding splined hub of at least one member selected from the group consisting of the engine and said at least one driven mechanism, wherein said connection means comprise legs for standing the engine on the deck, a system for articulated attachment between the engine and the deck, and rails fixed to the deck parallel to said at least one input shaft and said output shaft and wherein said legs can slide with the engine after tilting.

2. An installation according to claim 1, wherein said transmission shaft has a rigid central section, one end of which is connected to said at least one splined end and another end of which is connected to a flanged end section and being fixed to a corresponding flange of a flanged hub of said at least one driven mechanism of the engine, and wherein said at least one flexible coupling device is inserted between one end of said rigid central section of said transmission shaft and said at least one splined end and/or its flanged end section.

3. An installation according to claim 2, in which a first stationary and projecting protective flared tube surrounds an end of said output shaft of the engine and in which a second stationary and protective flared tube surrounds an end of said at least one input shaft, wherein said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes are connected by an intermediate flared tube surrounding said transmission shaft and fixed at the outer ends to said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes, and wherein said intermediate flared tube comprises two flared half tubes the internal ends of which are joined together by a cardan joint.

4. An installation according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes has a set of guide spigots over which corresponding holes of a flange provided at an outer end of the corresponding flared half tube can engage, wherein said flange may be fixed by screws to said outer end of said at least one of said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes.

5. An installation according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes has a guide spigot and an axial bore for centering, in which an end centering device that projects from a flange provided at an outer end of the corresponding flared half tube can engage, wherein said flange may be fixed by screws to said outer end of said at least one of said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes.

6. An installation according to claim 1, in which a first stationary and projecting protective flared tube surrounds an end of said output shaft of the engine and in which a second stationary and projecting protective flared tube surrounds an end of said at least one input shaft of the mechanism, wherein said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes are connected by an intermediate flared tube surrounding said transmission shaft and fixed at the outer ends to said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes, and wherein said intermediate flared tube comprises two flared half tubes the internal ends of which are joined together by a cardan joint.

7. An installation according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes has a set of guide spigots over which corresponding holes of a flange provided at an outer end of the corresponding flared half tube can engage, wherein said flange may be fixed by screws to said outer end of said at least one of said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes.

8. An installation according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes has a guide spigot and an axial bore for centering, in which an end centering device that projects from a flange provided at an outer end of the corresponding flared half tube can engage, wherein said flange may be fixed by screws to said outer end of said at least one of said first and second stationary and projecting protective flared tubes.

9. An installation according to claim 1, wherein legs consist of a central leg and two lateral legs spaced axially away from said central leg, wherein said rails on said deck consist of three rails corresponding to said legs, and wherein at least two of said rails are guiding slideways for the corresponding legs.

10. An installation according to claim 9, wherein said system of articulated attachment comprises at least two link rods which can be secured, by removable pins, between clevis mounts on the deck and corresponding clevis mounts on the body of the engine, said at least two link rods being arranged laterally and directed at least approximately towards an axis of the engine and, when they occupy their normal static position, furthermore being inclined axially slightly towards said driven mechanism.