Rotor blade cuff measuring tool

• US 7,434,328 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Rocha, Bernardo Goncalves, Landino, Edward Robert, Celli, Gianni, Landino, Frank Mario, Glazier, Raymond M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US11/040,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20080201972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 335/02, 335/03, 335/30, 335/50, 335/51, 335/53, 335/54, 335/55, 335/69, 335/73, 269/290, 269/900, 269/909
• US Class Current: 33/530
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/008 Rotors tracking or balancing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems

Abstract

A measuring tool for a blade cuff mounted on a rotor blade assembly includes a cam follower assembly which simulates a longitudinal profile of an ideal blade cuff within a contour plane. A cam lock locks the gauge at a desired longitudinal position along a central axis to measure a radial plane defined around the blade cuff as the blade cuff profile fixture is rotated relative the base and cam follower assembly. A master block is removably mounted to the blade cuff fixture to simulate an ideal blade cuff such that the gauge may be zeroed thereon. Once zeroed, and after removal of the master block, the cam follower assembly provides a continuous zero position for the gauge such that any deviations from the ideal profile anywhere on the blade cuff is indicated on the gauge.

Claims

1. A measuring tool for a blade cuff comprising:

a base which defines an axis;

a blade cuff fixture mounted to said base for rotation about said axis, said blade cuff fixture operable to retain a blade cuff along said axis;

a cam follower assembly mounted to said base, said cam follower defining a range of motion relative to said axis which corresponds to the blade cuff; and

a gauge mountable to said cam follower assembly.

2. The measuring tool as recited in claim 1, wherein said range of motion defines a longitudinal profile of the blade cuff relative said axis, said longitudinal profile defined within a contour plane including said axis.

3. The measuring tool as recited in claim 1, wherein said gauge includes a dial indicator.

4. The measuring tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cam lock which locks said gauge at a desired longitudinal position within said range of motion such that said gauge obtains a radial profile measurement of the cuff tool in response to rotation of said blade cuff fixture about said axis.

5. The measuring tool as recited in claim 1, wherein said blade cuff fixture includes a multiple of apertures which correspond with a multiple of apertures formed in the blade cuff.

6. The measuring tool as recited in claim 5, further comprising a fastener to retain the blade cuff to said blade cuff fixture, said fastener including a fastener head having a profile which corresponds to a contour profile of the blade cuff.

7. The measuring tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising a master block mountable to said blade cuff fixture, said master block having a profile equivalent to an ideal profile of the blade cuff to zero the gauge, the gauge mounted within said cam follower assembly.

8. A method of measuring a blade cuff comprising the steps of:

(1) mounting a blade cuff of an assembled blade to a blade cuff fixture along an axis; and

(2) moving a gauge mounted within a cam follower assembly to a position within a range of motion to measure a profile of the blade cuff at the position.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step (2) further comprises the step of:

moving the gauge within the cam follower to measure a longitudinal profile of the blade cuff relative to said axis, said longitudinal profile defined within a contour plane including the axis.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of:

locking the cam follower assembly; and

rotating the blade cuff fixture about said axis to measure a radial profile of the blade cuff about the axis.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

mounting a master block to the blade cuff fixture, the master block having a profile equivalent to an ideal profile of the blade cuff;

touching the gauge mounted within the cam follower assembly to the master block; and

zeroing the gauge.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step (1) further comprises the step of:

mounting a main rotor blade cuff while attached to a main rotor blade assembly to the blade cuff fixture.