JOHN B VIOLETTE
Veterinary in Granby, CT

6676080, Jan 13, 2004

Jul 19, 2001

09/908921

John A. Violette - Granby CT

Aero Composites, Inc. - Doylestown PA

B64C 100

244123, 416204 R, 416218, 416220 R, 416229 R, 264 469

A composite blade assembly comprises a root portion and blade portion that is connected to the root portion. The root portion comprises inner and outer rings and the blade portion comprises at least one layer of composite material that is folded to form a loop. The inner ring is disposed in the loop and the outer ring is disposed outside the loop such that a portion of the loop is positioned between the inner and outer rings. In this manner, the loop portion is held in compression between the inner and outer rings at least when the composite blade assembly is subject to centrifugal force to thereby prevent separation of the root portion and blade portion.

6015264, Jan 18, 2000

Aug 15, 1997

8/912082

John A. Violette - Granby CT
Matthew C. Soule - Granby CT
Thomas G. Corley - Suffield CT

United Technologies Corporation - Windsor Locks CT

B64C 1106

416146A

A propeller blade retention assembly for use with a propeller having a hub rotatable about a propeller axis, is disclosed. The assembly includes a blade receiver for mounting the blade to the hub and an internal surface of a hub arm for interfacing the receiver with the hub. The receiver is positioned in the hub arm and is non-integral with the blade and the hub arm internal surface. A retention mechanism is used for retaining the blade receiver to the hub arm while allowing relative rotatable motion therebetween. A preload device is provided for preloading the retention mechanism prior to centrifugal loading during propeller blade operation. The blade is separable from the blade receiver without disturbing the operability of the retention mechanism.

5074754, Dec 24, 1991

Apr 23, 1990

7/513136

John A. Violette - Granby CT

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

F01D 532

416248

A retention system for a rotor blade (10) utilizes the combinatioin of a fixed retention flange (13) and a removable retention plate (16) with a closed-sided retention member (12). This system enables the rapid replacement or removal of the rotor blade (10) for inspection, maintenance, or replacement purposes without requiring removal of surrounding major engine components or structural members. The rotor blade (10) is installed in a retention member (12) contained in a rotatable hub (not shown) by inserting an outwardly extending portion (20) of a shaped blade root (22) of the rotor blade (10) below a radially-inwardly projecting shaped flange (13) peripherally disposed within the interior of the retention member's structure. A removable shaped retention plate (16), which is releasably secured to, and adapted to mate with, the retention member (12), then captures and secures another outwardly extending portion (21) of the shaped root of the rotor blade (10) with a releasable fastener (18). The shaped root (22) is secured within the retention member (16) without a direct bolted connection.

5022825, Jun 11, 1991

Oct 7, 1988

7/255100

John A. Violette - Granby CT
David P. Nagle - Windsor Locks CT

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

F04D 2966

416500

A pitch retention member rotatably mounts a propeller or fan hereto radially outwardly from a spinner or a hub. The member attaches to the blade of a pair of tenons, each tenon having a hole passing therethrough for receiving a pin about which the blade may rotate. The pitch retention member cooperates with a motion limiter provided at the base of the blade to: damp rotational movement of the blade about the pin to minimize blade angular excursions when centrifugal loads are low; improve high speed blade stability; moderate blade vibratory motion and tune out undesirable blade resonant frequencies; and, absorb force created by impact with foreign objects. Such impact is adsorbed at a desired threshold level of bending load of a crushable material disposed within the blade retention pitch member.

4021142, May 3, 1977

Oct 9, 1974

5/513323

John A. Violette - Granby CT

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

B64C 1132

416167

A pitch-change apparatus for a ducted thrust fan having a plurality of variable pitch blades employs a rotatable ring bearing a plurality of camming members, and each of the plurality of blades is connected with a pitch-change horn engaged by one of the camming members. The ring and camming members rotate coaxially about a hub axis with the blades and rotate about the hub axis relative to the blades to collectively change blade pitch. The rotatable ring, the camming members and the pitch-change horns develop a variable mechanical advantage, and the pitch horns are connected with their respective blades so that the minimum mechanical advantage corresponds with the low-load, feathered pitch position of the blades and greater mechanical advantages correspond with the higher load, forward and reverse pitch positions of the blades.

5163817, Nov 17, 1992

May 3, 1991

7/695639

John A. Violette - Granby CT
Thomas Mashey - Montgomery OH

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

F01D 530

416204A

A rotor blade (1) is disclosed which recenters itself in relation to the retention member (10) in which it is installed. Imposition of an external force (A) upon the rotor blade (1) creates a moment (M) which acts about the rotor blade's root (3). Recentering is accomplished by centrifugal forces acting through an offset distance (C") resulting from an off-center rotation of the blade and its captivated shaped retaining pin (6) within a plurality of retention member tenons (12), achieving an enhanced opposing restorative moment (M'. sub. R) on the rotor blade (1). The retention member tenons (12) contain arcuate bearing surfaces (8) which bear against a corresponding arcuate surface (9) with a smaller radius of curvature lengthwise disposed on the shaped retaining pin (6).

5102300, Apr 7, 1992

Oct 7, 1988

7/255815

John A. Violette - Granby CT
Sean Auyeung - Windsor CT
David P. Nagle - Windsor Locks CT

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

F03B 314

416147

A propeller or fan blade is rotatably mounted to a blade retention pitch member by a pin radially outside of a spinner. By mounting the propeller blade for rotation about the axis of the pin, the blade response to a vibratory excitation in a first mode of vibration is modified such that the twisting motion of the blade is minimized. High speed stability of the blade is enhanced thereby. Moreover a damaged blade may be easily replaced.

5017092, May 21, 1991

Oct 16, 1989

7/422190

John A. Violette - Granby CT
Thomas Mashey - Avon CT

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

F01D 530

416204A

A rotor blade (1) is disclosed which recenters itself in relation to the rotatable hub in which it is installed. Imposition of an external force (A) upon the rotor blade (1) creates a moment (M) which acts about the rotor blade's root (2). Recentering is accomplished by centrifugal forces acting through an offset distance (C) resulting from rotation of the blade root (2) about a shaped retaining pin (6), achieving an enhanced opposing restorative moment (M') on the rotor blade (1). The rotor blade (1) contains an arcuate bearing suface (8) within a chordwisely disposed slot (7) in the rotor blade's root (2). This arcuate surface (8) bears against a mating arcuate surface (9) with a smaller radius of curvature lengthwise disposed on the shaped retaining pin (6).

5269658, Dec 14, 1993

Dec 24, 1990

7/633566

Charles E. K. Carlson - North Shallott NC
John A. Violette - Granby CT

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

B63H 126

416229R

A composite axial flow rotary machine blade (50) and method of blade construction is disclosed. A partial-length, spanwisely-disposed hollow spar (20) partially captures a shaped foam core (30) which extends from within the spar's cavity (26) along a substantial length of the blade (50) in a spanwise fashion. A resin-impregnated high strength, high modulus cloth (34) and graphite (32) composition overlays the spar-core assembly (36) and forms the casing (50) with airfoil regions (52, 54) of the propeller blade (10). This construction results in a rotor blade (50) with enhanced natural frequencies thereby providing for an enhanced operational speed range.

5118256, Jun 2, 1992

Apr 29, 1991

7/693176

John A. Violette - Granby CT
Peter D. Ventura - Enfield CT

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

B64C 1106

416134R

Preloading and retention of a variable-pitch, light-weight propeller blade (10) are achieved through a retention assembly wherein the blade shank (20) is retained within a hub arm (24) with an inboard angular contact pitch change bearing (30) and an outboard angular contact anti-rocking bearing (50) which is elastomerically preloaded. The outboard bearing (50) is disposed intermediate a bearing race (34) on the shank (20) and an annular frusto-conical rigid support member (62) which is biased outboardly against the anti-rocking bearing (50) by an annular frusto-conical body (72) of elastomeric material selected to impart a desired stiffness and/or damping effect to the retention assembly.