Hollow blade anti-crack clamp support blocks

Abstract

An aerodynamic hollow blade clamp support is disclosed. This aerodynamic hollow blade clamp support allows the thin blade wall to resist deformation and cracking from blade clamp pressure stress. These hollow blade clamp supports fill the blade hollows for at least the blade length under the blade clamps. These hollow blade clamp supports reduce the number of integral blade support webs and thus the weight of the overall blade length. The reduction of hollow blade weight reduces blade centrifugal stresses during blade rotor overspeed.

1 . A blade end clamp assembly comprising:
 an aerodynamic hollow blade, said hollow blade comprising a thin wall with a nose hollow and a tail hollow separated by an integral wall support web.   two blade clamp plates that apply clamp pressure to said aerodynamic hollow blade,   a blade nose support block that closely fits inside said blade nose hollow to minimize said blade nose wall buckling and cracking,   a blade tail support block that closely fits inside said blade tail hollow to minimize said blade tail wall buckling and cracking.