Fan blade repair fixture and method of repair
A fixture for repairing a fan blade may comprise a base having a first side, a second side, a tip end, and a foot end, a first support coupled at the first side and perpendicular to the base, a second support coupled at the second side and perpendicular to the base, and a footboard, perpendicular to the base coupled orthogonally between the first support and the second support at the foot end of the base, wherein the footboard comprises a chuck adapted to receive the foot of a fan blade.
1. A fixture for repairing a fan blade, comprising:
a base having a first side, a second side, a tip end, and a foot end;
a first support coupled at the first side and perpendicular to the base;
a second support coupled at the second side and perpendicular to the base; and
a footboard, perpendicular to the base, coupled orthogonally between the first support and the second support at the foot end of the base, wherein the footboard comprises a chuck adapted to receive a foot of the fan blade;
wherein the first support comprises a first rail and the second support comprises a second rail, and
wherein the first rail comprises a first channel and the second rail comprises a second channel, a crossbar coupled to the first rail at a first end by a first fastener and to the second rail at a second end by a second fastener, wherein the first end comprises a third channel, wherein the first fastener is disposed through the first channel and the third channel and wherein the second fastener is disposed through the second channel.
2. The fixture of claim 1 , wherein the footboard further comprises a notch and the chuck comprises a first tab, a second tab, and a keyway.
3. The fixture of claim 2 , wherein the footboard comprises a clearance cutout, a fourth channel, and a fifth channel, wherein the fourth channel and the fifth channel are defined about a circumference of the clearance cutout.
4. The fixture of claim 3 , wherein the chuck is coupled to the footboard at the second tab by a third fastener and at the first tab by a fourth fastener, wherein the third fastener is disposed through the fourth channel and the fourth fastener is disposed through the fifth channel.
5. The fixture of claim 4 , wherein in response to rotating the chuck, the fourth fastener is traversed within the fifth channel and the third fastener is traversed within the fourth channel.
6. The fixture of claim 5 , wherein the fourth channel and the fifth channel define a chuck rotation angle θ between a centerline of the notch and a centerline of the keyway.
7. The fixture of claim 6 , wherein the chuck rotation angle θ is between 0° and about 70°.
8. The fixture of claim 1 , wherein the footboard is coupled between the first support and the second support at the foot end of the base by a hinge, wherein, in response to traversing one of the first fastener or the second fastener, the footboard may pivot about the hinge to an angle ρ relative to the foot end.
9. The fixture of claim 8 , wherein p is between 0° and about 40°.
10. The fixture of claim 1 , wherein the chuck comprises a keyway having an inner surface lined with one of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone, a Room Temperature Vulcanizing (RTV) silicone compound, or a foam.
11. The fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a crossbar coupled across the first support and the second support.
12. The fixture of claim 1 , wherein in response to traversing one of the first fastener within the first channel or the second fastener within the second channel, the first fastener is traversed within the third channel.
13. The fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a buttress coupled to one of the first support or the second support and coupled to the base.