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AIR SERVICE INFORMATION CIRCULAR

<AVIATION)
PUBLISHED BY THE CHIEF OF AIR SERVICE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Vol. III . July 15, 1921 No. 246

METAL TIPPING OF AIRCRAFT

PROPELLERS
( PROPELLER REPORT No. 57)

Prepared by Engineering Division, Air Service "

McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio
February 16, 1921

Ralph Brown Draughon

LIBRARY

MAR 28 2013
Non-Depoitory
Auburn University

WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1921
 METAL TIPPING OF AIRCRAFT

The metal tip described in this report was first applied length of the screw. · The wood is then countersunk to
to an airplane propeller in July, 1920, at McCook Field, take the head of the screw. It is very important that
by the propeller branch of the Engineering Division of the wood and not the metal of the tip is countersunk .
the United States Army Air Service. So many cases were It might be noted that the small piece of the tip is already
recorded where the old or boot type of tip had been thrown in place. As will be sh own in figure 9, by putting on
off the propeller that its use had been discarded by the this small piece first , the larger piece is lapped over it,
Engineering Division some time previously as unsafe, and thus the continuous protection along the whole of
especially on the then recently developed propeller of the leading edge is formed.
long narrow blade. F igure 6.-After the screw holes are drilled and counter-
The failure of these tips was not in all cases due to the sunk in the blade the metal tip is put in place. The
design of the tip , but in many cases to the method and metal around the screw holes is then swedged into the
means of holding the metal onto the wood. Much of countersunk holes in the blade. A punch with round ed
the trouble can be traced to the extensive use of copper, nose, similar to the one shown in the illustration, is used
both for the sheathing and rivets. It was also found for this purpose. The screws are then put in place and
that if this type of tip extended very far up the blade, drawn down tight.
it was advisable to saw the metal into sections. If this The reason for countersinking the wood and not the
were not done, the metal would crack into sections from metal is shown by means of figure 2. In one case the full
the action of the propeller. thickness of the metal is h eld down by the screw head;
The tip herein describ ed is formed from a continuous in theo t hlerthe metal has been counterbored, leaving little
piece of metal applied along the entire portion of the hearing around the screw head.
leading edge of the blade to be tipped, supplemented Figiire 7.-Half-inch wood screws are used where the
by a small piece of metal on the camber face of the tip. thickness of the blade will permit. Three-eighths-inch
The leading edge covering is cut from a piece of metal wood screws are used in the thinner portions of the leading
several inches wide. This metal is cut in serrations so edge and toward the tip . Although quarter-inch wood
that it can be bent around the leading edge as well as screws have been used safely to hold the met al onto the
along the contour of the blade. The tip does not in any thin tip section o':f the blade, this practice has been dis-
way restrain the movement of the propeller. If the continued, and instead 3/32-inch rivets are now used . In
metal cracks across between the serrations there is no fact, it has been found advisable t o use rivets to hold on
harm done. In fact, should one of the small pieces thus the whole of the boot p~rt of the tip with the aid of about
formed fly off, it would not greatly· unbalance the pro- three screws used in the thicker portion of the blade .
peller . These screw holes are found laid off in the small pattern
The method of applying this tip can be most readily (fig. 3).
explained by the use of illustrations (figs. 3 to 12). Figure 8.- After the rivets are driven through the blade,
F igure 3.-Several types of patterns are shown in this the metal is indented around them to form a countersink
illustration. The serrations are cut more closely together for the rivet head . This is done with a tool similar to the
when the tipping is to be put on a propeller, the leading one shown in the illustration . Not e the hole in the
edge of which has a decided sweep. The small piece is center of the t ool which fits over the rivet during the
to form the other h alf of the boot at the tip. The large operation. The rivet is then cut off to a su itable length
patterns also give th e drilling for the screw holes and the and headed flush with the metal of the tip.
rivet holes. The rivet holes in the small piece are drilled Figure 9.-This tip is shown riveted and screwed in
in assembly. Figure 1 gives the dimensions of the pattern place. The operation h ere is to sweat t ogether and solder
at present being used. the two sections forming the boot part of the tip. Note
F igure 4.- The metal after being cut and drilled is that the long section is brought along the leading edge
tacked onto the blade. It is then formed with a hammer and over the small piece of tip. A continuous piece of
or mallet to the shape of the blade. Each tip is formed metal along the leading edge is thus obtained . In order
on the blade on which it is to go. not to have a ridge where the metal that is underlapped
Figure 5.-After the metal has been formed in place, or overlapped ends, it is n ecessary to file the metal t o a
the location of the screw holes is marked on the blade. knife edge. This is done along the edge of the und er
The metal tip is th en removed and holes drilled for the piece as well as along the edge of the oveFlapping piece.
screws. If No. 3 brass wood screws are used , a No. 47 F igure 10.-The screw and rivet heads are then covered
drill is used, the depth of the hole depending on the with solder, as well as the seam of the boot portion of the
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tip. The solder is then cleaned off level with the metal
of the tip. The file shown in this illustration is of a
suitable form to use in this work.

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Fi,gure 11 .-Several small holes are drilled into the tip
from the end. These holes are about three in number
drilled three-quarters deep with a number sixty or slightly
larger sized drill. These holes are to allow the moisture
which is forced into the tips by the action of the centrif
ugal force to escape.
Figure 12.-The propeller is balanced before enameling.
It is usually nearly in balance if the tipping is done
uniformly. It is easy to correct any out of balance by CORR£CT NCTHOZJ
the addition of a thin layer of solder on one of the tips.
The illustration shows this tipping as applied to several OFCOl/lYTER' SINA?'IYG
blades of different planforms.
5CRCWS
MATERIALS.
Copper has been found to be a poor metal to nse for
tipping propellers. It is soft, yet heavy. The centrifugal
force is able to cause it to "flow" and tear around the
rivets or screws and become loose.
Brass is extensively used for tipping, as it is stiffer and
tougher than copper. It should be used in sheets of from
21 to 27 thousandths thick.
Terne plate, a tin and lead coated sheet steel, is recom-
mended for use in tipping propellers. The thickness
should run around 0.017.
Monel metal is very good for tipping propellers, but is
more brittle and harder to apply than terne plate.
It is anticipated having a quantity of tips blanked out
and kept in stores by the Engineering Division, at McCook
/NCOR!c£CT NeTHOO
Field. These will be furnished upon requisition to other O.F COt/NTcR S'/h'K/IYG
fields. The tips will probably be of two patterns-one to
be used on the blades of usual planform, the other on SCRcWS
blades having an unusual sweep to the leading edge. FIG. 2.

53373-21-2
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Fm. 3.-Propeller, metal tipping patterns.

 7

.FIG. 4.-Propeller, shaping metal tip to blade.

FIG. 5.-Propeller, countersinking holes for screws for tipping.

 8

FIG. 6.-Propeller, driving metal of t ip into countersunk holes.

FIG. 7.-Propeller, driving acrews in to hold on metaltip.

 9

FIG. 8.-Propeller, indenting metal around rivet in tipping.

FIG. 9.-Propeller , forming overlap of metal in tipping.

FIG. 10.-Propeller, blade ready to have solder filed in tipping.

 10

FIG. 11.-Propeller, boring boles in tip of blade in t ipping .

FIG. 12.-Propeller, metal tips applied to blades.

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