Variable-pitch propeller

A variable-pitch propeller or controllable-pitch propeller (CPP) is a type of propeller with blades that can
be rotated around their long axis to change the blade pitch. Reversible propellers—those where the pitch can
be set to negative values—can also create reverse thrust for braking or going backwards without the need to
change the direction of shaft revolution.

Contents
Aircraft
Ships
Sail boats
See also
References
External links

Aircraft
Propellers whose blade pitch could be adjusted while the aircraft was
on the ground were used by a number of early aviation pioneers,[1]
including A. V. Roe and Louis Breguet - this also happened late in
World War I with one testbed example, "R.30/16", of the low-
production (56 examples) Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI German "giant"
four-engined heavy bomber.[2] In 1919 L. E. Baynes AFRAeS
patented the first automatic variable-pitch airscrew.

The French aircraft firm Levasseur displayed a variable-pitch

propeller at the 1921 Paris Airshow, which, it claimed, had been
tested by the French government in a ten-hour run and could change
pitch at any engine RPM.[3]
One of a C-130J Super Hercules' 6
Dr Henry Selby Hele-Shaw and T. E. Beacham patented a bladed Dowty Rotol R391 composite
hydraulically operated variable-pitch propeller (based on a variable controllable- and reversible-pitch
stroke pump) in 1924 and presented a paper on the subject before the propellers.
Royal Aeronautical Society in 1928, though it was received with
scepticism as to its utility.[4] The propeller had been developed with
Gloster Aircraft Company — as the Gloster Hele-Shaw Beacham Variable Pitch Propellor — and was
demonstrated on a Gloster Grebe, where it was used to maintain a near-constant RPM.[5]

The first practical controllable-pitch propeller for aircraft was introduced in 1932.[6] French firm Ratier
pioneered variable-pitch propellers of various designs from 1928 onwards, relying on a special ball bearing
helicoidal ramp at the root of the blades for easy operation.
Several designs were tried, including a small bladder of pressurized
air in the propeller hub providing the necessary force to resist a spring
that would drive the blades from fine pitch (take-off) to coarse pitch
(level cruising). At a suitable airspeed a disk on the front of the
spinner would press sufficiently on the bladder's air-release valve to
relieve the pressure and allow the spring to drive the propeller to
coarse pitch. These "pneumatic" propellers were fitted on the DH88
Comet aircraft, winner of the famed long distance 1934 Mac
Robertson race and in the Caudron C.460 winner of the 1936
National Air Races, flown by Michel Detroyat. Use of these
A Hamilton Standard variable-pitch
pneumatic propellers required presetting the propeller to fine pitch propeller on a 1943 model Stinson
prior to take-off. This was done by pressurizing the bladder with a V77 Reliant
bicycle pump, hence the whimsical nickname Gonfleurs d'hélices
(prop inflater boy) given to the aircraft ground mechanics in France
up to this day.[7]

Such propellers are used in propeller-driven aircraft to adapt the propeller to different thrust levels and air
speeds so that the propeller blades don't stall, hence degrading the propulsion system's efficiency. Especially
for cruising, the engine can operate in its most economical range of rotational speeds. With the exception of
going into reverse for braking after touch-down, the pitch is usually controlled automatically without the pilot's
intervention. A propeller with a controller that adjusts the blade pitch so that the rotational speed always stays
the same is called a constant-speed propeller. A propeller with controllable pitch can have a nearly constant
efficiency over a range of airspeeds.[8]

A common type of controllable-pitch propeller is hydraulically actuated; it was originally developed by Frank
W. Caldwell of the Hamilton Standard Division of the United Aircraft Company. This design led to the award
of the Collier Trophy of 1933.[9] de Havilland subsequently bought up the rights to produce Hamilton
propellers in the UK, while the British company Rotol was formed to produce its own designs. The French
company of Pierre Levasseur and Smith Engineering Co. in the United States also developed controllable-
pitch propellers. Smith propellers were used by Wiley Post on some of his flights.

Another common type was originally developed by Wallace R. Turnbull and refined by the Curtiss-Wright
Corporation.[10] This electrically-operated mechanism was first tested in on June 6, 1927 at Camp Borden,
Ontario, Canada and patented in 1929 (U.S. Patent 1,828,348 (https://www.google.com/patents/US1828348)).
It was favoured by some pilots in World War II, because even when the engine was no longer running the
propeller could be feathered. On hydraulically-operated propellers the feathering had to happen before the loss
of hydraulic pressure in the engine.

As experimental aircraft and microlights have become more sophisticated, it has become more common for
such light aeroplanes to fit variable-pitch propellers, both ground-adjustable propellers and in-flight-variable
propellers. Hydraulic operation is too expensive and bulky, and instead light aircraft use propellers that are
activated mechanically or electrically. The Silence Twister prototype kitplane was fitted with the V-Prop, an
automatic self-energising and electronically self-adjusting VP propeller.[11]

Ships
A controllable pitch propeller (CPP) can be efficient for the full range of rotational speeds and load conditions,
since its pitch will be varied to absorb the maximum power that the engine is capable of producing. When fully
loaded, a vessel obviously needs more propulsion power than when empty. By varying the propeller blades to
the optimal pitch, higher efficiency can be obtained, thus saving fuel. A vessel with a VPP can accelerate
faster from a standstill, and can decelerate much more effectively, making stopping quicker and safer. A CPP
can also improve vessel maneuverability by directing a stronger flow of water onto the rudder.[12]
However, a fixed variable-pitch propeller (FVPP) is both cheaper and
more robust than a CPP. Also, an FVPP is typically more efficient
than a CPP for a single specific rotational speed and load condition.
Accordingly, vessels that normally operate at a standard speed (such
as large bulk carriers, tankers and container ships) will have an FVPP
optimized for that speed. At the other extreme, a canal narrowboat
will have a CPP for two reasons: speed is limited to 4 mph (to protect
the canal bank), and the propeller needs to be robust (when
encountering underwater obstacles).

Vessels with medium or high speed diesel or gasoline engines use a

reduction gear to reduce the engine output speed to an optimal
propeller speed—although the large low speed diesels, whose cruising
RPM is in the 80 to 120 range, are usually direct drive with direct-
reversing engines. While an FVPP-equipped vessel needs either a
reversing gear or a reversible engine to reverse, a CPP vessel may not.
On a large ship the CPP requires a hydraulic system to control the
position of the blades. Compared to an FPP, a CPP is more efficient in
reverse as the blades’ leading edges remain as such in reverse also, so A ship's variable-pitch propeller
that the hydrodynamic cross-sectional shape is optimal for forward
propulsion and satisfactory for reverse operations.

In the mid-1970s, Uljanik shipyard in Yugoslavia produced four VLCCs with CPPs – a tanker and three
ore/oil carriers – each powered by two 20,000 bhp B & W diesel engines directly driving Kamewa variable-
pitch propellers. Due to the high construction cost none of these vessels ever returned a profit over their
lifetimes. For these vessels, fixed variable-pitch propellers would have been more appropriate.[13]

Controllable-pitch propellers are usually found on harbour or ocean-going tugs, dredgers, cruise ships, ferries,
cargo vessels and larger fishing vessels. Prior to the development of CPPs, some vessels would alternate
between "speed wheel" and "power wheel" propellers depending on the task. Current VPP designs can
tolerate a maximum output of 44000 kW (60,000 hp).

Sail boats

A sailboat or motorsailer when voyaging on sail alone will benefit from reduced drag, and just like an
aeronautical propeller, a marine VPP may be “feathered” to give the least water resistance when sailing
without using power. A VPP is particularly useful when motorsailing (i.e. voyaging under both power and
sail), as the VPP can be coarsened to incorporate the wind component. If the prop remained at the "normal"
setting, it would be too fine and the engine would provide little useful contribution; but by coarsening the prop,
the engine provides useful thrust, resulting in a higher speed yet reduced fuel consumption because of the
sailing component. For sailboats and motorsailers, a proven VPP design needing no external inputs is the
Bruntons "AutoProp",[14] a marine propeller where the blades swivel freely and automatically set to the
optimum angle. The Autoprop works as efficiently in astern as in ahead, aiding stopping and manoeuvering.
The Autoprop is beneficial for motorsailers sailing in light winds, as the engine can be run and the propeller
will then automatically coarsen to acknowledge the vessel's wind-driven speed component. When solely under
sail, a motorsailer's Autoprop will automatically feather to give the minimum drag resistance.[15] A simpler and
cheaper design common on sailboats is the feathering (or "folding") prop, which automatically feathers when
not in use, reducing drag and allowing a higher speed.

See also
 Constant-speed propeller

References
1. Aeroplane propellers (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1909/1909%20-%200021.ht
ml) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20130210131933/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarch
ive/view/1909/1909%20-%200021.html) 2013-02-10 at the Wayback MachineFlight
International 9 January 1909
2. Haddow, G.W.; Grosz, Peter (1988). The German Giants – The German R-Planes 1914-1918
(3rd ed.). London: Putnam & Company Ltd. pp. 242–259. ISBN 0-85177-812-7.
3. "Pierre Levasseur" (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1921/1921%20-
%200761.html). Flight. November 17, 1921. p. last paragraph on page 761. Archived (https://we
b.archive.org/web/20121103180955/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1921/1921%2
0-%200761.html) from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
4. "Aircraft gear box" (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1941/1941%20-%201824.html).
Flight. August 14, 1941. p. 86. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20121105054436/http://w
ww.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1941/1941%20-%201824.html) from the original on
November 5, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
5. "The Gloster Hele-Shaw Beacham Variable Pitch Propeller" (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarc
hive/view/1928/1928%20-%200952.html). Flight. October 11, 1928. pp. 14–15. Archived (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20150208121824/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1928/19
28%20-%200952.html) from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
6. Gear Shift For Airplanes Seen In Controllable Prop (https://books.google.com/books?id=fvEDA
AAAMBAJ&pg=PA951&dq=popular+mechanics+1932+protecting+the+world%27s#v=onepag
e). Popular Mechanics. December 1932. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201505121059
38/http://books.google.com/books?id=fvEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA951&dq=popular+mechanics+
1932+protecting+the+world%27s&hl=en&ei=u6EVTcKMOsiDngev593NDg&sa=X&oi=book_re
sult&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=true) from the original on
2015-05-12. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
7. Decombeix, PM. "La Maison Ratier : les hélices Ratier métalliques." (http://www.ratier.org/helm
et_.html) www.ratier.org. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20171112095845/http://ratier.or
g/helmet_.html) from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
8. Lutze (5 May 2011). "Level flight performance" (https://web.archive.org/web/20110720111704/h
ttp://www.dept.aoe.vt.edu/~lutze/AOE3104/levelflightperf.pdf) (PDF). The Department of
Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Tech. p. 8. Archived from the original (http://www.d
ept.aoe.vt.edu/~lutze/AOE3104/levelflightperf.pdf) (PDF) on 20 July 2011. Retrieved
2011-01-06.
9. "Aeronautics: Award No. 3" (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,754215,00.htm
l?promoid=googlep). Time. June 4, 1934. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201211041909
34/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,754215,00.html?promoid=googlep) from
the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
10. "The Turnbull Variable Pitch Propeller" (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1932/193
2%20-%200451.html?search=%20turnbull%20propellor). Flight. May 13, 1932. pp. 419–420.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20160306154713/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchiv
e/view/1932/1932%20-%200451.html?search=%20turnbull%20propellor) from the original on
March 6, 2016. Retrieved 2013-03-05.
11. Review of V-Prop on Silence Twister kitplane [1] (http://copa8.blogspot.com/2013/06/innovative
-vprop-finds-new-home.html) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20190330095925/http://cop
a8.blogspot.com/2013/06/innovative-vprop-finds-new-home.html) 2019-03-30 at the Wayback
Machine
12. Kasten, Michael. "Controllable Pitch Propellers" (http://www.kastenmarine.com/CPprops.htm).
www.kastenmarine.com. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180323034606/http://www.ka
stenmarine.com/CPprops.htm) from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
13. "Controllable pitch propeller - My First JUGEM!" (http://vanhowar.jugem.jp/?eid=40). My First
JUGEM!. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180614221313/http://vanhowar.jugem.jp/?ei
d=40) from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
14. The Autoprop is based on John Coxon's patented invention and is manufactured in Essex by
Bruntons, a UK engineering firm.
15. "Archived copy" (http://www.bruntons-propellers.com/). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0110814065825/http://www.bruntons-propellers.com/) from the original on 2011-08-14.
Retrieved 2011-08-05.

External links
1941 Cutaway Drawing of Hydromatic Variable Pitch Propeller Operation (https://books.google.
com/books?id=nCcDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA105&dq=popular+science+September+1941&hl=en
&ei=v5eRTIDkH42lnQfu4rSDBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDIQ6A
EwAQ#v=onepage&q=popular%20science%20September%201941&f=true) on B-24 bomber
Contemporary discussion of merits of variable-pitch propellers in Flight magazine 1935 (http://w
ww.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935%20-%201346.html)
CONTROLLABLE-PITCH AIRSCREWS (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/193
5%20-%200989.html) explained in Flight 2 May 1935 and 9 May 1935 (http://www.flightglobal.c
om/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935%20-%201057.html)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Variable-pitch_propeller&oldid=975625301"

This page was last edited on 29 August 2020, at 15:34 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.