| abstract |
An elongated, flexible protective urethane member is bonded and firmly affixed to the leading edge of a glass fiber reinforced polyester skin fan blade for large diameter industrial water cooling tower fans. The polyester blade without such protective member would be subject to leading edge abrasion and deterioration during use. The flexible protective member is applied to the blade prior to curing of the chemically thickened polyester skin. Firm bonding and adherence of the protective member to the leading edge of the blade skin is obtained by curing of the skin with the protective member in place over the leading edge of the blade. Mechanical connection of the urethane member to the polyeste blade body is accomplished by provision of a series of holes along opposed longitudinal margins of the member which allow fluid polyester resin to flow into such openings during cure of the blade body resin layers, and by application of a glass fiber reinforced synthetic resin hold-down strip over opposed longitudinally extending edges of the hold-down strips and adjacent areas of the blade skin. Thus, upon completion of the cure cyle, the polyester resin within the openings cross-links with the underlying resin material and the overlying hold-down strips to more securely lock the member to the blade body. |