Subject: Schertz beam failure mode.
From: ACRE NL
Date: 11/4/2002, 8:50 AM

A mechanical engineer friend of mine and me were discussing the
Schertz beam and she mentioned a possible failure mode.

"Looking from the top down, put a large gyroscopic twist on it from a really
abrupt pull-up. The inner 6 mm bolts take next to no load, the outer 6 mm
bolts are taking the whole load. The vertical side braces do nothing to 
help there either."

Horizontal fore and aft braces from the rubber bushing area on the
Schertz beam to the engine or to the gear box nose would help.

Typically this rapid pitch at 60 degrees per second would generate 
a 300 ft pound torque around a vertical axis assuming a wood prop. 
Double that for a metal prop.

You could also weld on a clip on the bottom of the Schertz beam tube on 
each side adjacent to the side walls of the oil pan. Weld an aluminum
angle on the corners of the oil pan in the same areas and 
bolt the two together with at least two 5/16 inch bolts.
One on each side. This will distribute the gyro torque load into
all the 6 mm pan bolts.

If a 4130 steel channel and vertical braces are used you could bolt 
that to the angle clips on the pan directly.

No time right now to do a 3D but will do one shortly.

Paul Lamar
 
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