Method of fabricating airfoils

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF FABRICATING A HONEYCOMB CORE REINFORCED AIRFOIL, THE STEPS OF: PLACING PORTIONS OF THE EXTERNAL SKIN OF SAID AIRFOIL IN OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP WITH ADJACENT DIES INCORPORATING CAVITIES HAVING CONFIGURATIONS CORRESPONDING TO THE CONFIGURATION OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID AIRFOIL; URGING SAID PORTIONS OF SAID SKIN INTO CONTACT WITH THE WALL OF THE ASSOCIATED DIE CAVITY TO CAUSE SAID PORTIONS TO ASSUME THE CONFIGURATION THEREOF; PLACING A LAYER OF HONEYCOMB CORE MATERIAL IN OVERLAYING RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OF SAID SKIN PORTIONS; DISPOSING THE LOWER SURFACE OF THE LAYER OF HONEYCOMB CORE MATERIAL IN CONTIGUITY WITH THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID ASSOCIATED SKIN PORTION; SECURING THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID HONEYCOMB CORE LAYER TO SAID ASSOCIATED SKIN PORTION; REMOVING PORTIONS OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE LAYER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SKIN PORTION TO PROVIDE CO-PLANAR MATING SURFACES THEREUPON; LIFTING ONE OF SAID SKIN PORTIONS AND THE ASSOCIATED CORE LAYER OUT OF THE ASSOCIATED DIE CAVITY AND ROTATING IT INTO A POSITION WHERE THE PLANAR SURFACE OF SAID CORE LAYER ENGAGES THE CORRESPONDING PLANAR SURFACE OF THE CORE LAYER ASSOCIATED WITH SAID OTHER SKIN PORTION; AND BONDING THE ADJACENT SURFACES OF SAID CORE LAYERS TO EACH OTHER.