OIL FEED ASSEMBLY

Abstract

An oil feed assembly suitable for use in a gas turbine engine having a bearing housing, an outer ring surrounding the bearing housing and a monocase extending therebetween. The assembly provides an oil supply tube for extension within the monocase and between the outer ring and the bearing housing. An oil nozzle support means is employed for selective releasable engagement with one end of the oil supply tube. This is also supported by an oil supply tube support means for selective releasable engagement with a second end of the oil supply tube. A coupling means for coupling said oil supply tube support means and the outer ring completes the assembly.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to an oil feed assembly and, more particularly, to an improved oil feed assembly for use in a gas turbine engine which has a reduced number of potential leak areas and which is expeditiously removed for repair and/or replacement.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

Typically, in order to provide oil transport in gas turbine engines, an oil transfer tube is employed. In the art it is known that these arrangements are typically multi-component arrangements and accordingly there is a high proclivity for leakage of the oil being transported. This has possible deleterious effects on the other components of the engine compartment and can lead to unwanted build-up of oil on certain components.

As a further complication of existing arrangements, the tube itself may include multiple components and is often positioned within the bearing housing and related components in a position which does not facilitate simple removal or repair.

Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved oil feed assembly which mitigates the existing limitations in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved oil assembly suitable for use in a gas turbine engine.

In one aspect, the present invention provides an oil feed assembly for use in a gas turbine engine having a bearing housing, an outer ring surrounding the bearing housing and a monocase extending therebetween, comprising: an oil supply tube for extension within the monocase and between the outer ring and the bearing housing; an oil nozzle support means for selective releasable engagement with one end of the oil supply tube; oil supply tube support means for selective releasable engagement with a second end of the oil supply tube; and coupling means for coupling the oil supply tube support means and the outer ring.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an oil feed assembly in a gas turbine engine having a bearing housing, an outer ring surrounding the bearing housing and a monocase extending therebetween, comprising: an oil supply tube extending within the monocase and between the outer ring and the bearing housing; an oil nozzle support means selective releasable engagement with one end of the oil supply tube: oil supply tube support means selective releasable engagement with a second end of the oil supply tube; and coupling means for coupling the oil supply tube support means and the outer ring.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of mounting an oil feed assembly within a gas turbine engine having a bearing housing, an outer ring surrounding the bearing housing and a monocase extending therebetween, comprising: providing an oil fee assembly including an oil supply tube, an oil nozzle support means, oil supply tube support means and coupling means; releasably mounting the oil supply tube support means within the bearing housing; forming an access point within the outer ring to allow passage of the oil supply tube at least partially there through; releasably mounting the oil supply tube support means and the oil supply tube within the access point; and releasably mounting the coupling means to the mounted oil supply tube at the housing.

Further details of these and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description and figures included below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a partially cut away view of the oil feed assembly as positioned in situ within the bearing housing and outer ring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a partially cut away view of the oil feed assembly as positioned within its environment, namely the bearing housing and outer ring of a gas turbine engine.

The overall oil assembly is denoted by numeral 10. Numeral 12 is representative of the outer housing of the gas turbine engine, whereas numeral 14 is globally representative of the bearing housing. A monocase 16 extends between outer ring 12 and bearing housing 14. These components are well known in the art and a further description is deemed unnecessary.

In the arrangement, an oil supply tube 18 which is continuous and uninterrupted with respect to fluid flow, extends between ring 12 and bearing housing 14. The oil supply tube 18 is disposed within the bearing housing 14 via the monocase 16 to a point extraneous and exterior of ring housing 12, the point being generally denoted by numeral 20. Oil supply tube 18 is releasably fixedly secured to an oil support member 24. Oil support number 24 is releasably and fixedly secured within the interior of housing 14 via a post or connection number 26. An opposed end 28 of oil supply tube 18 is connected to an oil supply tube support 30. The tube and 28 may be releasably fixedly secured to support 30 by welding. A tube coupling member 32 is subsequently connected to support 30 to provide coupling with an oil supply line (not shown).

By providing the arrangement set forth in the example, the result is essentially a tube point connection system for the oil supply tube from the point of coupling to the point of the oil nozzle support. This has significant advantage in terms of preventing other possible areas for leakage and further provides for an expedited and straight forward removal for repair or replacement of the entire assembly or sections therefore. In terms of retro-fit or installation procedures, the indication herein where members are fixedly secured can be achieved by welding. In order to modify the bearing casing 14, it will be understood that the post or connection site 18 can simply be effected by drilling a cavity within bearing housing 14 to accommodate a post 26. In order to mount the support 34 to the ring housing 12 may be provided with an access area simply by machining or drilling into the ring casing 12 with subsequent welding at suitable locations to effect securement.

The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without department from the scope of the invention disclosed. Still other modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims.

Claims

1. An oil feed assembly for use in a gas turbine engine having a bearing housing, an outer ring surrounding said bearing housing and a monocase extending therebetween, comprising:

an oil supply tube for extension within said monocase and between said outer ring and said bearing housing;

an oil nozzle support means for selective releasable engagement with one end of said oil supply tube;

oil supply tube support means for selective releasable engagement with a second end of said oil supply tube; and

coupling means for coupling said oil supply tube support means and said outer ring.

2. The oil feed assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said oil supply tube is a unitary and continuous member from said oil nozzle support means to said oil supply tube support means.

3. An oil feed assembly in a gas turbine engine having a bearing housing, an outer ring surrounding said bearing housing and a monocase extending therebetween, comprising:

an oil supply tube extending within said monocase and between said outer ring and said bearing housing;

an oil nozzle support means selective releasable engagement with one end of said oil supply tube;

oil supply tube support means selective releasable engagement with a second end of said oil supply tube; and

coupling means for coupling said oil supply tube support means and said outer ring.

4. The oil feed assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said coupling means is fixedly secured to said outer ring.

5. The oil feed assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said coupling means is welded to said outer ring.

6. The oil feed assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said oil nozzle support means is welded to said bearing housing.

7. The oil feed assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said oil nozzle support means includes a mounting post for connection within said bearing housing.

8. A method of mounting an oil feed assembly within a gas turbine engine having a bearing housing, an outer ring surrounding said bearing housing and a monocase extending therebetween, comprising:

providing an oil feed assembly including an oil supply tube, an oil nozzle support means, oil supply tube support means and coupling means;

releasably mounting said oil supply tube support means within said bearing housing;

forming an access point within said outer ring to allow passage of said oil supply tube at least partially there through;

releasably mounting said oil supply tube support means and said oil supply tube within said access point; and

releasably mounting said coupling means to the mounted oil supply tube at said housing.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein releasably mounted means are welded.

10. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein releasably mounted means are welded.

11. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein said assembly is removable.

12. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein forming an access point within said outer ring comprises machining an aperture within said outer ring.

13. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein releasably mounting said oil supply tube support means within said bearing housing comprises machining a post within said bearing housing and welding.

14. The method as defined in claim 8, further including the step of cycling oil through said assembly.