Abstract: A thermal relief slot is formed by including a lateral slot in each of three overlying sheet metal sheets with the upper and lower slots being in overlying position and the middle slot being axially spaced therefrom and the three sheets being bonded into an integral sheet metal sheet assembly except for the area extending over the relief slots. The edge of the upper and/or lower outer edges of adjacent the relief slots may be chamfered to prevent fraying of the edges. A two sheet assembly includes the relief slots axially spaced and two sheet metal sheets are bonded except for the area including and extending between the two relief slots.

Abstract: Intersecting judiciously located installed holes at the tip section of the airfoil of an internally cooled axial flow turbine blade for a gas turbine engine communicating with a passage adjacent the pressure side and another passage adjacent the suction side of the airfoil provide a resultant flow that creates an aerodynamic seal that opposes the flow of engine working medium leaking into the clearance between the tip of the airfoil and the surrounding annular shroud or outer air seal. The installed holes are in proximity to the intersection of the tip surface with the airfoil pressure side surface.

Abstract: The clocking modes incidental to the vibrations encountered in the stator assembly in the compressor section of a gas turbine engine are damped by a spring damper formed as a split ring or a ring of equally shaped and sized segments having a pair of working surfaces. The spring damper is generally U-shaped in cross section and is fixed at the apex with one of the working surfaces in frictional engagement with the base of the vanes and the other working surface in frictional engagement with the containment ring attached to the diaphragm of the stator vane for supporting the inner diameter of the vanes.

Abstract: A bulkhead in the form of a rib extending spanwise adjacent the leading edge of the airfoil of a turbine blade of a gas turbine engine serves to stiffen the airfoil to attain protection from impact by foreign objects, but doesn't materially affect cooling effectiveness in the event of a puncture of the skin. Holes extending spanwise in the rib reduce the mass, allow radial flow, and restrict flow into the leading edge. This construct allows a reduction in the thickness of the skin of the airfoil, and hence a weight reduction.

Abstract: An aerodynamic buffer zone in the gap between the tip of an air cooled axial flow turbine blade of a gas turbine engine and its surrounding shroud or seal (outer air seal) is created by discretely discharging a high velocity stream of cooling air from the tip of the blade in a judicious direction. The stream is angularly oriented relative to the plane of rotation of the turbine so that it is discharged in the gap in the direction of the pressure side of the turbine and preferably at between a 15.degree.-45.degree. angle relative to the flat surface of the tip of the blade.

Abstract: The top foil (12) of the hydrodynamic fluid film journal bearing (10) carries opposing tabs (23,25) at the side edges adjacent the free end (17) thereof and extends radially outward to fit adjacent to the side edges (19,21) of the intermediate foil 14 and the ends of the key 18 when rolled into a cylinder and inserted into the bore of sleeve (24) to prevent skewing of the top foil. In another embodiment skewing is prevented by incorporating opposing tabs (37,39,50,52) at the free ends (31,54) of the top foil (12a) and intermediate foil (14a) that project through predetermined sized slots (40,42) formed in the side edges (44,46) at the fixed end of intermediate slot (14a). The tabs overlie the side edges of the intermediate foil (14b) and bump foil (15) when rolled into a cylinder and prevent skewing and enhancing journal bearing performance.

Abstract: A water-activated alarm system, providing an alarm in the event of a water leak, includes a radio-frequency transmitting unit and a receiving unit and a number of safety features to ensure proper operation in the event of an emergency. The transmitting unit includes a flood detector having electrodes to be placed in a flood prone area, a tone encoder, for sending an encoded signal in the event of a flood, and means to provide visible and audible alarm indications, including a buzzer and a user-programmable digital voice circuit for identification of the area in which a flood occurs.

Abstract: The attachment for securing the stator vanes to the outer compressor case includes hooks strategically located with one set in the center of a segment and one set each at either end of each segment. The segments are assembled end to end to form a ring of an array of rows of airfoils for directing air to the compressor blades of a gas turbine engine. Each assembled segment may include three rows of vanes. The axial gap between the structure of the upstream stage of the compressor, the axial and circumferential gap of radially extending pins attached to the "floating" lug-nuts assembled in each pair of hooks and the tight fit of the pins in the center pair of hooks allow for axial and circumferential thermal expansion and the bolted lug-nuts and outer case provide radial restraint, all of which combine to reduce stresses on the airfoil during engine transient conditions.

Abstract: A myringotomy tube with a axial lumen is constructed with an integral cutting tang extending axially from the flange of the grommet for incising the tympanic membrane without the necessity of a scalpel. A disposable inserter is optionally included that frictionally fits the myringotomy tube to the inserter and includes a handle with an ejector mechanism for releasing the myringotomy tube after it is implanted. The handle is injection molded and inexpensive to fabricate so that the inserter is disposable. The method of construction includes the sequence of assembly to allow the grommet to be releasably affixed to the inserter. The surgical method of use of the inserter and grommet allows the grommet to be implanted in a single step eliminating the necessity of a separate incision.

Abstract: The inner shroud removably fitted to the foot of the vanes in the stator of the compressor section of a gas turbine engine is designed to support a radial brush seal for sealing the adjacent rotor from the engines's hot gases adjacent the foot of the vanes. The shroud supports a spring damper and this assembly relative to the foot of the stator is critically dimensioned so that the hooks formed in the foot of the stator and in the shroud allow the shroud assembly to be positioned radially and moved axially to be locked into place. A retainer ring circumferentially fitted into the shroud holds the assembly. This allows for easy installation and removal.

Abstract: A rotating drum divided in axial spaced compartments with one of the compartments includes paddles and coalescing material to separate the fluid from the liquid and the other compartment includes a stationary third pump and a stationary water pump for effectively separating fluid such as oil or gas from liquid such a water. Another embodiment includes a simplified version of the fluid/liquid separator adapted for zero gravity environment and includes a device for purging the lines from air prior to pumping the liquid. An electrical sensing circuit including conductivity sensors or an electronic controller including pressure sensors serve to control the rate of removal of the separated component or controlling the purging device.

Abstract: The crossover tube conducts fluid from the exhaust nozzle of a gas turbine engine to a blind receiver mounted in the sidewall of the airframe when assembled and deployed and includes a rigidly affixed forward ball and joint and a ball attached to the ends of each of a pair of tubes mounted in telescopic relationship with a clip secured to the coverplate covering the ball at the forward end cooperating with a pair of end to end mounted coil springs surrounding the tubes to hold the crossover tube in an erect and extended position to be guided into the receiver of the sidewall when deployed. In another embodiment bellows are utilized in place of the coil springs to provent leakage of fluid flowing in the crossover tube.

Abstract: The hurricane shutters are formed from double-skinned panels that are strengthened by including a rod extending through the end channels. The panels are mounted side by side to cover the expanse of the window or door being protected. In another embodiment a cable is attached to the ends of the rod and tightened to bow the rod and panels. The ends of the panels on the extremity are left unbowed if air flow through the space between the window and panels is not desired. In other embodiments the ends of the panel are constructed to form a hinge to receive the rod which then acts as a hinge and the structural enhancement member and may extend beyond the end of the panel and serve as an attachment in a retracting and deployment mechanism.

Abstract: The nacelle of the aircraft is purged and the sidewall of the vector nozzles of the gas turbine engine in the nacelle is cooled by utilizing the engine fan air to drive ejector pumps mounted in series flow relationship, a rectangular mixing zone and a diffuser with a rectangular cross section and a step in the exhaust nozzle gaspath. This results in minimizing the amount of fan air for driving the system and enhancing engine thrust and enhanced sidewall cooling because the temperature of the mixed air is lower than heretofore known systems.

Abstract: The deaerator includes a chamber that includes vortex generators that centrifuge the oil/air to separate the components and the chamber may operate in all attitudes. In addition wake separators mounted in the inlet of the chamber remove a large percentage of the air from the oil prior to entering the chamber and reintroduce the separated air component in the air removal tube. A dam in the air removal tube is located downstream of the inlet of the wake separated air to assure no oil is extracted from the air tube leaving the chamber. The wake separator consists of one or more tubes extending transversely to the flow of the oil/air stream and the air is removed through rearwardly facing apertures formed in the tube(s).

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system for purging of the nacelle of an aircraft and for cooling the edge pieces of the divergent flap of a gas turbine engine's two-dimensional exhaust system by use of long tubular air pump with axisymmetric supersonic nozzles, a rectangular mixing chamber for pumping nacelle air with fan discharge air and judiciously flowing the air in separate passageways formed in the double clamshell convergent flap of the exhaust nozzle. This reduces the overall aircraft and weapon system weight, with only a minimum increase in the engine's nozzle weight.

Abstract: Cooling of the hot surfaces of the exhaust nozzle of a fan jet engine and purging of the nacelle is attained by a booster pump mounted in exhaust nozzle structure and the booster pump having an ejector driven by localized fan air existing in the engine cooling path extracted from the fan of the engine for pumping nacelle air and mixing the egressing fluid in a mixing chamber and diffuser disposed in fluid communication with booster pump which is then dumped into a plenum within the exhaust nozzle structure for feeding film cooling holes formed in the hot surfaces for laying a blanket of cooling air along the gas path surface of the exhaust nozzle.

Abstract: An adapter frame and detachable insert bag are fabricated to fit inside of the existing grass catcher bag typically supplied with the hand held lawn mower. The bag is fabricated from a non-woven material and sufficiently porous to be permeable to air and serves to collect and dispose of the grass clippings. The assembled frame and insert bag attaches to and fits flush with the opened end of the grass catcher bag so as not to interfere with the existing attachment mechanism of the grass catcher bag to allow the easy attachment to the lawn mower.

Abstract: The cantilevered stator vanes of the compressor section of the gas turbine engine are treated by including a rotating hub having a by-pass passage for removing the low momentum fluid from the main air stream adjacent to the tips of the stator vanes in the compressor and returning it back into the main air stream after having treated the air while avoiding penalties and excessive heating. A plurality of vanes are circumferentially spaced in the by-pass passage for removing vortices and streamlining the flow before injected the air back into the airstream. The vane passage hub treatment is fabricated in a single cast piece in one embodiment, in a three ring configuration in another embodiment and in a segmented ring configuration in still another embodiment.

Abstract: Each of the tubes of the tube thrust chamber of a rocket engine is hooked at either end with the end at the outlet oriented horizontally relative to the rocket engine's center line and the end at the inlet oriented vertically and bent outwardly away from the rocket thrust chamber and facing the outlet for fitting into apertures formed in the outlet and inlet manifolds. The method of construction and assembly is manifested by assembling the sub-assembly of the wedge ring/manifold above the open ends of the vertical portion of the tubes and lowering the assembled wedge ring/manifold so that each tube fits into complementary apertures formed in the inlet manifold and the wedge ring tightly fits onto the outer periphery of the tubes and brazing this assembly in situ. A skirt extends below the thrust chamber and includes a planar surface for resting on ground to support the thrust chamber in an upright position.