Abstract: A transfer coupling has a static component and a rotatable component arranged in axial alignment. The static component includes a first number (n?1) of radially extending ports and the rotatable component has a second number (n) of radially extending ports, the radially extending ports arranged in a common circumferential plane, wherein the ports on each component are equally spaced around the component and the number of ports on a first of the components is one less than on the second of the components.

Abstract: A rotor blade assembly for a gas turbine engine includes two aerofoil members joined together at their roots by a blade assembly attachment web. The rotor blade assembly is made from a composite material, for example an organic fiber composite material. The blade assembly attachment web is used to attach a plurality of rotor blade assemblies to the rest of the gas turbine engine in order to form a rotor stage. The rotor stage may, for example, be the fan stage of a turbofan gas turbine engine.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of controlling an aircraft including, determining whether a change in altitude at a predetermined thrust-setting can be performed, the determination including: determining a climb-requirement including initial and final altitudes and a required range of airspeeds at the final altitude; determining aircraft performance data including a thrust at the final altitude at the thrust-setting, an initial airspeed at the initial altitude and an aircraft total mass at the initial altitude; using the aircraft performance data to determine a final airspeed and drag at the final altitude if a change in altitude at the predetermined setting were performed; determining whether thrust at the final altitude at the thrust-settings and airspeed is greater than drag; and providing a signal indicating whether the calculated final airspeed falls within the required range of airspeeds, and whether the thrust at the final altitude and airspeed at the cruise thrust-setting is greater than drag.

Abstract: A method of controlling an inverter, in which the inverter includes a single-phase inverter arrangement comprising a complementary pair of power switches, comprises the steps of: controlling the complementary pair of power switches with a modulating signal to output an AC signal; judging which of the power switches in the complementary pair of power switches is at a higher temperature; determining the magnitude and sign of a DC offset signal to apply to the modulating signal to reduce the total current in the power switch judged to be at the higher temperature; and applying the DC offset signal to the modulating signal.

Abstract: A turbine blade has a body enclosing a labyrinth of internal channels for circulation of coolant received through an inlet integrally formed in terminal portion of blade root. The labyrinth includes; inlet arranged on an axially upstream face of terminal portion leading to an upstream duct portion having first section adjacent the inlet and a second section axially downstream of first, second section having reduced cross section compared to first section. Leading edge passage intersects first section and extends through blade body towards the tip. Main blade passage intersects second section. Trailing edge passage intersects downstream duct portion which is in axial alignment with but separate from second section and channel connects second section with the downstream duct portion. Channel has reduced cross section compared to second section and downstream duct portion. The inlet has an inverted keyhole shape with cross section extends through upstream duct portion first section.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hollow aerofoil component for a gas turbine engine includes using a capping panel to cover a pocket in a pocketed aerofoil body. An activation material is placed between the capping panel and the pocketed aerofoil body, and the temperature of the assembly is raised to a bonding temperature. The capping panel and pocketed aerofoil assembly are thereby joined together using activated diffusion bonding to form the hollow aerofoil component.

Abstract: A turbine blade has a labyrinth of internal channels for circulation of coolant received through inlet integrally formed in terminal portion of blade root, novel labyrinth geometry includes; inlet arranged on axially upstream face of terminal portion leading to upstream duct portion having a first section adjacent the inlet and second section, second section having reduced cross section compared to first section; leading edge passage intersecting first section and extending through blade body towards tip of blade, proximal end of leading edge passage being angled, in use, towards direction of incoming air flow; main blade passage intersecting downstream duct portion, downstream duct portion arranged in axial alignment with upstream duct portion but separate from upstream duct portion; and restrictor passage intersecting with mid-blade passage and extending towards mid-blade duct portion, mid-blade duct portion in axial alignment with upstream and downstream duct portions and in fluid communication with upstre

Abstract: An actuation arrangement for effecting actuation of a variable stator vane pivotally mounted on a tubular casing. The actuation arrangement includes: an actuator connector connected to the variable stator vane via an actuating lever; an anchor fixedly mounted relative to the circumference of the tubular casing; an actuator; and a belt extending from the actuator to the fixed pulley. The actuation arrangement further includes a movable pulley movable relative to the tubular casing and connected to the actuator connector. The belt has a loop portion provided between the proximal and distal ends which loops around the movable pulley, the loop portion for transferring forces generated in the belt by the actuator to the movable pulley to effect movement of the movable pulley and actuator connector towards the anchor to effect actuation of the variable stator vane via the actuating lever.

Abstract: An arrangement for vapor phase coating an internal surface of hollow articles comprises a part plate, at least one spud site and at least one manifold. The part plate defines a portion of a chamber for supplying a vapor coating. Each spud site has a tube and a first moldable sealant is arranged around the tube. Each manifold has at least one supply tube extending from the manifold to supply vapor into a respective hollow article. Each manifold has a feed tube extending from the manifold to supply vapor into the manifold. The tube of each spud site is inserted into the feed tube of the respective manifold and an end of the feed tube remote from the manifold locates in the first moldable sealant. A second moldable sealant is arranged around the at least one supply tube of the respective manifold and between the respective manifold and hollow article.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical raft comprising a rigid material having multiple electrical conductors embedded therein. The electrical raft comprises an electrical connector having a first set of electrical contacts connected to at least one of the electrical conductors, a second set of electrical contacts for electrical connection to another component, and a housing having a first end and a second end. The first set of electrical contacts is at the first end and the second set of electrical contacts is at the second end. The first end of the housing is at least partly embedded in the rigid material, and the second end of the housing is accessible from outside the electrical raft, allowing the electrical raft to be electrically connected to said other component. The electrical connector has a back-shell which sealingly encloses the first end of the housing to prevent ingress of contaminants into the connector.

Abstract: A component of a gas turbine engine is formed from a continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (CMC). The component has a sealing portion which, in use, makes sealing contact with an adjacent component of the engine. The sealing portion comprises a recess formed in the CMC and filled with a finer grade ceramic relative to the surrounding CMC, a metal or an intermetallic.

Abstract: A method of sintering a metal injection-moulded, green aerofoil component. The method includes providing a setter having a stationary support arranged to support an aerofoil part of the component and a moveable platform arranged to support an end part of the component, the moveable platform being independently moveable relative to the stationary support. The method further includes locating the green component on the setter such that the aerofoil part and the end part are supported by respectively the stationary support and the moveable platform. The supported green component is then sintered, the moveable platform moving during the sintering relative to the stationary support to accommodate sintering-induced shrinkage of the component.

Abstract: A coolant feed arrangement for delivering coolant to an axially facing surface of a rotor disc configured for carrying a row of turbine blades on its radially outer surface, the coolant delivered through a conduit upstream of the rotor disc, which has an outlet arranged radially inwardly of the blades and directed at the axially facing surface, the arrangement including two or more impediments; at least one impediment including a work extractor device arranged in the conduit to extract work from the coolant on route to a last impediment arranged at or adjacent the outlet, the last impediment including a row of static nozzles configured for accelerating the flow of coolant circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the axially facing surface of the disc whereby to match the speed and direction of rotation of the axially facing surface as the coolant is delivered to the axially facing surface.

Abstract: A shaft assembly comprises a first shaft portion, connected to a second shaft portion by a flexible coupling. The first shaft portion is further connected to the second shaft portion by a frangible coupling with the frangible coupling being configured to fail if a torsional load through the frangible coupling exceeds a predetermined maximum torsional load. The flexible coupling allows an angular misalignment between the first and second shaft portions not exceeding a maximum angular misalignment.

Abstract: A convergent-divergent nozzle arranged to convey fluid from an upstream zone to a downstream zone via a throat aperture, wherein the nozzle includes an assembly movable to vary the size of the throat aperture of the nozzle, thereby regulating the flow of fluid to the downstream zone.

Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system in which a combustion engine is arranged to drive an electrical generator. An electrical energy store is provided within the system. A propulsive rotor is arranged to be driven by an electric motor and a controller selectively varies the supply of power to the electric motor from the generator and/or energy store in dependence on one or more property of a vapour trail resulting from the engine exhaust flow. The controller may also control the supply of power to the energy store for charging.

Abstract: A bearing arrangement comprises: first and second thrust bearings, each including an inner race which is disposed on a shaft and an outer race which is supported by at least one resilient element. Applying a shaft thrust load elastically deforms the resilient elements so as to axially displace the respective outer races in order that the thrust load is shared between the first and second thrust bearings.

Abstract: An electrical harness is formed from a flexible printed circuit board which provides a plurality of conductive tracks. The harness has one or more harness connectors at respective terminating regions of the flexible printed circuit board for joining the harness to complementary connectors. The or each harness connector includes a back-shell and one or more elongate terminals which are supported at a position within the back-shell such that, in use, when the harness connector joins with a complementary connector, the elongate terminals are presented for electrical connect at first ends thereof with mating terminals of the complementary connector. The or each terminating region of the harness has one or more receiving holes extending to respective conductive tracks of the harness.

Abstract: A rotor stage (100) of a gas turbine engine (10) comprises a platform (120) from which rotor blades extend. The platform is provided with a circumferentially extending damper ring (200), the damper ring having an engagement surface (210) that engages with a platform engagement surface (110) of the platform (120). The platform engagement surface (110) and the damper engagement surface (210) can move relative to each other in the radial direction. In use, the damper engagement surface (210) moves less in the radial direction than the platform engagement surface (110) in response to diametral mode excitation. This causes friction between the two surfaces, thereby dissipating energy and damping the excitation.

Abstract: A rotor stage of a gas turbine engine includes a platform from which rotor blades extend. The platform is provided with a circumferentially extending damper ring, the damper ring having an engagement surface that engages with a platform engagement surface of the platform. The platform engagement surface and the damper engagement surface can move relative to each other in the radial direction. In use, the damper engagement surface moves less in the radial direction than the platform engagement surface in response to diametral mode excitation. This causes friction between the two surfaces, thereby dissipating energy and damping the excitation. The platform engagement surface and the damper engagement surface engage over at least two separate engagement portions separated by a gap.