Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce plc
  • Flexible tool
    Patent number: 9016159
    Abstract: A flexible tool comprises stiffening means switchable in use from a first state of relatively low stiffness to a second state of relatively high stiffness, and subsequently switchable from the second state back to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: James Kell, Samantha H Davies, Ian J McGill, Graeme E Rigg, Mark H Raffles, Mark J Daine, Ming C Kong, Dragos Axinte, Iulian Marinescu, Christopher R J Herbert
  • Bladed rotor
    Patent number: 9017032
    Abstract: A rotor, such as a fan of a gas turbine engine, comprises blades 2 and annulus fillers 4 which extend between adjacent blades 2. Gaps 22 between each blade 2 and the adjacent annulus fillers 4 are sealed by sealing elements 8. The sealing elements 8 fit closely around the profile of the blade 2 and have annulus filler sealing surfaces 18 for sealing contact with the annulus fillers 4. The sealing elements 8 have low-friction blade sealing surfaces 12 so that, when the fan is rotating, centrifugal loading displaces the sealing elements 8 radially outwardly so that the annulus filler sealing surface 18 make sealing contact with the annulus fillers 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Paul Mason
  • Superconducting machines
    Patent number: 9018805
    Abstract: A machine such as a ship's engine has a superconducting component requiring cooling for its operation, and includes a cooling system. The cooling system is operable in first and second modes. In a cool-down phase the cooling system is run in the first mode providing relatively high heat transfer from the superconducting component. On attainment of a desired operating temperature the cooling system is run in the second mode, providing lower heat transfer. This enables a reduced cool-down time of the machine, while allowing economical operation in normal service. The higher level of cooling in the first mode used during the start-up procedure can involve a colder cryogen, or a greater flow of coolant. One way of achieving the latter is to circulate the coolant in normally evacuated regions during the cool-down phase, and then re-establishing the vacuum in these regions for normal service operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: John J. A. Cullen, David S. Knott
  • Method of treating an aerofoil
    Patent number: 9015942
    Abstract: A method of imparting deep compressive residual stress to an aerofoil, the method involves determining a stress map for the aerofoil for stress generated by Foreign Object (FOD) impact, a stress map for the aerofoil of high cycle fatigue, a stress map for the aerofoil of low cycle fatigue and determining a combined stress map by combining the stress map of FOD impact, the stress map of high cycle fatigue and the stress map of low cycle fatigue. A zone is then defined on the aerofoil from the combined stress map for receiving the deep residual compressive stress, and compressive residual stress imparted to the defined zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Ian C. D. Care
  • Annulus filler
    Patent number: 9017031
    Abstract: An annulus filler for mounting to a rotor disc of a gas turbine engine and for bridging the gap between two adjacent blades attached to the rotor disc. The annulus filler has a body portion including a lid which has a leading edge, a trailing edge and opposing side edges which connect respective ends of the leading and trailing edges. The lid defines an airflow surface for air being drawn through the engine. The annulus filler further has one or more attachment formations which, in use, connect the body portion to the rotor disc. The lid is configured such that the stiffness of the lid under compressive loading exerted on the opposing side edges by sideways blade movement is greater at the leading edge than at the trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Kristofer J. Bottome
  • Friction welding
    Patent number: 9016550
    Abstract: A welding tool for friction welding a workpiece, the tool including: a probe having a core including a ceramic material, the probe having a surface coating including a metallic material covering at least part of a contact zone of the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Andrew Robert Walpole, Daniel Clark
  • Combustion chamber
    Patent number: 9010121
    Abstract: A combustion chamber has an outer wall supporting a number of wall elements or tiles. The tiles are located on the wall by bosses so that a cooling space is provided between the wall and the tiles. Air holes are provided through the wall and the tiles and a flow passage is provided adjacent the air holes. A flow passage is defined by changing the profiles of the air holes in the outer wall and/or the location features to provide a localized gap through which cooling air is directed to cool regions subject to overheating and extend service life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Robert A J Taylor, Marcus Foale
  • Erosion testing assembly
    Patent number: 9010178
    Abstract: An erosion testing assembly adapted to test an abradable surface of a component, the testing assembly including: a shroud attachable to the component; the shroud being adapted to receive an erosion gun. The present disclosure also relates to a method of testing an abradable surface of a component, wherein the method includes: attaching a shroud to the component; connecting an erosion gun to the shroud; and testing the abradable surface with the erosion gun. The present disclosure may also relate to a method of testing an abradable surface of a component, wherein the method includes: using the component; and testing a portion of the abradable surface with an erosion gun after use of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Christopher Sellars, Andrew Hewitt
  • Pylon for attaching a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 9010680
    Abstract: A pylon for attachment of a gas turbine engine to a wing of an aircraft has a trailing edge which is rearward of the trailing edge of the core fairing and the trailing edge of the fan nacelle. The pylon has two laterally-spaced side faces which extend in the rearward direction of the engine to end at the trailing edge of the pylon. Each side face has a bottom edge which extends in a rearward direction of the engine from the core fairing to the bottom end of the trailing edge of the pylon. The bottom edges merge such that the bottom edges form a single bottom edge. The pylon is intended to exert control on the bypass flow of a gas turbine engine. Other pylons are also provided which can also exert such control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Romuald Morvant, Kevin M. Britchford
  • Shaping apparatus and method of shaping a workpiece
    Patent number: 9010167
    Abstract: A shaping apparatus for shaping a workpiece. The apparatus comprises first and second pairs of shaping members and a spacer located between the first and second pairs of shaping members. The first pair of shaping members comprises a material having a first linear coefficient of thermal expansion, and the second pair of shaping members comprises a material having a third linear coefficient of thermal expansion. The first linear coefficient of thermal expansion is higher than the second linear coefficient of thermal expansion such that on heating of the apparatus, thermal expansion of the shaping members causes the first pair of shaping members to expand outwardly, and the second pair of shaping members to expand inwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Richard Green, Michael John Annear
  • Panel attachment system and a method of using the same
    Patent number: 9010027
    Abstract: A panel attachment system comprises a panel and a casing. The panel has a fixed mount bracket, and a sliding mount bracket. The casing has a first fixed mount boss, and a sliding mount boss. When the panel attachment system is in use, the fixed mount bracket is fixedly secured to the first fixed mount boss, and the sliding mount bracket is slidingly engaged with the sliding mount boss. This enables the panel to be detachably connected to the casing, such that any relative in-plane thermal expansion between the panel and the casing is accommodated by corresponding relative movement between the sliding mount bracket and the sliding mount bosses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Joseph Barnsdale Cooper, Paul Robert Hayton, Joseph Rowlands-Conway
  • Cooled double walled article
    Patent number: 9010124
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustion chamber includes a first wall and a second wall. The second wall is arranged within and spaced from the first wall to define a cavity between the first wall and the second wall. The first wall has a plurality of impingement apertures extending there-through and the second wall has a plurality of effusion apertures extending there-through. The impingement apertures have a first diameter, a first pitch, and a first area. The effusion apertures have a second diameter, a second pitch, and a second area. The ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter is at least 3, the ratio of the first pitch to the second pitch is at least 4 and the ratio of the first area to the second area is at least 9. This arrangement increases the cooling performance of the effusion apertures in the second wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul I. Chandler, Anthony Pidcock
  • Leaf seal
    Patent number: 9010763
    Abstract: A leaf seal has a pair of annular packs of stacked leaves. Each pack is mountable to one of the components with its leaves extending towards the other component such that the leaf edges of at least one of the packs are presented for wiping contact with the other component. The packs are axially spaced from each other by a controlled axial clearance. Within each pack the leaves are stacked face-to-face such that neighboring leaves are separated from each other by interleaf gaps which allow an axial leakage flow through the seal. Further, within each pack the packs are positioned such that, when viewed in the axial direction, the leaves of each pack of the pair substantially obscure the interleaf gaps of the other pack of the pair. The controlled axial clearance is the dominant flow restriction in the seal determining the amount of leakage flow through the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Ingo Henry Johannes Jahn
  • Forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9010166
    Abstract: A forming apparatus (20) and method are provided for forming an item (10). The item includes an end part (12), a body part (14) and a tip (16), the body part extending from the end part, the tip being located at an end of the body part remote from the end part. The invention is characterized in that the apparatus includes a tip holder (22) for holding the tip and an end die (26) for clamping the end part; a rotator (42) for inducing relative rotation between the end die and the tip holder which, in a twisting step, induces a twist in the body part in use; and a body die (32), the body die including one or more formation surfaces (34), the body die being arranged in use in a conformation step to conform one or more surfaces (50) of the twisted body part to the or each formation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Phillip Brennand
  • Sheet metal blank
    Patent number: 9003852
    Abstract: A sheet metal blank for the manufacture of a casing of a gas turbine engine comprising a sheet of substantially constant wall thickness and a raised or thicker region extending along substantially the full length of the sheet metal blank. A raised or thicker region is provided between edges of the sheet metal blank. The raised or thicker region comprises at least one boss and at least one ridge extending way from the or each boss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Richard Green, Michael Annear
  • Gas cooler and method for cooling gas
    Patent number: 9003766
    Abstract: There is disclosed a gas cooler 20 for providing high-pressure sealing gas to a bearing chamber. The cooler comprises a turbine 22; a turbine inlet 24 arranged to receive gas to drive the turbine and a turbine outlet 26 arranged to deliver gas output from the turbine; a compressor 28 arranged to be driven by the turbine 22; a compressor inlet 30 arranged to receive gas to be compressed by the compressor and a compressor outlet 32 arranged to deliver gas output from the compressor 28; and a cooler outlet 36 in fluid communication with the turbine outlet 26 and the compressor outlet 32 so as to deliver high-pressure sealing gas comprising gas merged from the turbine outlet 26 and the compressor outlet 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul W. Ferra, Yi Wang
  • Turbomachine comprising an annular casing and a bladed rotor
    Patent number: 9004859
    Abstract: A casing treatment for a fan or compressor stage 10 of a gas turbine engine comprises circumferential grooves 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E which extend in a series disposed between the leading edges 20 and trailing edges 22 of blades 6 of a fan or compressor stage 10. The grooves 16 vary in depth d in order to optimise the stall margin of the fan or compressor stage 10 while preserving peak efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Shahrokh Shahpar, Ning Qin, Yibin Wang, Greg Carnie
  • Leaf seal
    Patent number: 8998212
    Abstract: A leaf seal is provided for effecting a seal between two coaxial, relatively rotating components. The leaf seal has an annular pack of leaves which are stacked face-to-face within the pack, and which are mountable to one of the components at respective root portions of the leaves such that the leaves extend towards the other component and respective edges of the leaves are presented for wiping contact with the other component. The pack includes a plurality of spacers, each spacer separating the root portions of neighboring leaves to form therebetween interleaf gaps which allow an axial leakage flow through the pack. The spacers are distributed around the pack such that the leaves are divided into blocks of two or more leaves sandwiched at their root portions between nearest-neighbor spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Ingo Henry Johannes Jahn
  • Gas turbine engine control
    Patent number: 8996277
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine control apparatus comprises a controller 34, a memory 36 associated with the controller 34 and inputs 38 for measurement data from an engine. The controller 34 determines the start of a monitoring cycle at 73, receives measurement data at the inputs 38 during the monitoring cycle, manipulates the measurement data to provide an incremental deterioration value representing deterioration occurring within the engine and during the monitoring cycle, and uses the incremental deterioration value at 72 to update a deterioration value 74 stored in the memory 36, and determines the start of a further monitoring cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Peter Beecroft, Leo Vivian Lewis, Marko Bacic
  • High temperature measurement probe
    Patent number: 8992081
    Abstract: A high temperature measurement probe comprises an elongate probe body having a measuring head which in use is located in a hot fluid flow. The probe further comprises a thermocouple extending along the interior of the probe body to terminate at a temperature-sensing thermocouple junction inside the measuring head. The probe body has internal passages for circulation of a coolant fluid therein. The measuring head contains a channel, one end of the channel forming an inlet for receiving hot fluid from the hot fluid flow and another end of the channel forming an outlet for discharging the hot fluid received at the inlet. Between the inlet and the outlet a section of the channel extends along the length direction of the probe body. The thermocouple runs along the section of the channel with the thermocouple junction proximate the upstream end of the section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Peter Ireland, Andrew Wilson, Steven Thorpe, Damian Martin