Abstract: Bracing means for supporting a moveably mounted or flexible component during a machining operation that has an expandable member adapted to fit between a component and a support surface. When the expandable member is expanded a bracing member will resist movement and/or flexing of the component caused by forces arising during the machining operation. The expandable member is deformable to substantially conform to the shape of the component and the support surface.

Abstract: A cooling system for an open rotor gas turbine engine is provided. The system comprises an engine exhaust, and a row of open rotor propeller blades located rearwardly of the exhaust such that hot exhaust gases impinge on the propeller blades. Each blade has an internal cooling network through which cooling air flows to cool the blade in respect of the hot exhaust gases. Each blade also has one or more intakes which provide cooling air to the cooling network. The or each intake is located radially outwardly of the position of impingement of the hot exhaust gas on the blade.

Abstract: A fixture (10) for supporting a workpiece (18) during a machining operation. The fixture comprising a base (12) provided with a channel (14) for receiving part (16) of the workpiece (18), the channel having a first wall (20) facing an opposing second wall (22). An inflatable diaphragm (24) is located on the first wall (20), and configured to engage with an engagement surface (36) on the workpiece and bias the workpiece against the second wall. The diaphragm comprises a deformable portion (26) spaced apart from the first wall of the channel, the deformable portion having ends (28,30) which provide a seal with the first wall to define a chamber (32) enclosed by the first wall and diaphragm.

Abstract: A tool or fixture having a locating device for locating the tool or fixture on an article. The locating device is formed from a series of plates laminated together and having a spring element and a catch element where the catch element locates the tool or fixture in a machine bed. The catch element is retractable into the body of the locating device to protect if from damage when the tool of fixture is being stored or transported.

Abstract: A fan retention shaft is provided for retaining a fan within a gas turbine engine in the event of fan shaft failure. The fan retention shaft has a first shaft which in use extends from the engine and a second shaft to which in use the fan is attached, the second shaft being coaxial with the first shaft and the first and second shafts defining an annular passage between them. An energy absorbing medium is disposed within the annular passage. The fan retention shaft has a retaining formation for preventing the first shaft and the second shaft from moving axially with respect to one another. The retaining formation is configured to release the first shaft and the second shaft from their relative axial positions when a threshold axial load is applied to the fan retention shaft. The energy absorbing medium is arranged to absorb kinetic energy from the second shaft as the second shaft moves axially with respect to the first shaft.

Abstract: A propulsion engine (100) for an aircraft, the propulsion engine comprising: one or more fans (110, 120); driving means (132) arranged to drive the one or more fans; and power transfer means (134) connected to the one or more fans and arranged to selectively transfer a variable amount of power to or from the one or more fans so as to control the rotational speed of the one or more fans.

Abstract: An annulus filler element (40) for a rotor of a turbomachine, the annulus filler element (40) comprising: a lid portion (42) having a radially outwardly facing surface for forming an inner wall of a flow annulus of the rotor between adjacent blades (102) and a radially inwardly facing surface; and a nose cone attachment portion (52) integrally formed with the lid portion (42) for connection with a nose cone (122) of the turbomachine.

Abstract: A bleed valve (30) for a gas turbine engine (10) comprises a diffuser (50), through which heated compressor bleed air flows (54) into a bypass duct (22) air stream (B), has a plurality of small holes (40). The plurality of holes (40) is divided into two or more arrays of holes (52p,q,r), each array of holes (52p,q,r) is angled (?) away from one another so that their respective bleed flows (54p,q,r) do not coalesce. This separation improves mixing with the air stream (B) and helps prevent hot bleed air damaging nacelle and other engine components.

Abstract: A lightweight component in the form of an outlet guide vane for a gas turbine engine and a method of manufacturing such lightweight components are provided. The vane is filled with hollow metal ellipsoid members in a solid metal outer member. The arrangement of hollow metal ellipsoid members allows directionally tailored stiffness or strength.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting an abnormality in e.g. in operating characteristics or function of a machine, apparatus or system, the method including providing a data sample set comprising n values of a measured physical parameter associated with the apparatus or system generated by repeating a measurement of the physical parameter n times. An extremal measured parameter value is selected from amongst the data sample set, determining a probability of observing the selected parameter value (e.g. of observing a value not exceeding the selected parameter value) by applying the selected parameter value to an extreme value probability distribution function having a location parameter and a scale parameter. The value of the location parameter and the value of the scale parameter are each constructed using an integer value m (e.g. notionally representing the size of a sub-sample data set comprising m of said measured parameter values) in which m is less than n (i.e. m<n).

Abstract: An electric discharge machine template fixture (40) suitable for EDM redressing operations, the fixture (40) comprising a body (42) capable of holding a template (50) and capable of rotating the template (50) about its central axis (58) for consecutive redressing operations.

Abstract: A synchronous electrical machine comprises a plurality of phases and detecting means arranged to detect an open-circuit fault in at least one of the phases of the synchronous electrical machine. Isolating means is arranged to isolate the at least one phase of the synchronous electrical machine with the fault. Phase shift means are arranged to produce a controlled phase shift between the voltage and the current within the remaining phases of the synchronous electrical machine so as to adjust the phase angle of the second harmonic powers produced by the remaining phases of the synchronous electrical machine such that the vector sum of the second harmonic power vectors of the remaining phases of the synchronous electrical machine is zero to eliminate torque ripple. The phase shift means is arranged to adjust the phase angle of all the remaining phases by the same predetermined angle to maximise the torque ripple-free power output of the synchronous electrical machine.

Abstract: An impactor containment system including a laminate material, the laminate material having a face sheet, a cellular filling providing a crushable layer one side of which layer is arranged on the face sheet, and a stiff backing layer arranged on other side of the crushable layer, wherein the face sheet is provided with zones of weakness.

Abstract: A method for forming a pressure measurement hole in a component includes the step of forming a hole in a body of the component, the hole extending from a body surface of the component. An insert having a longitudinal passage is fitted into the hole such that the insert protrudes from the body surface. The protruding end of the insert is machined to define an insert surface profile matched to the body surface profile and displaced from the body surface by a distance substantially equal to a thickness of a covering layer that is to be bonded onto the body surface. A blocking pin is inserted into the insert passage. The covering layer is then bonded to the body surface in the region of the hole and insert after which the blocking pin is removed from the insert to open the pressure measurement hole.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine and an apparatus for operating the gas turbine engine includes at least one microphone to detect the sound of impacts of particles, recorder to record the sound of the impacts, an analyser to analyse the sound of the impacts of the particles, and a store of sounds of impacts, the stored sounds of impacts correspond to unfavourable weather conditions. A comparator compares the sound of the impacts of particles with one or more sounds of impacts stored in the store 68 sounds of impacts and if the comparator determines that the sound of the impacts of particles matches one or more stored sounds of impacts, a signal is sent to a control system for the gas turbine engine to adjust the operation of the gas turbine engine such that it operates in a safe mode of operation.

Abstract: A blade for a turbine engine made by the diffusion-bonding/superplastic-forming (DB/SPF) process has a hollow skin made of front and back panels 1, 3 and internal reinforcement in the form of webs 5 extending between the two faces or panels at an angle to the plane of the blade. The cavities are filled with viscoelastic damping filler 7. In order to allow the blade to deform more easily so that the filler can take up the strain, the webs are pre-buckled so as to compress at least some of the webs. When the blade is deformed, the webs straighten or buckle further, applying a deformation to the filler as they do so and thus dissipating energy. The blade is thus well reinforced against impact but still capable of damping vibrations.

Abstract: An apparatus (60) for applying a dry film lubricant comprises a tool (62) and a pad (64). The tool (62) includes a handle (66), a cranked member (68) and a supporting member (70). The pad (64) is removably locatable on the supporting member (70). The supporting member (70) is oval in cross-section and the pad (64) includes an oval cross-section hollow member removably locatable on the supporting member (70). The supporting member (70) comprises locking means (78) to lock the pad (64) on the supporting member (70). The supporting member (70) comprises positioning means (80) to position the pad (64) on the supporting member (70). The tool (62) also has a shielding member (72) spaced from and arranged parallel to the supporting member (70). The handle (66) is arranged in a plane (A) substantially parallel to a plane (B) containing the supporting member (70) and to a plane (C) containing the shielding member (72). The pad (64) is substantially dovetail shape in cross-section to correspond to a rotor slot (40).

Abstract: A compressor of a gas turbine engine comprises blades 2, 4 provided on blade platforms 8, 12 of a rotor. Stator vanes 20 lie between the blades 2, 4 and are connected to a vane support structure 22. Sealing rings 38 are secured to the vane support structure 22 to restrict air flow into stator wells 36 on each side of the vane support structure 22. The sealing rings 38 are made from a flexible material so that they deflect on installation of the vane support structure 22 in a direction radially inwards between the adjacent blade platforms 8, 12.

Abstract: A heat exchanger (10) comprises a first sheet (12), a second sheet (14) and an additional sheet (30). The first and second sheets (12,14) are wound around an axis (X), each sheet (12,14) has hot and cold edges at the hot and cold ends (16,18) respectively of the heat exchanger (10). The hot and cold edges of the first sheet (12) are joined to the hot and cold edges of the second sheet (14). The end (12A) of the first sheet (12) is joined to the second sheet (30) by an axially extending join (28) at a position spaced from the end (14A) of the second sheet (14). The end (30A) of the additional sheet (30) is joined to the end (14A) of the second sheet (14) by an axially extending join (28). The additional sheet (30) is thicker and wider than the first and second sheets (12,14) such that at least one of the hot and cold edges (30C,30D) of the additional sheet (30) extend beyond the hot and cold edges of the first and second sheets (12,14).

Abstract: A casing component (2) of a turbomachine, the casing component (2) comprising: a plurality of casing elements (14) which define a diameter of the casing component; and an actuation means operable to change the diameter of the casing component (2), wherein the actuation means changes the diameter of the casing component (2) as a function of a rotational speed of a rotatable component (4) disposed within the casing component (2).