Abstract: A gas preheater (10) includes an entrance plate (12) having a first side (14), a second side (16), at least one opening (18) connecting the first side (14) and the second side (16), and a plurality of walls (19) on the second side (16) having tops (21) spaced from the second side (16), the walls (19) defining at least one circuitous pathway (22e, 22f, 22g, 22h) on the second side (16) beginning at the at least one opening (18), and a diffuser plate (40) having a first side and a second side and a plurality of holes (42) between the first side and the second side, the diffuser plate first side defining with the entrance plate second side (16) and the plurality of walls (19) at least one circuitous passage along the at least one circuitous pathway (22e, 22f, 22g, 22h), the at least one circuitous pathway having a first portion (22e1) leading from the at least one opening (18) and a second portion (22e2) spaced from the at least one opening (18), wherein the holes (42) in the diffuser plate (40) overlie the circ

Abstract: An aircraft brake rotor (60) or stator (110) includes a circular disk having first and second walls (62, 112) and a peripheral wall (64, 114) including at least one notch (66, 116) having a bottom (70) and first and second sides (72). The disk further includes first and second peripheral wall portions separated by the notch (66, 116). An insert (10) is mounted in the notch (66, 116) and has first and second legs (14) with inner and outer walls (20, 22) extending along the notch first and second sides (72). The insert (10) has a first portion having a first width. A circumferential distance between the notch first wall (72) and the notch second wall (72) at a position toward the peripheral wall having the notch (66, 116) has a width less than the insert first portion first width. A retainer (30, 118) overlies the disk first and second walls (62, 112) and a portion of the insert (10) to limit axial movement of the insert (10) relative to the rotor (60) or stator (110) disk.

Abstract: A system for enabling the measurement of a temperature in a furnace (30, 48) using a pyrometer (38) that includes a pallet support (32, 52) for supporting a pallet (40, 50) a given distance (c) above a furnace floor (31) and a pyrometer target (10, 60, 80) that includes a support member (12, 62, 82) and a target member (14, 68) separable from said support member (12, 62, 82) where the support member (12, 62, 82) has a height less than the given distance (c).

Abstract: An aircraft brake rotor (60) or stator (110) includes a circular disk having first and second walls (62, 112) and a peripheral wall (64, 114) including at least one notch (66, 116) having a bottom (70) and first and second sides (72). The disk further includes first and second peripheral wall portions separated by the notch (66, 116). An insert (10) is mounted in the notch (66, 116) and has first and second legs (14) with inner and outer walls (20, 22) extending along the notch first and second sides (72). The insert (10) has a first portion having a first width. A circumferential distance between the notch first wall (72) and the notch second wall (72) at a position toward the peripheral wall having the notch (66, 116) has a width less than the insert first portion first width. A retainer (30, 118) overlies the disk first and second walls (62, 112) and a portion of the insert (10) to limit axial movement of the insert (10) relative to the rotor (60) or stator (110) disk.

Abstract: An aircraft brake rotor includes a circular rotor disk (10) having first and second walls (12) and a peripheral wall (14) connecting the first and second walls (12), the peripheral wall (14) including at least one notch (16) having a bottom wall (18) and first and second side walls (20) extending away from the bottom wall (18), an insert (22, 50, 60) having a first portion (24, 62) mounted against the first side wall (20) and a retainer (30, 74) connected to the rotor disk (10) and having at least one projection (38, 82), a portion of the at least one insert (22, 50, 60) extending between the at least projection (38, 82) and the first side wall (20), thus limiting movement of the insert (22, 50, 60) in a direction perpendicular to the first side wall (20).

Abstract: A system for enabling the measurement of a temperature in a furnace (30, 48) using a pyrometer (38) that includes a pallet support (32, 52) for supporting a pallet (40, 50) a given distance (c) above a furnace floor (31) and a pyrometer target (10, 60, 80) that includes a support member (12, 62, 82) and a target member (14, 68) separable from said support member (12, 62, 82) where the support member (12, 62, 82) has a height less than the given distance (c).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to hold a stack of discs are disclosed. An illustrated example disc stack holder is used to hold, move and/or store a stack of annular aircraft brake discs.

Abstract: A gas preheater (10) includes an entrance plate (12) having a first side (14), a second side (16), at least one opening (18) connecting the first side (14) and the second side (16), and a plurality of walls (19) on the second side (16) having tops (21) spaced from the second side (16), the walls (19) defining at least one circuitous pathway (22e, 22f, 22g, 22h) on the second side (16) beginning at the at least one opening (18), and a diffuser plate (40) having a first side and a second side and a plurality of holes (42) between the first side and the second side, the diffuser plate first side defining with the entrance plate second side (16) and the plurality of walls (19) at least one circuitous passage along the at least one circuitous pathway (22e, 22f, 22g, 22h), the at least one circuitous pathway having a first portion (22e1) leading from the at least one opening (18) and a second portion (22e2) spaced from the at least one opening (18), wherein the holes (42) in the diffuser plate (40) overlie the circ

Abstract: Method of increasing the density of carbon-carbon composite parts. The method may include consecutive steps, as follows: providing the carbon-carbon composite parts, e.g. aircraft brake disc preforms; subjecting the carbon-carbon composite parts to chemical vapor deposition in a CVD furnace; forcing cooling air through the CVD furnace; passing the resulting warmed through a tar trap; cooling the resulting purified, warmed air; repeating the air cooling cycle; and, finally, removing the resulting densified carbon-carbon composite parts from the CVD furnace.