Abstract: A gear including an inner bearing part; an outer part including a plurality of teeth; an intermediate part between the inner bearing part and the outer part, the intermediate part including a plurality of support members extending radially between the inner bearing part and the outer part, the plurality of support members being distributed along a longitudinal axis of the gear.

Abstract: An actuation arrangement for effecting actuation of pivotable vane, for example, variable inlet guide vane in gas turbine engine. The actuation arrangement includes an actuator having a support plate and pivotable plate. The pivotable plate is fixedly connected to pivotable vane and pivotable plate and pivotable vane are pivotable about a pivot axis. The actuator further includes at least one actuation element having a length extending from support plate to proximal a transverse edge portion of pivotable plate substantially perpendicular to pivot axis. The or each actuation element is fixedly connected to each of the support and pivotable plates and formed of a material that changes dimension upon application of external energy. Thus, upon application of external energy, for example, heat, a change in length of the or each actuation element occurs such that change in length effects pivoting of pivotable plate and pivotable vane about the pivot axis.

Abstract: A valve arrangement including a valve body and a valve seat each having an opposed surface, the valve arrangement also includes a high-frequency cyclic actuator to move the valve body with respect to the valve seat to bring the opposed surfaces into and out of abutment, characterised in that the opposed surface of at least one of the valve body and the valve seat includes a resiliently displaceable surface.

Abstract: A hollow cylindrical rotary bearing shaft for a planet gear of an epicyclic gear train, has a cylindrical outer surface accommodating the planet gear, and a wall thickness. The wall thickness of the bearing shaft varies circumferentially around a diameter of the bearing shaft so as to produce a pre-determined circumferential variation in the wall thickness.

Abstract: A turbomachine casing assembly including a casing adapted to encase an aerofoil structure, the aerofoil structure having a tip, a leading edge and a trailing edge, the casing substantially surrounding the tip of the aerofoil structure, wherein the casing has a set-back portion extending from a position in the region of the leading edge or the trailing edge of the aerofoil structure part way towards a position in the region of the respective other edge and set back from the remainder of the casing away from the aerofoil structure, such that the set-back portion permits a flow over a corresponding portion of the tip of the aerofoil structure.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement (30) for providing sealing between a first structure (10), e.g. a rotor shaft, and a second structure (15), e.g. a portion of a casing, of an engine, and between first (HP) and second (LP) pressure regions located between the first (10) and second (15) structures, the first pressure region (HP) being at a relatively higher pressure than the second pressure region (LP), and the first structure (10) being moveable relative to the second structure (15) along an axis, wherein the sealing arrangement (30) comprises: a sealing member (20), e.g.

Abstract: A gear including an inner bearing part; an outer part including a plurality of teeth; an intermediate part between the inner bearing part and the outer part, the intermediate part including a plurality of support members extending radially between the inner bearing part and the outer part, the plurality of support members being distributed along a longitudinal axis of the gear.

Abstract: An actuation arrangement for effecting actuation of pivotable vane, for example, variable inlet guide vane in gas turbine engine. The actuation arrangement includes an actuator having a support plate and pivotable plate. The pivotable plate is fixedly connected to pivotable vane and pivotable plate and pivotable vane are pivotable about a pivot axis. The actuator further includes at least one actuation element having a length extending from support plate to proximal a transverse edge portion of pivotable plate substantially perpendicular to pivot axis. The or each actuation element is fixedly connected to each of the support and pivotable plates and formed of a material that changes dimension upon application of external energy. Thus, upon application of external energy, for example, heat, a change in length of the or each actuation element occurs such that change in length effects pivoting of pivotable plate and pivotable vane about the pivot axis.

Abstract: A hollow cylindrical rotary bearing shaft for a planet gear of an epicyclic gear train, has a cylindrical outer surface accommodating the planet gear, and a wall thickness. The wall thickness of the bearing shaft varies circumferentially around a diameter of the bearing shaft so as to produce a pre-determined circumferential variation in the wall thickness.

Abstract: Bearing apparatus including: a first bearing; a second bearing; and a pivot member including a first part contacting the first bearing, a second part contacting the second bearing, and a fulcrum between the first part and the second part. The pivot member is arranged to pivot about the fulcrum to distribute load between the first bearing and the second bearing.

Abstract: A tip clearance control device adapted to control the clearance of a rotating aerofoil structure with a surrounding casing portion, and a method of controlling the tip clearance of a rotating aerofoil structure with a surrounding casing portion. The device includes a member operatively connected to the casing portion; the member having at least a first configuration in which the casing portion is at a first radial position and a second configuration in which the casing portion is at a second radial position, wherein the configuration of the member is controlled by magnetic flux in a magnetic circuit which includes at least one ferromagnetic element including ferromagnetic material, where the configuration of the member is responsive to the temperature of the ferromagnetic element.

Abstract: An apparatus for pre-stressing a component, the apparatus includes means to direct a beam of radiation in a path through a medium adjacent to the component between a pair of electrodes to produce ionisation in the path through the medium and means to produce an electrical discharge between the pair of electrodes in the path through the medium to produce a pressure pulse in the medium adjacent to the component without the electrical discharge directly contacting the component, the pressure pulse impacting a surface of the component to produce a region of compressive residual stress within the component.

Abstract: A variable geometry (2) structure comprising: an flexural element (4); a tensioning element (6) connected to the flexural element (8); and an actuator (12) for adjusting the tensioning element (6) to change the load placed on the flexural element (4), thereby changing the geometry of the structure (2).

Abstract: An electrical machine comprising: a first stator member (16) having a field magnet (22); a second stator member (18) forming an armature, the second stator member (18) being spaced from the first stator member (16); and a pair of contra-rotatable rotors (12a, 12b) disposed between the first and second stator members (16, 18); wherein at least a portion (14) of each of the rotors (12a, 12b) is magnetisable so as to transmit magnetic flux between the field magnet (22) and the armature.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle comprises a nozzle body 8 defining a nozzle exit 6. An array of movable slats 16, 18 is disposed round the nozzle exit 6. Flow control walls 20 are fixed to the nozzle body 8 and provide flow control surfaces 22 over which the movable slats 16, 18 move. The flow control walls 20 prevent leakage of gas at the edges of the movable slats 16, 18, so improving performance of the exhaust nozzle.

Abstract: There is provided a water jet propulsion device 10 for a water vehicle, comprising a main duct 12 having a main inlet 14 that is arranged to be submerged in use and a main outlet 16; a pump disposed between the main inlet 14 and the main outlet 16; and a plurality of injection nozzles 40, 50, 60, 70 each arranged to selectively eject a jet of fluid into a different region A, B, C, D susceptible to cavitation, so as to re-energise the fluid flow in that region.

Abstract: A rotor blade comprising a core blade section; and a trailing edge section, the trailing edge section being attached to the core blade section along a join interface. The trailing edge section comprises a shape memory material which is actuable so as to cause selective deformation of the trailing edge section between a first condition in which a trailing edge of the trailing edge section follows a substantially smooth profile and a second condition in which the trailing edge is perturbed. The direction of the perturbation may be oblique or perpendicular to the direction of flow over the blade in use. The rotor blade may be a fan or propeller for a gas turbine engine.

Abstract: A variable geometry (2) structure comprising: an flexural element (4); a tensioning element (6) connected to the flexural element (8); and an actuator (12) for adjusting the tensioning element (6) to change the load placed on the flexural element (4), thereby changing the geometry of the structure (2).

Abstract: A strain sensor apparatus for a rotatable shaft including a radiation emitter/receiver, a vibration element attached to the shaft and a reflector that is positioned to reflect radiation onto the vibration element.

Abstract: A strain sensor apparatus for a rotatable shaft including an emitter/receiver, a vibration element attached to the shaft and arranged for receiving and reflecting signals to and from the emitter/receiver wherein the vibration element includes asymmetric stiffness properties between a radial and axial and/or circumferential directions relative to a rotational axis of the shaft.