Abstract: In a dynamically balanced turbine wheel wherein a plurality of turbine blades are secured to a turbine disc by conventional fir tree mounting arrangements, a retaining assembly is provided to positively restrain movement of the turbine blades in an axial direction forward or aft of the wheel. A tang is machined in the leading edge of the root of each blade and bears against the forward face of the disc to prevent axial movement of the blade in the aft direction. To restrain each blade from axial movement in the forward axial direction, a radial groove is machined into the aft side of the disc and the trailing edge of the root of each blade for accommodating a wire-type retainer which is held in place by a generally cylindrical plate. The latter is piloted on the disc and secured by means of a split retainer ring which is accommodated in opposed continuous slots provided in the plate and the disc.

Abstract: In a turbine rotor assembly wherein ceramic blades are secured to slots provided in the periphery of a metallic rotor disc, a metallic jacket is interposed between each blade root and disc slot, and ceramic potting material is, in turn, interposed between the metallic jacket and the ceramic blade root. The metallic jacket also includes locking means to prevent upstream or downstream axial movement of the blade in the disc slot, with the resulting assembly effectively isolating the ceramic root from high localized loads and permitting a more uniform stress distribution on the critical root load bearing surfaces.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle has a metal inner shroud that is joined to a metal outer shroud by a limited number of metal blades for structural purposes, and includes a plurality of air flow guidance vanes made of ceramic material and connected to the shrouds by spring clips. The composite structure allows the turbine nozzle to operate at higher temperatures with less cooling.

Abstract: A combining reduction and accessory gear box receiving power input from a multiple of gas turbine engines includes provisions for providing separate accessory drives for each engine used therewith, and an output drive that is driven by any number or all of the engines. Each gas turbine engine, as well as the gears associated therewith and its connection to the output drive, is totally independent of the other engines.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for firmly bonding together driving and driven gears. Bonding is accomplished by placing a thin layer of a thermal setting resin between the web faces of gears that are joined together by a multiplicity of spaced apart fasteners. The cured resin acts both as a load carrying joint and as a gasket.