Resilient Or Deformable Patents (Class 416/221)
  • Patent number: 6602548
    Abstract: A nickel base single crystal compliant layer on a ceramic blade has the capability to sustain high stresses and high operating temperature. Layers of nickel and platinum bonded on a single crystal superalloy over a sputtered gold-chromium layer support the high stress levels at elevated temperature without extrusion of the soft platinum or nickel layer and without destruction of an NiO compliant surface. The compliant layers have survived stress and temperature conditions without failure to the ceramic blade and the system can be stressed/heated and unloaded/cooled repeatedly without damage to the ceramic blades. A single crystal nickel base superalloy (i.e., SC180) has high strength properties at elevated temperature. Thin layers of chromium followed by gold are e-beam evaporated on one side of a polished surface of the alloy. Pure nickel is electroplated over this e-beam gold-chromium layer. Platinum is either electroplated or plated electrolessly over the nickel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Dave Narasimhan, Alexander S. Kozlov, Margaret Eagan, Milton Ortiz
  • Patent number: 6595755
    Abstract: This axial mounting of the bottoms (5) of fan blades provides two levels of flexibility, and features rather low stiffness after using up a predetermined clearance (35) between two stop parts (32, 34), which then imposes a significant increase in stiffness; however significant energy was able to be absorbed through the elastic deformation of certain parts (7, 30) located between the blade and the disc (2), which enables the blade to withstand rather significant momentary forces, for example if a neighboring blade breaks and strikes it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: SNECMA Moteurs
    Inventors: Michel Antoine Brioude, Charles Jean Pierre Douguet, Jack Pierre Lauvergnat, Alain Pierre Vegnant
  • Patent number: 6533550
    Abstract: A blade retaining system for securing rotor blades to a rotor disc used in gas turbine engines includes an inwardly radially extending annular groove defined in the periphery of the rotor disc, intersecting the “fir tree” mounting slots into which the rotor blades are mounted. A resilient split ring is received in both the annular groove of the rotor disc and a groove defined in the bottom end of the root portion of each blade, in order to restrain axial movement of the blade relative to the rotor disc. The resilient split ring under its radial expanding spring force, radially and outwardly abuts the rotor blades and is radially spaced apart to ensure the engagement in both the grooves of the rotor disc and each rotor blade, while permitting disengagement therefrom when required. The resilient split ring is disposed downstream of the cooling air inlets in the bottom end of each rotor blade to direct the cooling air into the inlets in order to facilitate the blade cooling air circulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel Mills
  • Patent number: 6520742
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor disk has a number of annular hubs circumscribed about a centerline and each of the hubs is connected to a disk rim by a web. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart dovetail slots are disposed through the rim, extending circumferentially between disk posts, extending axially from a forward end to an aft end of the rim, and extending radially inwardly from a disk outer surface of the rim. Circumferentially extending annular burst slots extend radially through the rim into the dovetail slots between each adjacent pair of the webs. In the exemplary embodiment of the disk illustrated herein, the dovetail slots are circular arc dovetail slots. An axially forwardly extending overhang is located radially outwardly on each of the disk posts and a chamfer is on a radially outer corner of the each of the disk posts on a portion of the overhangs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Michael Forrester, Janine Elizabeth Bolt, James Edwin Rhoda, Joseph Timothy Stevenson
  • Patent number: 6494684
    Abstract: A locking device for use in retaining rotationally interengaged components in engagement with one another, the device comprising a body member (16) adapted to be located between adjacent interengaging formations (13, 14) on the components to prevent relative rotation of the components, and a wire retaining member (17) adapted to locate the body member in position, the retaining member comprising at least two hook-like members (18) engaged in spaced apertures (20) in the body member, each hook-like member having first and second portions (18B, 18C) extending beyond the body member into engagement with inner and outer surfaces of one of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Stefan J Wagner
  • Patent number: 6481971
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade spacer has an axially extending backbone, spaced apart forward, mid and aft dovetail lands, respectively, disposed along the backbone, the backbone and the forward, mid, and aft dovetail lands having bottom curved backbone surfaces. Each of the forward, mid and aft dovetail lands has a riser that extends above the backbone and has a riser flat top. In the exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, a spacer tab extends generally axially forward of the forward land and includes intersecting axially and radially extending tab apertures. A void extends around the backbone and between the forward and aft dovetail lands and the void is filled with an elastomeric material. The spacer has a constant shape and size cross-section between the forward and aft dovetail lands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Michael Forrester
  • Patent number: 6457942
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a gas turbine engine retainer having a block, a retainer slot disposed through the block, and a shelf normal to and extending axially forward of the block below the retainer slot. A retainer wall depending radially inwardly from the block and the retainer wall has a retainer wall thickness smaller than a block thickness of the block. The shelf is disposed along a radially inner edge of the retainer wall and the retainer slot is disposed through the retainer wall along the shelf. The retainer slot is arced or curved sideways and may be rectangular in cross-section. The retainer slot may be rectangular in cross-section and the shelf may be a rectangular shelf that is rectangular in cross-section. The retainer slot may also be skewed sideways with respect to a shelf centerline extending axially down a middle of the shelf. A radially extending shelf aperture is disposed through the shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Michael Forrester
  • Patent number: 6447253
    Abstract: A turbine rotor disk fitted with blades having Christmastree-shaped roots, said disk having complementary slots each receiving the root of a blade, wherein at least one stick having a setback holding a spring strip captive is placed in the bottom of each slot of the disk between said bottom and the end face of the root of the corresponding blade. During assembly, the slot of the disk corresponding to the blade that is to be mounted is put in the bottom position and then the root of the blade to be mounted is slid into the slot, after which the sticks, each fitted with its own spring strip are inserted in succession into the empty space between the bottom of the slot and the end of the root of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Alstom Power N.V.
    Inventor: Robert Tempere
  • Patent number: 6419452
    Abstract: A device for securing blades of the first stage of a gas turbine wherein the blades having cooling passages for flowing cooling air from the blade roots towards the blade airfoils. A plurality of plates, each of which has at least one U-shaped projection, engages a corresponding U-shaped groove in the surface of a rotor disc of the first stage. Each plate is interposed between two adjacent first stage blades to secure the blades axially. Second stage turbine blades are secured against axial movement by a plurality of plates, each of which is interposed between the end portion of the foot of a corresponding blade and the turbine disc. Each of the latter plates is provided with ends to secure the blade axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Holding S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Frosini, Luciano Mei
  • Patent number: 6406262
    Abstract: A vane wheel, in particular an impeller wheel or turbine wheel, for a hydrodynamic coupling device includes a shell which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and a plurality of vanes arranged at the shell in circumferential succession. Each of the plural vanes has at least one connection projection inserted into a connection recess provided in the shell. Further, the vanes each have a fastening projection arranged so that the vanes are fixedly connected with the shell in the area of this fastening projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Kundermann
  • Patent number: 6398500
    Abstract: A retention system and method for the blades of a rotary machine for preventing forward or aft axial movement of the rotor blades includes a circumferential hub slot formed about a circumference of the machine hub. The rotor blades have machined therein a blade retention slot which is aligned with the circumferential hub slot when the blades are received in correspondingly shaped openings in the hub. At least one ring segment is secured in the blade retention slots and the circumferential hub slot to retain the blades from axial movement. A key assembly is used to secure the ring segments in the aligned slots via a hook portion receiving the ring segments and a threaded portion that is driven radially outwardly by a nut. A cap may be provided to provide a redundant back-up load path for the centrifugal loads on the key. Alternatively, the key assembly may be formed in the blade dovetail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Poul D. Pedersen, Christopher C. Glynn, Roger C. Walker
  • Publication number: 20020044870
    Abstract: A compliant shim for use between the root of a gas turbine fan blade and a dovetail groove in a gas turbine rotor disk to reduce fretting therebetween. The compliant shim has first and second slots for engaging tabs extending from the fan blade root. The slots and tabs cooperate to hold the shim during engine operation. An oxidation layer covers the compliant shim. The shim is augmented with an upstanding wall and a seal element to seal the gap that exists between platform edges of adjacent fan blades. This simple combination solves two complex problems, fatigue of fan assembly parts and loss of operating efficiency caused by fluid flow leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Simonetti, Bruce Wilson
  • Patent number: 6352411
    Abstract: Quick attachable and detachable mounting arms for ceiling fans. A first version has flat headed fasteners initially attached to one end of mounting arms, with key-hole slots in the endshield of the ceiling fan motor. The user raises the mounting arm so that the flat headed fasteners fits through the larger openings in the keyhole slots and then pulls the mounting arm outward until the arm locks in place by the smaller opening portions of the keyhole slots. Rubber type gaskets and washers help lock and hold the mounting arms in place. The flat headed fasteners can also be located on the endshields with the keyhole slots on mounting arms. A second embodiment includes inwardly deformable springably snapable fasteners that can be located on the ends of the mounting arms which can deform inwardly and expand after passing through slots on the endshield of the rotor. Alternatively, the fasteners can be located on the bottom of the endshield with the receiving slots on the ends of the mounting arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: King of Fans, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Bucher, John C. Bucher
  • Patent number: 6347924
    Abstract: An engaging ring on a motor casing of a ceiling fan has a plurality of slots defined in an underside thereof and each slot is located between two sidewalls extending from the engaging ring. A boss extends from an inner top surface defining each slot and each slot has a plurality of U-shaped spring received therein. A blade bracket has a block extending therefrom and each block includes an elongate head and an elongate neck. A lengthwise distance of each elongate neck is longer than a distance between the two legs of each spring so that the two legs of the spring are widened by the elongated neck to securely position the bracket in the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventor: Pin Tsung Chang
  • Publication number: 20020004010
    Abstract: A retention system and method for the blades of a rotary machine for preventing forward or aft axial movement of the rotor blades includes a circumferential hub slot formed about a circumference of the machine hub. The rotor blades have machined therein a blade retention slot which is aligned with the circumferential hub slot when the blades are received in correspondingly shaped openings in the hub. At least one ring segment is secured in the blade retention slots and the circumferential hub slot to retain the blades from axial movement. A key assembly is used to secure the ring segments in the aligned slots via a hook portion receiving the ring segments and a threaded portion that is driven radially outwardly by a nut. A cap may be provided to provide a redundant back-up load path for the centrifugal loads on the key. Alternatively, the key assembly may be formed in the blade dovetail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Poul D. Pedersen, Christopher C. Glynn, Roger C. Walker
  • Patent number: 6332617
    Abstract: A leaktight seal includes plaquettes that are housed between platforms of “hammer legged” vanes and a periphery of a rotor disc. The plaquettes lie above a throat that receives legs between a collar. The plaquettes are completed with heels that also lie between the legs. Centrifugal forces distort the seal and produce excellent leaktightness between the disc and the platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Societe Nationale D'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs D'Aviation “Snecma”
    Inventors: Jacques Leveaux, Jacky Serge Naudet
  • Publication number: 20010028848
    Abstract: A turbine rotor disk fitted with blades having Christmastree-shaped roots, said disk having complementary slots each receiving the root of a blade, wherein at least one stick having a setback holding a spring strip captive is placed in the bottom of each slot of the disk between said bottom and the end face of the root of the corresponding blade. During assembly, the slot of the disk corresponding to the blade that is to be mounted is put in the bottom position and then the root of the blade to be mounted is slid into the slot, after which the sticks, each fitted with its own spring strip are inserted in succession into the empty space between the bottom of the slot and the end of the root of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventor: Robert Tempere
  • Publication number: 20010019697
    Abstract: The rotor blades of a turbomachine are fastened to the rotor (3) of the machine by means of blade roots (1) by the blade roots (1) being anchored in peripheral grooves (2). According to the invention, the blade roots (1) have at least one recess or opening (4), which extends in the peripheral direction and in each of which a connecting piece (5) is arranged. This connecting piece (5) connects at least two blade roots (1) to form a blade pack. By means of the connection, the blade roots (1) are secured against twisting and falling out of the peripheral groove (2). The connecting piece (5) consists of a shaped piece, which is laid with little clearance into the recess or opening (4), a displacement of a blade root (1) and of the connecting piece (5) relative to one another still being possible. The blade root of the last blade of a blade row which is assembled in a peripheral groove is locked to the adjacent blade roots by a final connecting piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventors: Michael Mueller, Jorg Pross, Manfred Knorr
  • Patent number: 6261064
    Abstract: A ceiling fan bracket has a first end connected to a ceiling fan blade and a second end of the ceiling fan bracket has two L-shaped wings. A connector is connected to the second end of the ceiling fan bracket and has two tongues. A motor casing has a plurality of L-shaped holes and each L-shaped hole includes a wide portion located close to a center of the motor casing and a narrow portion located close to a periphery of the motor casing. Each wing is engaged with the narrow portion of the L-shaped hole and each tongue is engaged with the wide portion of the L-shaped hole. The eccentric force applied to the ceiling fan bracket secures the ceiling fan bracket to the L-shaped hole in the motor casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: David Tang
  • Publication number: 20010007633
    Abstract: This axial mounting of the bottoms (5) of fan blades provides two levels of flexibility, and features rather low stiffness after using up a predetermined clearance (35) between two stop parts (32, 34), which then imposes a significant increase in stiffness; however significant energy was able to be absorbed through the elastic deformation of certain parts (7, 30) located between the blade and the disc (2), which enables the blade to withstand rather significant momentary forces, for example if a neighboring blade breaks and strikes it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Publication date: July 12, 2001
    Applicant: SNECMA MOTEURS
    Inventors: Michel Antoine Brioude, Charles Jean Pierre Douguet, Jack Pierre Lauvergnat, Alain Pierre Vegnant
  • Patent number: 6241475
    Abstract: A fan assembly and a method of assembling same according to which a mounting flange is provided on an arm to which a blade is connected and a slot is provided in the rotor end casing of the fan motor. The flange is inserted in the slot and a wedge is created between the flange and the surface of the end casing defining the slot to secure the arm, and therefore the blade to the end casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Aloha Housewares Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Blateri, Wang Liang Chou
  • Patent number: 6190131
    Abstract: Coverplates are disposed to axially overlie end faces of the shanks of buckets and the dovetail connections of the buckets within turbine wheel slots. The coverplates have axially projecting angel wing seals. The coverplates also have balance weights on axial faces thereof opposite the angel wing seals to balance out any bending moments applied to the coverplate resulting from centrifugal forces when the turbine rotor is at speed. Thus, the centers of gravity of the coverplates are located close to or in the plane of the coverplates. A centering slot is provided along an inner face of each dovetail connection for the coverplates. Coverplate retention pins reside in wide sub-slots at the bases of the wheel slots. When the coverplates are secured against axial movement, the retention pins engage in the centering slots of the coverplate dovetails to prevent circumferential movement of the retention pins in the wide sub-slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventor: Robert Edward Deallenbach
  • Patent number: 6171059
    Abstract: Easy to attach and detach blades for overhead ceiling fans. A first version has a ceiling fan blade with keyhole slots that fit over flat topped fasteners on a mounting arm. Pulling the blade away from the arm locks the slots to the fasteners. A second version is similar to the first and has a decorative bottom cover having snappable tapered protrusions which attach through the keyholes and into mateable through-holes in the mounting arm connection. The third version has a protruding end portion of the blade that fits into a slot in the mounting arm where spring loaded pistons press into grooves in the protrusion end portion of the blade. Latching handles allow users to manually move the pistons. A fourth version has a slot in the blade which fits about a mateable housing in the mounting arm where opposing spring loaded pistons press into interior wall grooves in the slot of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: King of Fans, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Bucher, John C. Bucher
  • Patent number: 6149388
    Abstract: A collar of a ceiling fan is composed of a plurality of sectors and each sector has a protrusion extending from a top thereof and a recess defined in an outside thereof. A resilient member is connected to each sector and includes a first portion having an aperture for receiving the protrusion, and a second portion which is a triangular member including two inclined sides. The resilient member is engaged with the recess of the sector corresponding thereto. The blade bracket has an end block which is engaged with the recess corresponding thereto and compressed by one of the inclined sides of the resilient member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Inventor: Ming Hang Liao
  • Patent number: 6132175
    Abstract: A compliant sleeve for attaching a ceramic member to a metal member is comprised of a superalloy substrate having a metal contacting side and a ceramic contacting side. The ceramic contacting side is plated with a layer of nickel followed by a layer of platinum. The substrate is then oxidized to form nickel oxide scale on the ceramic contacting side and a cobalt oxide scale on the metal contacting side. A lubricious coating of boron nitride is then applied over the metal contacting side, and a shear-stress limiting gold coating is applied over the ceramic contacting side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: AlliedSignal, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongda Cai, Dave Narasimhan, Thomas E. Strangman, Michael L. Easley, Bjoern Schenk
  • Patent number: 6109877
    Abstract: The invention provides a turbine blade retention device installed in an axially extending gap between the blade root bottom and the slot floor. The retention device has two parts: a blade root retention clip and a spacer bar. The clip has an elongated web of a selected web thickness and width less than the width of the slot floor. The clip includes a forward and a rearward transverse flange extending radially outwardly and extending laterally from forward and rearward ends of the web. The flanges serve to engage the forward and rearward faces of the rotor hub disk respectively, and to engage forward and rearward faces of an associated blade root. The height of at least one flange is less than the gap depth to permit conventional sliding installation the blade root. The spacer bar is installed in the gap between the clip and slot floor to hold the clip radially outward in engagement with the forward and rearward faces of the blade root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Eugene Gekht, Mike Louis Paul Fontaine
  • Patent number: 6106234
    Abstract: A rotary assembly of a turbine stage of a gas turbine engine comprising a disc carrying internally air cooled blades around its periphery has a cover plate of one face of the disc to create a plenum for a cooling air supply to the blades. The cover plate is fitted to the disc by means of an annulus of bayonet connections at a first radius and is retained at a second radius, less than the first radius, by a split ring arrangement. The split ring is fitted into a groove in the disc and engages an inner rim on the cover plate to restrain axial movement. An anti-rotation key is engaged in a slot in the cover plate and in the disc and is also retained by the split ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: John S L Gabbitas
  • Patent number: 6065938
    Abstract: A rotor for a turbomachine has slots formed therein at an angle to an axis of rotation of the rotor. Blades have at least one blade root with at least two regions of different rigidity that are adapted and preferably matched to different regions of rigidity of the slot. The blade roots can be fitted into the slots. A blade for a rotor is also provided. The invention is especially suitable for use in gas-turbine compressors, as a result of which local stresses at slots can be greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Carsten Bartsch
  • Patent number: 6059531
    Abstract: In a fan including a hub mounted for rotation and a plurality of fan blades, an attachment assembly for detachably engaging at least one of the plurality of fan blades with the hub, the attachment assembly comprising a stop carried adjacent an end of a selected one of the plurality of fan blades, a socket carried by the hub for receiving the end of the selected one of the plurality of fan blades, and an abutment mounted for movement between a first position to permit the end of the selected one of the plurality of fan blades to admit into the socket, and a normal second position against the stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Inventor: Jen-Lung David Tai
  • Patent number: 6048173
    Abstract: A ceiling fan includes a motor casing with an engaging ring connected to the bottom of the motor casing, the engaging ring having a plurality of tapered recesses defined in the bottom thereof and each of the recesses having an open end in the inner periphery of the ring and a closed end on the outside of the ring. Each of the recesses has two grooves defined in the two sides thereof. Each of the fan blade brackets has two flanges to be received in the grooves. The first end of each of the end members is stopped by the closed end of the recess. A plurality of balls movably received in the ring and the balls respectively extend into the respective recesses so as to contact the second end of the end members in the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Huang-Jie Tsai
    Inventor: Huang-Jia Chen
  • Patent number: 6022191
    Abstract: A fan blade mounting system for large air-moving fans includes a radially extending hub strut, a blade root member pivotally coupled to an end of the hub strut for receiving a blade skin, and a tube end located between the blade root member and the hub strut. A pair of resilient mounts are utilized in the blade root member to effectively pivotally couple the blades to the hub, thus relieving most of the vertical bending moment transferred to the hub and eliminating critical frequencies associated with the fan. The hub strut is connected to the hub of the fan by a stud having right- and left-handed threads and a wall thickness adjacent to the threads sufficient for distributing the stresses substantially uniformly on the threads, thereby improving fatigue resistance. The resilient mounts comprise a metal core and metal sleeve with a resilient elastomeric layer between the core and sleeve. The sleeves are connected to the blade root member and the cores of the two mounts are clamped to the tube end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: The Moore Company
    Inventors: R. David Moore, John D. Moore, Joseph Parker, John E. Dowell, Kenneth E. Jay, John P. Haynes
  • Patent number: 5980353
    Abstract: The connecting device includes rotor and blade mounting segments each secured on a rotor and a fan blade at a respective connecting end thereof. A socket end of the rotor mounting segment extends in a radial direction relative to the rotor, and has an insert wall with an insert opening, an insert slot confined by upper and lower inner walls and extending in the radial direction from the insert opening, and an upper outer wall opposite to the upper inner wall. The upper outer wall has a recess communicated with the insert slot to form a retaining wall. A plug end of the blade mounting segment has a bottom wall to be fitted into the insert slot from the insert opening. A resilient retainer has a proximate end secured on the bottom wall, and a distal end with an engaging spring protrusion to provide a biasing force away from the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Inventor: San-Chi Wu
  • Patent number: 5919032
    Abstract: The blades (10) of a turbine or a compressor are here fixed to the disk (1) by three roots (7, 8 and 9) inserted in the same number of circular grooves (4, 5 and 6). This assembly makes it possible to provide a good distribution of stresses during functioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "Snecma"
    Inventors: Jacky Naudet, Christophe Poy
  • Patent number: 5873702
    Abstract: A sealing apparatus and method for delivering a sealing material to gaps between gas turbine blade roots and the corresponding grooves of a rotor disc are disclosed. The sealing apparatus comprises a tank for housing a pressurized sealing material, a delivery tube for delivering the sealing material from the tank to the rotor disc, a control valve for controlling the flow of the sealing material, a sealing fixture for distributing the sealing material to the gaps between the blade roots and the corresponding grooves, an O-ring seal for effecting a tight seal between the sealing fixture and the rotor disc, and jack screws for maintaining the sealing fixture securely in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Corley, Donald P. Etchison, George Dailey
  • Patent number: 5820347
    Abstract: A packing member for restraining the root of a fan blade in a socket of a rotor disk takes the form of a curvilinear plate comprising a metallic sub-structure having recessed portions and a semi-rigid elastomeric material molded into and filling the recessed portions. The member has a substantially metallic central area extending as far as the side edge of the member on the same side as the extrados face of the blade, the metallic central area having a machined profile set back relative to the profile of the socket so as to permit the root of the blade to rock in response to a violent impact on the blade. The packing member has upstream and downstream end areas which are entirely metallic, and the two side edges of the member upstream and downstream of the central area are defined by the elastomeric material. Between the two elastomeric side edges, both upstream and downstream of the metallic central area, the member has a metallic lower part and an upper part formed by the elastomeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "Snecma"
    Inventors: Pierre Xavier Bussonnet, Jack Pierre Lauvergnat
  • Patent number: 5791877
    Abstract: Damping disposition for vanes (3) fitted with stilts (4, 5) engaged in the alveoles of the rotor disk (1). Damping elements (10) are added including a portion (11, 12) extending along the flanks (6) of the stilts (4) and including a portion (15) leaning against them. The beating vibrations of the vanes (3) and dampened by these elements able to be used on smooth vanes without any platform, such as large blower vanes. Application for turbo-engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs D'Aviation "Snecma"
    Inventor: Jacques Stenneler
  • Patent number: 5741119
    Abstract: A root attachment for a rotor blade of a gas turbine engine comprises teeth on the root section of the rotor blade and teeth on the slot of the rotor. The teeth flank surfaces of the teeth on the root section of the rotor blade are arranged at a different angle to the teeth flank surfaces of the teeth on the slot of the rotor. As the load on the rotor blade increases the teeth deflect such that the area of contact between the teeth flank surfaces of the root section and the slot increases to a maximum at the fully loaded condition. The teeth flank surfaces are substantially planar. This enables rotor blade and slot teeth with different stiffnesses to be used for the rotor blades and rotor, for example titanium aluminide turbine blades and nickel base alloy turbine rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Mark Heppenstall
  • Patent number: 5727927
    Abstract: The blades of a turbine rotor are secured to a rotor disk by inserting the blade foot with its serrations into a respective serrated groove in the rim of the rotor disk, whereby serrations of blade foot side surfaces mesh with corresponding serrations in the side walls of the grooves in the rotor rim to interlock the blade foot with the rotor disk in the radial direction. The axial locking of the blade foot in the groove is accomplished by a rivet connection having a rivet shaft positioned in a gap between the radially inwardly facing sole of the blade foot and the radially outwardly facing bottom of the groove. The rivet heads rest against washers or washer rings. If flat head rivets are used, these heads are received in countersunk recesses in the washers or washer rings that bear partially against the side surface of the rotor disk rim and partially against an axial end surface of the respective blade foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Muenchen GmbH
    Inventor: Gerd Luxenburger
  • Patent number: 5622476
    Abstract: A fixing arrangement for axially fixing a blade in position on a rotor disk of a turbomachine rotor includes a relatively flexible locking wedge inserted between the root of the blade and the bottom of the axial groove in the periphery of the rotor disk in which the root is received in a radially interlocking manner, the locking wedge having a retaining hook which is received in a groove in the blade root to hold the locking wedge in position. In one embodiment the locking wedge holds a plate in position in the recesses defined by undercut projections on the upstream face of the blade root and the rotor disk to prevent axial movement the blade relative to the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "SNECMA"
    Inventors: Danielle C. R. Adde, Jean-Louis Charbonnel, Philippe F. P. Gougeon, Gerard G. Miraucourt
  • Patent number: 5584659
    Abstract: In the device, the turbine blades are anchored with blade feet, which are profiled like teeth, to correspondingly shaped axial grooves of a wheel disk. An axial gap is left between each blade foot end and the base of an axial groove, in which gap a securing element is disposed. The securing element can be bent on both ends, which protrude out from the gap, directed opposite each other against faces of the wheel disk and a blade foot, and is clamped in a wedged manner in the relevant axial gap between the groove base and the blade foot. The securing element bridges over a recess, which is formed in the blade foot to receive a balancing mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Muenchen GmbH
    Inventor: Guenter Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5573376
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a bladed device having a hub which is rotatable about an axis and one or more blades attached to the hub by self-energizing, self-locking, insertion and retention features which are formed integrally with the blade and hub. The insertion and retention features include a locking tang formed integrally with the root of the blade, and detent features which are part of the locking tang and hub. As the blade is inserted axially into the hub, the locking tang deflects radially inward and then snaps radially outward by spring action of the tang to engage the detent feature of the hub, and thereby lock the blade against further axially or radially movement with respect to the hub. The locking tang is oriented and configured in such a manner that the locking tang is self-energizing, thereby causing the tang to grip the hub more tightly as rotational speed of the bladed device increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher T. Hayden, Jon A. Hixson
  • Patent number: 5558500
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine has a disc with dovetail grooves and a plurality of blades with dovetail roots contoured to be received within the grooves. The inner surface of a flexible, high temperature, low compression set seal is bonded to the inner surface of each root portion. The outer surface of the seal has two portions inclined at an angle and spaced apart to define a surface portion for sealingly contacting the base of the groove. The longitudinal edges of the outer surface are curved to facilitate assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Bob Elliott, Devinder N. Katariya, Robert G. Minnick, Rita A. Peralta, Ronald J. Rich, Daniel M. Voron, Michael J. Cave
  • Patent number: 5522702
    Abstract: Each fan blade of a fan blade assembly for a ducted fan gas turbine engine is provided with a key which cooperates with the fan blade root and fan hub to axially lock the fan blade to the fan hub. Each key is deformable under excessive axial loading of its associated fan blade to minimize damage to the fan hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Kemsley, David S. Knott, Kenneth R. Benson
  • Patent number: 5518369
    Abstract: Gas turbine blades 14 are slid axially into disc 12 with a retention tang 22 on each abutting the disc. An axially extending space 28 between blade platforms 26 and the disc receives elongated strip 30. With prebent end 34 resiliently held against the disc the opposite end 36 is bent radially outward against the roots of adjacent blades. A bow 38 biases the blades outwardly, deterring vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Mario Modafferi
  • Patent number: 5445499
    Abstract: A system for retaining and sealing vanes and composed of an flange provided with a throat on tabs which are interlaced in other tabs, also provided with throats of the vane feet. An elastic joint is engaged in the throats and a disk throat and keeps the elements of the flange and the vanes in an axial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "SNECMA"
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Charbonnel
  • Patent number: 5443366
    Abstract: A fan blade assembly for a ducted fan gas turbine engine comprises a hub which carries an annular array of radially extending fan blades. Each fan blade has a root portion which locates in a corresponding groove in the hub. Aligned radial slots in the root portion and groove accommodate a U-shaped key which provides axial retention of the root portion in its groove. A flat spring attached to the underside of the root portion maintains the key in position and permits manual deflection of the key to assist blade assembly and disassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: David S. Knott, Czeslaw Paluszkiewicz, Martyn P. Adams, Sivasubramaniam K. Sathianathan
  • Patent number: 5431543
    Abstract: A turbine blade assembly is provided which comprises a rotor which is rotatable about a turbine axis of rotation and a plurality of turbine blades supported by the rotor where each of the turbine blades has a root and the rotor is provided with a plurality of grooves which terminate in a projection. Each groove is shaped for holding each root in a manner such that the root and the groove have mutually contacting surfaces which apply a radially inwardly directed restraining force to the root. The root has a bottom facing the turbine axis and the groove has a base which is located radially inwardly of, and faces, the root bottom. Positioned between the root bottom and the groove base is a lock strip and disc spring assembly for pressing together the mutually contacting surfaces of the root and the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Elec Corp.
    Inventors: Wilmott G. Brown, Daniel E. Ford
  • Patent number: 5425621
    Abstract: A device for axially securing a moving blade and for eliminating rotor unbalances is provided. The moving blade has a blade base. A wheel disk has circumferentially distributed axial grooves. The blade base is anchored in one of the axial grooves wherein the axial groove encloses an indentation formed between a bottom of the axial groove and an end of the blade base. A filler piece operatively arranged on the bottom of the axial groove, and a securing plate having two ends, are insertable into the indentation. The securing plate is arranged to bridge a gap formed between the end of the blade base and the filler piece along an axial length of the indentation with the two ends projecting beyond the indentation. The securing plate is bent at each of its two ends in a mutually opposite manner with respect to end faces of the filler piece, wheel disk and blade base. One rotor unbalance of the blade is compensated by at least one filler piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Muenchen GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Maar
  • Patent number: 5330324
    Abstract: An annular gasket includes, at least partially conically shaped portion and is supported on a rotor via three bearing surfaces. The conical shape makes it possible to reject the center of gravity of the sections of the rotor which provokes substantial rotational movement when centrifugal forces exist and allows for an improved imperviousness via the internal and external bearings. This invention is applicable for the rotors of aircraft engines provided with axial broachings in which blade feet are able to slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "SNECMA"
    Inventors: Daniel Agram, Jean-Louis Charbonnel, Philippe G. E. Joly, Gerard G. Miraucourt, Jacky S. Naudet, Jean-Claude Prato
  • Patent number: 5320492
    Abstract: A sealing and retention device for the blades of a rotor which engage with axial pin settings of the rotor wherein the device includes, in a first embodiment, a flange in the shape of a circular collar which engages the rotor and a locking ring which engages the blades and the flange wherein the locking ring has a conical portion which engages a first protuberance portion of the blades such that upon centrifugal sliding of the locking ring in a radially outward direction, the locking ring is axially displaced toward the flange. The device may also include a conical crest located on the rotor and the flange may have a conical surface for engaging the conical crest of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de moteurs d'Aviation "SNECMA"
    Inventors: Michel A. Bouru, Jean-Louis Charbonnel, Jean-Claude Prato