Miscellaneous (e.g., Blade Root Or Root Block, Etc.) Patents (Class 416/248)
  • Patent number: 7074012
    Abstract: A front engagement face 27f of a front engagement member 27 and a rear engagement face 29f of a rear engagement member 29 are respectively configured to be located a little back from a virtual plane VF coplanar with one side of a platform 15 and also to be substantially parallel to the axial direction of a male dovetail 25, and an end face of a front wall Wf integrally molded in the vicinity of a base portion of a front seal fin 21 and an end face of a rear wall Wr integrally molded in the vicinity of a base portion of a rear seal fin 23 are respectively configured to be coplanar with the virtual plane Vf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Nishimura, Takahiro Ogi, Hideyuki Nishi, Toshiyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7059835
    Abstract: A turbine (1) with a rotationally symmetrical rotor (4) on rotary bearings which has on its outer perimeter moving blade retaining grooves running transverse to the outer perimeter and set at the same angular distance from one another, having a moving blade (13) that has a vane (24) and a moving blade foot (19) which corresponds to the moving blade retaining groove (18) and which is inserted in one of the moving blade retaining grooves (18), wherein a platform (23) is located between the moving blade foot (19) and the vane (24) and extends transverse to the moving blade foot (19), having a baffle cooling element (22) which is located between two directly adjacent moving blades (13) between its platforms (23) and the rotor (4) and through which a cooling fluid can flow to cool the platform (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Tiemann
  • Patent number: 7052240
    Abstract: The dovetails of turbine buckets are received in dovetail grooves between circumferentially adjacent wheelposts on a turbine wheel of a gas turbine rotor. The wheel and a spacer are rabbeted one to the other and an axially forwardly extending projection on each bucket dovetail is undercut to space the bucket projection from the outer rim of the spacer eliminating stress on the bucket from the spacer. A cavity is formed between radially outwardly converging wall portions of the spacer and end faces of the wheelposts and bucket dovetails. An annular seal wire conforms and seals between the spacer wall portions and end faces of the wheelposts and bucket dovetails in response to centrifugal forces during turbine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nathan Race, Kevin Worley, Raymond Lecuyer
  • Patent number: 7037078
    Abstract: In a moving turbine wheel, blade inserts are used with at least two blades interconnected by common outer and inner platforms and sharing a common root. The blade inserts have hollow roots in which respective recesses are formed, and the insert roots belonging to the same wheel and/or two different wheels are voluntarily given different configurations in order to adjust the resonant frequencies of the inserts to values that are significantly different, thereby ensuring that the inserts in the same wheel and/or between two different wheels are out of tune.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Soupizon, Patrick Rossi, Henri Popinet, Sandrine Tourbier, Claude Bion, Charles Balleron, José Lopez, Patrick Girard, Xavier Lescure, Patrice Rosset
  • Patent number: 7004725
    Abstract: A device for centering a component positioned inside and rotationally secured at its end to a turbine hollow shaft positioned in a gas turbine engine. The device includes a sheath enclosing and solidly joined to the component, and an elastic ring interposed between the sheath and the shaft. The ring includes a plurality of pairs of opposed shoes extending radially outwardly therefrom and configured to radially expand so as to extend against an inner portion of the shaft. The shoes include thin, elastic cylindrical walls having an external diameter configured slightly less than the internal diameter of the shaft prior to assembly onto the shaft, and arranged to expand to the inner wall of the shaft when assembled thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Jean-Bernard Vache, Jean-Luc Soupizon, Christophe Galand
  • Patent number: 6994526
    Abstract: Compressor wheel and techniques for manufacturing such a wheel are provided. The wheel may include a hub with a counterbore internally treated to impart residual compressive stresses for enhanced endurance to stress-induced fatigue. The surface treatment allows extending the counterbore relatively closer to a plane of typical maximum stress of the wheel. This design flexibility advantageously allows avoiding or reducing overhang of the compressor wheel, thereby improving rotor dynamics and reducing the axial length of the hub, and the overall foot print of the compressor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anthony Holmes Furman, Kendall Roger Swenson, Daniel Edward Loringer
  • Patent number: 6986949
    Abstract: A fugitive pattern of an article to be investment cast wherein the pattern includes a plurality of locator embossments disposed in an array to provide a datum reference system by which the pattern can be held and positioned by a manipulator, such as for example a gripper device to a computer controlled robotic device, for assembly with another component of the pattern assembly. The datum embossments are located on a portion of the pattern that will be removed from the final metallic casting made to replicate the pattern. The casting includes integral cast datum embossments thereon by which the casting can be held and positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Howmet Corporation
    Inventor: Michael W. Mertins
  • Patent number: 6981845
    Abstract: The invention relates to a blade for a turbine, the blade being fitted with a dovetail root to fix it into a compartment of a turbine disk, the blade being fitted with an internal air cooling circuit comprising air inlets located on the blade dovetail root and facing the compartment, and air outlets. The blade dovetail root is fitted with a device capable of homogenising the pressure and temperature of cooling air entering the air inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Morgan Lionel Balland, Sylvie Coulon
  • Patent number: 6979173
    Abstract: A turbine blade or vane includes an inner contour profile which is matched to the contour profile of the outer transition region, so that a substantially uniform blade or vane wall thickness is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Tiemann
  • Patent number: 6971852
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine turbine section includes a turbine disk (20) which carries a stage of turbine blades (22). The turbine blades (22) have fir tree roots (24) which locate in fir tree grooves (26) in the rim of disk 20. Some of the projections that form the fir tree roots (24) of blades (22) and fir tree grooves (26) of disk (20) are truncated so as to define spaces between their truncated surfaces and the roots between adjacent overlapping projections, thus enabling the passing of a cooling air flow therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Anthony B. Phipps, Lynne Turner
  • Patent number: 6964557
    Abstract: A metering plate includes a body having a first end and a second end, at least one opening extending through the body, and at least one projection extending outwardly from the body. The body is configured to be resistance welded to at least one of a turbine engine blade and a turbine engine stator vane using the projection such that the body at least partially controls fluid flow into at least one of the turbine engine blade and the turbine engine stator vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Earl Claude Helder, Timothy Dion Riggs, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Daniel Jacob Goertzen, Robert John Heeg, Wendy Howard Murphy
  • Patent number: 6945754
    Abstract: A method enables a rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine to be designed. The method comprises providing a plurality of rotor blades that each include a dovetail that includes a pair of blade pressure faces and a dovetail bottom that extends arcuately between the pair of blade pressure faces, providing at least one of a rotor disk and a rotor spool that includes a circumferential dovetail slot that is sized to receive the plurality of rotor blades therein, and coupling the plurality of rotor blades to the at least one of a rotor disk and a rotor spool using each respective rotor blade dovetail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Joseph John DiBella
  • Patent number: 6932570
    Abstract: A method enables a gas turbine engine blade to be manufactured to include an airfoil, a platform, a shank, and a dovetail. The platform extends between the airfoil and the shank, the shank extends between the dovetail and the platform, and the dovetail includes at least one tang for securing the blade within the engine. The method comprises defining a cooling cavity in the blade that extends through the airfoil, the platform, the shank, and the dovetail, such that a portion of the cavity defined within the dovetail includes a root passage portion having a first width, and a transition portion extending between the root passage and the portion of the cavity defined within the shank, and wherein the portion of the cavity defined within the shank has a second width that is larger than the root passage first width. The blade is then coated with an environmental resistive coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Peter Heyward, Carl Anthony Flecker, III, Timothy Lane Norris, Todd Stephen Heffron, Roger Dale Wustman
  • Patent number: 6902376
    Abstract: A blade of an axial compressor comprising: an airfoil is disclosed that has a leading edge and a root; a platform attached to the root of the airfoil; a dovetail attached to a side of the platform opposite to the airfoil; a neck of the dovetail adjacent the platform, and a slot in the neck and generally parallel to the platform, and the slot extends from a front of the neck to position in the neck beyond a line formed by the leading edge of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Charles Gautreau, Nicholas Francis Martin
  • Patent number: 6893226
    Abstract: A rotor drive (32) for a gas turbine engine (10) comprising a main drive body (44) having attachment lugs (46) on its radially outer port. The attachment lugs (46) are formed from a different material to the main drive body (44) and are bonded to the main drive body (44) by friction bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Anthony B. Phipps
  • Patent number: 6863498
    Abstract: A blade spreading assembly for quick ceiling fan installation is disclosed. The blade spreadingassembly comprises a fan rotor bracket attached to the fan rotor and operatively coupled to an arm which connects to fan blade. The assembly allows the attached fan blade to collapse for storage and shipment and spread for operation. Since the blades are pre-attached by the manufacturer, the user is only required to unpack the ceiling fan from the shipment box and hang the fan up at a desired location and have the fan blades spread out with a simple single push. The fan blades can likewise be collapsed for storage with relative ease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Hoo Cheung Group Ltd.
    Inventor: Hai Liang
  • Patent number: 6860722
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade root shim includes a dovetail shim portion with a dovetail shape and a longitudinally extending substantially flat base and distal first and second longitudinally spaced apart forward and aft ends. Transversely spaced apart first and second walls extend upwardly from the base which includes at least two longitudinally extending elongated base apertures. Each of the base apertures includes a main region and longitudinally spaced apart rounded end regions. Dog-bone-shaped base apertures or rounded end base apertures having semi-circular rounded end regions may be used. The shim is designed for a blade dovetail root with a root slot formed in a bottom of the dovetail root. The dovetail shim portion with the dovetail shape substantially conforms to at least a portion of a cross-sectional dovetail shape of the dovetail root through the root slot. The base is disposed within the root slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Michael Forrester, Emily Anne Clausing, Robert Russell Grant, John Gregory Cargill, Craig William Higgins
  • Patent number: 6860721
    Abstract: An indentor for contacting a bearing surface, the indentor comprising a contact surface complimentary to that of the bearing surface, wherein the indentor comprises an integral tapering portion which tapering portion defines part of the contact surface, the tapering portion at its distal edge defining an edge of contact between the contact surface and the bearing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: David S Knott, Michael R Lawson
  • Patent number: 6857856
    Abstract: A turbine engine composite blade attachment mechanism is provided, including a blade having an airfoil section, a neck section, and a root section. The root section includes a continuous loop integral with the blade and branching out from the neck section to completely surround a root insert. The blade includes a plurality of fibers which extend from the airfoil section through the neck and around the core. The root section and neck are enveloped by a jacket having a thickness which increases from the distal side surface of the loop to the neck portion, and has an inner contour substantially aligned with the proximal side surface contour of the loop and the core. The jacket and root are disposed inside a rotary disk cavity such that when tensile loading is applied, the neck width is maintained and compressive transverse loads may be applied to the fibers to prevent lamination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Potter, Brad Carter
  • Patent number: 6857853
    Abstract: A turbine bucket airfoil has a conical fillet about the intersection of the airfoil tip and tip shroud having a nominal profile in accordance with coordinate values of X and Y, offset 1, offset 2 and Rho set forth in Table I. The shape parameters of offset 1, offset 2 and Rho define the configuration of the fillet at the specified X and Y locations about the fillet to provide a fillet configuration accommodating high localized stresses. The fillet shape may be parabolic, elliptical or hyperbolic as a function of the value of the shape parameter ratio of D1 D1 + D2 at each X, Y location where Dl is a distance between an intermediate point along a chord between edge points determined by offsets O2 and O2 and a shoulder point on the fillet surface and D2 is a distance between the shoulder point and an apex location at the intersection of the airfoil tip and tip shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Eric Tomberg, Marvin Luther Neeley
  • Patent number: 6837685
    Abstract: A method of repairing a rim of a rotor wheel is provided. The rotor wheel includes a rim, the rim having at least one slot defined by a slot bottom wall and at least one corner, the slot sized to receive the dovetail of a rotor blade therein. The method includes forming a first pocket at the at least one corner, wherein the first pocket has a first radius of curvature and forming a second pocket along the slot bottom wall, wherein the second pocket has a second radius of curvature and is spaced a distance along the slot bottom wall from the first notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Sylvain Pierre
  • Patent number: 6837686
    Abstract: A blade retention system for retaining blade roots in slots of a rotor hub disk, the rotor blade having a radially outward blade tip requiring surface material removal by grinding to acquire a finished ground surface, having a blade root retention tab with an elongated web of thickness less than the gap between the slot and blade root and with at least two deformable protrusions extending radially to a height exceeding said gap, the protrusions adapted to deform under compression radially inwardly on sliding engagement with the blade root in the slot and to exert a reaction force radially outwardly on the blade root of a magnitude sufficient to secure the blade tip during surface removal grinding of the blade tip against radial displacement and against rotational displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Franco Di Paola, Eugene Gekht
  • Patent number: 6827554
    Abstract: Axial entry dovetails on buckets are installed axially into generally complementary-shaped female dovetails about the rim of the turbine wheel. The buckets include bucket covers having an interference fit such that upon installation, the buckets tend to rotate, which causes radial inward displacement of the buckets. To eliminate the bucket rotation and radial displacement, the male dovetails mount an anti-rotation key for reception in a generally complementary-shaped recess at the base of the female dovetail. The anti-rotation key in the slot eliminates rotation and radial displacement of the bucket, maintaining the buckets on radii and enables the bucket covers to be machined to proper diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Alan Caruso, James Harvey Vogan, Dennis W. Roberts, Kiernan Francis Ryan
  • Patent number: 6786696
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil and dovetail. The dovetail includes a pair of supporting tangs. A rectangular root block bridges the tangs over a majority of the root end thereof. The block terminates short of one endface of the dovetail to form a root notch thereat for preferentially reducing weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Charles Herman, Brian Alan Norton, Brian David Keith
  • Patent number: 6761537
    Abstract: A method of assembling a turbine comprises coupling at least one bucket to a rotor wheel. The bucket includes an upstream side, a downstream side, an airfoil extending therebetween and a dovetail extending radially inwardly from the airfoil to the rotor wheel. The method further comprises fixedly securing the bucket to the rotor wheel with a locking pin that extends from the bucket upstream side through the bucket dovetail to the bucket downstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Elliott Shapiro, Ian Darnell Reeves
  • Publication number: 20040115055
    Abstract: A steam turbine includes a rotor supporting a plurality of turbine buckets. The rotor has shaped grooves for receiving a complementary-shaped bucket hook formed on an end of each of the turbine buckets. A rope seal is disposed in each interface between the bucket hooks and the shaped grooves, respectively. The rope seal serves to seal a leakage path that may exist over the bucket hooks between the buckets and respective rotor grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: John Thomas Murphy, Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Patent number: 6739837
    Abstract: A bladed rotor features a tiered interface between each blade 40 and its respective slot 16 in a rotor hub 12. Ideally the interface is a tiered spacer 58 that occupies the hub slot radially inboard of the blade attachment 44. The spacer ensures a tight fit to resist windmilling induced wear. The tiered character of the spacer reduces the risk of damage during blade installation and removal. The spacer also helps to transmit axial loads to a snap ring, which is one component of a blade axial retention system, during a blade separation event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Amanda E. Barnette, David Rootes
  • Patent number: 6739836
    Abstract: An improved connection of blades (12) on a rotor disc (22) of a gas turbine, of the type in which a root (10) of each blade (12) is inserted in a seat (20) of the disc (22) which is complementary to the blade, wherein the root (10) is in the shape of an overturned isosceles triangle, with the two sides which converge at the base each having a grooved profile such as to form a series of teeth (14) and with a lower end (16) of the root (10) which is formed by the joined connection of the two lower teeth (14) of the two sides of the root (10), the teeth (14) of the root (10) corresponding to grooves (24) in the seat (20) and the lower end (16) of the root (10) corresponding to an end groove (26) in the seat (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Holding S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Pinzauti, Giacomo Giovangrossi, Alessio Anichini
  • Patent number: 6692231
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fan having a molded, substantially non-metallic hub and a plurality of fan blades attached thereto. The fan blades can be rotationally indexable relative to the hub, so that a pitch angle may be adjusted. Further, the fan blades can be formed with an airfoil cross section and with a twist in the blades from a root end to a tip end so that the pitch angle varies along the length of the blade. In at least one embodiment, the fan is designed to be a high performance fan approaching the performance of metal fans with a performance of at least about 20 CFM per input watt at a static pressure of about 0.00 inches of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: General Shelters of Texas S.B., Ltd.
    Inventor: Phillip D. Calvert
  • Publication number: 20040028529
    Abstract: A Vane for a Rotor Arrangement of a Gas Turbine engine A vane (20) for a rotor arrangement (14) of a gas turbine engine (10) comprises an aerofoil member (34) and a mounting member (23) from which the aerofoil member (34) extends. The mounting member (23) includes a sloped region (46, 62) to guide gas flowing over the mounting member (23) into a bleed arrangement (30). A vane assembly (19) and a rotor arrangement (14) comprising such vanes (20) are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Gary P. Austin, Czeslaw Paluszkiewicz, Benjamin A. Leishman, Nicholas A. Cumpsty
  • Patent number: 6682307
    Abstract: A turbomachine, in particular a gas turbine, includes a rotor which extends along an axis of rotation. The rotor includes a circumferential face, which is defined by the outer radial boundary surface of the rotor, and a receiving structure. Additionally, it includes a first rotor blade and a second rotor blade, which each have a blade root and a blade platform. The blade platform of the first rotor blade and the blade platform of the second rotor blade adjoin one another, and a space is formed between the blade platforms and the circumferential face. A sealing system is provided on the circumferential face in the space, the sealing system including a labyrinth sealing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Tiemann
  • Patent number: 6669445
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an endwall shape for reducing shock strength on transonic turbomachinery airfoils which define at least one flow passage. The endwall shape includes a non-axisymmetric trough which extends from a leading portion of the at least one flow passage to a point near a trailing edge portion of the at least one flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: J. Brent Staubach, Joel H. Wagner, Andrew S. Aggarwala
  • Patent number: 6666651
    Abstract: Composite blade assembly 10 for a propeller assembly for an airplane, including unitary metal ferrule 50 attached to a fiber-reinforced composite blade 20; and a method for manufacturing blade assembly 10. Internal pressure molding includes unitary ferrule 50 as part of mold 81 and bladder 90 pressurizes composite material 31 from within. Blade 20 is retained within inner bore 53 of unitary ferrule 50 by adhesion of the epoxy matrix and by grooves 55. The method of manufacture creates a cured blade assembly 10 that requires little or no post-machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Inventor: Jim Rust
  • Patent number: 6652237
    Abstract: A dovetail joint between a rotor wheel and a bucket includes a male dovetail component on the rotor wheel and a female dovetail component on the bucket. The male dovetail component has axially projecting hooks with slanted surfaces along generally radially inwardly directed surfaces. The slanted surfaces form included angles with a plane normal to the axis of rotation and bisecting the wheel dovetail which are larger than 90° and remain constant for all of the hooks. Single radius fillets are also provided along the transition surfaces between the slanted crush surfaces and the neck surfaces. The stress concentrations are therefore minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gary Edward Yehle, Noel Jacob Bylina, Wayne Alan Lillibridge
  • Publication number: 20030202883
    Abstract: A turbine blade assembly for a turbine assembly includes a turbine blade having a turbine blade damper cavity formed therein and stranded wire cable positioned within the turbine blade damper cavity. The stranded wire cable is maintained in the damper cavity during operation of the turbine blade assembly. It reduces vibration of the turbine blade assembly during operation by dissipating energy by friction between the stranded wire cable and the internal surface of the blade that defines the damper cavity. It also dissipates energy by friction between adjacent wires within the stranded wire cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Gary A. Davis, Gary E. Tuttle, Robert F. Beatty
  • Publication number: 20030194321
    Abstract: A bladed rotor features a tiered interface between each blade 40 and their respective slots 16 in a rotor hub 12. Ideally the interface is a tiered spacer 58 that occupies the hub slot radially inboard of the blade attachment 44. The spacer ensures a tight fit to resist windmilling induced wear. The tiered character of the spacer reduces the risk of damage during blade installation and removal. The spacer also helps to transmit axial loads to a snap ring, which is one component of a blade axial retention system, during a blade separation event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Amanda E. Barnette, David Rootes
  • Publication number: 20030194324
    Abstract: A turbine blade assembly for a turbine assembly includes a turbine blade having a turbine blade damper cavity formed therein and a plurality of pins positioned within the turbine blade damper cavity. The pins are maintained in the damper cavity during operation of the turbine blade assembly. They reduce vibration of the turbine blade assembly during operation by dissipating energy by friction between adjacent pins and between the pins and the internal surface of the blade that defines the damper cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Gary A. Davis, Gary E. Tuttle
  • Publication number: 20030138325
    Abstract: An automatic temperature display and fan rotary speed adjusting device having an operation display panel which is capable of being connected to a disk drive frame, a cover plate or a computer panel. The operation display panel is combined to the computer panel directly, or to the 5.25 inches disk drive frame, or to the 5.25 inches disk drive cover plate, or to the 3.5 inches disk drive cover plate, in each case, the operation display panel is installed with a control circuit board, a thermometer and a connecting terminal connected to a heat dissipating fan. The window is connected to the thermometer. The thermometer is fixed or installed to the hard disk drive, central processing unit or computer. An IC in a circuit board will display the temperature measured by the thermometer and the rotary speed of the fan on the window. A circuit of the fan adjusting button is connected to the circuit board and electric heat dissipating fan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: Enermax Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Steven Su
  • Patent number: 6575704
    Abstract: A fluid-flow machine includes a rotor which extends along a rotation axis. The rotor has a rotor-shaft slot having a slot root surface and a moving blade having a blade root. The blade root is inserted into the rotor-shaft slot, and a gap is formed between the blade root and the slot root surface. A sealing element is provided for sealing the gap, which sealing element is at least partly accommodated by the blade root and is movable relative to the blade root. In addition, a sealing element, in particular for a rotor of a fluid-flow machine, preferably includes a first sealing element section and a second sealing element section. The sealing element develops its sealing effect under the effect of an external force, in particular of the centrifugal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Tiemann
  • Patent number: 6561764
    Abstract: A gas turbine rotor includes an internally cooled gas turbine blade which has a blade root and a blade platform with recesses into which insert strips are inserted. The gas turbine rotor is arranged in such a way that both sealing against the ingress of hot gas and the emergence of cooling air and the securing of the gas turbine blade can be effected at a low outlay and at the same time are highly reliable. The recess reaches as far as the disk-side base of the blade platform and the insert strip to have a form fit to the disk, which protects against axial displacement in a direction of insertion of the gas turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Tiemann
  • Patent number: 6547049
    Abstract: A particle vibration damper for a vibrating component is disclosed which comprises a body having a chamber and a plurality of particles, wherein the chamber is partially filled with the plurality of particles, the particle vibration damper, in use, is disposed on or in a vibrating component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Geoffrey R Tomlinson
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20030049129
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of radially extending and circumferentially spaced rotor blades and a seal. Each of the blades includes a platform including a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface. The platform radially outer surface defines a surface for fluid flowing thereover. The seal includes at least one hollow member coupled to each rotor blade platform radially inner surface that is configured to reduce fluid flow through a gap defined between adjacent rotor blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Matthew Alban Scott, Jay L. Cornell, Robert Russell Grant
  • Patent number: 6514045
    Abstract: A seal (30) is provided for reducing the gap between alternate wall members (20) and adjacent blades (14) that are arranged circumferentially in a rotor (12). The seal (30) has a flange portion (36), which is inclined radially inward. The flange portion (36) of the seal (30) is in the form of rubber bellows (32) which have a cavity (34) therein. In operation the flange portion (36) of the seal (30) is deflected radially outwards by centrifugal forces acting thereon. The seal (30) is open at one end to allow air compressed by the rotor (12) to pass into the cavity (34) and inflate the seal (30). Inflation of the seal (30) ensures that the gap between the edge (26) of the wall member (20) and the blade (14) is filled. A good seal is thus maintained throughout operation of the rotor (12) and prevents the air in void (28) passing into the blade passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Plc
    Inventors: John P Barton, Dale E Evans
  • 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: 6488473
    Abstract: This invention relate to a retaining arrangement for rotor blades of axial-flow turbomachinery which features blade roots slots on a rotor disk for the accommodation and radial fixation of roter blades and which further features a continues, circumferential retaining ring for the axial fixation of the rotor blades in the blade root slots and a locking arrangement for the axial retention of the retaining ring. The retaining arrangement is characterized in that the retaining ring has recesses which correspond with sections of the blade root slots and projecting sections on its outer circumference. The present invention provides a cost-effective retaining arrangements for blade of axial-flow turbomachinery which provides for better control of the leakage flows in the blade root area, generally improved flow conditions in the inter-stage area, lower centrifugal forces and ease of assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Stuart Lee, Peter Broadhead, Tim Hopp
  • Publication number: 20020164253
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a turbine engine rotor assembly is provided comprising a root, an airfoil, a platform, and a means for damping vibrations in the airfoil. The airfoil includes a pocket formed into a chordwise surface. The damper is received into the pocket, forming a surface flush with the airfoil. Relative movement between the damper and the airfoil cause vibrational movement to be damped and dissipated in the form of frictional energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventor: Andreas H. von Flotow
  • Patent number: 6471474
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine operates with reduced circumferential rim stress. The rotor assembly includes a rotor including a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outward from an annular rim. A root fillet extends circumferentially around each blade between the blades and rim. The rim includes an outer surface including a plurality of concave indentations extending between adjacent rotor blades and forming a compound radius. Each indentation extends from a leading edge of the rotor blades towards a trailing edge of the rotor blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Mielke, John Jared Decker
  • Patent number: 6471483
    Abstract: A turbine disc for carrying turbine blades is rotatable about a central axis and has a circumferentially extending peripheral face divided into two side face strips by a circumferentially extending root slot. For the greater part of its circumferential length opposite sides of the root slot are parallel. But at at least one location arcuate bights of opposite curvature are formed opposite to one another to form a load slot through which a root of a turbine blade can be introduced into the radially innermost part of the root slot. The arcuate bights have the same radius of curvature and may be arcs of the same circle. On each of two opposite sides of the load slot is a respective shadow slot. One shadow slot is formed by oppositely disposed arcuate bights, and the other shadow slot is formed by oppositely disposed arcuate bights. The radius of curvature of each bight of the shadow slot is greater than that of the bights of the load slot and can be at least twice that of the bights of the load slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Alstom Power N.V.
    Inventor: Richard Allan London
  • Patent number: 6447250
    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 circular arc dovetail slots are disposed through the rim. Circumferentially extending annular burst slots extend radially through the rim into the dovetail slots between each adjacent pair of the webs. The fan blades have circular arc dovetail roots disposed within the circumferentially spaced apart circular arc dovetail slots. A one piece spinner attached to a forward extension of the disk at a location between a tip and an axially aft spinner end of the spinner. Non-integral platforms circumferentially disposed between the fan blades. A booster spool is connected to the rotor disk by a mounting plate therebetween and the platforms are radially retained to the disk and mounting plates by pins through holes in mounting lugs depending radially inwardly from the platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sean Joel Corrigan, Jeffrey Clayton Potter, Joseph Timothy Stevenson, Jay L. Cornell, James Michael Forrester, Rolf Robert Hetico