Gkn Aerospace Services Structures Corporation

Other

Anthony M Cacace

Michael G Polo

Carl M Johnson

A fixture is provided for holding sheets having complex shapes during heat treating. The fixture includes a base having a central opening and defining a peripheral foundation. A support structure extends inwardly and upwardly from the base and across the central opening. The support structure includes first axial and traverse openings extending there through. A sheet engagement structure is secured to the support structure and includes second axial openings extending there through. The sheet engagement structure has a peripheral section and at least one connecting leg extending between portions of the peripheral section. A sheet securing ring is removably secured to the sheet engagement structure for slidingly securing a sheet between the sheet securing ring and the sheet engagement structure. The central opening, first axial and traverse openings and second axial openings cooperating to create a uniform and accelerated flow of fluid through the fixture.

Support fixture for heat treating sheets having complex shapes

A method is presented for hot forming sheets having arcuate shapes. The method includes providing a die having a first and second clamping section. The first clamping section has a first arcuate pressing surface and the second clamping section has a complementary second arcuate pressing surface. The clamping sections have a plurality of heaters disposed therein. The die is heated to a predetermined temperature. The clamping sections are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. A precursor sheet is positioned therebetween such that the precursor sheet is spaced apart from the first arcuate pressing surface by a spacing distance. The clamping sections are pressed into engagement with the precursor sheet to form a production sheet having a predetermined shape by engagement with the first pressing surface and the second pressing surface and a predetermined pressing force for a predetermined pressing time.

Method for hot forming sheets having arcuate shapes

A pressurizable chamber device or containment vessel and method of use thereof. The device or vessel includes two chamber portions, a lid portion and a base portion, drawn to one another via a nut portion. The lid and base portions each include concave surfaces that matingly fit together, such that an internal chamber is formed when these portions are fit together. The lid and base portions each include a flange having a groove therein, such that a flexible seal element is fittable into the groove. The lid and base portions include features to matingly engage the nut portion, such that engagement thereamong draws the lid portion and the base portion toward one another, tightly sealing the formed internal chamber. A pressure, such as a resin pressure that may be precisely regulated, may then be applied, for example, to a mold contained within the formed and tightly sealed chamber.

Hydraulic pressurizing containment vessel and method of use thereof

A device that deploys during a blade portion failure that encompasses the engine casing is provided to prevent damage caused by the failure. A blade containment device such as a flexible interwoven structure or a net encompasses the engine casing and the blade failure path, or is embedded in the engine casing, and deploys in the event of a blade failure, such as the breaking of an engine blade. The net deploys when the blade portion has failed and has started expanding along the blade failure path, and may include a number of links attached to one another. Upon impact with a broken blade portion, thus transferring the kinetic energy of the blade portion to the net, some or all of the links may break off from each other, thus allowing the net to deploy and dissipating the kinetic energy generated by the expanding broken blade. Consequently, the blade remains contained inside the net, and blade containment is improved.

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Haddam, CT, United States of America

Anthony M Cacace