Rolls-royce (1971) Limited

Douglas John Nightingale

A variable geometry nozzle for a gas turbine engine in which a circumferential array of flaps are pivotally connected to the engine by their upstream ends, the flaps comprising interdigitated flexible and rigid flaps. The geometry of the nozzle is varied by drawing together the side edges of adjacent flexible flaps which causes pivoting of both the rigid and flexible flaps and a change in the curvature of the flexible flaps. The rigid flaps seal the spaces between the side edges of adjacent flexible flaps. A modification is shown using auxiliary radially outwardly flared flaps to provide convergent divergent geometry.

Gas turbine engine nozzle

A convergent divergent exhaust nozzle for a jet engine, in which a circumferential array of interdigitated master and slave petals are axially movable along an arcuate track. Each petal is divided by a hinge into upstream and downstream portions and the downstream portions are pivotable about the hinges to vary the divergent flare angle of the nozzle. The master petals are supported on the arcuate tracks by means of a pair of axially spaced apart rollers bearing on opposite surfaces of the tracks. Gas pressure on the petals is used to reduce the force necessary to operate the nozzle.

Nozzles for gas turbine engines

A variable area convergent/divergent iris nozzle for a gas turbine engine has a plurality of interdigitated master and slave petals. Each master petal has a pair of axially spaced rollers which run on guide tracks mounted on the engine jet pipe. A pivotable link connects the upstream end of each master petal to a unison ring which is axially movable to translate the petals thereby varying the area of the nozzle.

A bypass gas turbine engine is mounted from an aircraft pylon by a mounting arrangement in which the engine outer casing and the core gas generator are mounted independently to the pylon and in which all the connections between the outer casing and the pylon and between the core gas generator and the pylon lie in substantially the same two planes.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Douglas John Nightingale