General Electric Company

Gerald Alexander Pauley

Nicholas Joseph Kray

Chen-Yu Jack Chou

Jorge Orlando Lamboy

Ming Xie

Tod Winton Davis

Daniel Allen Wilkin, Ii

Qiang Li

Mingchao Wang

Michael Harvey Schneider

James Thomas Hawkins

Matthew G Gann

Larry Dean Cline

Paul S Stephens

Thomas N Parimore, Jr

Yiping Xu

Brian Paul Overbeck

A platform apparatus for a propulsion rotor having an annular array of airfoils carried by a rotor disk. The apparatus includes: at least one forward segment comprising an arcuate forward body having a plurality of spaced-apart axially-extending forward fingers, each of the forward fingers bounded by a curved first lateral edge interconnected to a straight second lateral edge by an aft edge, wherein the forward segment defines a flow path surface and an opposed back surface; at least one aft segment comprising an arcuate aft body having a plurality of spaced-apart actually-extending aft fingers, each of the aft fingers bounded by a curved first lateral edge interconnected to a straight second lateral edge by a forward edge, wherein the aft segment defines a flow path surface and an opposed back surface, and wherein the aft edges have a shape complementary to a shape of the forward edges.

Platform apparatus for propulsion rotor

A gas turbine including a fan platform positioned between adjacent fan blades of a fan of the gas turbine engine is provided. The fan platform defines an outer surface that at least partially defines an inner flowpath boundary of the fan. Additionally, the fan platform includes at least two components attached to one another. At least one of the components of the fan platform defines an enclosed void. An insert is positioned within the enclosed void formed of a material defining a relatively low Young's modulus. The insert may prevent resin from filling the enclosed void during assembly/manufacture of the fan platform, while also reducing a weight of the fan platform and an amount of stress on the fan platform.

Fan platform for a gas turbine engine

Described are a gas turbine engine fan blade platform, related rotor assembly and gas turbine engine, as well as a method of assembling the same. The platform has a forward portion proximal to an axis of rotation, an aft portion, and a transition portion between the forward and aft portions. The forward portion has a forward interface surface facing axially forward, the aft portion has an aft interface surface facing radially outward, and the transition portion has at least one mounting feature. For the method of assembly, an aft support is installed on a fan disk and booster spool assembly. A plurality of fan blades are installed into a fan disk, followed by installing a fan platform between adjacent blades and securing the mounting features to the disk, thereby filling the annulus of the fan disk. Finally, a forward support is installed on the fan disk.

Non-integral fan blade platform

A fan blade for a gas turbine engine includes: a straight axial dovetail, an airfoil, and a transition section disposed between the dovetail and the airfoil, the fan blade having opposed pressure and suction sides, and further including at least one shoulder protruding from a nominal surface of a selected one of the pressure and suction sides, wherein the at least one shoulder includes a boss defining a side face, and an upper section extending radially outward from the boss and tapering inward to join a nominal surface of the selected side.

Low radius ratio fan for a gas turbine engine

A method for assembling a fan platform for a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes determining an area of vulnerability to impact and erosion damage across the platform, forming a sheet of cladding metal to substantially conform to a contour of the identified area of vulnerability of the platform, and bonding the cladding metal to the identified area of vulnerability.

Methods and apparatus for assembling gas turbine engines

A composite article, for example a blading member of a gas turbine engine, comprising a plurality of stacked layers of in-plane reinforcing fibers bonded together with a matrix resin is provided with enhanced resistance to impact cracking, material loss and/or delamination through use of a plurality of spaced apart reinforcing pins disposed into the article at an angle to the stacked layers, in one form disposed in a selected article region generally to resist strain energy generated during operation of the region. In another form, enhanced resistance is provided through the combination of a matrix resin including properties comprising a tensile strain property of at least 5% and a Ktoughness of at least about 850 psi&#xb7;inch, and a plurality of spaced apart reinforcing pins disposed into the article at an angle to the stacked layers. A method for making such a composite article with such resin comprises stacking the layers of in-plane reinforcing fibers into a shape and then inserting the reinforcing pins shape. The shape is cured with a matrix resin about the in-plane fibers of the stacked layers and about the reinforcing pins.

Pin reinforced, crack resistant fiber reinforced composite article

A method for removing metal cladding adhered to an airfoil, such as a turbine blade, wherein the airfoil comprises a substrate and wherein at least a portion of the cladding is adhered to at least one surface of the substrate of the airfoil. In this method the cladding is treated with a chemical etchant of the metal that the cladding is made of for a period of time sufficient to remove at least the portion of the cladding adhered to the at least one surface of the substrate. The substrate is made of a material that is chemically resistant to the etchant.

Method for removing metal cladding from airfoil substrate

An article including a body terminating in an end portion, for example an airfoil of a blade terminating in an airfoil tip, comprises an end or tip barrier discrete from and bonded with the body. The barrier is substantially impregnable to penetration of liquid, for example water vapor. In a form in which the body is laminated, the barrier is a non-directionally dependent material, resisting delamination. In one form of a method for making such article, the end portion of an existing article is trimmed back to provide a body preform, and an end barrier is bonded with the body preform. In another method form, an end barrier is bonded with a provided body preform, the barrier and body preform together defining the article. Such articles are repairable by removing and replacing a damaged end portion or damaged barrier.

Article including a composite laminated end portion with a discrete end barrier and method for making and repairing

Increased impact resistance capability is achieved in a cost and weight efficient manner by providing a spinner made of a 3-D orthogonal woven composite material. The spinner defines a generally conical shell having a plurality of axial rib stiffeners and at least one circumferential rib stiffener integrally formed thereon. The combination of the integral rib stiffeners with the 3-D orthogonal woven composite material results in a substantially greater torsional stiffness. The use of the 3-D orthogonal woven composite material also eliminates delamination found in laminated composite spinners.

Composite spinner and method of making the same

A rotator member, for example an airfoil of a rotating blade, is provided with additional stiffness in a radially outer portion of the member by including in the outer portion at least one corrugation extending generally along the width, for example chordwise, of the member.

Rotator member and method

A method and apparatus for achieving a fluid tight seal of a fluid coupling having an axis, wherein a spring interposed between a coupling nut and an inner member of a first coupling element is compressed when the coupling nut is engaged with a second coupling element and rotated in a tightening direction such that complementary sealing surfaces between the first and second coupling elements are axially pre-loaded to achieve a fluid tight seal. A fluid tight seal is dependent on the axial compression of the spring, indicated by the axial location of the coupling nut with respect to the inner member and second coupling element, and is visually indicated by the rotational relationship of the coupling nut and the second coupling element.

Biased fluid coupling

A one piece inner cowling for a bifurcated fan duct is provided having an integral core cowl and radially extending bifurcation sidewalls for use in a bifurcated fan bypass duct of a turbofan engine. In the preferred embodiment the sidewalls extend substantially to the end of the fan duct and the core cowl extends substantially between the fan and turbine frames. The cowling is preferably made of a composite material, preferably graphite/PMR-15 and provisions are made for mechanically attaching the sidewalls to an outer cowl. The inner cowling and outer cowl assembly form one half of a bifurcated fan duct assembly for being pivotally attached to a turbofan mounting pylon and includes suitable latching apparatus for accessing the core engine by pivotally opening the mirror image bifurcated fan duct assemblies on either side of the engine.

Growing community of inventors

Hamilton, OH, United States of America

Gerald Alexander Pauley