General Electric Company

Henry E Lynch

Gilbert E Flowers

Earl L Kelly, Jr

Joel H Cohen

A method for replacing a damaged or defective section of a length of original piping or tubing located within a structrue such as the turbine of a jet engine wherein access to the tubing is limited, and replacing such damaged section with a new section of tubing comprises inserting a cutter mounted at one end of a flexible shaft into the interior of the original tubing and rotating the shaft to cut out and remove the damaged section of tubing leaving at least one stub section of original tubing. The stub sections of original tubing are then prepared for welding or brazing to a section of replacement tubing with a series of tools each mounted to an elongated shaft. These tools include a chamfering tool, a deburring tool, and a polishing tool. The replacement section of tubing is connected to the stub section of original tubing by inserting a hollow mounting sleeve welded or brazed to the replacement section of tubing over the end of the stub section so that the end edge of the stub section engages a brazing ring carried in the interior of the hollow mounting sleeve against the end edge of the replacement section of tubing. The elongated nozzle of an acetylene torch is then inserted into the replacement section of tubing and heats the brazing ring to form a fluid-tight joint.

Method for replacing a section of tubing

A gas turbine engine air cooled vane assembly which includes inner and outer platform members and an airfoil member therebetween is repaired by removing from the vane assembly a vane assembly segment comprising at least a portion of the leading edge wall, a portion of the airfoil body wall and a portion of at least one platform member connected with the leading edge wall. The vane assembly segment is removed along a preselected path which, during operation of the vane assembly in a gas turbine engine, experiences relatively low mechanical stresses. A replacement member of substantially the same type of material and of a size and shape which matches the removed vane assembly segment is placed into registry with the vane assembly and then metallurgically bonded to the vane assembly.

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Middletown, OH, United States of America

Henry E Lynch