General Electric Company

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

James W Brantley

Thomas G Wakeman

Robert H Roth

Michael Leon Barron

William James Strock

Donald F Keck

Eugene J Antuna

Alan B Corbeil

Jeffrey B Fravel

A link for supporting a core engine within an outer shell of a gas turbine engine is described. The link, in one form, includes an elongate rod having a first end and a second end, and first and second rod end bearings are secured at the first second ends, respectively. Each end bearing includes a bearing head and a threaded stud extending from the head. The elongate rod includes a first threaded socket located at first rod end and sized to be engaged to the first rod end bearing stud, and a second threaded socket located at second rod end and sized to be engaged to the second rod end bearing stud. The first and second tapered jam nuts are located at the first and second ends of rod. Each tapered jam nut includes a nut end having, for example, a hexagonal head and a tapered portion extending from the nut end. A bore extends through each tapered jam nut, and the bore is sized to have the stud extend therethrough. The bore has internal threads at least at the location of nut end. Each socket includes a coaxial countersunk portion for receiving the tapered portion of respective jam nuts. As each jam nut is tightened in threaded engagement with one of the sockets, a clamping force is created between the socket, the jam nut, and the rod end bearing stud. In addition, the jam nut threads are be more highly stressed in the axial direction than the taper material in the radial direction. The threads are allowed to yield and redistribute the thread loads to adjacent threads without loosening the clamping load in tapered portion of the jam nut.

Tapered jam nut for turbine frame mount link

A gas turbine engine thermal backbone deflection control apparatus to counter the effects of backbone bending due to nacelle aerodynamic, thrust, and maneuver loads by introducing a controlled backbone counter-bending moment by applying an uneven temperature or thermal field around the backbone to induce controlled compression and/or tensioning forces in the backbone or casing between axially spaced apart frames connected by the backbone. One embodiment of the invention provides for flowing thermal control air along an axially and circumferentially sector of the engine casing. The thermal backbone deflection control apparatus is controlled by the engines digital electronic control system using input signals generated by engine thrust load, inlet moment load sensors and/or blade tip clearance sensors.

Aircraft gas turbine engine backbone deflection thermal control

A gas turbine engine backbone deflection control apparatus to counter the effects of backbone bending due to gust, thrust. and maneuver loads by introducing a controlled backbone counter-bending moment by applying controlled tensioning forces only between axially spaced apart frames connected by the backbone. One embodiment of the invention, for a high bypass ratio turbofan engine, provides a hydraulically powered actuator to produce tensioning forces in cables connected between a fan frame and a turbine frame and the actuator is controlled by the engines digital electronic control system using input signals generated by inlet moment load sensors and/or blade tip clearance sensors.

Aircraft gas turbine engine backbone deflection control

A gas turbine engine has a core frame separable from a vane frame for removably attaching the vane frame to a core structure through a mid ring. The mid ring includes an annular forward panel and an annular aft panel, each of which has a radially outer flange and a radially inner flange. The inner flanges are welded to the core frame and the outer flanges are bolted to the vane frame. A plurality of circumferentially spaced stiffeners extend between the forward and aft panels, with each of the stiffeners including a pair of stringers extending diagonally across the stiffeners. Panels may be incorporated with the stringers between the triangular shaped areas adjacent the forward and aft panels of the stiffener. The bolted connection between the mid ring and the vane frame includes a plurality of tongue and groove joints formed in the flanges of the mid ring and vane frame. The tongue and groove joints provide additional radial support for the core engine within the vane frame. Preferably, the tongue and groove joints are formed with angular sides so that conformance between the joints can be achieved by simply tightening the bolts attaching the joints. In one embodiment, the tongue and groove joints may only be used at preselected circumferential positions with the remainder of the flange connections using overlapping lap joints.

Apparatus for removably attaching a core frame to a vane frame with a

In one embodiment, a fan blade includes an airfoil portion, a platform portion, a shank portion, and a generally axial dovetail portion of a predetermined axial dimension for matingly engaging a generally axial dovetail receiving slot of substantially the same predetermined axial dimension in a fan disk member. Aft cleat means, including a portion having substantially the same cross section as the dovetail portion, is provided and is integral with the dovetail portion and projects generally axially therefrom. The aft cleat means strengthens the dovetail portion. Methods are provided for fabricating such a blade and for strengthening existing blades. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Blading system for a gas turbine engine

A sealing arrangement for preventing compressor fan air loss through the relatively wide gaps between adjacent blade platforms required in order to allow for rotation of the blades around their minor root axes in response to bird impact and the like. A thin flexible ribbon-like seal is bonded to one of the two adjacent blade platforms in the fan structure. At the gap, the seal includes a thickened wedge shaped portion with at least one invagination on the inner side facing the rotor axis. At the operating speed of the compressor fan, centrifugal force causes the thickened portion to be forced into the gap between adjacent platforms producing the required seal.

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Fairfield, OH, United States of America

James W Brantley