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

United Technologies Corporation

Joel F Sutton

Larry E Anders

Perry P Sifford

John C Jones

Allen R Mattson

Effective damping of blade vibratory energy is sought by the apparatus described herein. The concepts relate specifically to what is known as blade to blade damping as is distinguished from blade to ground damping. The dampers employed have a 'T' shaped cross section geometry and are designed to extend circumferentially on an engine rotor between the platform sections of each pair of rotor blades. The dampers are of extreme light weight such that the slipload forces required to generate sliding contact between the damper and the blade platforms is low.

Blade to blade vibration damper

An air-cooled, variable-throat, convergent-divergent nozzle for a turbojet engine. Active cooling constituent structures of the nozzle include: passages, for flow of cooling air, integral to, and within, convergent and divergent flaps and seal members; finned sections in nozzle components which are provided air from the passages; air exit slots on the convergent flaps; a hinged connection at each convergent flap-to-divergent flap (and divergent seal member) interconnection; staggered air outlet openings in each divergent flap; and, a tubular air feed system to provide cooling air from each divergent flap to an adjacent cooperating divergent seal member. Passive cooling is accomplished: by seal members overlapping adjacent side edges of convergent and divergent flaps, preventing leaking of cooling air and hot gas through the side edges; and, by a sealing hinged connection at each convergent flap-to-divergent flap (and divergent seal member) interconnection.

Finned surface cooled nozzle

A bellcrank assembly, adapted for mounting on, and actuating, a convergent flap of the exhaust nozzle of a turbojet engine. The unique structure of the assembly, unlike the prior art, transmits radial and bi-directional thrust loads to the flap utilizing low cost stamped and formed sheetmetal components, with the loads being transmitted directly into the skin of the flap. The bellcrank assembly is structured for external mounting on the convergent flap, thereby permitting easy inspection, maintenance and service, without the need to disassemble other nozzle hardware; and, it includes angular contact bearings with cross-corner path arrangement, and bellcrank link arms and a bellcrank actuator arm which actually physically comprise the housing of the bellcrank.

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Juno Isles, FL, United States of America

Joel F Sutton