United Technologies Corporation

Other

John P Arrigoni

Peter J Draghi

William M Rose

Peter E Leibfried

Dale A Simard

Philip J Dunne

William G Sorvillo, Sr

Kenneth C Carlson

A component blending tool for forming a pre-determined blended area into a component utilizes a belt having a material removing surface that is contoured to mimic a predetermined depth ratio of the blended area. The tool has an interchangeable shoe that contours the belt and forces the belt upon the component until the pre-determined blended area is substantially the same as said blend ratio.

Component blending tool

A method for repairing a component having first and second major surfaces, a thickness between the major surfaces, and an edge, is characterized by utilizing a template to determine if the component is suitable for repair, and forming a slot cut entirely through the thickness of the component. The slot extends inward from the edge of the component, has an open end at the edge of the component, a closed end within the component, a width, a radius at the closed end, and chamfered edges at the open end. Forming the slot includes forming an initial cut with a first cutting surface from the edge of the component at least to the defect, finishing the initial cut to the width and the radius with a second cutting surface, resulting in a finished cut, and chamfering the edge of the finished cut with a third cutting surface.

Method for repairing a gas turbine engine component

A device for removing burrs created on the lateral edges of ice skate blades during sharpening is provided. The device consists includes cutting insert of extremely hard alloy having at least one angled cutting surface. The cutting insert is secured in a recess located along one of the edges of a substantially flat rigid housing member such that the portion of the cutting insert having the cutting surface extends out from the housing member. The housing member is connected to a substantially flat rigid base member such that a channel is defined by a portion of the base member, the end of the housing member having the recess, and the portion of the cutting insert which extends out from the housing member. The housing member and base member are connected such that they may pivot slightly relative to each other, but remain substantially parallel. A positioning screw is threaded through the portion of the base member which defines the channel such that tightening the positioning screw while an ice skate blade is disposed in the channel causes the housing member to pivot relative to the base member and become parallel therewith.

Deburring device

Collapsible motorized utility cart

A gas turbine vane (1) is subject to distortion and wear during operation or repair which results in an increase in the spacing between successive vanes (6 and 7) which define nozzle gas flow areas (8 and 9). During refurbishment, the nozzle spacing must be returned to the original dimension to insure optimum turbine performance. A build up of alloy in the wear area is accomplished by controllably applying layers of a tape (12) of uniform thickness to the vane. The tape includes a mixture of a binder and an alloy powder, which is compatible with the substrate alloy, with the mixture formed into a sheet of uniform thickness and having an adhesive backing. After applying the tape in layers to a desired thickness, the vane is heated to a temperature at which the binder and adhesive decompose and the alloy in the tape diffusion bonds with the substrate alloy. Utilization of this process reduces the cost of refurbishing used turbine vanes and avoids hot forming or bending processes which could damage the vanes.

Turbine vane nozzle reclassification

The shaft of a jet engine is reworked by removing the original plating, and the plating adjacent the oil hole in the shaft is removed by a hand grinding operation. The hand grinder includes means for supporting the grinding wheel with means for controlling the area and depth of the grinding.

Hand operated grinding wheel with surface area and depth control

A fixture 34 for positioning a shroud 22 of a worn rotor blade 14 with respect to an apparatus for removing material is disclosed. The fixture is formed of a base 42, an axial locator 44 which is adapted to engage the root 18 of the rotor blade, and a tangential locator 46 which engages the root of the rotor blade at a hinge joint 58 and which engages the airfoil 20 of the rotor blade. A method of restoring a shroud of the rotor blade axially with respect to the root and tangentially with respect to the airfoil is also disclosed. In an alternate embodiment, a second locator 160 for indexing the locator from an airfoil edge is included.

Method for restoring a face on the shroud of a rotor blade

A gauge for measuring the chord length across an airfoil at a plurality of locations along the span is disclosed. Concepts ensuring accurate measurement notwithstanding deviations of the airfoil contour from design conditions are discussed. Floating gauge plates 46 locate the local position of the airfoil leading edge. A notch 58 in each plate marks the minimum acceptable chord length.

Minimum chord gauge

Fixture for restoring a face on the shroud of a rotor blade

A fixture 39 for positioning shroud 22 of a rotor blade 14 with respect to an apparatus for inspecting the blade is disclosed. The fixture is formed of a base 42, locater means 40 attached to the base, first and second references 44, 46, a second locater 48 which engages the blade along a curved edge 50 at a hinged joint and measuring devices 64, 66 which are slidable rails having an axis e and an axis f. A method for inspecting the blades by orienting a shroud reference plane SRP with respect to the first and second reference surfaces is disclosed. In an alternate embodiment, the blade is rotatably supported about a flat surface and uses a surface on the root 18 for rotation. The fixture also includes a master block 68 to provide a self-mastering feature to the fixture.

Method and apparatus for inspecting shrouds of rotor blades

An apparatus for finishing the tips of turbine blades and the like is provided. The invention is especially useful on worn turbine blades which have been repaired by adding weld material. An abrasive first removes excess weld material with a reciprocating motion and constant force. A sensor indicates when the abrasive is a predetermined distance above the intended finish contour surface and thereafter there is a predetermined fixed time in which the material removal continues. During the predetermined time period the motion of the abrasive is converted to one along a guided path corresponding to the path of the finished surface contour by apparatus such as a cam and cam follower. Thus, the time of refinishing is reduced and labor productivity is increased.

Turbine blade tip finishing apparatus

A method and apparatus for restoring airseals on gas turbine blades and vanes. A worn or damaged airseal is removed by abrasive belt grinding perpendicular to its length to create a stub. Then a piece of material is joined to the stub, as by welding. Next the airseal weldment is contoured using abrasive belting, perpendicular to the weldment length. The invention is particularly advantageous for the repair of components having two airseals of different dimensions. A single two-position fixture is usable to remove old airseals and to refinish airseal weldments. Refinishing is accomplished with a contoured belt; the contour is chosen to be intermediate, but within the tolerance of, the contours of the first and second airseals. As a result, airseals are economically restored in short runs.

Growing community of inventors

Wallingford, CT, United States of America

John P Arrigoni