United Technologies Corporation

Joseph J Cafasso

Robert F Kasprow

Douglas A Welch

Robert H Zipps

Phyllis L Kurz

Edward S Todd

Herman C Klapproth

Reginald H Spaulding

A fan in an axial flow gas turbine engine includes a plurality of fan blades. Each fan blade includes an airfoil portion and a root portion with a platform disposed radially therebetween. The platform of each blade extends circumferentially from the blade and is dimensioned to define, with an adjacent platform, an enlarged gap to insure that contact between adjacent platforms is avoided when a blade is released during a blade loss condition. A seal is provided to seal the enlarged gap between adjacent platforms during normal operation of the gas turbine engine.

Frangible fan blade

The present invention relates to a fan blade in an axial gas turbine engine. The blade platform is constructed to fracture adjacent the airfoil portion of the blade so as to locate the fractured edge of the platform in the root portion. As a result of this benign platform, damage to successive fan blades during a blade loss condition is reduced. In addition, various construction details are developed in the airfoil and root portion of the fan blade to reduce damage to fan blades during impact with adjacent blades.

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Glastonbury, CT, United States of America

Joseph J Cafasso