Rolls-royce Corporation

Keith Christopher Goldfinch

Oliver Michael Strother

Julian MacKechnie-Jarvis

John Michael Harrison

Antonios Kalochairetis

Nigel Jd Chivers

Oliver Strother

Julian Mackechnie-Jarvis

A fan for gas turbine engine that includes hub and annular array of fan blades mounted to hub and extending radially outwardly from hub, each fan blade includes blade root. The hub includes a plurality of hub grooves having shape complimentary to shape of blade root and each hub groove receives and radially retains one blade root. A slot is provided on the suction side and on the pressure side of each blade root. Plurality of keys is provided, each key engages with slots in one blade root and with corresponding hub groove so as to axially retain fan blade. The key includes two arms and joining member, two arms are received in slots provided on blade root and joining member extends between the arms. Interface is defined between key arms and slots in blade root, and greater or equal percentage of interface is curved than is planar.

Fan containing fan blades with a U-shaped slot having a decreased length planar section

A method of manufacturing an aerofoil for a gas turbine engine (). The method comprises the steps of providing first and second panels (), providing a web () between the first and second panels, deforming the panels by applying internal pressure between the panels so as to form an internal cavity. The method further includes the step of providing a pattern of ribs () on the web so as to define a aerofoil having first and second panels with at least one rib () forming a protrusion extending from the first panel partially across the space between the first and second panels.

Method of forming an aerofoil with a damping filler

A method of forming an internal structure in a hollow component that includes the steps of forming an assembly having first, second, and third plates the first and second plates each with a substantially planar surface and a surface that includes at least one protrusion and is on the exterior facing surfaces of the assembly. The third plate is sandwiched between the first and second plates. The method also includes the steps of selectively bonding portions of the third plate to sections of the first and second plates substantially opposite the at least one protrusions of the first and second plates; and forming the assembly against a die such that the at least one protrusions of the first and second plates are transferred from the exterior facing surfaces to the interior facing surfaces of the first and second plates.

Method of forming an internal structure in a hollow component

A method of making an aerofoil comprises the steps of providing first and second skin panels and first and second web-forming membranes. The web-forming membranes each have a series of elongate slots formed longitudinally therein so as to define a series of alternating wide and narrow strips. The wide strips of one membrane are arranged against the narrow strips of the other membrane and the skin panels are arranged either side of the two web-forming membranes. Parts of the web-forming membranes and parts of the skin panels are treated with a release layer and the sub-assembly is compressed and heated so as to effect diffusion bonding between those parts of the membranes and skin panels which are not treated with the release layer. The sub-assembly is then heated and inflated so as to draw the first and second skin panels apart and that, in turn, causes the web-forming membranes to form webs internally.

Aerofoil sub-assembly, an aerofoil and a method of making an aerofoil

A method of manufacturing an aerofoil for a gas turbine engine (). The method comprises the steps of providing first and second panels (), providing a web () between the first and second panels, deforming the panels and the web by applying internal pressure between the panels so as to form a series of internal cavities partitioned by the web. The method further includes the step of either cutting the web () across its entire width or causing the web to fail across its entire width so as to define an aerofoil having first and second panels with at least one protrusion extending from the first panel partially across the space between the first and second panels.

Component with a damping filler and method

A method of manufacturing a component, the method including the steps of: providing a component having a first portion, which first portion defines a cavity, characterized by; identifying a first frequency response of the first portion and/or the entire component, and introducing material into the cavity to achieve an adjusted frequency response of the first portion and hence a desired frequency response of the component.

Method of manufacturing a rotor for a gas turbine engine that includes identifying the frequency response of the rotor and adjusting the frequency response by providing a pressure gradient within the rotor

A method of manufacturing a rotating component, the method comprising the providing a component comprising a first portion, which first portion defines a first cavity, characterised by; identifying a first inertial property of the first portion and/or the entire component, introducing material into the first cavity to achieve an adjusted inertial property of the first portion and hence a desired inertial property of the component. A rotating component including a first portion defining a first cavity, a second portion defining a second cavity, the second portion being circumferentially spaced from said first portion, the first cavity has a first material deposit therein, said material having predetermined inertial characteristics so as to adjust the centre of mass (Z) of the rotating component.

Bladed rotor balancing

A component () and method for manufacturing a component. The component comprises first and second panels () spaced apart from each other, the first panel () having at least one protrusion () extending therefrom towards the second panel (). The protrusion () extends partially across the space () between the first and second panels so as to define a free end of the protrusion. The free end is surrounded by damping material ().

Component with a damping filler

A rotor blade, a rotor disc () or load bearing assembly having at least one bearing surface () for contact with a corresponding bearing surface (). At least one selected area of the bearing surface () which, in operation, is an area of alternating stress greater than about 50 MPa (peak to peak), is configured to have a co-efficient of friction lower than the remainder of the bearing surface (). The selected area () having a co-efficient of friction lower than the remainder of the bearing surface () may be provided by the application of a dry film lubricant, with the remaining area(s) () of said bearing surfaces () being substantially free of the said coating.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Keith Christopher Goldfinch