Rolls-royce Corporation

Martyn Richards

Kenneth Franklin Udall

Alan Robert Maguire

David Michael Beaven

David S Knott

John W Allen

Richard Geoffrey Stretton

Nicholas Howarth

Christopher Freeman

Glenn A Knight

Andrew Swift

David Edwards

William B Wright

John R Whurr

Peter G Farrar

David C Butt

Jonathan P Throssell

Geoffrey E Kirk

Michael J King

A gas turbine engine fan blade apparatus is disclosed comprising a reverse pitch rotatable mounting and an aerofoil part. The aerofoil part comprises radially inner and radially outer portions that are separated by an interface extending from a leading edge of the aerofoil part to a trailing edge of the aerofoil part. The reverse pitch rotatable mounting locates the radially inner and radially outer portions with respect to one another. The reverse pitch rotatable mounting and separation at the interface permit relative pitch change rotation between the radially inner and radially outer portions such that one of the radially inner and radially outer portions is rotatable to a reverse pitch configuration by comparison with the other portion.

Fan blade apparatus

An epicyclic gearbox oil scavenge arrangement. The epicyclic gearbox is of the planetary or differential type and comprises an input sun gear (); a plurality of planet gears () that mesh with the sun gear () and are driven therefrom; an annular planet carrier () that couples the planet gears () in known relative orientation and is configured to precess around the sun gear (); and a ring gear () that meshes with each planet gear (). The ring gear () comprises ejection apertures () that extend radially therethrough and the planet carrier () comprises at least one lobe () that extends radially from the periphery of the planet carrier.

Oil scavenge arrangement

A selective rotation arrangement for a shaft, the arrangement including a housing mountable spaced from the shaft and an engagement member with distal and proximal ends which is selectively movable relative to the housing towards or away from the shaft between an operating position towards the shaft and a rest position clear of the shaft, the engagement member having a gear member at the distal end thereof which is engageable with the shaft in the operating position to permit turning of the shaft by the engagement member, but is disengaged from the shaft in the rest position.

Rotation arrangement

In prop fan and contra fan gas turbine engines particularly utilized with regard to pusher configurations towards the aft of an aircraft, there is a significant problem with regard to debris and bird strikes resulting in particulate matter which may damage the engine thrust core. By providing an inlet rotor which fragments and creates a centrifugal aspect to the inlet flow, particulate matter can be directed to a bypass chute normally in the form of an annular section extending into a number of chute exits. In such circumstances, the particulate matter is removed continuously from the inlet flow and the chutes are normally angled to project any particulate matter towards propellers of the engine at robust positions.

Engine

Disparities between optimum engine thrust for aircraft operation and power necessary to drive an ancillary machine such an electrical power generator can cause problems within a turbine engine. Clearly, it is necessary to continue developing sufficient electrical power for control and other systems within an aircraft despite aircraft thrust requirements. Previously, some compressed air flow has been bypassed in order to maintain compressor stability, but unfortunately such bypass systems within turbine engines can have a thrust recovery regime such that there is excess thrust in comparison with that actually necessary. In accordance with the present invention, a proportion of the compressed air flow is bled directly through a bleed path to an exhaust nozzleof an engine such that the compressor core can continue to provide work to drive an ancillary machine whilst engine thrust is limited to that actually required, achieving a significant saving in terms of fuel consumption and wear and tear upon brakes, etc under low power operation.

Turbine engine and a method of operating a turbine engine

In certain circumstances recovery of a fluid flow presented through a heat exchanger into another flow can create problems with respect to drag and loss of thrust. In gas turbine engines heat exchangers are utilized for providing cooling of other flows such as in relation to compressor air taken from the core of the engine and utilized for cabin ventilation and de-icing functions. By providing an outlet valve through an outlet duct in a wall of a housing the exhaust fluid flow from the heat exchanger can be returned to the by-pass flow with reduced drag effects whilst recovering thrust. The valve may take the form of a flap displaceable into the by-pass flow before an exit plan to create a reduction in static pressure drawing fluid flow through the heat exchanger.

Heat exchanger arrangement

A power transmission arrangement comprises a first power transmission member connectable to a first main shaft of an engine. The arrangement also includes a second power transmission member connectable to a second main shaft of the engine and to a third power transmission member. A coupling assembly is provided which has a selectable coupling condition to couple the first power transmission member to the second power transmission member to allow power to be transmitted from the third power transmission member to the first main shaft of the engine via the first power transmission member. The coupling assembly has a decoupling condition to decouple the first power transmission member from the second power transmission member to allow power to be transmitted from the main shaft of the engine to the third power transmission member via the second power transmission member.

Power transmission arrangement

A blade arrangement for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blades mounted for rotation on a disc so as to extend radially therefrom and a retention member, the retention member including an attachment portion which is attached to the disc and an abutment portion for resisting forward axial movement of at least one of the blades relative to the disc. The blade arrangement further comprises restraint means spaced from the attachment portion of the retention member, for substantially preventing radially outward movement of the abutment portion of the retention member when a forward axial force is applied by the blade to the abutment portion.

Blade arrangement for gas turbine engine

A ducted fan gas turbine has a fan shaft which is supported at its upstream end by a bearing. In the event of damage to the engine's fan, frangible bolts fracture to permit radial movement of the shaft. That movement is limited by the sequential engagement of the outer race of the bearing with first and second movement limiting portions on fixed structure of the engine. This alters the natural frequency of vibration of the fan, so permitting the fan to windmill without excessive vibration.

Ducted fan gas turbine engine

A gas turbine engine has an assembly of circumferentially spaced rotor blades each having a radial tip. A plurality of seal segments mounted for radial movement circumscribe the rotor blades. Each segment is connected to the casing through a seal carrier provided with a flexible membrane which divides high pressure air from low pressure into two channels.

Gas turbine engine cooling apparatus

A ducted fan gas turbine engine is provided with a fan which is carried by a shaft. A frangible fuse ring maintains the shaft carrying the fan coaxial with the engine longitudinal axis. In the event of severe fan damage, the fuse ring (28) fractures and the fan shaft orbits about the engine longitudinal axis. A pair of threaded members (39, 41), one of which is of generally frusto-conical configuration, cooperate as a result of the orbiting motion to restore the coaxial relationship between the fan shaft and the engine longitudinal axis.

Ducted fan gas turbine engine having a frangible connection

A bladed rotor has blades fitted in grooves around its rim. The blades are prevented from making significant movement lengthways of their grooves by abutment members which are so formed as to enable fitting and removal without the use of special tooling.

Rotor blade axial retention assembly

A rotor disc which is suitable for carrying the fan blades of a ducted fan gas turbine engine is constituted by two sub-discs which are maintained in axially spaced apart relationship by a plurality of spacer members. The spacer members are generally axially extending and at least partially define the operational air flow path over the disc.

Gas turbine engine rotary disc

A stage of fan blades in a ducted fan gas turbine engine have the spaces between them filled by a rotary annulus wall filler which has a leading portion made from metal and a trailing portion made from a composite material. The metal portion resists the impact damage from the ingress of foreign bodies and the trailing portion provides a lighter structure.

Gas turbine engine fan blade assembly

In an accessory drive unit e.g. as used in a gas turbine engine, some of the gears in a gear train are provided with pockets 20 in which drainage oil is collected on engine shut down. On re-starting of the engine, the collected oil is acted upon by ribs 16 and is flung onto the teeth of the gears so as to provide immediate lubrication, rather than experience a delay until main lubricant supply pressure is increased. Friction and wear on start up is reduced.

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Burton on Trent, United Kingdom

Martyn Richards