Rolls-royce Corporation

Michael K Morrison

Terence Valentine Jones

Peter E Wood

Peter A Withers

Christopher Wright

Michael John Agg

The present invention provides a retaining washer for retaining threaded fasteners, such as bolts, that have been inadvertently loosened, in use. The invention finds particular application in gas turbine engines and in aircraft in general where wire locking of threaded fasteners has traditionally been employed. The washer () comprises a base member () having a plurality of apertures () each for receiving the shank of a respective bolt () or stud part of a threaded fastener, and engagement means () extending from the base member for engagement with respective bolt head or nut parts of the fasteners to retain the said head or nut parts with respect to the washer in the event of inadvertent loosening. The said engagement means is deformable between an open configuration which enables access to the bolt head or nut parts of the fasteners for tightening and/or removal thereof and a closed configuration in which the bolt head or nut part are captively retained with the washer.

Retaining washer for threaded fasteners

A brush seal includes a mounting ring that carries radially inwardly directed bristles. A backing member attached to the mounting ring is positioned alongside the bristles. A chamber defined by the bristles and the backing member is pressurized with fluid to counteract the lateral forces imposed upon the bristles by a region of high fluid pressure that they are operationally adjacent. As a result of this balancing of forces, the bristles are free to move radially inward and outward so that their free ends remain in sealing engagement with an adjacent surface.

Brush seal

A brush seal element (14) comprises a mounting ring (20) that carries radially inwardly directed bristles (21). A backing ring (23) attached to the mounting ring (20) is positioned alongside the bristles (21). A chamber (25) defined by the bristles (21) and the backing ring (23) is pressurised with fluid to counteract the lateral forces imposed upon the bristles (21) by a region of high fluid pressure that they are operationally adjacent. As a result of this balancing of forces the bristles (21) are free to move radially inward and outward so that their free ends (22) remain in sealing engagement with an adjacent surface.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Michael K Morrison