Rolls-royce Corporation

Stephen H Watson

Kenneth Franklin Udall

John W Allen

A ducted fan gas turbine engine comprises a fan mounted on a first shaft and a compressor mounted on a second shaft The shafts are coaxial both with each other and with said engine longitudinal axis The shafts are mounted in roller bearings The first bearing carrying the upstream part of the first shaft and the second bearing carrying the upstream part of the second shaft. Both bearings are attached to a structure which comprises an axial sleeve and a front frustoconical portion and a rear radially stiff but axially flexible frustoconical portion and is attached to the engine casing The front frustoconical portion is frangibly attached to the front part of the axial sleeve In the event of damage to the fan the frangible connection breaks and the first shaft is allowed to orbit about the engine longitudinal axis The rear member is swashingly non-linear flexible and accommodates the out of balance radial loads transferred to it as couples during such an incident.

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Derby, United Kingdom

Stephen H Watson