General Electric Company

Thomas P Joseph

Timothy Leo Schelfaut

Jonathan Edward Coleman

Anthony Michael Metz

Hahn M Spofford

Kudum Shinde

James Edward Cencula

Donald L Bellia

Mahesh Shenvi Khandeparker

Laurence Seelen

John Alan Manteiga

Thomas G Wakeman

Donald Lee Gardner

Charles Stanley Orkiszewski

Michael Harvey Schneider

Gregg Hunt Wilson

Christopher James Wilusz

Cornelius Harm Dykhuizen

Frederick W Tegarden

Brian Michael Dixon

Ethan Boger

Robert Eugene Troup

Lawrence Jerome Meyer

Anthony John Franceschelli

Michael C Borner

Stefan K Fox

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An apparatus for mounting a gas turbine engine to a pylon includes: a thrust link coupled to the gas turbine engine and an aft mount, the gas turbine engine coupled to the pylon via a forward mount and the aft mount, a bending restraint having a first end and a second end, the bending restraint including an actuator positioned at the first end to apply a force to a fan section of the gas turbine engine, a first joint positioned at the first end of the bending restraint, the first joint coupled to the first end of the bending restraint and the fan section, and a second joint positioned at the second end of the bending restraint, the second joint coupled to the second end of the bending restraint.

Engine backbone bending reduction

A control system and methods for controlling the position of one or more engine-mounting links of an engine-mounting linkage system are provided. In one aspect, an engine-mounting linkage system includes one or more engine-mounting links that each have an adjustable inclination angle. An inclination angle of a link may be adjusted by an actuator of the control system. One or more controllers of the control system can control the actuator and thus the inclination angle of the link by determining a control command based at least in part on an output received from one or more sensors of the control system. The controllers can then cause the actuator to change the inclination angle of the link based at least in part on the determined control command.

Control system and methods of controlling an engine-mounting link system

Engine-mounting linkage systems may include a plurality of engine mounting links configured to couple an engine frame to an engine support structure of an aircraft. The plurality of engine-mounting links may include a forward link that is connectable to a forward frame portion of the engine frame and the engine support structure, and an aft link that is connectable to an aft frame portion of the engine frame and the engine support structure. The engine mounting linkage system may include an actuator that is connectable to the engine support structure and one of the plurality of engine-mounting links, or to the engine support structure and the engine frame. The actuator, when actuated, changes an inclination angle θ of at least one of the plurality of engine-mounting links.

Engine-mounting links that have an adjustable inclination angle

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to methods and apparatus for gas turbine bending isolation. An example mechanical interface to couple a first section of a gas turbine to a second section of the gas turbine, the mechanical interface comprising a first mating surface disposed on the first section, and a second mating surface disposed on the second section and circumferentially around the first mating surface, wherein the coupling of the first mating surface to the second mating surface enables the first section to rotate about the mechanical interface during operation of the gas turbine.

Methods and apparatus for gas turbine bending isolation

Bearings with visually distinct wear indicators are disclosed. An example bearing disclosed herein includes a movable portion, a race to receive the movable portion along a first surface to thereby permit movement of the movable portion within the race, and a liner disposed on the first surface of the race, the liner having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer disposed on top of the second layer, the first layer visually distinctive from the second layer.

Bearings with visually distinct wear indicators

An aircraft and propulsion system are provided. The aircraft includes an airframe including one or more of a fuselage, a wing, or an empennage. The aircraft includes an aircraft propulsion system including a front frame and an aft frame. A front mount link is connected to the airframe and the front frame, and the aft frame is selectively connected to the airframe by an aft mount link.

Aircraft and propulsion engine mount system

A connection assembly for mounting an engine to a mounting structure. The engine is rotatable about an axis of rotation and defines an axial direction extending along the axis of rotation from a forward end to an aft end. The engine has a center of gravity. The connection assembly includes: an engine coupling piece coupled to the engine; and a connection piece connecting the engine coupling piece and the mounting structure, the connection piece being inclined toward the axial direction. A mounting system including the connection assembly is also described.

Connection assembly for mounting engine and engine mounting system comprising the same

A link for use in an aircraft engine mounting system includes a span section having a first connector formed (at one end thereof and a second connector formed at another end thereof. A lumped mass is disposed on the span section for placing the resonant frequency of the link away from engine excitation frequencies.

Link component for aircraft engine mounting systems

An aircraft engine thrust mount includes a pair of spaced apart thrust links pivotally joined at one end to an engine first frame and at opposite ends to a lever. A platform is fixedly joined to an aircraft pylon and includes first and second spaced apart clevises and a center clevis therebetween. The center clevis is pivotally joined to a center of the lever for carrying thrust force from the first frame through both thrust links and to the platform and pylon during normal operation. A pair of pins pivotally join the thrust links to the lever and extend through apertures in the platform first and second clevises to define predetermined gaps therebetween for allowing the lever to rotate relative to the platform center clevis up to a predetermined angular rotation. In a failure mode of operation the pins contact the platform first and second clevises for transmitting thereto either tension or compression thrust loads for providing an alternate failsafe loadpath. In a preferred embodiment, the platform further includes an aft mount joined to an engine second frame spaced aft of the engine first frame.

Aircraft engine thrust mount

An aircraft engine mount includes an annular casing fixedly disposed in the engine, a mounting platform spaced radially outwardly from the casing and fixedly joinable to an aircraft pylon, and a pair of circumferentially spaced apart links pivotally joined to the platform and the casing at respective radially outer and inner joints. The inner joints are circumferentially spaced closer together than the outer joints so that the intersection point of the longitudinal axes of the two links is disposed radially below the two links themselves for reducing lateral deflection of the casing relative to the engine mount.

Aircraft engine forward mount

An aircraft engine mount includes a frame fixedly joined in a gas turbine engine and a platform fixedly joined to an aircraft wing or tail pylon. A first beam is pivotally joined to the frame and the platform at first and second joints, respectively. The first beam is additionally joined to the platform at a third joint which allows longitudinal movement between the first beam and the platform at the third joint while preventing rotation of the first beam. A second beam is spaced from the first beam and is pivotally joined to the frame and platform at fourth and fifth joints, respectively, and is additionally joined to the platform at a sixth joint for allowing limited rotation of the second beam during normal operation while preventing rotation of the second beam upon a failure of the first beam to carry load.

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, OH, United States of America

Thomas P Joseph