General Electric Company

William R Spencer

Dana D Freberg

Edwin K Miller

George R Henry

Elias L Levine

George F Whitley, Jr

A fuel manifold staging valve is provided for use with aircraft engines. A first set of fuel nozzles is associated with a primary manifold, and a second set of fuel nozzles is associated with a secondary manifold. The valve opens on the basis of a constant ratio of fuel flow divided by compressor discharge pressure. The valve detects fuel flow by sensing the pressure drop across the fuel nozzles. This pressure drop is biased by a spring and compared to the compressor discharge pressure. When the ratio is correct for the geometry of the valve, the valve begins to open, allowing fuel to flow to the secondary manifold and associated fuel nozzles.

Fuel manifold staging valve

A butterfly valve comprises a butterfly vane including a radial notch. A seal groove is situated in the vane and a seal including tabs is disposed within the seal groove wherein the tabs are adapted to fit within the notch. The tabs are designed to bear against the sides of the notch. The notch is located on the high pressure side of the butterfly vane and in a position such that the butterfly housing limits the radial motion of the tabs when the valve is in the open position.

Butterfly valve seal retainer

A pneumatic multiplexer including a stator portion adapted to receive multiple inputs. The stator including a plurality of channels therethrough adapted to channel compressible fluid from the inputs to a stator face. The stator portion including arc grooves therein at each of the stator output holes and pressure relief grooves between the arc grooves.

Pneumatic multiplexer

A droop compensated bypass valve for use with a metering system having a high pressure fluid supply line, a metering valve connected to the high pressure supply line, and a low pressure supply line connected to the metering valve. The bypass valve includes a body defining a valve chamber, a piston slidably mounted in the valve chamber and including a head dividing the chamber into high and low pressure volumes, the high pressure volume being connected to the high pressure fluid supply line and the low pressure volume being connected to the low pressure supply line. The valve body includes a bypass line connecting the high pressure volume to a low pressure fluid source. A spring urges the piston toward the high pressure volume against high pressure fluid pressure from the high pressure line to cover and progressively shut off the bypass line. The piston includes an orifice therethrough connecting the high and low pressure volumes, and a diaphragm, connected to the spring, which deflects as the piston is displaced toward the low pressure volume thereby progressively closing the piston orifice such that a pressure diferential across the piston varies with the spring force exerted against the piston, thereby compensating for variations in the force applied by the spring as the piston changes position in the chamber.

Droop compensated bypass valve

A temperature sensor, for measuring the temperature of air flowing in a substantially annular path into a compressor stage of a gas turbine engine, is positioned in proximity to the inner diameter of the annular flow path forward of the compressor stage where the measured temperature of the compressor inlet air is reliable during periods of water ingestion as well as during dry operation.

Turbomachine airflow temperature sensor

A maximum pressure selector device in which a valve ball is pressure actuatable in a chamber intermediate two cooperating valve seats of opposing input chambers. Positioned between the seats is a pair of orifices which connect the intermediate chamber to an output port. The orifices are of a predetermined size for allowing a predetermined maximum fluid flow rate therethrough for reducing surge flow. The valve ball is positioned in an encircling sealing arrangement centrally located in the intermediate chamber and is restricted to limited movement therein. The input chambers communicate with the intermediate chamber and thus with the output port, depending on the seating position of the valving element.

Maximum pressure selector device

An improved drain hole is provided for a pneumatic line of a gas turbine engine. The improvement is essentially comprised of an enlargement that prevents liquid surface tension at the drain hole outer opening from inducing buildup of liquid inside the pneumatic line.

Drain hole

The apparatus includes a first connecting link having a pair of axially opposing ends with one of the ends being coupled through a uniball to a drive portion of an actuator. A second connecting link includes a pair of axially opposing ends. One of the ends of the second connecting link is coupled to a driven portion, e.g., a butterfly valve. Coupling means, including a mating plug and socket, is provided for adjustably coupling the remaining opposing ends of the first and second links. The mating plug includes four sides and one hole disposed eccentrically therethrough and parallel to the sides. The remaining end of the second link includes a socket for mating with the plug. The plug can be mated in eight different rotational positions with respect to the socket. At each of the eight different rotational positions, the eccentric hole is disposed in a position which determines one of a predetermined number of available couplings between the first and second links. The remaining end of the first link includes an opening therethrough for receiving securing means. Securing means in the form of a bolt, including a uniball portion, passes through the eccentric hole and the opening in the first link for operationally securing the first and second links together in one of the predetermined number of couplings. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Adjustable connecting apparatus

An apparatus for detecting and indicating the occurrence of a gas turbine engine stall operates by sensing sudden changes in a selected engine pressure. When a sudden large decrease in the selected engine pressure indicative of a stall is sensed, a visual indication is provided.

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Springdale, OH, United States of America

William R Spencer