Turbine blade air seal, side grinder

Abstract

Disclosed is a machine for refinishing the side surfaces of air seal flanges which are located at the extremities of turbine blades and which have been resurfaced by welding. The machine comprises a pair of cutting belts arranged to have portions of their cutting surfaces juxtaposed and facing each other at a work-performing station, on a bench or table. The belts are power driven, and at the work-performing station pass between a pair of pivotally mounted pressure shoes which can be actuated by the machine operator to press against the back surfaces of the belts, so as to bring the belt cutting surfaces closer together. On the machine bench there is a movable slide, to which a turbine blade can be clamped in a manner to advance and place the built-up air seal flange thereof between the spaced-apart cutting belts at the work-performing station. A guide on the machine bench facilitates the positioning of the turbine blade seal between the belts. The pressure shoes are pivotally actuated by handles which are manipulated by the machine operator in a manner that the shoes can apply pressure to, and laterally shift the cutting belts against the opposite sides of the built-up air seal. This removes the excess metal from both sides of the seal simultaneously. Adjustable stops on the bench limit the extent of pivoting movement of the pressure shoes, and thus determine the amount of material which must be removed from the side surfaces of the seal flanges.