The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 27, 1994
Filed:
Feb. 03, 1993
John J Ciokajlo, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Michael T O'Brien, Cincinnati, OH (US);
General Electric Company, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
A method and assembly are effective for air-starting an aircraft gas turbine engine having a fan powered by a low pressure turbine through a first shaft, and a compressor powered by a high pressure turbine through a second shaft disposed coaxially therewith. A gear train is selectively operatively joined between the first and second shafts by selectively engaging a first clutch for transmitting torque through the first clutch only in one direction from the first shaft to the second shaft when the fan is windmilling for driving the second shaft to allow an air-start of the gas turbine engine during flight. In a preferred embodiment, a second clutch is operatively joined to the gear train and is selectively engageable at speeds of the second shaft below a predetermined release speed, and disengageable at the release speed and above for disconnecting the air-start assembly once the engine has been started.