Turbine engine and stator vane pitch adjustment system therefor
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsAaron David Williamson, Harry McFarland Jarrett, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A turbine engine is provided. The turbine engine includes a plurality of first stator vanes, a plurality of second stator vanes, and a pitch adjustment system coupled to the first stator vanes and the second stator vanes. The pitch adjustment system includes a pivot shaft, a first linkage, and a second linkage. The pivot shaft has a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first linkage is coupled to the first stator vanes on the first side of the pivot shaft. The second linkage coupled to the second stator vanes on the second side of the pivot shaft.
Claims13
A turbine engine comprising:
- a rotor shaft;
- a plurality of first stator vanes circumferentially spaced about said rotor shaft;
- a plurality of second stator vanes circumferentially spaced about said rotor shaft;
- and
- a pitch adjustment system coupled to said first stator vanes and said second stator vanes, said pitch adjustment system comprising
- a first ring that circumscribes said rotor shaft and that includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced datum features, said first ring coupled between a first linkage and said first stator vanes, said first linkage comprising:
- a foot selectively coupled to said first ring at one of said datum features for indexing said foot circumferentially along said first ring;
- and
- a first segment, a second segment, and a bridge coupling said first segment to said second segment, said foot separate from said bridge;
- a second ring that circumscribes said rotor shaft, said second ring coupled between a second linkage and said second stator vanes;
- and
- a pivot shaft including a first side and a second side opposite said first side, said first linkage coupled to said first stator vanes on said first side of said pivot shaft, said second linkage coupled to said second stator vanes on said second side of said pivot shaft, said bridge is positioned on said second side of said pivot shaft and said foot is positioned on said first side of said pivot shaft.
A pitch adjustment system for a turbine engine having a plurality of first stator vanes and a plurality of second stator vanes, each plurality circumscribing a rotor shaft, said pitch adjustment system comprising:
- a pivot shaft having a first side and a second side opposite said first side;
- a first linkage coupled to said pivot shaft for coupling said first linkage to the first stator vanes on said first side of said pivot shaft, a first stator vane ring circumscribes said rotor shaft and is coupled between said first linkage and said first stator vanes, said first linkage comprising a foot selectively coupled to said first stator vane ring at one of a plurality of datum features for indexing said foot circumferentially along said first stator vane ring, said foot extending radially outwardly from a radially outward surface of the first stator vane ring;
- a bridge positioned on said second side of said pivot shaft, said foot is positioned on said first side of said pivot shaft;
- and
- a second linkage coupled to said pivot shaft for coupling said second linkage to the second stator vanes on said second side of said pivot shaft, a second stator vane ring circumscribes said rotor shaft and is coupled between said second linkage and said second stator vanes.
A method for setting a pitch adjustment system of a turbine engine, said method comprising:
- selectively coupling a foot of a linkage to a radially outer surface of a first stator vane ring at a first of a plurality of datum features for indexing said foot circumferentially along the first stator vane ring, the first stator vane ring including a first segment, a second segment, and a bridge coupling the first segment to the second segment;
- decoupling the foot from said first stator vane ring at the first datum feature of said first stator vane ring;
- and
- recoupling the foot to the first stator vane ring at a second datum feature of the first stator vane ring, wherein the second datum feature is circumferentially spaced apart from the first datum feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.