# US 10,865,646 B2 · Turbine assembly with auxiliary wheel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,646 B2 - Document ID: US10865646B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/587,322 - Filed: 2017-05-04 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-04 - Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation - Inventors: Brandon R. Snyder; Michael R. Whitten; James E. Sellhorn; Bradford John Riehle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865646B2 ## CPC - F01D 5/027: {Arrangements for balancing (for balancing rotating bodies in general F16F15/32; for compensating imbalance G01M1/36)} - F01D 5/066: {Connecting means for joining rotor-discs or rotor-elements together, e.g. by a central bolt, by clamps} - F01D 5/3015: {with side plates} - F01D 17/06: responsive to speed - F01D 21/02: Shutting-down responsive to overspeed - F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines - F05D 2230/64: using positioning or alignment devices for aligning or centring, e.g. pins - F05D 2260/30: Retaining components in desired mutual position - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract Various embodiments of the present application provide one or more of: (1) auxiliary wheel that (a) enables accurate speed detection of a turbine disc and/or (b) presents a machining surface for balance correction; and/or (2) techniques for mounting an auxiliary wheel to a rotor, such as a turbine disc. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disc and wheel assembly comprising: (a) a disc comprising: a mount with a circumferential and radially outwardly facing first mounting surface, a plurality of radially outwardly extending mounting pins spaced about a circumference of the first mounting surface; (b) an auxiliary wheel comprising: a circumferential radially inward facing second mounting surface defining a plurality of mounting slots arranged about a circumference of the second mounting surface, wherein the mounting slots extend through a radial thickness of the auxiliary wheel from the second mounting surface to a circumferential radially outward facing surface of the auxiliary wheel, each of the mounting slots comprising an open and axially extending entry portion and a closed and circumferentially extending retaining portion; wherein each of the mounting pins is disposed in one of the mounting slots and extends radially in the one of the mounting slots through the radial thickness of the auxiliary wheel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary wheel is carried by the disc in a predetermined axial and radial alignment, the second mounting surface being in an interference engagement with the first mounting surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein each of the mounting pins is positioned against a closed end of one of the retaining portions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting pins are configured to slide through the entry portions of the mounting slots to reach the retaining portions thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The assembly of claim 4, wherein each mounting pin is radially thicker than each mounting slot. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the mounting slots is T-shaped in the circumferential radially inward facing second mounting surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the mounting slots is L-shaped in the circumferential radially inward facing second mounting surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the mounting pins is box-shaped. ### Claim 9 A method of making a disc and wheel assembly, (a) wherein the disc comprises: a mount with a circumferential and radially outwardly facing first mounting surface, a plurality of radially outwardly extending mounting pins spaced about a circumference of the first mounting surface; (b) wherein the auxiliary wheel comprises: a circumferential radially inward facing second mounting surface defining a plurality of mounting slots arranged about a circumference of the second mounting surface, wherein the mounting slots extend through a radial thickness of the auxiliary wheel from the radially inward facing second mounting surface to a circumferential radially outward facing surface of the auxiliary wheel, each of the mounting slots comprising an open and axially extending entry portion and a closed and circumferentially extending retaining portion; the method comprising: disposing each of the mounting pins in one of the mounting slots such that each of the mounting pins extends radially in the one of the mounting slots through the radial thickness of the auxiliary wheel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, comprising; at least one of: (a) heating the auxiliary wheel to expand the entry portions and (b) cooling the mount to contract the mounting pins; and while the entry portions are expanded or the mounting pins are contracted, disposing each of the mounting pins in one of the mounting slots. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the step of disposing each of the mounting pins in one of the mounting slots comprises: sliding each of the mounting pins through one the entry portions until reaching one of the retaining portions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the step of disposing each of the mounting pins in one of the mounting slots comprises: rotating the auxiliary wheel with respect to the disc to clock the mounting pins away from the entry portions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: allowing the assembly to return to room temperature; wherein after the assembly returns to room temperature, surfaces defining opposing axial ends of each retaining slot bear on the mounting pins to disable circumferential movement of each of the mounting pins within the retaining slots. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: allowing the assembly to return to room temperature; wherein after the assembly returns to room temperature, the first mounting surface is an interference fit relationship with the second mounting surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: slots, at least one of: (a) heating the auxiliary wheel and (b) cooling the mount; performing the step of disposing each of the mounting pins in one of the mounting thereafter, allowing the assembly to return to room temperature; wherein after the assembly returns to room temperature, the first mounting surface is an interference fit relationship with the second mounting surface. ### Claim 16 A disc and wheel assembly comprising: (a) a disc comprising: a mount with a circumferential first mounting surface, (b) an auxiliary wheel comprising: a circumferential second mounting surface wherein one of the disc and the auxiliary wheel comprise a plurality of radially outwardly facing mounting pins and the other of the disc and the auxiliary wheel defines a plurality of mounting slots, wherein the mounting slots extend through a radial thickness of the auxiliary wheel from the radially inward facing second mounting surface to a circumferential radially outward facing surface of the auxiliary wheel; each of the mounting pins being disposed in one of the mounting slots such that each of the mounting pins extends radially in the one of the mounting slots through the radial thickness of the auxiliary wheel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The assembly of claim 16, wherein each mounting slot comprises an open and axially extending entry portion and a closed and circumferentially extending retaining portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The assembly of claim 17, wherein the entry portions perpendicularly intersect the retaining portions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The assembly of claim 18, wherein each of the mounting pins is an interference fit relationship with one of the retaining portions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The assembly of claim 16, wherein the auxiliary wheel is carried by the disc in a predetermined axial and radial alignment, the second mounting surface being in an interference engagement with the first mounting surface.