US 10,954,823 B2 · Adjustable locking block assembly for a toothed gear and methods of using same

Abstract

A block assembly for locking a toothed gear housed in a frame includes a body shaped to couple to a portion of the frame adjacent to the gear for translation in a first direction parallel to an axis of the gear, and a locking block coupled to the body that includes at least one locking tooth shaped complementary to at least one gear tooth of the gear. The block assembly further includes an adjustment mechanism operable, when the body is coupled to the frame, to move the locking block in a second direction that is substantially orthogonal the axis of the gear, such that at least one locking tooth is received between a circumferentially spaced pair of the gear teeth to prevent movement of the toothed gear.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A block assembly for use in locking a toothed gear in position within a frame, said block assembly comprising:

a body comprising a first portion configured to slidably couple to a portion of the frame adjacent to the gear for translation in a first direction parallel to an axis of the gear;
a locking block coupled to a second portion of said body, said locking block comprising at least one locking tooth shaped complementary to at least one gear tooth of the gear;
and
an adjustment mechanism operable, when said body is coupled to the frame, to selectively move said locking block in a second direction that is substantially orthogonal to the axis of the gear, such that said at least one locking tooth is received between a circumferentially spaced pair of the gear teeth to prevent movement of the gear.

1 more element

A method of locking a toothed gear relative to a frame, said method comprising:

coupling a body of an adjustable locking block assembly to a portion of the frame proximate the gear, wherein the locking block assembly includes a locking block and at least one locking tooth shaped complementary to at least one tooth of the gear;
operating an adjustment mechanism to selectively move the locking block in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the gear, such that the at least one locking tooth is positioned between a pair of circumferentially spaced gear teeth;
and
selectively positioning the body along the frame in a first direction that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the gear, such that the at least one locking tooth engages the gear to prevent movement of the gear,
wherein said coupling the body to the portion of the frame proximate the gear comprises one of:
coupling the body to the portion of the frame proximate a turning gear of a steam turbine;
and coupling the body to an edge of a window defined in the steam turbine.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/473,973Filed 27 Dec 2016

Published

US 2019/0345846 A114 Nov 2019

Granted

23 Mar 2021

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

F01D 25/34
Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from, other groups: turning or inching gear
B23F 23/08
Accessories or equipment combined with or arranged in, or specially designed to form part of, gear-cutting machines: index mechanisms
B23Q 3/06
For mounting on a work-table, tool-slide, or analogous part: work-clamping means
B23Q 3/12
Devices holding, supporting, or positioning work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine: for securing to a spindle in general

Adjustable locking block assembly for a toothed gear and methods of using same

Life of this patent

Adjustable locking block assembly for a toothed gear and methods of using same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19