# US 11,028,709 B2 · Airfoil shroud assembly using tenon with externally threaded stud and nut

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- Number: US 11,028,709 B2
- Document ID: US11028709B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/134,344
- Filed: 2018-09-18
- Published: 2020-03-19
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-18
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Vasantharuban Subramanian; Ronald Denmark; Prem Navin Dhayanandam; Richard Gutta; Sanjeev Kumar Jha
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028709B2

## CPC

- F01D 9/042: {fixing blades to stators (fixing stator-rings in the casing or to each other F01D25/246)}
- F01D 25/28: Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing
- F05D 2240/12: Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
- F05D 2250/281: threaded
- F05D 2260/31: Retaining bolts or nuts
- 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

An airfoil and shroud assembly includes an airfoil including a root end, a free end and a tenon extending from the free end, the tenon including a base and an externally threaded stud extending from the base. A shroud includes an opening configured to receive the base of the tenon. A nut is configured to be threadably coupled to the externally threaded stud on the tenon on the airfoil to couple the shroud to the airfoil.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An assembly, comprising:
an airfoil body including a root end, a free end and a tenon extending from the free end, the tenon including a base and an externally threaded stud extending from the base, wherein the base of the tenon is wider than the externally threaded stud;
a shroud including an opening configured to receive the base of the tenon;
a nut configured to be threadably coupled to the externally threaded stud on the tenon on the airfoil body to couple the shroud to the airfoil body, the nut including an integral washer; and
a bushing having a first internal opening to receive the base of the tenon and for concentrically positioning the base of the tenon within the opening in the shroud, a second internal opening allowing the externally threaded stud to pass therethrough, wherein the first internal opening is wider than the second internal opening, and an external surface configured to engage an inner surface of the opening in the shroud, wherein the bushing has a radially outer surface having a diameter the same as a diameter of the integral washer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the root end is configured to be coupled to an outer casing of a turbomachine, and the free end extends radially inward toward a rotor of the turbomachine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the shroud includes a plurality of the openings, each opening configured to receive the base of the tenon of a respective airfoil body.

### Claim 4

A vane for a turbomachine, the vane comprising:
an airfoil body including a free end and a root end, the root end configured to be mounted to an outer casing of the turbomachine;
a tenon extending from a free end of the airfoil body, the tenon including a base configured to be received in an opening in a shroud and an externally threaded stud extending from the base, wherein the base of the tenon is wider than the externally threaded stud;
a nut configured to be threadably coupled to the externally threaded stud on the tenon on the airfoil body to couple the shroud to the airfoil body, the nut including an integral washer; and
a bushing having a first internal opening to receive the base of the tenon and for concentrically positioning the base of the tenon within the opening in the shroud, a second internal opening allowing the externally threaded stud to pass therethrough, wherein the first internal opening is wider than the second internal opening, and an external surface configured to engage an inner surface of the opening in the shroud, wherein the bushing has a radially outer surface having a diameter the same as a diameter of the integral washer.

### Claim 5

An assembly, comprising:
a vane including an airfoil body including a root end, a free end and a tenon extending from the free end, wherein the root end is configured to be coupled to an outer casing of a turbomachine, and the free end extends radially inward toward a rotor of the turbomachine, and wherein the tenon includes a base and an externally threaded stud extending from the base, wherein the base of the tenon is wider than the externally threaded stud;
a shroud including an opening;
a bushing having a first internal opening to receive the base of the tenon and for concentrically positioning the base of the tenon within the opening in the shroud, a second internal opening allowing the externally threaded stud to pass therethrough, wherein the first internal opening is wider than the second internal opening, and an external surface configured to engage an inner surface of the opening in the shroud; and
a nut configured to be threadably coupled to the externally threaded stud on the tenon on the airfoil body to couple the shroud to the airfoil, the nut including an integral washer, wherein the bushing has a radially outer surface having a diameter the same as a diameter of the integral washer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The assembly of claim 5, wherein the vane includes a plurality of vanes, and the shroud includes a plurality of the openings, each opening configured to receive the base of the tenon of a respective airfoil body of a respective vane.