# US 11,994,074 B2 · Fan drive gear system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,074 B2 - Document ID: US11994074B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/068,660 - Filed: 2022-12-20 - Published: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-24 - Assignees: Rtx Corporation - Applicants: RTX Corporation - Inventors: Gary D. Roberge; Michael E. McCune; William G. Sheridan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994074B2 ## CPC - F02C 7/36: Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) - F01D 25/16: Arrangement of bearings; Supporting or mounting bearings in casings (bearings per se F16C) - F05D 2260/40311: of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type - F05D 2260/98: Lubrication - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - 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 A gas turbine engine includes a propulsor section and a speed change mechanism for driving the propulsor section. The speed change mechanism is an epicyclic gear train. A torque frame includes a ring and a plurality of fingers extending from the ring with the plurality of fingers surrounding the speed change mechanism. A bearing support is attached to the plurality of fingers. A first propulsor section support bearing is mounted on a first axial side of the speed change mechanism and a second propulsor section support bearing is mounted on the bearing support on a second axial side of the speed change mechanism. The second propulsor section support bearing is a propulsor thrust bearing. Each of the plurality of fingers include a pin opening with a pin extending through the pin opening and into the epicyclic gear train. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas turbine engine comprising: a propulsor section; a speed change mechanism for driving the propulsor section, wherein the speed change mechanism is an epicyclic gear train; a torque frame including a ring and a plurality of fingers extending from the ring with the plurality of fingers surrounding the speed change mechanism; a bearing support attached to the plurality of fingers; and a first propulsor section support bearing mounted on a first axial side of the speed change mechanism and a second propulsor section support bearing mounted on the bearing support on a second axial side of the speed change mechanism, wherein the second propulsor section support bearing is a propulsor thrust bearing; wherein each of the plurality of fingers include a pin opening with a pin extending through the pin opening and into the epicyclic gear train. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the epicyclic gear train includes a carrier pin opening for accepting the pin. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gas turbine engine of claim 2, wherein the carrier pin opening is located in groove in the carrier that corresponds to one of the plurality of fingers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the propulsor thrust bearing engages a gas turbine static structure on a radially outer side and the bearing support a radially inner side with the radially outer side and the radially inner side relative to a central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The gas turbine engine of claim 4, wherein the bearing support is attached to distal ends of the plurality of fingers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the epicyclic gear train is a planetary gear system including a sun gear in communication with a propulsor drive turbine and a planet carrier in communication with the propulsor section and the bearing support is attached to distal ends of the plurality of fingers and is axially spaced from the planet carrier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The gas turbine engine of claim 6, wherein the torque frame includes a first end for engaging the propulsor section and second end supporting the second propulsor section support bearing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of fingers include at least one groove and the bearing support includes a plurality of tangs that engage a corresponding one of the at least one groove. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gas turbine engine of claim 8, wherein the at least one groove is located on a radially inner side of a corresponding one of the plurality of fingers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the speed change mechanism is at least partially axially aligned with a compressor section and distal ends of the plurality of fingers are spaced from a planet carrier of the epicyclic gear train. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising a high pressure compressor with a compression ratio of approximately 20:1 or greater and a propulsor bypass ratio of approximately 10 or greater. ### Claim 12 A speed change mechanism for a gas turbine engine comprising: a planetary gear system including a planet carrier supporting a plurality of planet gears; a torque frame including a ring and a plurality of fingers extending from the ring and surrounding the speed change mechanism; and a bearing support attached to distal ends of the plurality of fingers for supporting a fan section support bearing; wherein each of the plurality of fingers include a pin opening with a pin extending through the pin opening and into the speed change mechanism. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mechanism of claim 12, wherein the planetary gear system includes a sun gear in communication with a propulsor drive turbine and the planet carrier is in communication with the propulsor section and the plurality of fingers engage grooves in radially outermost surface of the planet carrier of the speed change mechanism. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The mechanism of claim 12, wherein the plurality of fingers engage grooves in the planet carrier of the speed change mechanism, a distal end of each of the plurality of fingers includes a radially inward facing groove for accepting a tang on the bearing support and the bearing support forms a ring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The mechanism of claim 14, including a propulsor thrust bearing having a radially inner side attached to the bearing support and configured to rotate at the same speed and in the same direction as the bearing support. ### Claim 16 A method of assembling a gas turbine engine comprising: supporting a propulsor section on a first propulsor section support bearing located on a first axial side of a speed change mechanism wherein the speed change mechanism is a planetary gear system supported by a torque frame having a ring and a plurality of fingers extending from the ring and distal ends of the plurality of fingers are attached to a bearing support; supporting the propulsor section on a second propulsor section support bearing attached to the bearing support located on a second axial side of the speed change mechanism; and connecting the plurality of fingers on the torque frame to the speed change mechanism with a pin extending through each of the plurality of fingers into the speed change mechanism. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the speed change mechanism includes a carrier pin opening for accepting the pin. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the torque frame includes a first end for engaging the propulsor section and a second end attached to the bearing support for supporting the second propulsor section support bearing and the bearing support includes a plurality of tangs that each engages a groove on a corresponding one of the plurality of fingers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the gas turbine engine includes a low speed spool, an intermediate spool, and a high speed spool and a low pressure compressor including at least one compressor stage and no more than five compressor stages. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising supporting a propulsor section and a low pressure compressor on the first propulsor section support bearing, wherein the planetary gear system includes a planet carrier and the bearing support is axially spaced from the planet carrier and is rotatable relative to the plurality of fingers and the planet carrier.