# US 12,000,292 B1 · Systems and methods for multi-dimensional variable vane stage rigging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,292 B1 - Document ID: US12000292B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/091,884 - Filed: 2022-12-30 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-30 - Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc. - Applicants: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc. - Inventors: Ryan Humes; Andrew Eifert; Paulo Bazan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000292B1 ## CPC - F01D 17/162: {for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line (F01D17/167 takes precedence)} - F05D 2240/128: Nozzles - F05D 2260/50: Kinematic linkage, i.e. transmission of 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 A vane adjustment assembly includes a plurality of vanes, an annular ring coupled to the vanes, and a ring adjustment assembly. The ring adjustment assembly includes a base plate coupled to the ring and having a recess, a first collar removably arranged within the recess and having a cavity formed therein, a second collar removably arranged within the cavity, and a roller pin fixedly coupled to the second collar. The cavity is offset relative to the first collar and roller pin is offset relative to the second collar. The first collar can be selectively arranged at rotational positions within the recess and the second collar can be selectively arranged at rotational positions within the cavity such that the roller pin can be positioned at distinct positions each corresponding to a rotational position of the first collar and a rotational position of the second collar. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vane adjustment assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising a plurality of vanes extending radially outward relative to a central axis of the gas turbine engine, an annular ring arranged radially outward of the central axis and coupled to the plurality of vanes, and a ring adjustment assembly including (i) a base plate coupled to the annular ring and having a recess formed in a radially outer surface of the base plate opposite the annular ring, (ii) a first collar that is cylindrical and removably arranged within the recess, the first collar having a first cylindrical cavity formed therein and opening radially outwardly, (iii) a second collar that is cylindrical and removably arranged within the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar, and (iv) a roller pin fixedly coupled to a radially outer surface of the second collar, wherein a first central axis of the first cylindrical cavity is offset from a second central axis of the first collar and a third central axis of the roller pin is offset from a fourth central axis of the second collar, and wherein the first collar is configured to be selectively arranged at a plurality of rotational positions within the recess and the second collar is configured to be selectively arranged at a plurality of rotational positions within the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar such that the roller pin is configured to be positioned at a plurality of distinct roller pin positions each corresponding to a rotational position of the first collar and a rotational position of the second collar. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 1, wherein the first collar is fixed relative to the recess when arranged within the recess, and wherein the second collar is fixed relative to the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar when the second collar is arranged within the first cylindrical cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 2, wherein the recess is cylindrical, and wherein an inner circumferential surface defining the recess corresponds to an outer circumferential surface of the first collar such that the first collar may be arranged at the plurality of rotational positions within the recess. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 3, wherein a portion of the inner circumferential surface defining the recess includes a first plurality of grooves formed therein, wherein the outer circumferential surface of the first collar includes a first plurality of teeth formed thereon, and wherein the first plurality of teeth of the first collar are configured to engage with the first plurality of grooves of the recess when the first collar is arranged within the recess so as to fix the first collar in a rotational position relative to the recess. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 4, wherein the first collar includes the first plurality of teeth around an entirety of the outer circumferential surface of the first collar. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 3, wherein an inner circumferential surface defining the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar includes a second plurality of grooves formed therein, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the second collar includes a second plurality of teeth formed thereon, and wherein the second plurality of teeth of the second collar are configured to engage with the second plurality of grooves of the first cylindrical cavity when the second collar is arranged within the first cylindrical cavity so as to fix the second collar in a rotational position relative to the first cylindrical cavity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 6, wherein the first cylindrical cavity includes the second plurality of grooves around an entirety of the inner circumferential surface defining the first cylindrical cavity, and wherein the second collar includes the second plurality of teeth around an entirety of the outer circumferential surface of the second collar. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 2, wherein the roller pin is selectively movably coupled to a casing of the gas turbine engine such that movement of the roller pin relative to the casing further adjusts a position of the annular ring relative to the casing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 8, wherein the roller pin is selectively movably coupled to the casing via a cam plate that is slidably coupled to the casing and slidable relative to the casing, and wherein the cam plate includes at least one slot within which the roller pin is slidably arranged. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 9, wherein sliding of the cam plate relative to the casing in an axial direction causes the roller pin to slidably move within the at least one slot and further adjusts the position of the annular ring relative to the casing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 10, wherein the roller pin includes a roller pin head configured to be slidably arranged within the at least one slot and engage with edges of the at least one slot. ### Claim 12 A vane adjustment assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising an annular ring arranged radially outward of a central axis of the gas turbine engine and coupled to a plurality of vanes, and a ring adjustment assembly including (i) a first collar removably arranged within a recess formed in the annular ring, the first collar having a first cylindrical cavity eccentrically formed therein, (ii) a second collar removably arranged within the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar, and (iii) a roller pin eccentrically arranged on the second collar, wherein the first collar is configured to be selectively arranged at a plurality of rotational positions within the recess and the second collar is configured to be selectively arranged at a plurality of rotational positions within the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar such that the roller pin is configured to be positioned at a plurality of distinct roller pin positions each corresponding to a rotational position of the first collar and a rotational position of the second collar. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 12, wherein the first collar is fixed relative to the recess when arranged within the recess, and wherein the second collar is fixed relative to the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar when the second collar is arranged within the first cylindrical cavity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 13, wherein the recess is cylindrical, and wherein an inner circumferential surface defining the recess corresponds to an outer circumferential surface of the first collar such that the first collar may be arranged at the plurality of rotational positions within the recess. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 14, wherein a portion of the inner circumferential surface defining the recess includes a first plurality of grooves formed therein, wherein the outer circumferential surface of the first collar includes a first plurality of teeth formed thereon, and wherein the first plurality of teeth of the first collar are configured to engage with the first plurality of grooves of the recess when the first collar is arranged within the recess so as to fix the first collar in a rotational position relative to the recess. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 15, wherein the first collar includes the first plurality of teeth around an entirety of the outer circumferential surface of the first collar. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 14, wherein an inner circumferential surface defining the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar includes a second plurality of grooves formed therein, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the second collar includes a second plurality of teeth formed thereon, and wherein the second plurality of teeth of the second collar are configured to engage with the second plurality of grooves of the first cylindrical cavity when the second collar is arranged within the first cylindrical cavity so as to fix the second collar in a rotational position relative to the first cylindrical cavity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vane adjustment assembly of claim 17, wherein the first cylindrical cavity includes the second plurality of grooves around an entirety of the inner circumferential surface defining the first cylindrical cavity, and wherein the second collar includes the second plurality of teeth around an entirety of the outer circumferential surface of the second collar. ### Claim 19 A method of adjusting a vane assembly of a gas turbine engine, comprising providing a plurality of vanes of the vane assembly, the plurality of vanes extending radially outward relative to a central axis of the gas turbine engine, arranging an annular ring radially outward of the central axis, coupling the annular ring to the plurality of vanes, coupling a base plate to the annular ring, the base plate having a recess formed in a radially outer surface of the base plate opposite the annular ring, selectively and removably arranging a first collar that is cylindrical within the recess at a first rotational position therein, the first collar having a first cylindrical cavity formed therein and opening radially outwardly, fixedly coupling a roller pin to a radially outer surface of a second collar that is cylindrical, and selectively and removably arranging the second collar within the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar at a second rotational position therein so as to locate the roller pin at a first discrete roller pin position, wherein a first central axis of the first cylindrical cavity is offset from a second central axis of the first collar and a third central axis of the roller pin is offset from a fourth central axis of the second collar, and wherein the first collar is configured to be selectively arranged at a plurality of rotational positions including the first rotational position within the recess and the second collar is configured to be selectively arranged at a plurality of rotational positions including the second rotational position within the first cylindrical cavity of the first collar such that the roller pin is configured to be positioned at a plurality of distinct roller pin positions including the first discrete roller pin position each corresponding to a rotational position of the first collar and a rotational position of the second collar.