# US 12,006,875 B1 · Fusible gearbox center guide support with frangible catcher pin systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,875 B1 - Document ID: US12006875B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/297,583 - Filed: 2023-04-07 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2023-04-07 - Assignees: Rtx Corporation - Applicants: Raytheon Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Ryan K Snyder; Steven Michael Danley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006875B1 ## CPC - F01D 25/28: Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing - F02C 7/32: Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries - F01D 21/045: {special arrangements in stators or in rotors dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor} - F02C 7/20: Mounting or supporting of plant; Accommodating heat expansion or creep - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - F05D 2250/241: spherical - F05D 2250/283: honeycomb - F05D 2260/311: of the frangible or shear type - F05D 2270/46: redundant, i.e. failsafe operation - F05D 2300/121: Aluminium - F05D 2300/514: Porosity - F05D 2300/612: Foam - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - 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) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract An assembly for mounting an auxiliary component to an engine case for a gas turbine engine includes a support bracket and a locator comprising a guide pin extending at least partially into a first aperture disposed in the support bracket, and a catcher pin extending at least partially into a second aperture disposed in the support bracket. A first frangible ring member is disposed between the support bracket and the catcher pin, wherein the frangible ring member comprises a porous metal material (e.g., frothed aluminum or thin-walled honey combed aluminum or steel). The first frangible ring member is configured to collapse to absorb energy while limiting system displacement during and post an overload event, thus reducing the energy transmitted to the auxiliary component (e.g., a gearbox housing). The guide pin can be fused such that the catcher pin limits movement of the auxiliary component when the guide pin breaks. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly for mounting an auxiliary component to an engine case of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a support bracket, the support bracket having a first end configured for attachment to a first flange of the engine case, a second end configured for attachment to a second flange of the engine case, and an intermediate portion located intermediate the first end and the second end; a first aperture disposed in the intermediate portion; a second aperture disposed in the intermediate portion; a locator comprising a plate member, a guide pin extending from the plate member at least partially into the first aperture, and a catcher pin extending from the plate member at least partially into the second aperture; and a first frangible ring member disposed between the support bracket and the catcher pin, wherein the first frangible ring member comprises a first porous metal material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bearing member disposed at least partially within the first aperture; wherein the guide pin is disposed at least partially within the bearing member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein a compressive strength of the first frangible ring member increases with a diameter of the first frangible ring member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first frangible ring member is rigidly coupled to the support bracket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second frangible ring member disposed between the support bracket and the guide pin, wherein the second frangible ring member comprises a second porous metal material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5, wherein a first central axis of the first frangible ring member and a second central axis of the second frangible ring member are oriented radially with respect to the engine case. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first porous metal material comprises at least one of a metal foam or a metal honeycomb structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support bracket and the first frangible ring member are additively manufactured as a monolithic structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first frangible ring member comprises at least one of: an outer ring defining a closed, outer diameter surface of the first frangible ring member; or an inner ring defining a closed, inner diameter surface of the first frangible ring member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first frangible ring member is configured to deform to permit movement between the support bracket and the auxiliary component in response to an overload event; and the first frangible ring member is configured to limit movement of the locator with respect to the support bracket following the overload event. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the guide pin comprises a mechanical fuse configured to break in response to an overload event, and the catcher pin is configured to limit movement of the locator with respect to the support bracket when the mechanical fuse is broken. ### Claim 12 A gas turbine engine, comprising: an engine case, the engine case including a first flange and a second flange; a support bracket, the support bracket having a first end configured for attachment to the first flange of the engine case, a second end configured for attachment to the second flange of the engine case, and an intermediate portion located intermediate the first end and the second end; a first aperture disposed in the intermediate portion; a second aperture disposed in the intermediate portion; a locator comprising a plate member, a guide pin extending from the plate member at least partially into the first aperture, and a catcher pin extending from the plate member at least partially into the second aperture; and a first frangible ring member disposed between the support bracket and the catcher pin, wherein the first frangible ring member comprises a first porous metal material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine of claim 12, further comprising a bearing member disposed at least partially within the first aperture; wherein the guide pin is disposed at least partially within the bearing member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine of claim 12, wherein the first frangible ring member is press fit into the support bracket. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine of claim 12, further comprising a second frangible ring member disposed between the support bracket and the guide pin, wherein the second frangible ring member comprises a second porous metal material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The gas turbine engine of claim 15, wherein a first central axis of the first frangible ring member and a second central axis of the second frangible ring member are oriented radially with respect to the engine case. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine of claim 12, wherein the first porous metal material comprises at least one of a metal foam or a metal honeycomb structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The gas turbine engine of claim 15, wherein the guide pin comprises a mechanical fuse configured to break in response to an overload event. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The gas turbine engine of claim 18, wherein the second porous metal material is configured to collapse in response to a first load to permit movement between the support bracket and the guide pin; and the mechanical fuse is configured to break in response to a second load greater than the first load. ### Claim 20 A support bracket for mounting an auxiliary component to an engine case of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a first end configured for attachment to a first flange of the engine case; a second end configured for attachment to a second flange of the engine case; an intermediate portion located intermediate the first end and the second end; a first aperture disposed in the intermediate portion, wherein the first aperture is configured to receive a guide pin of a locator coupled to the auxiliary component; a second aperture disposed in the intermediate portion, wherein the second aperture is configured to receive a catcher pin of the locator coupled to the auxiliary component; and a first frangible ring member disposed at least partially within the second cylindrical aperture, wherein the first frangible ring member comprises a first porous metal material configured to collapse in response to an overload event.