# US 12,214,891 B2 · Engine backbone bending reduction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,891 B2 - Document ID: US12214891B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/450,071 - Filed: 2023-08-15 - Published: 2024-05-09 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-31 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Jonathan E. Coleman; Timothy L. Schelfaut; Anthony M. Metz; Thomas P. Joseph; Mahesh Khandeparker; Kudum Shinde; Donald L. Gardner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214891B2 ## CPC - F02C 7/20: Mounting or supporting of plant; Accommodating heat expansion or creep - B64D 27/404: {Suspension arrangements specially adapted for supporting vertical loads} - B64D 27/406: {Suspension arrangements specially adapted for supporting thrust loads, e.g. thrust links} - F02K 3/06: with front fan - B64D 27/18: within, or attached to, wings - B64D 27/402: {comprising box like supporting frames, e.g. pylons or arrangements for embracing the power plant} - F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines - F05D 2220/36: specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines - F05D 2240/91: on a stationary structure - F05D 2270/64: Hydraulic actuators - 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) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An apparatus for mounting a gas turbine engine to a pylon includes: a thrust link coupled to the gas turbine engine and an aft mount, the gas turbine engine coupled to the pylon via a forward mount and the aft mount, a bending restraint having a first end and a second end, the bending restraint including an actuator positioned at the first end to apply a force to a fan section of the gas turbine engine, a first joint positioned at the first end of the bending restraint, the first joint coupled to the first end of the bending restraint and the fan section, and a second joint positioned at the second end of the bending restraint, the second joint coupled to the second end of the bending restraint. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for mounting a gas turbine engine to a pylon, the apparatus comprising: a thrust link coupled to the gas turbine engine and an aft mount, the gas turbine engine coupled to the pylon via a forward mount and the aft mount; a bending restraint having a first end and a second end, the bending restraint including an actuator positioned at the first end to apply a force to a fan section of the gas turbine engine, the bending restraint configured to not react a thrust force generated by the gas turbine engine; a first joint positioned at the first end of the bending restraint, the first joint to couple the first end of the bending restraint to the fan section; and a second joint positioned at the second end of the bending restraint, the second joint coupled to the second end of the bending restraint. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first joint and the second joint are spherical bearing pin joints. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bending restraint includes a first link and a second link, the first link having a first end and a second end, the second link having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first link coupled to the first joint, the second end of the second link coupled to the second joint. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second link is a compression-only link. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second end of the first link and the first end of the second link are coupled to a third joint. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the third joint is a ball and socket joint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, further including a buckling stabilizer shell, the third joint and the actuator disposed within the buckling stabilizer shell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first link includes the actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second link includes the actuator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second joint is coupled to the pylon and is longitudinally positioned between the forward mount and the aft mount. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second joint is a whiffletree joint coupled to the aft mount. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a one-way actuator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a hydraulic actuator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the force the actuator is to apply to the fan section is determined based on at least an angle of attack, a fan speed, and a Mach number. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the magnitude of the force is further determined based on an altitude of the gas turbine engine. ### Claim 16 A gas turbine engine comprising: a turbine section coupled to a pylon via an aft mount; a fan section coupled to the pylon via a forward mount; a thrust link coupled to the fan section and the aft mount; and a bending restraint coupled the fan section and the pylon, the bending restraint including an actuator, the bending restraint configured to not react a thrust force generated by the gas turbine engine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The gas turbine engine of claim 16, wherein the bending restraint is coupled to the fan section via a first joint and is coupled to the pylon via a second joint, the actuator positioned adjacent to the first joint. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The gas turbine engine of claim 17, wherein the second joint is longitudinally positioned between the forward mount and the aft mount. ### Claim 19 An apparatus comprising: first means for mounting a gas turbine engine to a pylon; second means for mounting the gas turbine engine to the pylon; means for linking the gas turbine engine to the second means for mounting; first means for attaching a bending restraint to a fan section of the gas turbine engine; and second means for attaching the bending restraint to the pylon, the second means for attaching positioned between the first means for mounting and the second means for mounting, the bending restraint includes an actuator to apply a force to the fan section of the gas turbine engine, the bending restraint configured to not react a thrust force generated by the gas turbine engine.