Locking spacer assembly for a turbine engine

A locking spacer assembly for filling a void in a turbine component having lateral recesses, comprising:

• a first end support having an outer face and an inner face, the outer face having an outwardly stepped profile, whereby the first end support is adapted to be inserted into a turbine component slot having lateral recesses and to project into one of the lateral recesses, and wherein the first end support includes a cavity having a first support surface;
• a second end support having an outer face and an inner face, the outer face having an outwardly stepped profile, whereby the second end support is adapted to be inserted into the turbine component slot having lateral recesses and to project into one of the lateral recesses, wherein the second end support includes a cavity having a second support surface and wherein the inner faces of the first and second end supports face each other;
• a locking device disposed between the first and second end supports and having at least first and second angled surfaces configured to bear against the support surfaces of the first and second end supports such that as the locking device is moved relative to the first and second end supports while keeping the locking device in contact with the first and second end supports, the first and second end supports move away from each other and into the lateral recesses of the turbine component;
• and
• at least one mid spacer positioned between the first and second end supports and including at least one cavity for receiving locking device and for substantially limiting the locking device from rotating.

A method of filling a void in a turbine component slot having lateral recesses, comprising:

• inserting a first end support into the void in the turbine component slot, wherein the first end support has an outer face and an inner face, the outer face having an outwardly stepped profile, whereby the first end support is adapted to be inserted into the turbine component slot having lateral recesses and to project into one of the lateral recesses, and wherein the first end support includes a cavity having a first support surface;
• inserting a second end support into the void in the turbine component slot proximate to the first end support, wherein the second end support has an outer face and an inner face, the outer face having an outwardly stepped profile, whereby the second end support is adapted to be inserted into the turbine component slot having lateral recesses and to project into one of the lateral recesses, wherein the second end support includes a cavity having a second support surface and wherein the inner faces of the first and second end supports face each other;
• inserting a locking device into the turbine component slot between the first and second end supports, wherein the locking device has at least first and second angled surfaces configured to bear against the support surfaces of first and second end supports;
• rotating the locking device so that the first and second angled surfaces bear against the support surfaces of first and second end supports;
• and
• actuating the locking device so that the first and second end supports move away from each other and into the lateral recesses of the turbine component by contacting the first angled surface of the locking device with the first support surface of the first end support and by contacting the second angled surface of the locking device with the second support surface of the second end support.