Locking member
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorDavid Alan CARNELL
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lock apparatus securing a blade to a hub, the lock apparatus comprising a planar element having a spring actuable between an expanded position and a compressed position without deviation from the plane of the element, wherein in the expanded position of the spring the planar element is partly located in a slot provided in the blade, the spring being compressible to its compressed position to disengage the planar element from the slot.
Claims10
A lock apparatus securing a blade to a hub, the lock apparatus comprising a planar element having a spring actuable between an expanded position and a compressed position without deviation from the plane of the element, wherein in the expanded position of the spring the planar element is partly located in a slot provided in the blade, the spring being compressible to its compressed position to disengage the planar element from the slot, wherein one or more guides is provided to limit either the maximum compression or maximum extension of the spring, the guides being walls either side of the spring, each wall having a portion extending from the base portion and a portion extending from the top portion, one of the wall portions having a stop surface that engages a tab on the other of the wall portions.
A method of locking a blade to a hub, the blade having a slot in a blade platform, the method comprising the steps of providing a lock apparatus comprising a planar element having a spring actuable between an extended position and a compressed position without deviation from the plane of the element, locating the lock apparatus relative to the slot in a disengaged position wherein the spring is compressed and extending the spring to engage the lock apparatus with the slot, wherein the spring is guided by one or more guides that limit either the maximum compression or maximum extension of the spring, the guides being walls either side of the spring, each wall having a portion extending from the base portion and a portion extending from the top portion, one of the wall portions having a stop surface that engages a tab on the other of the wall portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.