Fuel injector

A method for manufacturing a staged fuel injector, the staged fuel injector comprising;

• a pilot inner air swirler, a pilot fuel swirler, a main inner air swirler and a main fuel swirler;
• a fuel tube for delivering fuel to the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler and a heat protective casing enclosing the fuel feed arm, the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler, wherein axially extending walls of the pilot and main inner air swirlers and the heat protective casing are configured, on assembly, to terminate in a common radial plane and are configured to receive a deposit of braze between adjacent surfaces of the axially extending walls when assembled, the method comprising;
• depositing braze on the adjacent faces of the axially extending walls,
• inserting the pilot inner air swirler into the heat protective casing with central axes of the pilot inner air swirler and heat protective casing substantially in coaxial alignment and ends of the axially extending walls substantially aligned in a common radial plane,
• arranging the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirlers radially outboard of the pilot inner air swirler, with the main fuel swirler radially outboard of the pilot fuel swirler and each in substantially coaxial alignment with the pilot inner air swirler and heat protective casing and ends of the axially extending walls substantially aligned in the common radial plane,
• arranging the main inner air swirler between the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler in substantially coaxial alignment with the pilot inner air swirler and heat protective casing and ends of the axially extending walls substantially aligned in the common radial plane, thereby to provide an assembled staged fuel injector,
• applying heat to the assembled staged fuel injector sufficient to cause the braze to melt, and
• allowing the assembled staged fuel injector to cool thereby forming brazed joints between the adjacent surfaces of the axially extending walls.