# US 2018/0023402 A1 · Closing assembly for closing a blade ring, associated blade supports, turbomachine, and method for inserting a closing assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0023402 A1 - Document ID: US20180023402A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/547,630 - Filed: 2016-01-19 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-05 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Uwe Sieber; Dimitri Zelmer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023402A1 ## CPC - F01D 5/32: Locking, e.g. by final locking blades or keys - F01D 5/303: {in a circumferential slot} - F05B 2260/301: Retaining bolts or nuts - F05D 2250/281: threaded - F05D 2250/75: given by its similarity to a letter, e.g. T-shaped - F05D 2260/30: Retaining components in desired mutual position - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A closing assembly for closing a blade ring inserted into a circumferential T-groove of a blade support of a turbomachine, having two insertion elements, each has a C-shaped basic form having a resting leg, retention leg, and connection leg connecting the resting leg and the retention leg and is designed to reach around a ridge of the T-groove. The resting leg reaches over the ridge and the retention leg reaches under the ridge, and an intermediate element, is positioned between the insertion elements to prevent the insertion elements from moving to the center of the T-groove. The intermediate element reaches below the retention legs of the insertion elements in the assembled state, and a positioning element is associated with the intermediate element, which is supported between the groove base of the T-groove and the intermediate element and to position the intermediate element at a desired distance from the groove base. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A closing assembly for closing a blade ring which is inserted into an encircling T-groove of a blade support of a turbomachine, comprising: two insert elements which each have a C-shaped basic shape having a resting leg, a retention leg, and a connection leg that connects the resting leg to the retention leg and which each are configured for encompassing one web of the T-groove, wherein the resting leg engages above the web and the retention leg engages below the web, and having an intermediate element that is positionable between the insert elements and is configured to prevent the latter from moving toward the center of the T-groove, wherein the intermediate element in the fitted state is configured to engage below the retention legs of the insert elements, and the intermediate element is assigned positioning means which are configured to be supported between the groove base of the T-groove and the intermediate element and to position the intermediate element at a desired spacing from the groove base. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein in each case one protrusion which projects from the connection leg in a direction that is counter to the resting leg of the insert element is provided on the insert elements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein an upper side of the protrusion aligns with an upper side of the resting leg. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate element has a substantially T-shaped basic shape, having a longitudinal web that extends in a longitudinal direction, and a transverse web that extends transversely to the longitudinal web and is configured to engage below the retention legs of the insert elements, wherein the longitudinal web protrudes from the transverse web in particular in a centric manner. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the longitudinal web at the free end thereof in the transverse direction of the T-groove has a width of such a manner that said longitudinal web is positionable between the protrusions of the insert elements hat are inserted into the T-groove so as to bear on said protrusions or to have a clearance therefrom, in order to prevent the insert elements in the upper regions thereof from moving toward the center of the T-groove. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the width of the longitudinal web of the intermediate element decreases in a conical manner in the direction of the free end of said longitudinal web. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the longitudinal web of the intermediate element has a height of such a manner that the free end of said longitudinal web terminates so as to be flush with the protrusions of the two insert elements in the fitted state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sum of the heights of one protrusion and of the intermediate element is smaller than the depth of the T-groove, such that the free end of the longitudinal web is engaged above by a protrusion of an inserted insert element when the intermediate element in the T-groove is displaced in the transverse direction in such a manner that the longitudinal web comes to bear on the connection leg of the insert element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the width of the transverse web of the intermediate element in the transverse direction is larger than the clear spacing between the two mutually opposite webs of the T-groove in which the closing assembly is to be installed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the length of the intermediate element in the longitudinal direction of the T-groove corresponds to the length of the insert elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein steps are configured on both sides of the longitudinal web in a transitional region between the longitudinal web and the transverse web of the intermediate element, said steps in each case being assigned to the insert elements so as to prevent the insert elements in the lower regions thereof from moving toward the center of the T-groove, wherein the steps are configured in such a manner that said steps are positionable between the connection legs of the insert elements that are inserted into the T-groove, so as to bear on said connection legs or to have a clearance therefrom. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein free spaces remain between the protrusions of the insert elements and the steps of the intermediate element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a threaded bolt which is screw-fittable in such a manner into a threaded bore that penetrates the intermediate element in the longitudinal direction thereof that said threaded bolt projects in the direction of the groove base and is capable of being brought to bear on the latter so as to set the radial spacing of the intermediate element from the groove base is provided as a positioning means. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the threaded bolt has a length which corresponds to the depth of the T-groove. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A blade support comprising: an encircling T-groove in which a plurality of blades and intermediate pieces are disposed in an alternating manner, and a closing assembly as claimed in claim 1 is inserted into an intermediate space between two blades. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A turbomachine comprising: at least one blade support as claimed in claim 15. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A method for inserting a closing assembly as claimed in claim 1 into an encircling T-groove of a blade support, said method comprising the following steps: inserting the intermediate element into the T-groove in such a manner that the former bears on a groove base of the T-groove; displacing the intermediate element in the T-groove in the transverse direction of the latter such that the former comes to bear on a web of the T-groove; inserting an insert element into the T-groove in such a manner that the former encompasses a web of the T-groove; displacing the intermediate element in the T-groove in the transverse direction of the latter such that the intermediate element comes to bear on the connection leg of the insert element that is inserted into the T-groove; inserting the further insert element into the T-groove in such a manner that the former encompasses the other web of the T-groove; displacing the intermediate element to the center of the T-groove; positioning the intermediate element by way of the positioning means so as to be spaced apart from the groove base in such a manner that the intermediate element engages below the retention legs of the insert elements and prevents the two insert elements from moving toward the center of the T-groove. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) The closing assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said protrusion is disposed in the upper region of the connection leg so as to be level in height with the resting leg.