Spline alignment
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsJohnny VINSKI, Eric DUROCHER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas turbine shaft assembly comprises first and second axially mating shafts. The first shaft has a circumferential array of splines configured to mesh with a corresponding circumferential array of splines on the second shaft. The first shaft defines at least one axially extending slot aligned with one of the splines on the first shaft. The second shaft has at least one radial projection aligned with one of the splines on the second shaft. The engagement of the radial projection with the slot provides angular correspondence between the splines of the first and the second shafts prior to axial engagement of the splines.
Claims20
A turbine shaft blind assembly comprising:
- first and second axially mating turbine shafts, the first turbine shaft having a circumferential array of splines configured to mesh with a corresponding circumferential array of splines on the second turbine shaft, the first turbine shaft defining at least one axially extending slot aligned with one of the splines on the first turbine shaft, the second turbine shaft having at least one radial projection aligned with one of the splines on the second turbine shaft, the engagement of the at least one radial projection with the at least one slot providing angular correspondence between the splines of the first and the second turbine shafts prior to axial engagement of the splines.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a male member having a circumferential array of axially oriented splines configured to mesh with a corresponding circumferential array of axially oriented splines defined in a female member, the male member having a lead end defining at least one slot for receiving at least one corresponding projection extending radially inwardly from the female member, the lead end of the male member projecting axially forward of the circumferential array of splines of the male member, the at least one slot having a converging entry segment leading to an axial segment aligned with one of the splines on the male member, the at least one projection being aligned with one of the splines on the female member, the at least one projection and the at least one slot being axially positioned relative to the splines of the male and female members so that the at least one projection is guided by the converging entry segment into the axial segment of the at least one slot prior to the splines on the male member engaging the splines of the female member when the male and female members are axially brought together.
A method to provide self-alignment between splines of first and second axially mating turbine shafts of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- providing an alignment slot and a guide pin in respective ones of the first and second axially mating turbine shafts, the alignment slot having an axially converging entry segment followed by an axial segment, the axial segment being angularly aligned with one of the splines of the first turbine shaft, the guide pin being angularly align with one of the splines of the second turbine shaft;
- axially advancing the first and second turbine shafts towards each other so as to cause the guide pin to engage the converging entry segment of the alignment slot, wherein continued advancement of the guide pin in the converging entry segment of the alignment slot causes the first and second turbine shafts to rotate relative to each other until the guide pin engages the axial segment of the alignment slot, thereby angularly aligning the splines of the first and second axially mating turbine shafts;
- and further axially drawing the first and second axially turbine shafts towards each other so as to cause the splines of the first turbine shaft to engage the splines of the second turbine shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.