Seal runner locking structure

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a turbine section, a compressor section, and a combustor;
• there being a shaft assembly in the gas turbine engine;
• the shaft assembly having a shaft that will be rotating in use, said shaft receiving a seal runner, and a locking nut;
• the seal runner having a portion within an inner peripheral bore of the shaft, and the locking nut mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft, the seal runner further having a flange axially beyond the shaft;
• a seal is mounted in static structure, and contacts said flange;
• a key washer having non-rotation structure for preventing rotation of the key washer relative to the locking nut;
• and
• a retaining ring mounted in a channel in the key washer, and extending into a groove in the seal runner.

A method of assembling a seal runner to a rotating shaft comprising the steps of:

• providing a shaft, and mounting a locking nut to an outer peripheral surface on the shaft, and mounting a seal runner at an inner peripheral surface of the shaft to form an initial assembly, the seal runner having a flange axially beyond the shaft for providing a sealing surface with a seal assembly;
• mounting a retaining ring within a key washer, and moving a subassembly of the key washer and retaining ring onto the initial assembly, with anti-rotation structure formed to prevent rotation of the key washer relative to the locking nut, and with slots in both the key washer and the retaining ring allowing passage of seal runner tabs on the seal runner to pass;
• and
• then turning the retaining ring such that the ring slots are no longer aligned with the seal runner tabs and such that the seal runner is retained.