Gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle diverter valve
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorDudley O. Nash
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle diverter valve is provided to selectively direct the flow of motive fluid through one of two nozzle exhaust ports and to provide improved sealing to prevent the flow of fluid through the second nozzle exhaust port. Linkage and actuator means are provided to retract a blocker door having a deformable seal attached thereto from a first seated position over the second nozzle exhaust port, and to then rotate the blocker door to a position over the first nozzle exhaust port. The method of retracting the blocker door prior to rotating it eliminates sliding friction and minimizes the potential of damage to the seal between the blocker door and the nozzle exhaust port.
Claims14
In a gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle comprising a flow path having an inlet and at least two exhaust ports, an improved diverter valve to selectively direct the motive fluid stream through one of said nozzle exhaust ports, and to provide improved sealing to prevent the flow of fluid through said other nozzle exhaust port, said diverter valve comprising:
- first and second blocking means disposed within said nozzle;
- an actuator having a translating actuator arm;
- and
- linkage means for operatively connecting said actuator arm to said first and second blocking means, said linkage means adapted to convert the translating stroke of said actuator arm into motion to simultaneously:
- retract and disengage said first blocking means from a sealing surface about the first nozzle exhaust port and thereafter rotate said first blocking means to a deployed position at least partially blocking the second exhaust port;
- and
- rotate said second blocking means from a stowed position in essentially coaxial spacial relationship with said nozzle flow path and essentially diametrically opposed to said first blocking means to a deployed position whereat it cooperates with said first blocking means to substantially prohibit the flow of motive fluid through the second exhaust port.
In a gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle comprising a flow path having an inlet and at least two exhaust ports, an improved diverter valve to selectively direct the motive fluid stream through one of said nozzle exhaust ports, and to provide improved sealing to prevent the flow of fluid through said other nozzle exhaust port, said diverter valve comprising:
- at least one blocking means disposed within said nozzle;
- an actuator having a translating actuator arm;
- and
- linkage means for operatively connecting said actuator to said blocking means, said actuator and said linkage means cooperating to move said blocking means between a plurality of predetermined positions within said nozzle;
- said diverter valve further including seal means disposed between the blocking means and said first nozzle port to prevent fluid flow therethrough when said blocking means is in a first predetermined position;
- and wherein said linkage means comprises:
- an eccentric having a fixed axis of rotation with respect to said nozzle;
- a blocker crank rigidly connected to said blocking means and operatively connected to said eccentric at a point radially disposed from said eccentric rotational axis, said blocker crank pivotable about the point of connection with said eccentric;
- a bell crank operatively connected to said actuator arm and having an axis of rotation fixed with respect to said nozzle such that the translating motion of said actuator arm is converted to rotational motion of the bell crank about its axis;
- a first link operatively connecting said bell crank and said blocker crank;
- and
- a second link operatively connecting said bell crank and said eccentric for rotating said eccentric about its axis of rotation, such that:
- a first predetermined rotation of said bell crank about its rotational axis in cooperation with said first and second links operatively connected thereto, produces rotation of said eccentric and compensating counterrotation of said blocker crank about their respective axes, thereby producing radially inward lifting of the blocking means from a first to a second predetermined position wherein said seal is disengaged, thus eliminating sliding frictional contact between said blocking means and said first nozzle port during movement of said blocking means between its first and its second predetermined positions, and
- a second predetermined rotation of said bell crank about its rotational axis in cooperation with said first and second links causes said eccentric to reverse direction of rotation, thereby rotating in the same direction as the blocker crank and cooperating to rotate said blocking means to a third predetermined position, thus preventing the flow of fluid through said second nozzle exhaust port.
In a gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle comprising a flow path having an inlet and at least two exhaust ports, an improved diverter valve to selectively direct the motive fluid stream through one of said nozzle exhaust ports, and to provide improved sealing to prevent the flow of fluid through said other nozzle exhaust port, said diverter valve comprising:
- at least one blocking means disposed within said nozzle;
- an actuator including a cylinder and piston disposed therein, the cylinder having a free end and a closed end, said closed end operatively connected to said exhaust nozzle, and said piston having an actuator arm attached thereto and extending from said cylinder free end;
- an actuator arm extension operatively connected to said actuator arm;
- linkage means for operatively connecting said actuator to said blocking means, said actuator and said linkage means cooperating to move said blocking means between a plurality of predetermined positions within said nozzle;
- said diverter valve further including seal means disposed between the blocking means and said first nozzle port to prevent fluid flow therethrough when said blocking means is in a first predetermined position;
- and wherein said linkage means comprises:
- a first essentially axially oriented track disposed to carry said actuator arm extension in sliding movement;
- an eccentric having a fixed axis of rotation with respect to said nozzle;
- a blocker crank rigidly connected to said blocking means and operatively connected to said eccentric at a point radially disposed from said eccentric rotational axis, said blocker crank pivotable about said point of connection with said eccentric;
- a first link operatively connecting said actuator arm extension and said blocker crank to convert the sliding motion of said actuator arm extension to rotary motion of said blocker crank about its point of connection with said eccentric;
- and
- a second link operatively connecting said actuator arm extension to said eccentric for rotating said eccentric about its axis of rotation;
- such that
- a first predetermined displacement of said actuator arm extension along said first track, in cooperation with said first and second links, operatively connected thereto, produces rotation of said eccentric and compensating counterrotation of said blocker crank about their respective axes, thereby causing radially inward lifting of the blocker door from a first to a second predetermined position wherein said seal is disengaged, thereby eliminating sliding frictional contact between said blocking means and said first nozzle port during movement of said blocking means between its first and its second predetermined positions, and
- a further second predetermined displacement of said actuator arm extension along its first track causes said eccentric and said blocker crank to rotate said blocking means from its second to a third predetermined position thereby directing fluid flow through said first nozzle exhaust port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.