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US 4,251,987 AGranted
Differential geared engine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorArthur P. Adamson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas turbine engine comprising a fan, a compressor and a turbine, wherein the torque requirements of the fan or compressor can be modulated, is provided with differential gearing to transmit all of the fan and compressor power requirements from the turbine. The differential gearing maintains an adjustable speed relationship between the fan and compressor with respect to the turbine depending upon the torque requirements thereof and the gear ratios within the differential gearing.
Claims6
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a compressor, a turbine and a nozzle, the geometry of which partially defines a flow passage through the engine;
- a rotatable load;
- differential gearing receiving power from said turbine and transmitting power to said compressor and load;
- and means for selectively varying the engine flow passage-defining geometry to modulate the torque versus speed characteristic of at least one of the pair comprising said load and said compressor and to selectively modulate the rotational speed relationship between the compressor, turbine and load, wherein said differential gear means comprises:
- a first sun gear driven by said turbine at turbine rotational speed;
- planet gearing engaging said first sun gear;
- and
- a ring gear driven by said planet gearing for driving said load in rotational motion with respect to said turbine;
- and wherein
- said planet gearing is operatively connected to said compressor for rotationally driving said compressor with respect to said turbine.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.