Classification instrument
AssigneeCompair, Inc.
InventorClark R. Burton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A classification instrument adapted for accurately measuring both blocked and open flow area for airfoil or vane elements such as turbine stator vanes having mounting buttresses at each end includes stops for mounting the vane element upon the instrument in a predetermined position established by a plurality of datum points or lines corresponding to the various stops, a plurality of indicators for measuring various points and surfaces upon the vane and providing classification readings from which the open and closed area values for the vane may be determined. A method is also disclosed for classifying or determining the blocked and open areas for such air foil or vane elements.
Claims18
A classification instrument for accurately measuring open flow area between two vane elements having mounting buttresses at either end, comprising
- support means,
- a precision jig in said support means adapted to receive and accurately position both the first vane element and its buttresses,
- movable probes arranged upon the support means for accurately monitoring respectively the location of a trailing edge of the first vane element, the location of a convex airfoil surface of the first vane element, spacing between the buttresses as an indication of effective vane element length, and the effective thickness of the vane element,
- indicating means carried by said support means and interconnected with the respective movable probes for indicating values monitored by the movable probes, and
- a further set of movable probes for spaced apart engagement with a convex airfoil surface of the additional vane element, and indicating means being interconnected with the further set of movable probes in order to provide an indication of open flow area between the vane elements.
A classification instrument for measuring both blocked area and effective open area of a single vane element including mounting buttresses arranged at opposite ends thereof, each buttress having a base surface by which it is secured to a support surface for a vane cluster, the instrument comprising
- stop means for engaging four datum points and one primary datum line formed by the vane element and its supporting buttresses, the primary datum line being formed by the base surface of one of the buttresses, a first datum point being a single point along the base surface of the other buttress being representative of angular alignment for the base surfaces of the two buttresses, the second and third datum points being taken along a common lateral surface of each buttress in order to establish the lateral position of the vane element generally along a path of airflow through the vane assembly, the fourth datum point being formed at one end of the vane element and being representative of the effective length of the vane element,
- clamping means for maintaining the vane element and its buttresses in engagement with said stop means,
- movable probes arranged upon the support means for accurately monitoring respectively the location of a convex airfoil surface of the vane element, spacing between the buttresses as an indication of effective vane element length, effective thickness of the vane element, and angular misalignment of the base surfaces of the buttresses, and
- indicating means carried by said support means and interconnected with the respective movable probes for indicating values monitored by the movable probes.
In a method for accurately measuring both blocked area and effective open area for a single vane element having mounting buttresses at either end, the steps comprising
- accurately positioning the vane element and its buttresses in a precision jig formed by suitable support means,
- accurately monitoring respectively the location of a trailing edge of the vane element, the location of a convex airfoil surface of the vane element, spacing between the buttresses as an indication of effective vane element length, and the effective thickness of the vane element by means of movable probes arranged upon the support means for engagement with selected portions of the vane element and its buttresses,
- providing an indication of values monitored by the movable probe by means of indicating means carried by said support means and interconnected with the respective movable probes, and
- arranging stop means upon the support means for engaging four datum points and one primary datum line formed by the vane element and its supporting buttresses, the primary datum line being formed by the base surface of one of the buttresses, a first datum point being a single point along the base surface of the other buttress being representative of angular alignment for the base surfaces of the two buttresses, the second and third datum points being taken along a common lateral surface of each buttress in order to establish the lateral position of the vane element generally along the path of airflow through the vane assembly, the fourth datum point being formed at one end of the vane element and being representative of the effective length of the vane element, and clamping the vane element and its buttresses in engagement with said stop means during measurement of the blocked area and effective open area for the vane element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.