US 4,635,332 AGranted

Sealed telescopic joint and method of assembly

AssigneeSolar Turbines Incorporated

InventorsPhilip J. Cederwall, Boris Glezer

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A radially-resilient seal can frequently pop out its annular groove defined in a carrier when the carrier and an overlapping housing are telescopically assembled. Such misorientation of the seal prevents proper seating of the seal against the housing and ultimately permits leakage of pressurized fluid past the seal. The present invention provides a compact sealed joint and fool-proof method of assembly which maintains proper orientation of a radially-resilient seal during telescopic assembly of a carrier and a housing. The sealed joint includes an annnular member having a diametrically tapered internal surface. The annular member positively ensures that the seal will properly seat against a housing inner surface which is not only physically inaccessible to the assembler but is also hidden from the assembler's view by an outer casing during the telescopic assembly.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method of assembling a sealed joint defined by a carrier telescopically disposed in a housing, said housing having an inner cylindrical surface and a longitudinal axis, said carrier defining an annular groove opening towards the inner cylindrical surface of the housing, said method comprising the steps of:

installing in the groove a radially-resilient annular seal having a radial peripheral surface;
moving a separate annular member to a first axial position at which the annular member is generally concentrically spaced around both the carrier and the seal, said annular member having an internal annular surface which at the first axial position is diametrically tapered along the longitudinal axis in decreasing fashion away from the seal;
moving the annular member to a second axial position around the carrier so that the tapered internal surface of the annular member directly contacts the radial peripheral surface of the seal and thereby radially-inwardly compresses the seal further in the groove;
telescopically assembling the housing and the carrier together and thereby displacing the annular member with the housing to a third axial position around the carrier at which the annular member is disposed out of direct contact with the radial peripheral surface of the seal thereby leaving the radial peripheral surface of the seal free to expand radially outwardly to sealedly contact the inner cylindrical surface of the housing;
and
maintaining the annular member at the third axial position after telescopic assembly of the housing and the carrier.

3 more elements

A method of assembling a sealed joint defined by a generally hollow end portion of a housing telescopically disposed over a generally complementary end portion of a stator nozzle carrier of a gas turbine engine, said end portion of the housing having an inner cylindrical surface and a longitudinal axis, said end portion of the stator nozzle carrier defining an annular groove radially-outwardly opening towards the inner cylindrical surface of the housing, said method comprising the sequential steps of:

installing in the groove a radially-resilient annular seal having a radial peripheral surface;
moving a separate annular member to a first axial position at which the annular member is generally concentrically spaced around both the stator nozzle carrier and the seal, said annular member having an internal annular surface which at the first axial position is diametrically tapered along the longitudinal axis in decreasing fashion away from the seal;
moving the annular member to a second axial position around the stator nozzle carrier so that the tapered internal surface of the annular member directly contacts the radial peripheral surface of the seal and thereby radially-inwardly compresses the seal further in the groove;
telescopically assembling the housing and the stator nozzle carrier together and thereby displacing the annular member with the housing to a third axial position around the stator nozzle carrier at which the annular member is disposed out of direct contact with the radial peripheral surface of the seal thereby leaving the radial peripheral surface of the seal free to expand radially outwardly to sealedly contact the inner cylindrical surface of the housing;
and
fixedly maintaining the annular member at the third axial position after telescopic assembly of the housing and the stator nozzle carrier.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/775,879Filed 13 Sep 1985
Granted: 13 Jan 1987
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B25B 27/0028
Hand tools, specially adapted for fitting together or separating parts or objects whether or not involving some deformation, not otherwise…: tools…
B23P 19/04
Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some…
F01D 11/005
Preventing or minimising internal leakage of working-fluid, e.g. between stages: sealing means between non relatively rotating elements
F16J 9/10
Piston-rings , e.g. non-metallic piston-rings, seats therefor; Ring sealings of similar construction: special members for adjusting the rings