Axial seal system for rotary combustor

A rotary combustor comprising:

• a rotatable cylindrical drum having axial seals extending from the outer periphery thereof;
• and
• means for forming a plurality of passages for providing combustion fluid to portions along the outer periphery of said rotatable cylindrical drum, said means for forming a plurality of passage including a plurality of means for resiliently engaging respective ones of said axial seals as said rotatable cylindrical drum is rotated, so that when two of said axial seals contact a respective pair of said resilient engaging means, a passage for providing combustion fluid to a portion of the periphery of said rotatable cylindrical drum between said two axial seals, is formed, each of said resilient engaging means including:
• a movable shoe positioned along a portion of the outer periphery of said rotatable cylindrical drum;
• and
• means for biasing said movable shoe so that said movable shoe is urged into contact with at least one of said axial seals, said movable shoe having a top surface, an inclined surface extending from the top surface, and sides extending from said inclined surface and said top surface, so that when said rotatable cylindrical drum is rotated, each of said axial seals will initially contact said inclined surface of said movable shoe.

An apparatus for providing a seal for a passage providing a combustion fluid to a portion of a rotatable cylindrical drum in a rotary combustor, the rotatable cylindrical drum having a plurality of axial seals extending from the outer periphery thereof, said apparatus comprising:

• a movable shoe positioned along a portion of the outer periphery of the rotatable cylindrical drum;
• and
• means for biasing said movable shoe so that said movable shoe is urged into contact with at least one of the axial seals to provided a seal against the escape of the combustion fluid along the axial seal, said biasing means including:
• a support positioned along a portion of the outer periphery of the rotatable cylindrical drum at a predetermined distance from the axial seals;
• and
• spring means, coupled to said support and said movable shoe, for urging said movable shoe into contact with the at least one of the axial seals.