Variable angle vane arrays
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorSteven D. Lawer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power turbine includes pivotable vanes for a variable area nozzle which are accurately and consistently assembled in a first full throat area position by providing an abutment and an abutment surface on gear segment arms attached to spindles at the radially outermost ends of the vanes. When the first vane has been fitted in the 100% throat position by threading its aerofoil portion through a slotted aperture in the turbine casing 10, the remaining vanes are accurately angularly positioned by causing their abutments to abut the abutment surface on the previously fitted vane segment arm.
Claims15
A variable area vane assembly comprising;
- a casing ring having an axis and a circumferential array of apertures therein,
- a plurality of pivotable aerofoil shaped vanes, each vane being pivotally supported in the casing ring about a radial axis to protrude radially inwardly of the casing ring from a respective aperture, the vanes being pivotable between a first extreme position giving maximum fluid flow delivery and a second extreme position giving minimum fluid flow delivery, each vane having a radially outer end,
- drive means on a radially outer end of each vane for effecting pivoting movement thereof,
- each said vane having a leading and trailing edge and each said aperture in said casing ring having spaced apart slots shaped to receive respectively said leading and trailing edges of a said vane at an orientation such that said respective vane will extend in an attitude that corresponds to one of said first and second extreme positions in the range of pivoting movements of the respective vane,
- each drive means including at least one abutment located to engage with a portion of an adjacent drive means after a first vane is passed through an aperture in said casing ring and located in one of said extreme positions and the adjacent vane, upon insertion in a respective aperture in said casing ring, being constrained to assume the same one of said extreme positions in the range of pivoting movements by contact between a portion of said adjacent vane with said respective abutment of said first vane.
A gas turbine engine including a casing ring having an axis and a circumferential array of apertures therein,
- a plurality of pivotable aerofoil shaped vanes, each vane being pivotally supported in the casing ring about a radial axis to protrude radially inwardly of the casing ring from a respective aperture, the vanes being pivotable between a first extreme position giving maximum fluid flow delivery and a second extreme position giving minimum fluid flow delivery, each vane having a radially outer end,
- drive means on a radially outer end of each vane for effecting pivoting movement thereof,
- each said vane having a leading and trailing edge and each said aperture in said casing ring having spaced apart slots shaped to receive respectively said leading and trailing edges of a said vane at an orientation such that said respective vane will extend in an attitude that corresponds to one of said first and second extreme positions in the range of pivoting movements of the respective vane,
- each drive means including at least one abutment located to engage with a portion of an adjacent drive means after a first vane is passed through an aperture in said casing ring and located in one of said extreme positions and the adjacent vane, upon insertion in a respective aperture in said casing ring, being constrained to assume the same one of said extreme positions in the range of pivoting movements by contact between a portion of said adjacent vane with said respective abutment of said first vane.
A power turbine including a casing ring having an axis and a circumferential array of apertures therein,
- a plurality of pivotable aerofoil shaped vanes, each vane being pivotally supported in the casing ring about a radial axis to protrude radially inwardly of the casing ring from a respective aperture, the vanes being pivotable between a first extreme position giving maximum fluid flow delivery and a second extreme position giving minimum fluid flow delivery, each vane having a radially outer end,
- drive means on a radially outer end of each vane for effecting pivoting movement thereof,
- each said vane having a leading and trailing edge and each said aperture in said casing ring having spaced apart slots shaped to receive respectively said leading and trailing edges of a said vane at an orientation such that said respective vane will extend in an attitude that corresponds to one of said first and second extreme positions in the range of pivoting movements of the respective vane,
- each drive means including at least one abutment located to engage with a portion of an adjacent drive means after a first vane is passed through an aperture in said casing ring and located in one of said extreme positions and the adjacent vane, upon insertion in a respective aperture in said casing ring, being constrained to assume the same one of said extreme positions in the range of pivoting movements by contact between a portion of said adjacent vane with said respective abutment of said first vane.
A variable area vane comprising an aerofoil shaped portion, a spindle for pivotally mounting the vane in a casing ring and a gear segment removably secured to the spindle, the gear segment having a toothed rim, the toothed rim having first and second ends, the gear segment having a contact face on the first end of the toothed rim and a contact face on an opposite side of the gear segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.