Gas turbine combustor sliding joint

An assembly for a gas turbine engine, the assembly comprising:

• a combustor having a combustor wall circumscribing a gas path therewithin and an exit duct end, the exit duct end having an outer flange portion radially spaced from the combustor wall a first distance in a direction away from the gas path to form an annular slot;
• a vane assembly disposed downstream of the combustor, the vane assembly including at least one airfoil extending between an inner and an outer platform;
• and
• a portion of at least the outer platform extending in the annular slot defined between the combustor wall and the outer flange portion, said portion having a thickness in said direction less than said first distance such that a gap is defined between the portion of the outer platform and one of the combustor wall and the outer flange portion at room temperature, the portion being retained by the combustor wall and the outer flange portion and being disposed in radial sealing engagement with said one of the outer combustor wall and the outer flange portion at engine operating temperature, such that the vane assembly is mounted to the combustor and sealed therewith, wherein a sliding joint connection is provided between each of the inner and outer platforms of the vane assembly and the combustor, the sliding joint connections extending axially, thereby permitting at least relative axial displacement between the vane assembly and the combustor while maintaining a radial seal therebetween.

A combustor-to-vane joint assembly for a gas turbine engine, the combustor including an annular exit end for mating with an annular vane ring assembly, the vane ring assembly defined by inner and outer platform rings, the joint comprising:

• inner and outer female retaining members integral with and defining a downstream end of the annular exit, the female retaining members each including annular portions spaced-apart by a first distance;
• and
• inner and outer male insertion members integral with and defining an upstream end of the vane assembly platform rings, said male insertion members having a thickness at room temperature less than said first distance;
• wherein the vane assembly is mounted to the combustor solely by insertion of the inner and outer male insertion members between the spaced-apart portions of the respective inner and outer female retaining members, a radial gap being defined between said male insertion members and said respective female retaining members at room temperature, and said male insertion members and said respective female retaining members being disposed in radial sealing engagement at engine operating temperature while permitting at least relative axial displacement therebetween.