# US 9,039,355 B2 · Actuator mounted to torque box

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- Number: US 9,039,355 B2
- Document ID: US9039355B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/485,325
- Filed: 2012-05-31
- Published: 2013-12-05
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2012-05-31
- Assignees: United Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: Bernard W. Pudvah; Eugene C. Gasmen; Stanley Wiecko
- Inventors: Bernard W. Pudvah; Eugene C. Gasmen; Stanley Wiecko
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039355B2

## CPC

- F02C 9/22: by adjusting turbine vanes
- F01D 17/162: {for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line (F01D17/167 takes precedence)}
- F04D 29/563: {specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps}
- F16H 21/44: for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions
- F05D 2250/312: the axes being parallel to each other
- F05D 2250/313: the axes being perpendicular to each other
- F05D 2260/31: Retaining bolts or nuts
- F05D 2260/56: using cams or eccentrics
- Y10T 74/18888: Reciprocating to or from oscillating
- Y10T 74/20012: Multiple controlled elements
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- F16H: GEARING
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

An actuator system mounted to a gas turbine engine that communicates mechanical power for positioning variable guide vanes within the gas turbine engine. The actuator system includes a torque box having components for communicating mechanical power to the variable guide vanes for positioning the vanes and an actuator mechanically coupled to provide mechanical power to the components of the torque box used to communicate the provided mechanical power to the inlet guide vanes. The actuator is mounted to the torque box via a plurality of bolts.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An actuator system for a gas turbine engine, the actuator system comprising:
a torque box having components for communicating mechanical power to variable guide vanes for positioning; and
an actuator mechanically coupled to provide mechanical power to the components of the torque box used to communicate the provided mechanical power to the variable guide vanes, wherein the actuator is mounted to the torque box via a first bolt and a second bolt that are attached to the torque box in a direction tangential to a circumference of a centerline axis of the gas turbine engine and a third bolt attached to the torque box in a radial direction to the centerline axis that is perpendicular with the direction of the first and second bolts.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The actuator system of claim 1, wherein the third bolt is attached to the torque box at a location radially inward of the first and/or second bolts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The actuator system of claim 2, wherein the torque box is mounted to an exterior side of an engine case associated with the gas turbine engine via a plurality of bolts.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The actuator system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a linear actuator that communicates mechanical power in a direction parallel with an engine centerline axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The actuator system of claim 4, wherein the torque box includes a bell crank having at least a first end and a second end, wherein the bell crank is pivotally attached to the torque box at a pivot point located between the first end and the second end.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The actuator system of claim 5, wherein the first end of the bell crank is attached to the linear actuator, the second end of the bell crank attached to linkages for communicating mechanical power to the variable guide vanes.

### Claim 7

A gas turbine engine comprising:
an engine case;
a compressor and/or turbine stage having at least a first plurality of stationary variable guide vanes (VGVs) circumferentially spaced around the gas turbine engine radially inward of the engine case, and a second plurality of stationary variable guide vanes (VGVs) circumferentially spaced around the gas turbine engine radially inward of the engine case, wherein the first plurality of VGVs are axially spaced from the second plurality of VGVs;
a torque box mounted to the engine case that includes components for communicating mechanical power to the first plurality of VGVs and the second plurality of VGVs; and
a linear actuator mounted to the torque box and coupled to provide mechanical force to the components of the torque box to selectively position the first plurality of VGVs and the second plurality of VGVs wherein the actuator is mounted to the torque box via a first bolt and a second bolt that are attached to the torque box in a direction tangential to a circumference of a centerline axis of the gas turbine engine and a third bolt attached to the torque box in a radial direction to the centerline axis that is perpendicular with the direction of the first and second bolts.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The actuator system of claim 7, wherein the third bolt is attached to the torque box at a location radially inward of the first and second bolts.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The actuator system of claim 7, wherein the torque box includes a bell crank having at least a first end and a second end, wherein the bell crank is pivotally attached to the torque box at a pivot point located between the first end and the second end.

### Claim 10

An actuator system for a gas turbine engine, the actuator system comprising:
a torque box having components for communicating mechanical power to variable guide vanes for positioning; and
an actuator mechanically coupled to provide mechanical power to the components of the torque box used to communicate the provided mechanical power to the variable guide vanes, wherein the actuator is mounted to the torque box via a first bolt and a second bolt that are attached to the torque box in a radial direction to a centerline axis of the gas turbine engine and a third bolt attached to the torque box in a direction tangential to a circumference of the centerline axis that is perpendicular with the radial direction of the first and second bolts.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The actuator system of claim 10, wherein the third bolt is attached to the torque box at a location radially inward of the first and/or second bolts.

### Claim 12

A gas turbine engine comprising:
an engine case;
a compressor and/or turbine stage having at least a first plurality of stationary variable guide vanes (VGVs) circumferentially spaced around the gas turbine engine radially inward of the engine case, and a second plurality of stationary variable guide vanes (VGVs) circumferentially spaced around the gas turbine engine radially inward of the engine case, wherein the first plurality of VGVs are axially spaced from the second plurality of VGVs;
a torque box mounted to the engine case that includes components for communicating mechanical power to the first plurality of VGVs and the second plurality of VGVs; and
a linear actuator mounted to the torque box and coupled to provide mechanical force to the components of the torque box to selectively position the first plurality of VGVs and the second plurality of VGVs wherein the actuator is mounted to the torque box via a first bolt and a second bolt that are attached to the torque box in a radial direction to a centerline axis of the gas turbine engine and a third bolt attached to the torque box in direction tangential to a circumference of the centerline axis that is perpendicular with the radial direction of the first and second bolts.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The actuator system of claim 12, wherein the third bolt is attached to the torque box at a location radially inward of the first and/or second bolts.